Blogs

rabble blogs are the personal pages of some of Canada's most insightful progressive activists and commentators. All opinions belong to the writer; however, writers are expected to adhere to our guidelines. We welcome new bloggers -- contact us for details.
Blog - The Views Expressed October 27
Guy Smith, president of the AUPE, addresses the media outside of the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton (Image: Courtesy of ProgressReport.ca)
Alberta government's plan to lay off 11,000 public sector health workers sparks wildcat walkouts at 45 health facilities
David J. Climenhaga | Infuriated at the Kenney government's determination to lay off public sector health-care workers and privatize their jobs, members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees walked off the job.
Blog - On The Other Hand October 27
Image: Jay Phagan/Wikimedia Commons
U.S. advocates push back against voter suppression ahead of election
Penney Kome | Current polls suggest Democratic candidate Joe Biden is on course to win the 2020 election. But polls only matter if Americans can actually vote.
Blog - The Views Expressed October 26
Premier Jason Kenney at a public announcement in Calgary on October 9, 2020. Image: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr
Alberta's United Conservative Party staffers may soon catch a whiff of the 'Kenney stink'
Eric Strikwerda | By any reasonable measure, nearly everything the Kenney government has touched has turned into a stinky disaster.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 26
The message on the author's COVID Alert smartphone app, and yours too if you live in Alberta. Image: David J. Climenhaga
It's time to activate the federal 'COVID Alert' app in Alberta
David J. Climenhaga | COVID Alert can be turned on in Alberta immediately without waiting for the provincial government to solve the technical issues with its own failed app, which it has walked away from anyway.
Blog - The Journalism Doctor October 26
Rex Murphy at the UBCM conference in 2014. Image: Province of British Columbia/Flickr
Rex Murphy's latest complaint about 'journalistic crimes' shows he's drifting into an alternate reality
John Miller | The Postmedia columnist recently claimed the media are covering up a dubious story about U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden's family.
Blog - The Views Expressed October 23
Map from 1962 showing the range of nuclear missiles based in Cuba. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Cuban missile crisis anniversary a reminder of the dangers of Donald Trump
Ed Finn | October 27, 1962, was by far the most dangerous day in human history -- the day the world came perilously close to being devastated by a nuclear holocaust that could have killed three billion people.
Blog - The Views Expressed October 23
MP Iqra Khalid during the public forum on October 22 to consider Canada's policy in regard to Kashmir. Image: Screenshot of Facebook video
Canada remains silent on Indian colonization of Kashmir
Karen Rodman | Since August 5, 2019, India has illegally annexed the territory, downgraded its status and put the Valley of Kashmir under siege.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 23
Premier Jason Kenney pictured on October 16, 2020. Image: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr
Isolated Premier Jason Kenney blows off criticism of his government's approach to COVID-19 restrictions
David J. Climenhaga | New COVID-19 cases are soaring in Alberta, on Wednesday passing 400 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Blog - Council of Canadians' blog October 23
Mi'kmaq fishers rallying on the shore. Image: Contributed photo
How corporate mega-fishery Clearwater has set the stage for violent conflict in Mi'kma'ki
Robin Tress | What does corporate mega-fishery Clearwater Fine Foods have to do with the Mi'kmaq Nation exercising their treaty right to fish?
Blog - Council of Canadians' blog October 23
Mi'kmaq fishing boats. Image: Courtesy Sipeknekatik
Settler violence against Mi'kmaq fishermen highlights double standard in Canadian policing
Robin Tress | In the past week we've seen shocking acts of violence and vandalism in Nova Scotia as non-Indigenous fishers continue to oppose Mi'kmaq rights-holders exercising their treaty right to fish.
Blog - The Views Expressed October 22
Image: Joel Muniz/Unsplash
Why are Canadians in need still forced to rely on food banks?
Jade Guthrie | The first food bank opened its doors in Alberta in 1981 as a "temporary" measure to address food insecurity. But many still rely on them 40 years later.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 22
Premier Jason Kenney at the opening of the Mazak Edmonton Technical Centre on October 21, 2020. Image: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr
Jason Kenney's handpicked advisors call for mention of residential schools to be erased from primary grades curriculum
David J. Climenhaga | Erasing mention of residential schools from curriculum "will perpetuate systemic racism," the Alberta Teachers Association's Indigenous education officer says.
Blog - Greening the News October 22
BC NDP Leader John Horgan flanked by candidate Bowinn Ma on campaign trail on September 29, 2020. Image: John Horgan/Twitter
Why some environmentalists are turning off British Columbia's NDP government
Robert Hackett | Despite the promises made while in opposition, and some positive steps, the Horgan government's environmental policy seems to be: pick low-hanging fruit, but don't offend corporate carbon capital.
Blog - Cathy Crowe's blog October 21
Image: Cathy Crowe
Judge rules City of Toronto breached its agreement to ensure physical distancing in homeless shelters
Cathy Crowe | A legal coalition returns to court to advocate for physical distancing in shelters to protect homeless people from COVID-19.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 21
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Image: David J. Climenhaga​
Jason Kenney's Alberta government launches ambitious legislative session with no time for COVID-19
David J. Climenhaga | The Alberta government is cramming up to 20 bills into the six-week legislative sitting.
Blog - David Suzuki October 20
Image: sippakorn yamkasikorn
Federal government must reject industry efforts to derail clean fuel standard
David Suzuki | Greenpeace recently obtained leaked strategy documents advising industry to push back against measures such as the federal clean fuel standard -- a pillar of Canada's emissions reduction plan.
Blog - The Views Expressed October 20
Trudeau announcing support for Black entrepreneurs at a press conference in September 2020. Image: CanadianPM/Twitter
Canadians are using the term 'racialized' incorrectly
Yafet Tewelde | The normalizing of whiteness through the conflation of all non-white groups under the term "racialized" is endemic to how racism operates in Canada.
Blog - Taking Sides October 20
Sarah Shepherd, Global Media Monitoring Project volunteer from Canada, monitors the days news during monitoring day, September 29, 2020. Image: contributed photo
Global Media Monitoring Project research finds a male-centric view of the world in the news
Philip Lee | Stories reveal gender bias and extensive stereotyping that perpetuate marginalization, discrimination, and violence against women and girls. Men also have a role to play in addressing this inequality.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 20
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney at a press conference on October 16, 2020. Image: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney emphasizes 'personal responsibility' as COVID second wave hits province
David J. Climenhaga | Alberta has now passed a significant milestone -- more COVID-19 cases than at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in the spring.
Blog - The Views Expressed October 19
Israeli soldiers pictured in 2016. Image: Dennis Jarvis/Flickr
Canadians should not be recruited to fight for the Israeli army
Bianca Mugyenyi | There have been as many as 230 Canadians in the Israeli army at any one time. It is unclear how many of these individuals were recruited in ways that may have violated the Foreign Enlistment Act.
Blog - Judy Rebick's Blog October 19
Image: Luis Arce/Twitter
Bolivia's Movement for Socialism wins presidential election
Judy Rebick | After months of constant mobilization, the Indigenous people of Bolivia have taken back their power in a first round majority vote for the MAS.
Blog - Brent Patterson October 19
Image: aezoss/Flickr
Canadian military plans CF-18 warplane monument at new headquarters in Ottawa
Brent Patterson | As controversial monuments are being toppled around the world, the Canadian military is planning to place a warplane on a pedestal at its Ottawa headquarters.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 19
Jason Kenney and Erin O'Toole converse at the UCP's virtual 2020 AGM. Image: United Conservative Party/Twitter
Jason Kenney admits Alberta must be seen to be taking climate action to secure bank loans for oil and gas projects
David J. Climenhaga | In an online Q&A, Kenney admitted that governments like his are going to have to be seen to be taking action on the environment if they expect bankers to loan any money to the oil and gas industry.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 16
Jason Kenney touting his staff's seven-per-cent pay cut during a press conference on October 15, 2020. Image: Jason Kenney/Screenshot of Twitter video
United Conservative Party government staffers to take pay cut as Alberta's health-care services plunged into chaos
David J. Climenhaga | The cuts will hit political staff working for the government of Alberta, including press secretaries, chiefs of staff, junior policy advisors and other staffers in the premier's office.
Blog - The Activist Toolkit Blog October 16
Image: Kon Karampelas/Unsplash
How to fight back against racists organizing on social media and on the ground
Maya Bhullar | It is important to organize online to undermine the spaces being used to spread hate and disinformation, but to make real change, we must all work on the ground.
Blog - On The Other Hand October 16
Kamala Harris pictured in June 2020. Image: Kamala Harris/Facebook
The power behind Kamala Harris' smile
Penney Kome | As the first Black U.S. vice-presidential candidate, Harris is breaking a barrier on the world stage.
Blog - The Views Expressed October 15
Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan, pictured in September 2020. Image: Seamus O'Regan/Twitter
Why is the federal government funding new nuclear power reactors?
Susan O'Donnell | Now that federal funds are flowing for new nuclear reactors, it is certain that climate activists will be refining their strategies and demands for genuine climate action.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 15
Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro gives a press conference on October 8, 2020. Image: Tyler Shandro/Screenshot of Twitter video
Alberta government's claimed savings from health-care cuts don't add up
David J. Climenhaga | The fiscal benefit of the cuts will be negligible, if not negative.
Blog - Independent Jewish Voices Canada October 15
Sticker promoting bigotry which appeared in Halifax in the last weeks of September 2020. ​Image: Contributed photo
Two very different Jewish responses to bigotry: One promoting solidarity, the other promoting insularity
Larry Haiven | In the last weeks of September 2020, anonymous adhesive stickers bearing messages of bigotry appeared on utility poles and other surfaces in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Blog - Alberta Diary October 14
Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro at this morning's news conference. Photo: Screenshot of Government of Alberta video
UCP government announces massive health-care layoffs at hastily called news conference
David J. Climenhaga | The UCP's promise to not layoff health-care professionals until after the pandemic is probably not going to keep those workers from thinking about moving to other jurisdictions.

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