I don't necessarily disagree with a lot of what Charlie is saying. I just think when it comes to Trump it's worth keeping in mind Trump is an agent of oligarchy. He - and others - want a world run by oligarchs, that's ultimately more important to them than lines on a map: bsky.app/profile/cono...
Addendum / (4/4): And, just to be clear, that second pincer arm of corporate influence is very much directed at the Federal government.
(3/3) While this situation can seem overwhelming, our greatest strength is in showing people what is happening: Encouraging them to call it out and call on goverment to do better.
In the end the only way we prevent those pincers from meeting is by refusing to appease them.
bsky.app/profile/cono...
(2/3) ...susceptible to oligarchical influence.
That second arm is far more subtle but just as important for people to understand and know about. Each arm is a lever for the other: each can be used to weaken our capacity and governments' willingness to fight disinformation: bsky.app/profile/cono...
(1/3) Stoking Alberta separatism is just one half of a pincer movement against Canadian democracy.
The other arm of the pincer - which receives nowhere near the attention needed - is corporate influence (e.g. Build Canada, Atlas Network).
Both aim to meet in the centre:
a Canada more... #CDNpoli
(1/3) The problem with this article is that it suggests that what our leaders are doing right now is an answer to the immediate threat.
But arguably what's being done by the Fed. Gov. actually makes us WEAKER to the immediate threat.
Many progressive measures are immediately vital, not... #CDNpoli
Those that are cheering are largely cheering because the definition of 'defence' is being distorted into something far from it: bsky.app/profile/cono...
We need a defence plan for the 21st century. One that understands communications & influence as very often deciding-factor components of conflict.
Normally a big fan of The Guardian but this piece misses some context. Namely a lot of things the Federal Government is doing here go in the opposite direction to what is being said: bsky.app/profile/cono...
Including concerning plans to contribute to "U.S. energy dominance" via fossil fuel exports
(3/3) The folks leading our government seem to believe in philosophies of austerity and market worship that created Trump in the first place.
In that situation the next best bet is to encourage a critically thinking public that can stand up to corporate influence: open.substack.com/pub/energymi...
(2/3) ...future 'nice-to-haves.'
The problem is that the real conflict is between oligarchy & democracy. It is only being expressed in our case via national lines.
A strong public sector, action to counter disinformation, checks to corporate power are all vital in the NOW: bsky.app/profile/cono...
(1/3) The problem with this article is that it suggests that what our leaders are doing right now is an answer to the immediate threat.
But arguably what's being done by the Fed. Gov. actually makes us WEAKER to the immediate threat.
Many progressive measures are immediately vital, not... #CDNpoli
But they cannot save use from the immediate threat. Fundamentally they helped create it by removing the barriers that prevented it. They don't understand it and in Canada are arguably weakening our capacity to fight it. The only thing that can is a public capable of seeing the threat for what it is.
How much did the police make?
My only issue with this article is it still falls into the frame of seeing progressive ideas as something for later, when actually we need them now more than ever - precisely FOR pragmatic reasons:
many progressive ideas are the best way to respond in this moment to Trump so things don't get worse.
Add universities to this list.
Corporate windfall profits, which should be taxed by the Carney government but won't be.
www.thestar.com/business/opi...
Again I'd really recommend this: bsky.app/profile/keta...
I don't doubt we might see a drop in some places for a bit, but this history really doesn’t speak to this being effective. Both in terms of immediate benefit and because of the resulting sacrifice in revenue.
'The company promoting the project, is headquartered in Missouri.... the population can no longer afford another increase in the cost of living, this project appears environ. & econ. nonsensical.'
nbmediacoop.org/2026/02/08/o...
A podcast on growing local resistance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=djVE...
'The company promoting the project, is headquartered in Missouri.... the population can no longer afford another increase in the cost of living, this project appears environ. & econ. nonsensical.'
nbmediacoop.org/2026/02/08/o...
A podcast on growing local resistance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=djVE...
Same :)
If I see anything ill try to follow up here. :)
Exactly, Canada can do better, all I'm saying is we don't get there by measuring ourselves in 'better than the U.S.'
When big investments are being called for now is the time for more scrutiny not less. Which is really the call in Mitchell's article at the beginning to my mind.
To be clear I'm not saying corporate action can't ever be good, but it needs a lot of regulation and transparency (and a populace willing to be critical of corporate influence on the government): traits I do not see in the current government approach.
I mean... "Singapore relies extensively on low-paid temporary workers, mostly from South Asia, to build new housing cheaply. These workers are hired on two- to three-year terms, cannot become permanent residents or citizens and live in crowded dormitories."
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Communication on carbon pricing was also not done - or rather left so late it didn’t matter.
But the other side of the coin exists: a government that's great at communications but lives in a corporate-friendly policy bubble. That runs of the risk of bad policy masquerading as good.
The amount of anger directed at a mythical group of cowards who couldn't bring themselves to vote for genocide light instead of the abject failures and policies of a party and candidate while being like "we told you so!"
Feelings matter more than reality is part of the problem: the more we reject reality the worse we make that problem - even with good intentions. Can we talk about reality in a way that understands feelings & acknowledges them? Sure. But feelings above reality = causing the thing you meant to avoid.
Well put.
The problem is the 'free market,' left to its own devices without adequate redistribution and / or checks to the imbalance of power caused by ultra-wealth, effectively destroys its own competitive nature: bsky.app/profile/cono...
The idea of the market, as flawless, is its own undoing...
I need you to understand that there’s actually one very big reason making up a huge part of why everything sucks now: monopolies. Or, more accurately, oligopolies.
That’s why so many people are excited about the Ticketmaster decision that just happened.
But it’s the tip of the iceberg:
But again, 200 economists point out carbon pricing actual helped people most affected: ecofiscal.ca/2024/03/26/o...
Which is why getting things right matters: the suffering of people impacted by climate change seems to have left the conversation here a long time ago, yet it's also important.
