October 2009
About Gauntlet.ca
Gauntlet.ca is a blog focussed on democratic reform in Canada.
Jason is a husband, father of two, has degrees in political science and law from the University of Alberta, and lives with his family in Sherwood Park, Alberta.
Stephen Harper Gets High
October 4, 2009 - 10:06 — gauntletI don't want to make too much of this, but he his not the kind of guy I would have pegged for having a passable singing voice, or the guts to use it at the National Arts Centre. It's also a pretty ingenious little political move. It changes his image from the cold economist who takes himself too seriously, and it helps to undo some of the things he said about the arts that killed him in Quebec last time.
Plus, it's just entertaining.
Check it out..
Greenpeace Communications Fail
October 6, 2009 - 12:57 — gauntletIt's fascinating.
Greenpeace activists break into a facility up in Fort MacMurray and do their thing: banners, chaining themselves to equipment, etc.
The media reaction is "protesters enter suncor site."
The following week, they do the same thing at shell.
The media reaction is again "protesters shut down shell production."
The following week they do the same thing again.
The media reaction: "If it's this easy for greenpeace to get into oil sands facilities, what about terrorists?"
Ministerial Accountability Lives
October 7, 2009 - 11:02 — gauntletWell, hundreds of millions of dollars were wasted in Ontario by the Ministry of Health in their eHealth program, which was supposed to create electronic health records.
In response to this report from the Auditor General of Ontario, the Minister of Health has resigned. Premier Dalton McGuinty at a press conference held a few moments ago said something to the effect of
"This is our parliamentary tradition. It is the current Minister, the one who is at bat, who takes responsibility for what happens."
