I spent time last week in Halifax working with a group of academics and NGOs and government decision-makers (plus a few corporate types, myself included) talking about business ethics. The challenge: How can Canadian companies do business ethics with more authenticity and impact, and how can government regulators, advocates and academics create the conditions for [...]
Polarized politics in Canada?
Friday, May 6th, 2011Remember Ayn Rand? Alan Greenspan was one of her most famous protégés and her ideas continue to influence right-wing conservatives and libertarians. You can even find Rand slogans imbedded in the Tea Party movement. After the May 2nd federal election results in Canada—and the fears of polarity politics looming large—I found myself inexplicably drawn to [...]
Fall Issue of Campaigns & Elections Canada
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011The Fall issue of Campaigns & Elections Canada is now available in digital format and can be found here: http://content.yudu.com/A1q5rk/CandEIssue31210/ This issue is full of useful, how-to information and focuses on the role of women in Canadian politics and offers advice about how to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Enjoy the issue and forward to [...]
Can a politician be fiscally conservative… and have a social heart?
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010Can political leaders declare themselves to be fiscally conservative…and in the next breathe, say that they have a social heart? That’s exactly what former CTV news anchor —Barb Higgins—announced at the launch of her campaign to run for Mayor of Calgary. In my last blog on political integrity, I promised to look at how conservatives [...]
Political Vigilance – Part 3
Monday, July 5th, 2010“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” It’s funny that it was a politician–American President Thomas Jefferson–who recognized the need for eternal vigilance to preserve freedom and liberty in a democracy. A political leader telling us how important it is to hold governments and political institutions accountable. Hmm…. In this blog, I want to talk [...]
Political Vigilance – Part 2
Monday, July 5th, 2010“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” In my last blog, I talked about American President Thomas Jefferson’s famous quote: “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” So, what are a few examples of vigilance in politics, right here in the small corner of Earth that we inhabit? In Canada, federal politicians are being asked [...]
Political Vigilance – Part 1
Monday, July 5th, 2010“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” American President Thomas Jefferson is often given credit for this pithy quote. Don’t take freedom or liberty for granted. These are values that are only preserved with vigilance. Two-hundred years later, Jefferson’s advice is still relevant: “The price of freedom,” Archbishop Desmond Tutu likes to remind his fellow [...]