With all due respect, this is tripe. People deserve NDP representation just as much as they deserve Liberals or Conservatives in line with the proportion of their vote. The real villain here is the FPTP system that makes these hijinx noteworthy and worth commenting on.

You're right, there isn't. The fatal flaw of the system is its two party nature, and I'm not convinced that either party can maintain power indefinitely regardless of the strength of the candidate, the ideas, or the craziness of the opponent. Its a swinging pendulum, an underdamped system.

My family is Singaporean, this is what they relay to me. If what I'm hearing is wrong, I'd love to know. Otherwise, they seem quite happy with the healthcare system.

Right, so a minimum wage law isn't strictly necessary. Singapore has a government run union system that involves the state, industry, and workers to collective bargain. Seems to work just fine.

Many western countries also do not impose minimum wage laws, yet have some of the highest average wages in the world: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland. It seems quite pragmatic to simply ensure there is a tight labour market, an emphasis on education, and let the market handle wages.

If I'm misinformed about this, please educate me. From where I'm standing, it seems miles ahead of the Canadian system where I can't find a family doctor for myself or my child, and if I need emergency treatment, I have to wait 5+ hours at a time in the ER.

From what I've seen, healthcare system is extremely pragmatic. Those who can pay, pay. Those who can't, are passed to a board who approves free treatment. I have never heard of anyone in Singapore dying without treatment, and it has the lowest per capita medical costs with some of the best outcomes.

I would argue that the PAP in Singapore can be said to be a Social Democratic party. Strong core social programs in housing and healthcare while still working within a capitalist framework. I would argue even that it is one of the best implementations of Social Democracy.

No one should be surprised, but it sounds like Trump doesn't understand nor believe in either Economics or Capitalism. Not that it matters to the MAGA crowd.

I dont think those policies reached very far past their die hard supporters, though. He should have focused on fighting for electoral reform and forced the Liberals to uphold their own promise.

If he truly wanted to put his country over his party, he would have pushed for electoral reform rather than let Duvergers Law run its course and turn Canada into a two party state like a nation to the south of us.

Realistically, most of Canada would have a revanchist Canadian independence party running and winning elections until they get barred from being nominated.

The two party system does effectively an amazing job of allowing lawmakers to create policy totally detached from the will of voters. A study showed that policies passed in the US had no relation to its popularity ie policy with 100% popularity has the same chance to be implemented as a 0% policy.

So please support the Jericho ODP before Tuesday, April 15:

1. Go to the city's submission form here.
2. Select "Jericho Lands Official Development Plan."
3. Click SUPPORT!!!

vancouver.ca/your-governm...

This is a traditional stance for labor unions. To protect their own jobs, they’ve always supported policies that restrict competition, whether tariffs, immigration limits, or resisting automation.

There are a lot of flavours of "leftists" who support zoning. But generally, these are leftists who view free market mechanisms as inherently exploitative and welcome zoning as a way to disrupt those markets. For them, if the free market can not function, then less exploitation surely follows.

Absolutely, the most important way we can de-Americanize ourselves is to dispose of the idea of the left and right as a monolithic group identity, and embrace the kaleidoscope of political ideas and frameworks. Multi party democracy and proportional representation is the only way.

Unironically, we should effect this reimagining by reducing incomes taxes (especially for the least fortunate) and raise taxes on wealth and land. We need to show the world that not only are we open for business on the North American continent, but that we are a more reliable and stable partner.

The last point is key. Which Americans? US has a 4% unemployment rate, which is low by averages. Those Americans are typically churn so its not that they are perennially unemployed. When tariffs hit, it will be high wage value added jobs that will be lost and shift to lower wage raw material jobs.