After witnessing first-hand the futility of the US government’s drug policies, retired police captain Peter Christ formed a pro-legalization group called LEAP – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition – more than a decade ago. Now, despite the legalization of recreational marijuana in two US states, LEAP still sees a long battle ahead.
Tag Archives | Politics
Harper’s “Real” Hidden Agenda Exposed
By Raheel Raza,
Journalist; documentary filmmaker; consultant, interfaith and intercultural diversity.
On Sunday February 24, there was an illuminating editorial in the Toronto Star by Haroon Siddiqui titled “Harper’s real agenda on religious freedom”…
How Christy Clark Could Have Won
Christy Clark could have won the May 2013 B.C. provincial election. I know that sounds strange—both because it refers to a future event as if it has already happened, and because it is hard to imagine her ever winning…
Canadian Democracy: Two Wolves and a Lamb Voting on Indigenous Rights?
It is sometimes quipped that democracy is like two wolves and a lamb voting on dinner. This Darwinian image of vulnerable minorities falling prey to a ‘tyranny of the majority’ is why few believe that democracy can be reduced to participation in elections. If democracy has value it is because it allows people to have [...]
Making it Easier to Be Green
A modest proposal for the future of Canada’s Green Party.
All Eyes on Justin Trudeau
By Fazley Siddiq,
Professor of economics, Dalhousie University; fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; 2012-13 Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Canada-U.S. Relations, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Justin Trudeau’s keynote address at the Reviving Islamic Spirit Conference in Toronto last month was in sharp contrast to Michael Ignatieff’s ineptitude in connecting with key constituents early in the election cycle. Trudeau’s carefully worded speech was not simply to woo the two percent of the Canadian population that are Muslims, but also to signal [...]
How the Demographic Shift is Changing Politics in America
By Fazley Siddiq,
Professor of economics, Dalhousie University; fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; 2012-13 Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Canada-U.S. Relations, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
It is with the backdrop of a weak economy that Obama ran for re-election and won, whereas twenty years ago George H.W. Bush, the 41st president had lost under similar circumstances. Both presidents were facing an electorate demanding a clear vision for economic recovery, which neither could offer, at least not convincingly. Yet, Obama won [...]
Divided We Fall
A look at the dangerous state of U.S. politics, and the consequences that might arise from another four years of political gridlock.
The State of Kosovo: Has Supervision Really Ended?
While Kosovo officially ended its “supervised independence” in September, it still faces a number of key challenges.
The Age of Meta-Politics
The rules of election campaigning have changed yet again: It’s no longer about policy, or even just about image, but about meta-politics – image politics taken to its absolute degree.
