Stewart Prest
@stewartprest.ca
Recalcitrant Canadian. Political scientist at UBC in Vancouver. I research, teach and talk international relations, BCpoli, comparative democratic institutions, and contentious politics. stewartprest.ca | https://stewartprest.substack.com
Pinned
Stewart Prest
@stewartprest.ca
· Apr 12
All of this would be hilarious if it weren't so serious.
There's a Dave in each of us, just waiting to burst out and appall the Morley in our loved ones.
yes, hello, I would like to place an order for everyone’s funniest stories of holiday food-related family grudges / drama / chaotic incidents / lore
I feel like we need this
I feel like we need this
November 25, 2025 at 2:35 AM
There's a Dave in each of us, just waiting to burst out and appall the Morley in our loved ones.
Reposted by Stewart Prest
The Carney government does seem to be particularly prone to actions that are premised on the idea that its authority, once declared, instantly becomes 100% effective.
It's a very "I am the boss" mentality; one often susceptible to being caught surprisised by other actors' soft and not-soft power.
It's a very "I am the boss" mentality; one often susceptible to being caught surprisised by other actors' soft and not-soft power.
Leaving BC and First Nations out of talks about a pipeline is a great way to slow any hypothetical future project.
The inevitable risk of "streamlining" processes is that vital steps are skipped, leading to bad, often unsustainable decisions.
The inevitable risk of "streamlining" processes is that vital steps are skipped, leading to bad, often unsustainable decisions.
November 25, 2025 at 1:41 AM
The Carney government does seem to be particularly prone to actions that are premised on the idea that its authority, once declared, instantly becomes 100% effective.
It's a very "I am the boss" mentality; one often susceptible to being caught surprisised by other actors' soft and not-soft power.
It's a very "I am the boss" mentality; one often susceptible to being caught surprisised by other actors' soft and not-soft power.
To say the federal government gets the final say in approving cross-border projects is not to say that other actors only get input at the federal government's say-so.
November 25, 2025 at 1:03 AM
To say the federal government gets the final say in approving cross-border projects is not to say that other actors only get input at the federal government's say-so.
Leaving BC and First Nations out of talks about a pipeline is a great way to slow any hypothetical future project.
The inevitable risk of "streamlining" processes is that vital steps are skipped, leading to bad, often unsustainable decisions.
The inevitable risk of "streamlining" processes is that vital steps are skipped, leading to bad, often unsustainable decisions.
November 25, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Leaving BC and First Nations out of talks about a pipeline is a great way to slow any hypothetical future project.
The inevitable risk of "streamlining" processes is that vital steps are skipped, leading to bad, often unsustainable decisions.
The inevitable risk of "streamlining" processes is that vital steps are skipped, leading to bad, often unsustainable decisions.
Reposted by Stewart Prest
I know it is now very controversial to say “go read the senate reports on Russian election interference” — but — go read the reports!
For sh*ts and giggles, break out the Mueller report too!
www.intelligence.senate.gov/2020/08/18/p...
For sh*ts and giggles, break out the Mueller report too!
www.intelligence.senate.gov/2020/08/18/p...
Report of the Select Committee on Intelligence United States Senate on Russian Active Measures Campaigns and Interference in the 2016 U.S. Election | Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
www.intelligence.senate.gov
November 24, 2025 at 1:21 AM
I know it is now very controversial to say “go read the senate reports on Russian election interference” — but — go read the reports!
For sh*ts and giggles, break out the Mueller report too!
www.intelligence.senate.gov/2020/08/18/p...
For sh*ts and giggles, break out the Mueller report too!
www.intelligence.senate.gov/2020/08/18/p...
Reposted by Stewart Prest
A reminder that this pattern of activity including the stupid handles and bio lines and emojis was catalogued in the Senate reports on Russia’s election interference in 2016 — a thing which actually happened!
Pretend Americans 🦅🇺🇸⭐️2A has been the game all along
www.thedailybeast.com/top-maga-inf...
Pretend Americans 🦅🇺🇸⭐️2A has been the game all along
www.thedailybeast.com/top-maga-inf...
Top MAGA Influencers Accidentally Unmasked as Foreign Actors
A new feature on Elon Musk’s X has given deeper insight into the online “America First” movement.
www.thedailybeast.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:18 AM
A reminder that this pattern of activity including the stupid handles and bio lines and emojis was catalogued in the Senate reports on Russia’s election interference in 2016 — a thing which actually happened!
Pretend Americans 🦅🇺🇸⭐️2A has been the game all along
www.thedailybeast.com/top-maga-inf...
Pretend Americans 🦅🇺🇸⭐️2A has been the game all along
www.thedailybeast.com/top-maga-inf...
A dog-bites-man story if ever there was one.
November 24, 2025 at 6:49 PM
A dog-bites-man story if ever there was one.
The real surprise would be if it hadn't, given that avoiding regulation is one of crypto's core functions. www.theglobeandmail.com/business/eco...
Ryan Wedding organization allegedly used cryptocurrency to launder drug money
U.S. prosecutors say ex-Olympian used ‘sophisticated Tether network’ to move proceeds of sprawling drug-trafficking operation
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:48 PM
The real surprise would be if it hadn't, given that avoiding regulation is one of crypto's core functions. www.theglobeandmail.com/business/eco...
Who could have foreseen that enabling a leader with authoritarian tendencies would produce authoritarian behaviour?
PUNCHBOWL: “.. GOP members messaged us over the weekend saying that they, too, are considering retiring in the middle of the term. Here’s one particularly exercised senior House Republican:
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Who could have foreseen that enabling a leader with authoritarian tendencies would produce authoritarian behaviour?
Reposted by Stewart Prest
"Meta shut down internal research into the mental health effects of Facebook after finding causal evidence that its products harmed users’ mental health...[A] staffer worried that keeping quiet...would be akin to the tobacco industry...'knowing cigs were bad & then keeping that info to themselves.'"
www.reuters.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:05 PM
"Meta shut down internal research into the mental health effects of Facebook after finding causal evidence that its products harmed users’ mental health...[A] staffer worried that keeping quiet...would be akin to the tobacco industry...'knowing cigs were bad & then keeping that info to themselves.'"
Reposted by Stewart Prest
Then this today in Punchbowl. Republicans are angry that the White House is "treating them like garbage". You can't act like you aren't worthy of any respect and then complain that you don't get respected. They are reaping what they sowed. (2/2)
November 24, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Then this today in Punchbowl. Republicans are angry that the White House is "treating them like garbage". You can't act like you aren't worthy of any respect and then complain that you don't get respected. They are reaping what they sowed. (2/2)
Reposted by Stewart Prest
A story in two parts. At the start of the Trump administration I heard from Republican Senators that they knew the outlandish people Trump was sending up for confirmation were tests of the "if you roll on this, you'll roll on everything" variety. And they rolled (1/2)
TAPPER: Dr Cassidy, RFK Jr lied to you
CASSIDY: First let me say what's most important -- vaccines are safe.
CASSIDY: First let me say what's most important -- vaccines are safe.
November 24, 2025 at 2:18 PM
A story in two parts. At the start of the Trump administration I heard from Republican Senators that they knew the outlandish people Trump was sending up for confirmation were tests of the "if you roll on this, you'll roll on everything" variety. And they rolled (1/2)
Reposted by Stewart Prest
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
November 21, 2025 at 2:56 PM
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
Reposted by Stewart Prest
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
November 23, 2025 at 12:55 PM
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
Maduro is an autocrat responsible for the immiseration of the Venezuelan people, but a world without international law makes no one safer and the US is blatantly violating it in its actions in Venezuela.
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
www.reuters.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Maduro is an autocrat responsible for the immiseration of the Venezuelan people, but a world without international law makes no one safer and the US is blatantly violating it in its actions in Venezuela.
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
The real mistake Canada's leader made was apologizing. theconversation.com/mark-carneys...
Mark Carney’s apology to Donald Trump: Far from ‘elbows up,’ it seems Canada has no elbows at all
An Ontario ad on Ronald Reagan’s support of free trade may have been an unnecessary risk. But Mark Carney’s apology to Donald Trump was an unnecessary own-goal.
theconversation.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:01 PM
The real mistake Canada's leader made was apologizing. theconversation.com/mark-carneys...
So apparently this is fine but Canadian governments using advertising to share views with Americans about trade is completely inappropriate.
Got it.
Got it.
November 21, 2025 at 7:09 PM
So apparently this is fine but Canadian governments using advertising to share views with Americans about trade is completely inappropriate.
Got it.
Got it.
Many thanks to everyone who continues to point out that this is now being covered.
The next question is what do you plan to do about it. Non-Americans can do little more than watch and comment. Change is up to Americans on this.
Protest can work, but only if the people show up.
The next question is what do you plan to do about it. Non-Americans can do little more than watch and comment. Change is up to Americans on this.
Protest can work, but only if the people show up.
November 21, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Many thanks to everyone who continues to point out that this is now being covered.
The next question is what do you plan to do about it. Non-Americans can do little more than watch and comment. Change is up to Americans on this.
Protest can work, but only if the people show up.
The next question is what do you plan to do about it. Non-Americans can do little more than watch and comment. Change is up to Americans on this.
Protest can work, but only if the people show up.
Reposted by Stewart Prest
Let’s talk about sedition and treason, because the most powerful yet inadequate man in the world is having a tantrum about it, and his soulless, spineless sycophants are boosting his message.
/1
/1
November 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Let’s talk about sedition and treason, because the most powerful yet inadequate man in the world is having a tantrum about it, and his soulless, spineless sycophants are boosting his message.
/1
/1
Reposted by Stewart Prest
This is what competitive authoritarianism looks like - regime ally trying to purchase media and remove critical voices
November 20, 2025 at 7:41 PM
This is what competitive authoritarianism looks like - regime ally trying to purchase media and remove critical voices
This is the message that has to get out. Thanks to @chrismurphyct.bsky.social for laying it out in suitably blunt terms. bsky.app/profile/chri...
The President of the United States just called for Democratic members of Congress to be executed. "HANG THEM", he posted.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.
November 20, 2025 at 6:05 PM
This is the message that has to get out. Thanks to @chrismurphyct.bsky.social for laying it out in suitably blunt terms. bsky.app/profile/chri...
At some point the US will face a kind of "Sandy Hook" moment on political violence, a last chance to say it is going too far, and has to be responded to collectively and uncompromisingly, where a failure to do so leads to a normalization of the phenomenon.
November 20, 2025 at 5:43 PM
At some point the US will face a kind of "Sandy Hook" moment on political violence, a last chance to say it is going too far, and has to be responded to collectively and uncompromisingly, where a failure to do so leads to a normalization of the phenomenon.
Legitimizing violence against political opponents, and delegitimizing the opposition more broadly, does not end well for anyone. There are only so many opportunities to push back as a society.
November 20, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Legitimizing violence against political opponents, and delegitimizing the opposition more broadly, does not end well for anyone. There are only so many opportunities to push back as a society.
The President of the United States is publicly calling for the political prosecution of his political opponents, urging the death penalty because they urged soldiers to uphold the rule of law.
This should be front page news everywhere. It is not, which tells much about how we got to this point.
This should be front page news everywhere. It is not, which tells much about how we got to this point.
November 20, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The President of the United States is publicly calling for the political prosecution of his political opponents, urging the death penalty because they urged soldiers to uphold the rule of law.
This should be front page news everywhere. It is not, which tells much about how we got to this point.
This should be front page news everywhere. It is not, which tells much about how we got to this point.
You know who's not in this picture? www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Carney, Smith moving closer to a deal that could include B.C. oil pipeline: source | CBC News
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith are moving closer to reaching a deal on the future of Alberta's energy sector, according to a senior government official, and that memoran...
www.cbc.ca
November 19, 2025 at 10:10 PM
You know who's not in this picture? www.cbc.ca/news/politic...