Mortimer Snerd
@mrtmrsnrd.bsky.social
🛶🚴♀️🎣⛺️🏒⚖️🇨🇦
CanPol. Trade. Law. Outdoors.
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
Cities are the place to start: 80% of Canadians live in an urban place; too many are mired in car centric planning policy, afraid to take the bold step forward to make better #PlacesForPeople; the time is now. Lead, develop policy, initiate change and watch magic unfold.
NEW: “If we’re honest, we’ll admit that many cities still need to take their first steps toward more sustainable city-making. And every city needs to go much further & faster.” @forbes.com writer @carltonreid.com interviews me on our bold Paris Exhibition launched by Mayor @annehidalgo.bsky.social.
Cities Vs. Climate Change: Global Exhibition In Paris Inspires Action
From Paris to Belém: 10 Years of Global Climate Action—celebrates a decade of bold urban responses to climate change since the 2015 Paris Agreement.
www.forbes.com
July 29, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Cities are the place to start: 80% of Canadians live in an urban place; too many are mired in car centric planning policy, afraid to take the bold step forward to make better #PlacesForPeople; the time is now. Lead, develop policy, initiate change and watch magic unfold.
This is 100% true.
Also, and solid chunk of social media contrarians are paid agitators and don't care one bit about evidence or reason.
Call them out and leave a link or two if you want to do a public good, but don't waste time engaging in a back and forth.
Also, and solid chunk of social media contrarians are paid agitators and don't care one bit about evidence or reason.
Call them out and leave a link or two if you want to do a public good, but don't waste time engaging in a back and forth.
The only mind you can reliably change on social media is your own.
And there's nothing wrong with changing your mind unless you're stupid and pompous.
And there's nothing wrong with changing your mind unless you're stupid and pompous.
July 7, 2025 at 5:41 PM
This is 100% true.
Also, and solid chunk of social media contrarians are paid agitators and don't care one bit about evidence or reason.
Call them out and leave a link or two if you want to do a public good, but don't waste time engaging in a back and forth.
Also, and solid chunk of social media contrarians are paid agitators and don't care one bit about evidence or reason.
Call them out and leave a link or two if you want to do a public good, but don't waste time engaging in a back and forth.
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
It is a waste of time to talk on social media with somebody who already has their mind made up, and they're just trying to win an argument.
Social media is good when you're curious, and talking with people who are interested to kick around ideas.
I feel like a lot of people don't understand this.
Social media is good when you're curious, and talking with people who are interested to kick around ideas.
I feel like a lot of people don't understand this.
July 7, 2025 at 2:24 PM
It is a waste of time to talk on social media with somebody who already has their mind made up, and they're just trying to win an argument.
Social media is good when you're curious, and talking with people who are interested to kick around ideas.
I feel like a lot of people don't understand this.
Social media is good when you're curious, and talking with people who are interested to kick around ideas.
I feel like a lot of people don't understand this.
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
Now that we're going to be paying them a lot more and presumably have an easier time recruiting, maybe it's past time we weed the haters out of the military entirely?
“Some photos were taken at military installations. There are also derogatory sexual comments posted about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, and posts disparaging both Jews and Muslims.”
Military police reopen investigation into allegations of racist posts www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Military police reopen investigation into allegations of racist posts www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Military police reopen investigation into allegations of racist posts
Commander of Canadian Army said he was ‘disgusted’ by content he was made aware of last week
www.theglobeandmail.com
July 5, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Now that we're going to be paying them a lot more and presumably have an easier time recruiting, maybe it's past time we weed the haters out of the military entirely?
I love Canada, but:
Aside from the political contribution cap and SCC appointment process, our democracy is structurally weaker than the USA's.
Many of the abuses of executive power they're justifiably mad about are entrenched in Canada's parliamentary system.
Aside from the political contribution cap and SCC appointment process, our democracy is structurally weaker than the USA's.
Many of the abuses of executive power they're justifiably mad about are entrenched in Canada's parliamentary system.
What's your hottest take about Canada?
July 1, 2025 at 11:31 PM
I love Canada, but:
Aside from the political contribution cap and SCC appointment process, our democracy is structurally weaker than the USA's.
Many of the abuses of executive power they're justifiably mad about are entrenched in Canada's parliamentary system.
Aside from the political contribution cap and SCC appointment process, our democracy is structurally weaker than the USA's.
Many of the abuses of executive power they're justifiably mad about are entrenched in Canada's parliamentary system.
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
Aside from the problematic legislation and questionable policy decisions, Carney is also further expanding executive power and has already made a fool out of one of his core cabinet ministers. Unconstrained executive power is only good when the person you like is in charge.
June 30, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Aside from the problematic legislation and questionable policy decisions, Carney is also further expanding executive power and has already made a fool out of one of his core cabinet ministers. Unconstrained executive power is only good when the person you like is in charge.
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
Beyond Paula’s needless self-deprecation - she looks great and I think she should do more TV - she is terrific here in explaining why C-5 is tricky, tricky business. So much of the legislation seems to depend on the idea of good intentions, and good judgement, from the people in charge.
Well. The CBC makeup artist did the best she could. I still shudder whenever I see myself on TV. (I have a face for radio.) But here I am, wearing professionally applied lipstick. Dig in! #C5 #cdnpoli #ableg #SenateofCanada
Senators were 'painted into a corner' on major projects bill vote: Sen. Simons | Power & Politics
As the upper chamber passes Prime Minister Mark Carney's Bill C-5 to remove domestic trade barriers and fast-track major projects unamended, Independent Sen. Paula Simons tells Power & Politics some s...
www.cbc.ca
June 27, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Beyond Paula’s needless self-deprecation - she looks great and I think she should do more TV - she is terrific here in explaining why C-5 is tricky, tricky business. So much of the legislation seems to depend on the idea of good intentions, and good judgement, from the people in charge.
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
Which is another reason their use by students to *do* the work of research and writing for them is skills-annihilating. No, LLMs are NOT just like calculators, a simple tool that can be used well or not. In math you still have to show your work. 1/n
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
June 19, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Which is another reason their use by students to *do* the work of research and writing for them is skills-annihilating. No, LLMs are NOT just like calculators, a simple tool that can be used well or not. In math you still have to show your work. 1/n
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
The Supreme Court of Canada has announced the passing of former Justice Gerard La Forest (at the young age of 99). decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/news...
La Forest wrote one of my favourite dissenting opinions (in the Remuneration Reference of 1997).
La Forest wrote one of my favourite dissenting opinions (in the Remuneration Reference of 1997).
News Release - SCC Cases
decisions.scc-csc.ca
June 13, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The Supreme Court of Canada has announced the passing of former Justice Gerard La Forest (at the young age of 99). decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/news...
La Forest wrote one of my favourite dissenting opinions (in the Remuneration Reference of 1997).
La Forest wrote one of my favourite dissenting opinions (in the Remuneration Reference of 1997).
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
There's an argument to be made that the most progressive CDN prime minister of the 20th century was a Conservative, #JohnDiefenbaker. Diefenbaker was born into poverty. He was an "enemy of injustice & discrimination." He identified w/ the downtrodden. He despised "elites."
June 11, 2025 at 4:36 PM
There's an argument to be made that the most progressive CDN prime minister of the 20th century was a Conservative, #JohnDiefenbaker. Diefenbaker was born into poverty. He was an "enemy of injustice & discrimination." He identified w/ the downtrodden. He despised "elites."
This is crazy talk.
FIRST, the white collar consultant class must rack up kajillions of $$ in taxpayer-funded reviews.
Then, we only enact industry-approved recommendations.
THEN we give grants to private companies who are legally required to put profits before literally anything else.
FIRST, the white collar consultant class must rack up kajillions of $$ in taxpayer-funded reviews.
Then, we only enact industry-approved recommendations.
THEN we give grants to private companies who are legally required to put profits before literally anything else.
Why do I get the sense that Canada's AI strategy will be to give private companies with sharehodlers in foreign countries a bunch of money to do sweet fuck all or to fire their domestic employees?
June 11, 2025 at 4:10 PM
This is crazy talk.
FIRST, the white collar consultant class must rack up kajillions of $$ in taxpayer-funded reviews.
Then, we only enact industry-approved recommendations.
THEN we give grants to private companies who are legally required to put profits before literally anything else.
FIRST, the white collar consultant class must rack up kajillions of $$ in taxpayer-funded reviews.
Then, we only enact industry-approved recommendations.
THEN we give grants to private companies who are legally required to put profits before literally anything else.
Their in-person merch sales must have slumped so they closed the bookstores, which were mostly just a thinly veiled front to get people to buy merch.
Learning now, after being on sabbatical this past year, that my university basically no longer has a campus bookstore. The cost of shipping books (and shipping unsold books back to publishers) exceeded any fund made by the bookstore, so they've stopped stocking physical books at all! 1/n
June 11, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Their in-person merch sales must have slumped so they closed the bookstores, which were mostly just a thinly veiled front to get people to buy merch.
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
June 2025 Political Update www.ekospolitics.com/index.php/20...
June 2025 Political Update
[Ottawa – June 10, 2025] In our latest poll, we examine a the post-election rebound in national confidence, unity, and trust, as well as the lasting impacts of polarization and disinformation.
www.ekospolitics.com
June 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM
June 2025 Political Update www.ekospolitics.com/index.php/20...
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
The food affordability crisis is one reason governments need to step up for school food. There are huge disparities in funding: Per student, per school day, NS contributes $3.30, Ontario 9 cents, by Tina Moffat theconversation.com/the-food-aff... via @ca.theconversation.com @chsfcanada.bsky.social
The food affordability crisis is one reason governments need to step up for school food
Parents and teachers in a southern Ontario survey conducted in the city of Hamilton and Peel Region spoke about their desires for an equitable and inclusive school food program.
theconversation.com
June 10, 2025 at 7:14 PM
The food affordability crisis is one reason governments need to step up for school food. There are huge disparities in funding: Per student, per school day, NS contributes $3.30, Ontario 9 cents, by Tina Moffat theconversation.com/the-food-aff... via @ca.theconversation.com @chsfcanada.bsky.social
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
@danielaldrich.bsky.social is the king of academic work on that very thing, btw, aka "social infrastructure" in disaster responses. Worth a follow, generally. On that specific point, see, for example: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
How social infrastructure saves lives: a quantitative analysis of Japan's 3/11 disasters | Japanese Journal of Political Science | Cambridge Core
How social infrastructure saves lives: a quantitative analysis of Japan's 3/11 disasters - Volume 24 Issue 1
www.cambridge.org
June 9, 2025 at 10:25 PM
@danielaldrich.bsky.social is the king of academic work on that very thing, btw, aka "social infrastructure" in disaster responses. Worth a follow, generally. On that specific point, see, for example: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
The only time National Post columnists like Barbara Kay care about a generous and functional welfare state is when making arguments to try to eliminate the right to MAID.
June 8, 2025 at 10:57 PM
The only time National Post columnists like Barbara Kay care about a generous and functional welfare state is when making arguments to try to eliminate the right to MAID.
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
I went to a previous workshop by Dave, it was helpful to hear from an actual lawyer about what you should know about your legal rights in an altercation.
Have you heard that @thebikinglawyer.bsky.social will be in Ottawa on Thursday for a free workshop?
While we usually don't want to think about getting hurt while biking it is important to be prepared for what to do yourself or as a bystander.
www.eventbrite.ca/e/cyclist-ri...
While we usually don't want to think about getting hurt while biking it is important to be prepared for what to do yourself or as a bystander.
www.eventbrite.ca/e/cyclist-ri...
Cyclist Rights Workshop presented by The Biking Lawyer
Learn about your rights and entitlements as a cyclist.
www.eventbrite.ca
June 8, 2025 at 1:22 AM
I went to a previous workshop by Dave, it was helpful to hear from an actual lawyer about what you should know about your legal rights in an altercation.
Bolo: October 1 - April 30
Burger: May 1 - Sept 30
Burger: May 1 - Sept 30
Burger or Spaghetti Bolognese?
June 8, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Bolo: October 1 - April 30
Burger: May 1 - Sept 30
Burger: May 1 - Sept 30
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
It's been 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its 94 calls to action. What has changed in the last decade? by Wawmeesh Hamilton www.cbc.ca/player/play/... via @cbcnews.ca #TRC #reconciliation
10 years since Truth and Reconciliation Commission released calls to action
This week marks ten years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission created its calls to action to address the dark legacy of residential schools in Canada. CBC Vancouver's Indigenous Affairs repo...
www.cbc.ca
June 5, 2025 at 11:01 AM
It's been 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its 94 calls to action. What has changed in the last decade? by Wawmeesh Hamilton www.cbc.ca/player/play/... via @cbcnews.ca #TRC #reconciliation
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
“The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar, in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle, is actually the right to destroy the city.”
- Lewis Mumford
- Lewis Mumford
March 10, 2025 at 8:04 PM
“The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar, in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle, is actually the right to destroy the city.”
- Lewis Mumford
- Lewis Mumford
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
Thanks to all of you who continue to listen to my new @ricochetmedia.bsky.social podcast “In Bed with the Elephant.” We’re nearing 4,000 downloads after just 11 episodes!! We’d love to hear what you think about our show so please write a review. Thank you!!
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i...
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i...
In Bed with the Elephant
Politics Podcast · In Bed with the Elephant is a podcast for people who crave debate and conversation and are passionate about ideas.
It’s a show with grit that goes deep and wide.
Each episode I in...
podcasts.apple.com
June 4, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Thanks to all of you who continue to listen to my new @ricochetmedia.bsky.social podcast “In Bed with the Elephant.” We’re nearing 4,000 downloads after just 11 episodes!! We’d love to hear what you think about our show so please write a review. Thank you!!
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i...
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i...
Reposted by Mortimer Snerd
There have been a new arrests linked to 764 in Canada. The RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s INSET in Alberta arrested a 15-year-old Edmonton area youth. The youth is on a terrorism peace bond for "Fear of terrorism offence."
rcmp.ca/en/news/2025...
rcmp.ca/en/news/2025...
Alberta youth arrested for terrorism-related offence
On May 12, 2025, the RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) in Alberta arrested a 15-year-old Edmonton area youth for a terrorism-related offence. The youth was remanded into custody and the RCMP has commenced proceedings against the youth by way of a terrorism peace bond, pursuant to s. 810.011 of the Criminal Code – Fear of terrorism offence. INSET investigators fear the youth will commit terrorism offences related to the COM/764 violent online network.
rcmp.ca
May 29, 2025 at 6:04 PM
There have been a new arrests linked to 764 in Canada. The RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s INSET in Alberta arrested a 15-year-old Edmonton area youth. The youth is on a terrorism peace bond for "Fear of terrorism offence."
rcmp.ca/en/news/2025...
rcmp.ca/en/news/2025...