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 - Greening the News May 11
Newspaper pages. Image credit: AbsolutVision/Unsplash
How can we reform Canada's petro-friendly media?
Robert Hackett, Hanna Araza | Canada's news media, like its economy, are historically and culturally linked to extractivism.
Blog - Alberta Diary May 11
Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu. Image credit: Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta/Flickr
Alberta justice minister claims Liberals and New Democrats want Alberta to be overwhelmed by COVID-19
David J. Climenhaga | Gaslighting, not to mention outright sabotage, has been a standard part of the Conservative repertoire in Canada for half a century. Of course they accuse others of the same thing.
Blog - rabble.ca's staff blog May 10
World Trade Center Memorial. Image credit: Department of Defense/pingnews.com/Flickr
Twenty years covering people, politics, and protests
Chelsea Nash | To celebrate 20 years of rabble, take a history tour through our archives.
Blog - Greening the News May 10
Person stands in front of display of newspaper broadsheets. Image credit: Jason Franson/ Postmedia via Capital Ideas Edmonton/Flickr
Postmedia's cozy relationship with the fossil-fuel industry
Robert Hackett, Hanna Araza | If Canadians want a conversation about energy and climate policy undistorted by big oil's outsized influence, newspapers still matter.
Blog - Alberta Diary May 10
Calgary Police arrest political cleric Artur Pawlowski on Saturday for defying public health orders. Image: Screenshot of YouTube video
Alberta police finally show signs of cracking down on defiance of public health orders
David J. Climenhaga | The latest arrests may not seem like much, but whatever the explanation they represent something of a sea change for the Kenney government and police.
Blog - Alberta Diary May 6
Edmonton Strathcona MP Heather McPherson during yesterday's emergency debate on COVID-19 in Alberta. Image: Screenshot of House of Commons video
Debate on Alberta's dismal COVID-19 record migrates to House of Commons
David J. Climenhaga | Despite a string of daily news conferences intended to restore confidence in its foundering COVID-19 performance, the Kenney government appears to have lost control of the narrative.
Blog - Alberta Diary May 5
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney at his 9.5-minute speaking appearance yesterday evening. Image: Screenshot of Alberta Government video
Jason Kenney steps up to rostrum, announces new COVID-19 restrictions, then skedaddles
David J. Climenhaga | Unlike the premier, Opposition Leader Rachel Notley entertained questions from reporters, telling them it sounded as if Kenney was "making it up on the fly." It's hard to dispute that assessment.
Blog - David Suzuki May 5
Close up of grassy lawn. Image credit: Petar Tonchev/Unsplash
From desert to dessert -- No Mow May gains momentum
David Suzuki | Researchers have found that regular mowing, especially early in spring, has unintended ecological consequences. Mowing less is a simple way to help insects and boost local ecology.
Blog - Alberta Diary May 4
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney at yesterday's COVID-19 news conference. Image: Screenshot of Alberta Government video
Jason Kenney edges closer to blaming Albertans for the province's COVID-19 predicament
David J. Climenhaga | Reporter: "How can you not shoulder some blame for things getting this out of hand?" Alberta Premier Jason Kenney: "I reject the premise of your question."
Blog - The Activist Toolkit Blog May 4
Image: Gail Cyr. Used with permission.
After organizing in the Northwest Territories for 47 years, Gail Cyr shares lessons from her work
Maya Bhullar | Gail Cyr has spent her life amplifying the work and voices of local communities. Now, she is officially "retired" but is as busy as ever.
Blog - Alberta Diary May 3
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Image credit: David J. Climenhaga
When the going gets tough, tough guy Jason Kenney gets going
David J. Climenhaga | It would be fair to say, in that venerable Canadian political phrase, there was a fury in the land at the United Conservative Party's decision to cut and run in the face of bad COVID-19 news.
Blog - Alberta Diary May 2
Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes. Image credit: David J. Climenhaga
MLA Drew Barnes is calling the shots for Alberta and any way you look at that, it's not healthy
David J. Climenhaga | Alberta's premier appears to be more worried about what a group of 17 COVID-denying UCP MLAs might do than the health of the province's citizens.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 30
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney at yesterday's COVID-19 news conference. Image credit: Winston Pon/Office of the Premier, Alberta Newsroom/Flickr
Little change in Alberta's inconsistent, indecisive, confusing and unsuccessful approach to COVID-19
David J. Climenhaga | As for those "targeted regional measures," this is a misleading characterization. "Targeted regional exceptions" would be a more accurate term.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 29
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney speaks to media about expansion projects at Calgary’s Rockyview General Hospital. Image credit: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr
Alberta heads into record-breaking territory as new COVID-19 cases continue to increase
David J. Climenhaga | You'd have to be the premier of Alberta or a member of his UCP caucus not to think this is a catastrophe. If you want to set records as a province, these really aren't the kind you want to break.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 28
Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Image credit: David J. Climenhaga
Alberta hastily cobbles together panel to seek ways to undermine federal child-care proposal
David J. Climenhaga | It's reasonable to assume the committee is intended to provide and justify the excuses the UCP will need to keep Alberta out of what is sure to be an enormously popular program.
Blog - David Suzuki April 28
Youth hold signs protesting fossil fuels. Image credit: Callum Shaw/Unsplash
Leading thinkers call for fossil fuel halt
David Suzuki | We talk about the urgency of the climate and biodiversity crises but act as if we have all the time in the world to address them.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 27
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney at yesterday's COVID news conference. Image credit: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr
Alberta surrenders to COVID with anti-science approach to public health
David J. Climenhaga | We Albertans are now living in a petri dish, an ongoing experiment in how well the Great Barrington Declaration really works. It doesn't look good.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 26
Progress Alberta Executive Director and now Senate "nominee" candidate Duncan Kinney. Image credit: David J. Climenhaga
Can a progressive gadfly offer unhappy Albertans a way to send their premier a message?
David J. Climenhaga | Senate nominee "election" progressive candidate Duncan Kinney will offer Alberta voters disgusted with the antics and incompetence of the Kenney government a way to express their disillusionment now.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 25
Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley surrounded by campaign volunteers in 2015 shortly before she became premier. Image credit: David J. Climenhaga
Small donors flock to Alberta NDP as disillusionment with Jason Kenney grows
David J. Climenhaga | If you go by Elections Alberta's figures, there really isn't a third political party in Alberta any more.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 23
Calgary-Fish Creek UCP MLA Richard Gotfried. Image credit: David J. Climenhaga
Bill hindering COVID-negligence suits will also protect Kenney government from scrutiny
David J. Climenhaga | It's not a coincidence this law is being proposed at a time when the government of Alberta intends to gut the Nursing Homes Act in the name of "reducing red tape."
Blog - Brent Patterson April 22
Manatee. Image credit: Chris Muenzer/Wikimedia Commons
Canadian companies welcome fracking pilot projects in Colombia
Brent Patterson | Two Canadian companies have expressed their support for fracking in Colombia, despite significant threats to human rights defenders, the climate and aquatic wildlife.
Blog - Cathy Crowe's blog April 22
A pair of black, very fancy high-heeled shoes. Image: Chrystia Freeland/Twitter
High-heeled shoes speak louder than flat housing words in 2021 budget
Cathy Crowe | Another year, another budget and a huge disconnect symbolized by a pair of high-heeled shoes. Canadians' housing needs remain unanswered.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 22
Alberta Labour Minister Jason Copping announcing the government's vaccine leave legislation yesterday. Image credit: Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta/Flickr
Alberta legislature passes transitory vaccine leave legislation
David J. Climenhaga | Never let it be said the United Conservative Party has done nothing worthwhile during the two years it's been in power in Alberta. Bill 71, passed yesterday, is proof.
Blog - Greening the News April 21
Jagmeet Singh virtually attends 2021 NDP convention. Image credit: Jagmeet Singh/Facebook
As we face a climate emergency, is it time to rethink the NDP?
Robert Hackett | Is the NDP a party, or a movement? And does it matter? At a time of climate emergency, it does.
Blog - Taking Sides April 21
Solidarity rally at the the State Capitol, St. Paul, Wisconsin. Image credit: Chuck Olsen/Flickr
Global tax reforms and communication rights
Lorenzo Vargas | Are we seeing a shift in economic thinking towards a model in which high unemployment, massive wealth concentration, or inequitable access to services are seen as the real crises to be tackled?
Blog - Alberta Diary April 21
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney at yesterday afternoon's COVID-19 update. Image credit: Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta/Flickr
Federal child-care plan prompts Kenney to call up conservatism's culture warriors
David J. Climenhaga | What the Kenney government is really not interested in is affordable, accessible child care oriented to the needs of children and parents, not profit, privatization, and market ideology.
Blog - David Suzuki April 21
Racoon on table outside. Image credit: Moritz Kindler/Unsplash
Are we too hard on newly arrived plants and animals?
David Suzuki | As plant and animal species worldwide have started to shift ranges in response to warming climates and habitat destruction, narratives about invasives have also started to shift.
Blog - rabble.ca's staff blog April 19
Graphic of video conference. Image credit: Alexandra_Koch/Pixabay
Marking 20 years of political debate on babble
Meg Borthwick | From the World Trade Center attack in 2001 to the COVID pandemic, rabble's political discussion forum, babble, has discussed it all from a progressive perspective.
Blog - Alberta Diary April 19
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and Royal consort, as seen all week on the Government of Alberta's web page. Image: Government of Alberta screenshot
Why conservatives love the monarchy
David J. Climenhaga | The monarchy has been weaponized by the right -- in Britain and in Canada.
Blog - rabble.ca's staff blog April 18
Celebrating 20 years of rabble.ca!
Kim Elliott | Join in the celebration! Donate any amount and you could win a copy of "Everything on (the) Line: 20 Years of Social Movement Stories from rabble.ca," published by Between the Lines on April 18, 2021.

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