Month: October 2010
-
Drivers and Riders Unite!
Fare hikes, layoffs, and service cuts decimate public transit In 2008, when gas prices spiked, so did transit ridership, reaching 10.7 billion trips in the United States. Hard times make … Keep reading »
-
The Revolt Shaking France
Strikes and protests have spread to every corner of France as President Nicolas Sarkozy pushes for a final vote in parliament on his proposal to ‘reform’ the country’s national pension … Keep reading »
-
Rob Ford and the Rise of the Municipal Right
For years, mayoral candidate Rob Ford has presented himself as the champion of the ‘little guy’ and a tax fighter. The reality is that he inherited a printing business from … Keep reading »
-
Workers Without Status in France Emerge as a Social Force
At the end of the afternoon of May 27, a mass demonstration marched into the Place de la Bastille in Paris. The march itself represented what can now be viewed … Keep reading »
-
Competitive Creativity? Arts and Culture in Toronto’s Mayoral Debates
On September 29th at the Toronto mayoral debate on arts and culture at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), variations of business-friendly urban policies were presented to Toronto’s arts community. … Keep reading »
-
The Hordes at the Gate? Hard-Right Populism Defines Toronto Mayoral Election
For months, Toronto has been enthralled by mayoral candidate, smallish capitalist, and friend of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, Rob Ford. Much to the surprise of commentators in the ‘respectable’ bourgeois … Keep reading »
-
Mark Carney on the ‘Natural Rate’ of Unemployment
I was disturbed to read this comment on the current state of the U.S. economy in Governor of the Bank of Canada, Mark Carney‘s speech last week. “The natural rate … Keep reading »
-
Striking in a Time of Austerity: The NOSM Strike in Northern Ontario
The 150 members of Unit 2 of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 677 have been on strike since August 16. The office, technical, and administrative workers at the … Keep reading »