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 - David Suzuki February 18
Image: Valerie Courtois/Twitter
'Beyond Climate' ventures to the heart of a rapidly heating B.C.
David Suzuki | Ian Mauro's award-winning film, "Beyond Climate," takes viewers past the headlines and into the heart of the climate challenges and opportunities facing B.C.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 18
Image: David J. Climenhaga
Canada's conservative movement threatens the country more than non-violent blockades
David J. Climenhaga | A military "solution" to suit the desires of an extremist conservative minority concentrated in Western Canada is exactly what the country does not need.
Blog - The Views Expressed February 17
Image: Pixabay/Steve Riot
Are teachers overpaid? A defense of teacher salaries
Greg Dwulit | Free market advocates claim teachers are overpaid and enjoy too much vacation time. But many people don't know that Canada has one of the strongest education systems in the world.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 17
Premier Don Getty while in office. Image: Government of Alberta.
A Family Day toast to Don Getty, who is entitled to our gratitude for one thing at least
David J. Climenhaga | Thirty years ago today, thanks to premier Don Getty and his Progressive Conservative government, Albertans celebrated their first Family Day statutory holiday.
Blog - The Views Expressed February 16
Image: Facebook
Check your white male privilege Andrew Scheer
Pam Palmater | Scheer's ill-informed comments serve only to cause confusion and apprehension in the public, instead of offering thoughtful solutions that would bring everyone together.
Blog - Brent Patterson February 15
Image: TOWetsuwetenSolidarity/Twitter
Rail blockades are proving to be an effective non-violent response to state violence
Brent Patterson | The rail blockades in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en land defenders could be a learning moment for Extinction Rebellion and other social justice movements.
Blog - A change is gonna come February 15
The Cyborg Circus Project. Image: Stanley Omar/Facebook
An evening of dance and discourse comes to Burlington with 'Prospects'
Doreen Nicoll | Show brings together choreographers, dancers and patrons to experience powerful performances and discussions.
Blog - Brent Patterson February 14
Image: PBI Canada
Indigenous land defender Lorena Cabnal on feminism vs megaprojects
Brent Patterson | Mayan Q'eqchi'-xinka healer and feminist Lorena Cabnal on body-land territory, the struggle against patriarchy and extractivism, and the power of ancestral memory.
Blog - The Views Expressed February 13
Image: Jamie/Flickr
Canada's pseudo-health care system relies on people getting sick, not staying well
Ed Finn | Federal and most provincial governments continue to deny many thousands of citizens the basic preventive and protective health services that are standard practice in most other advanced nations.
Blog - rabble.ca's staff blog February 13
Image: rabble.ca
We wrote you a love letter
Kim Elliott | Is love in the air? Holidays or not, we are full of love and appreciation.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 13
Image: David J. Climenhaga
Alberta war room unleashes tirade against The New York Times, then hastily retreats
David J. Climenhaga | Despite a short-lived war room Twitter tantrum followed by a response, the New York Times is standing by its story.
Blog - The Views Expressed February 12
A boy confronts heavily armed Egyptian military police at a barbed wire barricade in central Cairo just south of Tahrir Square. (Image: Alisdare Hickson/Flickr)
The Arab Spring: an ongoing conflict between two visions
Abdul Nakua | What started as a seemingly a futile act of protest a decade ago transitioned into a fully-fledged revolution. The road to a better future is still ahead, and so the revolution lives on.
Blog - The Activist Toolkit Blog February 12
Image: Tony Webster/Flickr
Support the Wet'suwet'en Nation and their supporters
Maya Bhullar | Some tools for those who want to help.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 12
Alberta Legislature, Edmonton, Alberta. (Image: Jeff Wallace/Flickr)
Alberta sheds jobs while the rest of the country creates them
David J. Climenhaga | If Jason Kenney and the UCP stay the course, the reasonable expectation should be that job losses in Alberta will continue to get worse.
Blog - David Suzuki February 11
Image: Tyler Gerritsen/Flickr
Alberta's 'war room' is an attack on democracy
David Suzuki | The idea that efforts to research and communicate the overwhelming science of climate disruption and its solutions could be considered a plot to help U.S. oil companies is nonsense.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 11
Suncor Steepbank mine, near Fort McMurray. Image: Jason Woodhead/Flickr
Jason Kenney flip-flops, adopts 'social license' strategy
David J. Climenhaga | After spending five years bashing the Alberta NDP's "social license" strategy for oilsands projects, Kenney suddenly announced he will pursue a remarkably similar strategy for new energy projects.
Blog - Brent Patterson February 10
Image: Unist'ot'en Camp/Facebook
Wet'suwet'en land defenders face risks experienced by environmental human rights defenders around the world
Brent Patterson | Wet'suwet'en land defenders are facing many of the same risks and patterns experienced by environmental human rights defenders in Latin America and around the world.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 10
Bruce Heyman with his wife Vicki, flanked by members of the Governor General's Foot Guard on April 9, 2014. Image: U.S. Embassy to Canada/Flickr
Former U.S. ambassador to Canada unaware of any conversation like the plot described by Jason Kenney
David J. Climenhaga | Former U.S. ambassador Bruce Heyman's tweet suggests the Alberta premier's startling conspiracy claims about the Keystone XL decision are baloney.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 9
Conservative premiers Jason Kenney of Alberta and Scott Moe of Saskatchewan. Image: Wilson Centre
Jason Kenney names Gerald Butts and Barack Obama in latest conspiracy theory
David J. Climenhaga | Does anyone actually believe Jason Kenney's claim that Gerald Butts, then Justin Trudeau's principal secretary, secretly conspired with the White House in 2015?
Blog - Council of Canadians' blog February 7
Image: Presidencia de la República Mexicana/Flickr
Canadians should not be lulled into ratifying the 'new' NAFTA
Rick Arnold | Civil society organizations in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada demand that Canada not be lulled into rubber stamping the new NAFTA.
Blog - Cathy Crowe's blog February 7
Crowded cots in the hallway warming centre at Metro Hall. Image: Contributed/Cathy Crowe.
There is no 'Winterlicious' festival for Toronto's homeless people
Cathy Crowe | While Toronto is in the midst of a culinary event called "Winterlicious," homeless people in Toronto's warming centre receive brown bag meals.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 6
Alberta nurses: targeted for UCP rollbacks. Image: Submitted/United Nurses of Alberta
The UCP's propaganda machine goes after Alberta's registered nurses
David J. Climenhaga | When citizens push back against UCP plans and policies, they can expect to be swarmed and bullied, often quite personally, by publicly paid political staff.
Blog - rabble.ca's staff blog February 5
Crowd gathered outside old City Hall during the Winnipeg General Strike. Image: L.B. Foote/Wikimedia Commons
rabble's deep-rooted commitment to the labour movement
Bob Gallagher | Canada, more than ever, needs to be reminded of the power of collective action and fearless labour organizing.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 5
TMX moves ahead while the rest of the world electrifies. Image: Facebook
Trans Mountain ruling looks like a win for Alberta -- as the world drives away in electric vehicles
David J. Climenhaga | The world will likely still need some Alberta bitumen -- to repair the roads on which all those electric vehicles will go whizzing around.
Blog - David Suzuki February 4
Image: Project LM/Flickr
What do we do when our home is on fire?
David Suzuki | As Greta Thunberg warns, our home is on fire. But politicians and industry keep expanding fossil fuel development, trying to cash in before markets fall in the face of alternatives and climate chaos.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 4
Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro, Alberta Health Services CEO Verna Yiu and Ernst & Young spokesperson John Bethel at yesterday's news conference in Edmonton. Image: Government of Alberta.
Ernst & Young review of Alberta Health Services gives UCP cover to do lots, flexibility to do little
David J. Climenhaga | The consultant's report released yesterday by the Alberta government could be a harbinger of a privatization binge, or it could just turn out to be an expensive press release.
Blog - A change is gonna come February 3
Jonathan LeFresne stands outside Doug Ford's constituency office. Image: Submitted
Doug Ford's education cuts are killing our future
Doreen Nicoll | If not one teacher will lose their jobs under Ford's education cuts, then why are so many teachers not in classrooms?
Blog - The Activist Toolkit Blog February 3
Image: Mary Crandall/Flickr
Ways to support Ontario's teachers
Maya Bhullar | Here are some facts to share with people repeating the Ford administration's misinformation and things you can do to support the teachers.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 3
Image: Government of Alberta/Flickr
What Brexit and Ottawa's decision on the Teck oil sands mine have in common: Jason Kenney's stubborn intransigence
David J. Climenhaga | Even die-hard Alberta conservatives might start to wonder if all of Alberta's problems are really Justin Trudeau's fault.
Blog - Alberta Diary February 1
AUPE president Guy Smith. Image: David J. Climenhaga
Arbitrator's decision awarding 1% pay increase to some AUPE members undermines UCP austerity arguments
David J. Climenhaga | The stage has been set for a disputatious period of labour relations in Alberta for the foreseeable future.

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