Category Archives: Politics and Government

How to Stay Under the Radar When Bill C-51 Becomes Law

Posted on March 22, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

Bill C-51 is an omnibus anti-terrorism bill that grants CSIS new information sharing powers and converts CSIS from a covert intelligence gathering organization to a covert enforcement agency. No wonder Canadians don’t know what the heck is going on!   … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Justice, Politics and Government, Privacy and Surveillance | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Laurie Blakeman Takes a Symbolic Step…in the Wrong Direction

Posted on March 15, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

Crikey! On Friday Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman announced that she’ll be running as a candidate for the Liberals, the Alberta Party and the Greens in the upcoming election… …and on Sunday Ms Soapbox announced to her dad that she’d joined … Continue reading →

Posted in Alberta Health Care, Energy, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , , | 75 Comments

“Look in the Mirror”

Posted on March 8, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

“In terms of who is responsible we all need only to look in the mirror.  Basically all of us have had the best of everything and haven’t had to pay the cost.”—Premier Jim Prentice musing about Alberta’s $7 billion budget … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , , | 39 Comments

A Modest Proposal for Cooperation Among Progressives in Alberta

Posted on March 1, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

“I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection” — Jonathan Swift,  A Modest Proposal (1729) Relax. Ms Soapbox’s modest proposal does not involve devouring children in order to … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 35 Comments

Ralph Nader’s Open Letter to Stephen Harper

Posted on February 24, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

February 18, 2015 The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P. 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2 Dear Prime Minister: Many Americans love Canada and the specific benefits that have come to our country from our northern neighbor’s many achievements … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Justice, Politics and Government, Privacy and Surveillance | Tagged , , , , | 23 Comments

What Happens to the Eloi When the Morlocks Leave Town: A Lesson for Jim Prentice from H.G. Wells

Posted on February 22, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

    “History is a race between education and catastrophe.” — H G Wells HG Wells may not have had a time machine, but he was certainly prescient. In The Time Machine the narrator, known simply as the Traveller, invents a … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Energy & Natural Resources, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Mr Prentice: Premier or CEO?

Posted on February 15, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

“We have to do more with less. That will apply across the board. It will have to apply to the very good work [of the child advocate], it will have to apply to my office, it will have to apply … Continue reading →

Posted in Alberta Health Care, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , , | 40 Comments

Six Political Personalities: Which One is Jim Prentice?

Posted on February 8, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

The only thing worse than a political strategist spouting theories on how to beat the competition is a blogger discussing a political strategist’s theories on how to beat the competition. But Ms Soapbox is going to do it anyway because … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , | 27 Comments

Prentice Takes a Pay Cut and You Should Too. Um, What???

Posted on February 1, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

“The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.” – Anatole France “Burden-sharing” When Mr Prentice announced the 5% cut in MLA … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Politics and Government | Tagged , , , , , , | 45 Comments

Alberta: Government By Trial Balloon

Posted on January 25, 2015 by susanonthesoapbox

“The chickens are coming home to roost, and you live in the chicken house.”– General MacArthur to President Kennedy during the Bay of Pigs crisis. Mr Prentice, like President Kennedy, managed to get elected just in time to confront the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Government | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments