Mighty AC

Yes, I'm sure that by total participation it is at or near the peak. However, by percentage participation and hence political influence, numbers are falling rather quickly. Anyway, let's not stray from the topic...even though my original comments were already drifting.

Despite having the second highest payroll in the league throughout the 90's they still couldn't achieve a spot in the finals. It's hard to believe that the last time the Leafs were in the final series there were only 6 teams in the league. I find it even harder to believe that they have managed to turn those born in the 70's, 80's and 90's into new fans. Though I think the credit for that achievement belongs to a massive but under served southern Ontario hockey market. Two more teams are coming, one should be in the GTA.

You're not supposed to be honest like that, it weakens the us versus them mentality leaders rely on. I'm pretty sure war is just an acronym for "we are right". We all make excuses for violent acts, if we agree with the ends. A terrorist is just a freedom fighter if killing for a god, a country or a cause we agree with. Gods are already, slow but surely, falling out of favour, now we just need to work on the other major lever of motivation to commit unethical acts, patriotism.

It's not his fault! How can you expect an elitist that has partied hard into his forties, protected from the consequences by family money, to accept responsibility for his own actions? How can you also expect a man who has abused alcohol and a plethora of drugs to still have the intellect to run a major city? You can't logically saddle Rob with those expectations. Sure I'm willing to concede that the hundreds of bad choices are Rob's fault, BUT, nobody would care if he wasn't the mayor. Rob should never have been put in this position. So I am suggesting that conservatives, Rob's family, handlers and voters are to blame. If you ever find yourself thinking "hey we need a regular guy in charge, because educated folk are elitists", you might be an idiot. I suggest you promptly watch speeches by Fordy, Don Cherry and Dubya Bush, until you've purged that stupid idea from your brain.

I'm not astonished by HTML5, but it certainly does give developers a standard syntax with the power to make web apps behave in a more humane way. And I agree that Flash is dead, Adobe has even admitted it. What is your beef with compiled code? Developers need not learn assembly language to code in a modern syntax, but to excel at their craft they should generally understand how their software interacts with the OS and the machine itself. Similarly, calculators can be a very useful, time saving tool but users should understand the problems they are solving.

Of course not all trade is bad. However, if trade laws prevent nations from making positive moves like reducing waste, paying fair wages, providing benefits, protecting the environment and ensuring safe working conditions then the laws are problematic.

Companies don't make major production decisions on the speculation of eventual legislation. Manufacturing jobs have left and will continue to be exported because of free trade legislation. Tariff free trade with nations that have zero safety standards, environmental regulations, worker rights and minuscule wages will slowly but surely decimate the entire secondary industry sector. Initially Canada benefited from a free trade agreement with the US. Our weak dollar and taxpayer subsidized healthcare made it slightly beneficial for US companies to produce here. However, at least our two nations have very similar living standards, wages, safety regulations and environmental guidelines. Companies weren't dumping chemicals on the ground and killing workers to produce cars or ketchup. Now that we have free trade agreements with Mexico, Columbia and various countries around the world there is very little reason for manufacturers to stay put. The US is seeing a minor uptick in manufacturing jobs right now as their low dollar has erased the slight Canadian savings and companies absorb the production into existing US plants. However, US production will continue to be eroded by the regulation free third world. It's truly a shame that trade laws in developed nations make people consider waste reduction, safety standards, environmental protection, fair wages and benefits to be a problem. Each item is a good thing and the right thing to do, but they cost money. Since it's essentially free for large manufacturers to move operations to regulation free environments we are stuck in a race to the bottom.

It does give candidate selection powers back to the grassroots. After that it steals a little power from the PMO and gives it back to our representatives. It is a representative democracy after all...and they are they people that work directly with the leader. If fine with the power structure proposed by the bill, but what happens when a party only has a handful of elected members? Should 2 or 3 MPs be able to force a leadership changes?

I'm fine with sin taxes on detrimental substances. However, like Boges mentioned, Ontario is taxing the sale of alcohol to 'limit use' while simultaneously spending a fortune on advertising to increase sales. It's a ridiculous position to be in and there is no good reason for it when partial privatization would benefit both consumers and government coffers.

In the past our education system was geared towards memorizing facts and a static set of skills. Elementary and secondary students were treated like sponges, just there to soak up information. Education was passive and unidirectional. Now we've shifted towards teaching students to be critically thinking, self learners. Kids are being taught how to access, evaluate and apply information in younger grades. These skills are necessary in world where information is instantly accessible and job skill sets must change frequently. I'm happy with the direction education is heading, but bothered by the slow pace of change.

Wow, you actually taught your kids to solve problems without resorting to violence?! How horrible of you.

http://www.mapleleafweb.com/forums/topic/19938-protest-against-the-lcbo-liquor-control-board-of-ontario/page-10#entry926702

A study has shown that the Ontario government would increase revenues from the sale of liquor if they partially privatized the LCBO. I wouldn't expect prices to drop, but an increase in both revenues and convenience is fine with me.

In many cases, especially at the post secondary level, face-to-face facilitators are not always necessary. However, at grade 12 and below, I think too many students would slip through the cracks if we relied on them to complete the necessary learning or even ask for help when they need it. At the post secondary level I've seen reports on both sides of the e-learning debate. http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/study-online-learning-less-effective-for-some/

My points pertain to middle schoolers and older. In the primary grades students don't yet have the literacy and numeracy skills that are necessary. They're still learning to read not reading to learn. Though there are multiple methods of building in enrichment and remediation that should be used in the younger grades.

The basics of computers don't have to be taught. Kids grow up with access to tech now and figure it out on their own. I have young kids and it amazes me to see how quickly they adapt to new technology through trial and error. The average grade 1 student can competently navigate tablets and smartphone interfaces. They are also comfortable with the mouse and keyboard setup and can single finger type well enough on Qwerty keyboards.

PIK's comments show why it is so hard to reform education. Most people, teachers included, have a hard time seeing beyond how they were taught. The old way is not fine. Too many students are left behind and just as many are bored and held back. Lecture and whole class instruction are not effective and should be used sparingly. Spoon feeding knowledge and then just testing what happened to stick is inadequate. Forcing entire classes to learn each concept at the same time and at the same pace is a ridiculous notion. In the past it would have been extremely difficult and time consuming to differentiate instruction at a per student level. Allowing each to progress at different rates, covering different levels and amounts of content would have been almost impossible. However, with the technology we have now this is no longer an issue. It is time to move the teacher from the front of the class to the middle of the action. Students need to be independently seeking, skeptically evaluating and applying information on their own with a teacher facilitating this process at the individual or small group level. The old way was fine for the economy of the 50's, but now we need dynamic, critically thinking, self learners.

I don't think allowing a riding to choose it's own candidate is a problem.

A coup? The coup would require the support of the majority of the caucus. I really like the idea that it would prevent the PMO from interfering with the ability of a riding association to choose a candidate.

The CPC likes to claim their MPs are free to vote as they choose on all but confidence issues, yet they currently have less power than ever before. Chong's bill would actually reduce some of the current top down control by the PMO.

Especially when partial privatization would increase competition, choice, generate private business revenues and increase government revenue. http://www.mapleleafweb.com/forums/topic/22663-frickin-lcbo/page-5#entry926702

This bill is a good idea, but I fear CC is correct and it will likely be scheduled to die in the senate. I like Michael Chong and have talked with him a few times. I admire the fact that he gave up a cabinet position so he could oppose Harper on the whole recognizing Québécois as a nation BS back in 2006.