The Weekender: That Stupid Lottery

I’ve never understood cross-border shopping. Sure, when you live in Windsor or Niagara Falls, it makes some kind of sense, but living here in Guelph, doing the five-hour round trip, waiting in line at the border, the cost of gas, and basic losing a day to base commerce, the math has never seemed to add up. I had a similar feeling this week watching Powerball madness grip not just those in the U.S., but those Canadians that got in their cars and headed south to play along in the 1 in 292 million chance that they might become billionaires. Continue reading “The Weekender: That Stupid Lottery” →

By-Election Called in Whitby-Oshawa

While everything seems to have settled from last October’s Federal Election, the people of Whitby-Oshawa are about to catch election fever all over again, this time in a provincial way. The Liberal government officially called the race to replace former Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Christine Elliott Wednesday, and the election date is set for February 11. Continue reading “By-Election Called in Whitby-Oshawa” →

Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday January 14, 2016

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we’ll save a spot, and a thought, for David Bowie, a truly unique individual that spanned the realms of music, movies, fashion and culture in incalculable ways. And like the Man Who Fell to Earth, we will forge our way through an alien world we barely understand and hardly comprehend in order to bring you the best analysis of the week’s news. Right to die, the State of the Union, water issues, and el Chapo all make the cut this week. As they say, the show must go on. Continue reading “Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday January 14, 2016” →

Tony Clement Masters Both Hypocrisy and Self-Awareness

When Saudi Arabia began 2016 by executing 47 people, it cast an almost immediate spotlight on Canada. Not because of our own predilection for beheading our criminals no matter the crime, but because of a 2014 deal by the Canadian government to have the London-based company General Dynamics Land Systems build armoured vehicles for the Saudi government. The details of that agreement were never released, and now that former Treasury Board President Tony Clement isn’t in the government anymore, he’s pretty ticked off about it. Continue reading “Tony Clement Masters Both Hypocrisy and Self-Awareness” →

The Weekender: Comparing Trump to Rob Ford is an Insult to Rob Ford

After an absence from the the political scene as he underwent his second round of cancer treatment, Rob Ford popped back up on the radar this week with an interview with his official stenographer Joe Warmington of the Toronto Sun, and a Q&A stand-up comedy routine on Twitter Wednesday. Gone are the days of nonstop Rob Ford verbal blunders, mostly because of his illnesses, but also because he’s been relegated to the relative harmlessness of his old Ward 2 council seat where he can focus on returning phone calls and casting belligerent, obstructionist votes in peace.

These days, you want outrageousness in politics, you have to look southward to Donald Trump, who just completed another week of campaigning, which mostly involved telling rabid supporters why he’s awesome and why others stink. Make no mistake though, to compare Donald Trump and Rob Ford, which many have already tried, is a grave disservice… to Rob Ford. Continue reading “The Weekender: Comparing Trump to Rob Ford is an Insult to Rob Ford” →

Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday January 7, 2016

We’re back! It’s the beginning of year two on Open Sources Guelph, and the beginning of a new year, and when those two forces combined it makes for a very busy work week indeed. More trouble in the Middle East? Check. Presidential Election talk? Check? Current U.S. President makes last ditch effort for gun control? Check. Nuts that prove the reason why gun control is needed? Check, and double check! Continue reading “Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday January 7, 2016” →

First MMIW Inquiry Planning Meetings Announced

Before the holidays, the Federal government announced its intention to move forward with an Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, but said further that it will be up to victims and survivors to help guide the hand of the process in terms of what form the inquiry would take. Those meetings actually begin this week with eight already scheduled and the promise of more to come. Continue reading “First MMIW Inquiry Planning Meetings Announced” →