Article: some union people bristled at Avi Lewis saying "general strike" are his key words for labour. Maybe they did so not b/c it was a "bold, systemic proposal" but instead b/c they found it to be a bit know-it-all & inattentive to unions' internal decision-making. www.thestar.com/politics/fed...
www.thestar.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Article: some union people bristled at Avi Lewis saying "general strike" are his key words for labour. Maybe they did so not b/c it was a "bold, systemic proposal" but instead b/c they found it to be a bit know-it-all & inattentive to unions' internal decision-making. www.thestar.com/politics/fed...
Reposted by Brad James
Has satisfaction with the way democracy works in Canada been declining?
In a word: no.
70% now say they are satisfied with the way democracy works in Canada - a modest rebound from 2023 (65%)
www.environicsinstitute.org/projects/pro...
In a word: no.
70% now say they are satisfied with the way democracy works in Canada - a modest rebound from 2023 (65%)
www.environicsinstitute.org/projects/pro...
November 24, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Has satisfaction with the way democracy works in Canada been declining?
In a word: no.
70% now say they are satisfied with the way democracy works in Canada - a modest rebound from 2023 (65%)
www.environicsinstitute.org/projects/pro...
In a word: no.
70% now say they are satisfied with the way democracy works in Canada - a modest rebound from 2023 (65%)
www.environicsinstitute.org/projects/pro...
Jason has the goods, and there *are* positive things happening in our city.
Few places have transformed overnight like here. Once transit-quiet, it now has all-day GO, 15-minute UPX trips to downtown and YYZ, and a 15-bay TTC hub — all before Line 5 even opens soon to connect Midtown. The future here looks bright, especially if you own shares in Supercoffee. #MountDennis
November 24, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Jason has the goods, and there *are* positive things happening in our city.
The Replacements' Let It Be album is full of "effervescent life force and conditional optimism" says @paranoiacs.bsky.social. "The enormity of the compassion is made to feel deeper by the extent of the confusion." Lovely.
.https://www.gq.com/story/when-the-replacements-courage-was-at-its-peak
.https://www.gq.com/story/when-the-replacements-courage-was-at-its-peak
November 23, 2025 at 9:50 PM
The Replacements' Let It Be album is full of "effervescent life force and conditional optimism" says @paranoiacs.bsky.social. "The enormity of the compassion is made to feel deeper by the extent of the confusion." Lovely.
.https://www.gq.com/story/when-the-replacements-courage-was-at-its-peak
.https://www.gq.com/story/when-the-replacements-courage-was-at-its-peak
Or people could wait to see some actual outcomes before concluding that these guys have refused to compromise *or* decided to agree on anything other than momentary decorum.
Every liberal democratic voter should see the way the Mamdani and Trump spoke and how Mamdani, never having to compromise his positions, was able to get Trump to agree with him.
Thats what left-wing populism can do and it’s the direction the Democratic Party must go.
Thats what left-wing populism can do and it’s the direction the Democratic Party must go.
November 23, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Or people could wait to see some actual outcomes before concluding that these guys have refused to compromise *or* decided to agree on anything other than momentary decorum.
Interviewer says "union membership remains robust by current standards at 28%". Not sure what "current standards" are, but that # hides what's happened underneath -- the erosion of private sector union coverage vs. modest growth in public sector coverage. Little talk of this in NDP leadership race.
What does the future of the NDP have in store? A lot of good, perhaps. But first the party and it's next leader have a lot to figure out.
A conversation on the state of the NDP leadership race:
jacobin.com/2025/11/ndp-...
A conversation on the state of the NDP leadership race:
jacobin.com/2025/11/ndp-...
Can Canada’s NDP Step Back From the Brink of Electoral Ruin?
The leadership race in Canada’s New Democratic Party has exposed fractures between workers and professionals and between leader-driven branding and party democracy. Its survival as a serious left-wing...
jacobin.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Interviewer says "union membership remains robust by current standards at 28%". Not sure what "current standards" are, but that # hides what's happened underneath -- the erosion of private sector union coverage vs. modest growth in public sector coverage. Little talk of this in NDP leadership race.
Labour law for federally regulated sectors allows union certification via a “one-step” process with no vote if >50% of workers sign union cards. Rob Ashton appears to propose replacing one-step union certification with … one-step union certification. This seems doable. robashton.ca/worker-power...
November 21, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Labour law for federally regulated sectors allows union certification via a “one-step” process with no vote if >50% of workers sign union cards. Rob Ashton appears to propose replacing one-step union certification with … one-step union certification. This seems doable. robashton.ca/worker-power...
Reposted by Brad James
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Good event. It set out rationales for broader bargaining relationships in Cdn labour relations, explained how it could work, and politely identified union reluctance as one barrier to progress. Coincidentally, at this yr's OFL convention, just 3 of the 137 submitted resolutions mentioned the topic.
Missed our webinar on sectoral bargaining? Check out the full video here: vimeo.com/1138926461?f...
#canlab
#canlab
Bigger Tables, Broader Bases: The Case for Sectoral Bargaining
This webinar examines whether expanding bargaining sector-wide can rebuild working-class power. Featuring Dr. Adam King and Dr. Sara Slinn.
vimeo.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Good event. It set out rationales for broader bargaining relationships in Cdn labour relations, explained how it could work, and politely identified union reluctance as one barrier to progress. Coincidentally, at this yr's OFL convention, just 3 of the 137 submitted resolutions mentioned the topic.
Reposted by Brad James
MIT's famous linguistic professor Noam Chomsky was in regular and close contact with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a review of emails published by the U.S. House Oversight Committee. In the documents, Chomsky described Epstein as a "highly valued friend."
Epstein emails show close connection with MIT's Noam Chomsky
MIT's famous linguistic professor Noam Chomsky was in regular and close contact with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a review of emails published by the U.S. House Oversight Committee. In t...
www.wbur.org
November 20, 2025 at 1:24 PM
MIT's famous linguistic professor Noam Chomsky was in regular and close contact with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a review of emails published by the U.S. House Oversight Committee. In the documents, Chomsky described Epstein as a "highly valued friend."
Looking forward to watching this
youtu.be/TJqcJ3ZwqzQ?...
youtu.be/TJqcJ3ZwqzQ?...
Official Trailer – The Best of the Best: Jazz from Detroit
YouTube video by The Best of the Best: Jazz From Detroit
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Looking forward to watching this
youtu.be/TJqcJ3ZwqzQ?...
youtu.be/TJqcJ3ZwqzQ?...
Reposted by Brad James
I think about how big tech openly and frictionlessly scrapes/steals everything to train AI models every time I have to work through a multi-part, multi-month research ethics review process to interview a half dozen people who actually want to talk to me about their work.
In the Globe and Mail, @vassb.bsky.social asks the basic question: Should we just let big tech companies insist that consent to use data for AI training is part and parcel of using their service?
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...
Opinion: With AI, you are now the product: The hidden costs of staying online
More platforms are tying data surveillance for AI training as a condition to use services. Canada needs to reject this
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:43 PM
I think about how big tech openly and frictionlessly scrapes/steals everything to train AI models every time I have to work through a multi-part, multi-month research ethics review process to interview a half dozen people who actually want to talk to me about their work.
Because of this single post, I hereby forgive the interweb for all of the bad things it has done.
Every few years I feel compelled to post about the best hotel hack ever, because every time I post about it, it turns out to be new to lots of folks …
November 20, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Because of this single post, I hereby forgive the interweb for all of the bad things it has done.
In addition to being inaccurate, the "workers' wages have stagnated" line doesn't make much of a case for why people should join unions. Instead of repeating that line, a union leader seeking political office could choose to promote the many examples of collective bargaining successes for workers.
Rob Ashton says "workers wages have stagnated" for decades. That's not accurate. While higher earners have done better than low income earners, median real hourly wages have generally been rising since about 2003. Real growth in median wages was much flatter from the early 1980s to the early 2000s.
For decades, CEOs have been writing the rules. Corporate profits soared while workers' wages stagnated. It’s time to rewrite those rules.
My Worker Power Plan puts power back where it belongs: in the hands of workers.
Join our movement to make this plan a reality: RobAshton.ca
My Worker Power Plan puts power back where it belongs: in the hands of workers.
Join our movement to make this plan a reality: RobAshton.ca
November 20, 2025 at 3:05 AM
In addition to being inaccurate, the "workers' wages have stagnated" line doesn't make much of a case for why people should join unions. Instead of repeating that line, a union leader seeking political office could choose to promote the many examples of collective bargaining successes for workers.
Rob Ashton says "workers wages have stagnated" for decades. That's not accurate. While higher earners have done better than low income earners, median real hourly wages have generally been rising since about 2003. Real growth in median wages was much flatter from the early 1980s to the early 2000s.
For decades, CEOs have been writing the rules. Corporate profits soared while workers' wages stagnated. It’s time to rewrite those rules.
My Worker Power Plan puts power back where it belongs: in the hands of workers.
Join our movement to make this plan a reality: RobAshton.ca
My Worker Power Plan puts power back where it belongs: in the hands of workers.
Join our movement to make this plan a reality: RobAshton.ca
November 19, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Rob Ashton says "workers wages have stagnated" for decades. That's not accurate. While higher earners have done better than low income earners, median real hourly wages have generally been rising since about 2003. Real growth in median wages was much flatter from the early 1980s to the early 2000s.
Rob Ashton said he'd have voted against the budget if he'd been in the NDP caucus. In June, the NDP voted for the Liberals' latest income tax cut (costs ~$5.4 billion/year and benefits high and high-middle income earners the most). I'd like to know if Rob would've been a Yes or a No on that tax cut.
Mark Carney’s budget is a win for the rich and a loss for workers.
Cuts to services, good jobs on the line, and more banker-class politics.
Cuts to services, good jobs on the line, and more banker-class politics.
November 19, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Rob Ashton said he'd have voted against the budget if he'd been in the NDP caucus. In June, the NDP voted for the Liberals' latest income tax cut (costs ~$5.4 billion/year and benefits high and high-middle income earners the most). I'd like to know if Rob would've been a Yes or a No on that tax cut.
With the budget vote over, Avi Lewis says he's with the "No" voters in the NDP caucus. In June, the NDP voted for the Liberals' latest income tax cut (costs ~$5.4 billion/year; benefits high and high-middle income earners most). I'd like to know if Avi would've been a Yes or a No on that tax cut.
Prime Minister Carney needs to remember he has a minority mandate — instead of arrogantly forcing through a budget without changes, playing brinkmanship when Canadians are clear they don’t want an election.
🧵 2/3
🧵 2/3
November 19, 2025 at 4:45 AM
With the budget vote over, Avi Lewis says he's with the "No" voters in the NDP caucus. In June, the NDP voted for the Liberals' latest income tax cut (costs ~$5.4 billion/year; benefits high and high-middle income earners most). I'd like to know if Avi would've been a Yes or a No on that tax cut.
Heather McPherson voted "No" on the budget, saying its cuts are too deep in too many places. But back in June, all voting NDP MPs backed a motion to implement the Liberals' latest income tax reduction (which costs ~$5.4 billion/year and benefits high and high-middle earners the most).
Tonight I voted no to the Liberal budget. This was not a decision I took lightly. Here’s why I made that call.
November 19, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Heather McPherson voted "No" on the budget, saying its cuts are too deep in too many places. But back in June, all voting NDP MPs backed a motion to implement the Liberals' latest income tax reduction (which costs ~$5.4 billion/year and benefits high and high-middle earners the most).
Polling in Canada about tax policy pretty much never asks about trade-offs. And polls here often don't provide definitions of labels like "rich" or "wealthy".
I no longer see the value in polling on issues like tax, redistribution, or aid to others. You can get any number you want, based on the question you ask
The truth lies in the trade-offs people perceive, and the way the issue is framed to them
wid.world/news-article...
The truth lies in the trade-offs people perceive, and the way the issue is framed to them
wid.world/news-article...
Public Acceptance of International Redistribution in High-Income Countries - WID - World Inequality Database
Public Acceptance of International Redistribution in High-Income Countries This paper examines the support for global redistribution policies through an original survey representative of the populatio...
wid.world
November 18, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Polling in Canada about tax policy pretty much never asks about trade-offs. And polls here often don't provide definitions of labels like "rich" or "wealthy".
Robert Christgau on Todd Snider and his passing, including a sharp essay about Todd from back in 2012
substack.com/@robertchris...
substack.com/@robertchris...
Robert Christgau (@robertchristgau)
I'm very sorry to report that the great alt-country singer-songwriter Todd Snider has died at 59. I stick by what I wrote about him in 2012.
https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bn/2012-04.php
substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Robert Christgau on Todd Snider and his passing, including a sharp essay about Todd from back in 2012
substack.com/@robertchris...
substack.com/@robertchris...
Wonder what the federal NDP leadership candidates would say to this 16-year-old article. Because so far, they all seem to be proponents of the view that the only people who should pay a cent more in taxes are people that we don’t know. share.google/jKFRbpn5omPb...
Can we have an adult conversation about taxes?
At the risk of insulting a generation of 4-year-olds, it’s time we had an adult conversation in Canada about taxes and public services.
share.google
November 17, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Wonder what the federal NDP leadership candidates would say to this 16-year-old article. Because so far, they all seem to be proponents of the view that the only people who should pay a cent more in taxes are people that we don’t know. share.google/jKFRbpn5omPb...
How would the NDP sort out which two of its seven MPs *might* abstain on today's confidence vote on the federal budget? Would it reflect regional differences? Ideological leanings? Heather McPherson would be an unlikely abstainer, given her candidacy for the party's leadership.
November 17, 2025 at 11:59 AM
How would the NDP sort out which two of its seven MPs *might* abstain on today's confidence vote on the federal budget? Would it reflect regional differences? Ideological leanings? Heather McPherson would be an unlikely abstainer, given her candidacy for the party's leadership.
Reposted by Brad James
In the last decades, the world has made fantastic progress against extreme poverty. In 1990, 2.3 billion people lived in extreme poverty. Since then, the number of extremely poor people has declined by 1.5 *billion* people. 🧵
November 17, 2025 at 11:24 AM
In the last decades, the world has made fantastic progress against extreme poverty. In 1990, 2.3 billion people lived in extreme poverty. Since then, the number of extremely poor people has declined by 1.5 *billion* people. 🧵
Reposted by Brad James
The Grey Cup is on, so it's time, once again, to remember that Pierre Trudeau rolled up to Grey Cup in 1970 looking like this.
November 16, 2025 at 11:53 PM
The Grey Cup is on, so it's time, once again, to remember that Pierre Trudeau rolled up to Grey Cup in 1970 looking like this.