Torontoist » Parliament

The People vs. Stephen Harper: Time’s Up

A government with no moral authority, a democracy in the balance, and a brewing struggle between the state and its people: Canada in 2012.

Two summers ago, a lot of things we said about this government—then a minority—centered around its perceived slide towards authoritarianism. By July 2010, the Harper Conservatives had suspended parliament twice, both times out of naked self-interest, suggesting that the canary in the coal mine of Canada’s democracy was clinging with one claw to life. This [...]

Cemetery Sojourn: St. James Cemetery

As Halloween approaches, we are surrounded by images of death. Most focus on the ghoulish aspects, from bony skeletons to creepy tombstones with punny names for the deceased. But the mock graveyards decorating residential lawns bear little resemblance to Toronto’s real cemeteries. Instead of depressing, scary final resting places, these spaces are full of life. [...]

Tory Crime Bill Leaves Out Internet Surveillance Provisions

So-called online spying measure off the table for the moment.

Today the federal Conservatives tabled their much-discussed omnibus crime bill: the Safe Streets and Communities Act. Notably missing from the bill: provisions which would allow the police to obain electronic information about us without a warrant, which the Tories had long planned to include. While the bill as it stands contains much that is controversial—especially [...]

Jack Layton, 1950–2011

Jack Layton in Toronto last year. Photo by Christopher Drost/Torontoist. The long-time NDP leader and tireless champion for social equity passed away at his home this morning at the age of 61. More to come.

Jack Layton Fighting New Form of Cancer, Temporarily Stepping Aside to Focus on Treatment

In February 2010, Jack Layton announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. At a press conference held a few minutes ago in Toronto, he announced that recent tests had shown that his battle against that cancer "was going very well." Unfortunately, he continued, "in the closing days of the most recent session of the House of Commons, I started suffering from some stiffness and some pain." Further testing has led to a diagnosis of a new form of cancer (more details were not provided at today's announcement). Layton will therefore be taking a leave of absence from his current position as leader of the NDP in order to focus on fighting this new cancer. His intention is to return in September, when parliament resumes sitting. In the meantime, the NDP federal council will convene to appoint an interim leader; Layton is recommending Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel be given the post. "If I've tried to bring anything to federal politics it's the idea that hope and optimism can be at their heart," said Layton after breaking the news. Today Canadians of all political stripes are expressing their own hopes for Layton's recovery.

The Day After

Photo by Joanne Lostracco. Let’s perform an experiment. Let’s pretend that, instead of there being the Liberals and the New Democrats, we had one party representing the left wing in this country. Call them the Liberal Democrats. Now, granted, there will be some voters who might not want to vote for the Liberal Democrats. (Maybe [...]

Prorogue Protest Draws Out the Chattering Masses

Stephen Harper seems to have torn a page right out of the GOP’s strategy guidebook. For a government that came to power promising a “stronger Canada,” the minority Conservatives have had no problem sowing perceptions of class divide, framing dissent as “elitist” while quiet acquiescence—the supposed political hallmark of “ordinary” Canadians—is the stuff of true [...]

The Nine Lives of Stephen Harper

Photo by Kashmera. In a recent article, we described Canadian democracy as “drunken” and “staggering,” eliciting the image of a bumbling, well-intentioned dullard saddled with an affliction that, for better or worse, is an effect of his or her environment or circumstances but manifest as failure for reasons entirely their own. Today, with news from [...]