By Sean Willett
Even to a person who is familiar with video games the list of speakers at this year’s Ottawa International Game Conference could seem perplexing. Looking down the list, one can find that for every independent, bearded artist there are half a dozen suit-clad marketing gurus — with a few nerdy programmers sitting awkwardly between those… Continue reading Northern Sprites: The two faces of video games
By Jocelyn Hunt
Take one quick look at the campaign trail and you’ll find a smorgasbord of promises designed to attract the largest variety of voters possible. Voter apathy is a problem at all levels of government in Canada and abroad, so politicians have responded by passing out one-liners. I don’t doubt that they plan to keep these… Continue reading Just another pick-up line
In 1997, as vice-president of the Citizens’ National Coalition, Stephen Harper delivered a speech belittling the divided and regionalistic Canadian political system and implicitly fawning over the two-party system of the United States. Harper’s views have hardly changed since then – he spent the first week of the election laying out a choice between a… Continue reading This election is not a two-way race
As we all know by now, a federal election campaign is currently under way. So far this campaign has been dominated by talk of “coalitions,” that scary sounding word and frightening political circumstance that, ever since 2008, has haunted the nightmares of every Canadian. Or not. It isn’t clear that the public has unified feelings… Continue reading Coalition talk is distracting
By Remi Watts
Having grown up in rural Alberta, I have been witness to numerous attempts by eccentric country-folk in starting up “zoos.” This strange phenomenon was often unsettling and left me with uncomfortable emotions toward the unnecessary containment of non-livestock animals. However, the cages and pens of GuZoo Zoo– located out on the prairies just a few… Continue reading Feces? Gross
In politics, especially in Alberta, the term ‘fiscal conservative’ is often bandied about, almost always with positive connotations. To be fiscally conservative is, it seems, a good thing — something one should want to be. But should we want to be fiscal conservatives? The answer to this question depends on what ‘fiscal conservative’ means. Its… Continue reading The right kind of fiscal conservatism
With a federal election likely occurring soon, now is a good time to reflect on the impact of the five years of Stephen Harper’s leadership. There is no shortage of material for such an inquiry, but right now one thing in particular comes to mind: the negative impact his government has had on our democracy.… Continue reading Harper is bad for our democracy
By Jocelyn Hunt
Canada is multicultural in law and practice. As long as your language, culture or religious beliefs do not harm another individual, they are welcome here. Yet the province that always appears to be the exception maintains its notoriety. Parti Quebecois spokeswoman Louise Beaudoin recently stated that “multiculturalism may be a Canadian value, but it is… Continue reading Quebec multiculturalism
The adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was a mixed blessing for legislators. On the one hand, they no longer have to make major moral decisions on issues such as abortion and capital punishment. On the other, they are now forced to consider the judgment calls made by the courts binding. Typically,… Continue reading Religious rights shouldn’t trump equality
By Jocelyn Hunt
Campaigning has started for our next federal election and Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff is showing us his true colours. This spring, the opposition will probably send us to the polls by not supporting the budget being released in March by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. Currently, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has a seven point lead… Continue reading The Liberal Party needs a real plan