Candidates seek to strike a series of sensible balances between the economy and the environment, between free and fair trade, between husbanding taxpayer’s dollars and meeting social needs. There is nothing wrong with balance as a principle, but these are not equivalencies, and treating them as such will mean the former always undermines the latter. This is not a path to the radical passion that has propelled recent electoral success on the Left.

A maximum wage (like a minimum wage) is no panacea, failing as it does to address both the content and conditions of work or the overall way in which society’s wealth gets distributed. However, depending where it was set and how vigorously it was enforced, it could help to revive public finances and tame the trend towards galloping inequality.

An adequate basic income for all is a good starting point for the Left to renew its assault on compulsory wage labour. The organization of work could be freed up to take on more cooperative, decentralized and democratic forms in which workers could decide for themselves what work is desired and useful. Such reforms should be welcomed insofar as they would significantly weaken the power corporate job blackmailers currently wield over society.

Morgan Wheeldon seems like the ideal NDP candidate. Young, energetic with a good mix of the thoughtful and the practical—just the kind of person the party needs if it wants to connect to the younger generation of activists in Canada. So why did the party throw their candidate for Kings Hants under the bus with the 2015 campaign just a few days old?

Québec author Alain Deneault, one of the authors of noir Canada, and publisher, les Éditions Écosociété inc. became the object of two multi-million dollar SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) suits brought by Barrick Gold and Banro Corporation. CD discusses with Deneault the dubious practices of the Canadian mining industry abroad, the suit and its implications.

All over the world people are dying (literally) for the right to elect their leaders. North Africa and the Middle East are aflame with democratic revolt. These are, after all, revolts that politicians across our political spectrum claim to be in sympathy with. Yet here at home the Harperites are allowed to disparage and demean the very idea of elections. Simple point to make, but it isn’t getting made. What gives?