The City of Ottawa is struggling mightily with the “Presto” card for public transit, a cutting-edge late 20th century system where instead of paper tickets or cardboard passes you actually use a digital medium. Wow. Just imagine if, say, banks found out about this concept. One day we might buy gas by swiping a credit card. Or, to fantasize, a cup of coffee with a smartphone app. Click here to read the rest.
The people reaching for the reins now slipping from Dalton McGuinty’s hands trot out the usual gooblahoy about renewal and new visions and hard-working families and the middle class. But at the hard core of governing is money: Raising it in taxes, spending it on programs. And here Ontario has a real problem to which those who would be premier seem strangely oblivious. Click here to read the rest.
When people warn that the United States is approaching a "fiscal cliff" it doesn't take much wit to realize it's not a holiday camp. But what is it and where, why is Uncle Sam whistling insouciantly as he hurtles toward it, and how might he avoid the high jump? Click here to read the rest.
Years ago a friend told me if you never fall down skiing you’re not trying hard enough. I hope it applies to punditry too because I sure got the U.S. election wrong and now have to try to make credible sense of a result I firmly didn’t predict. Click here to read the rest.
It's time for American voters to show their true colours: Red, pink and blue.
Pink? How did that get in there? Simple. If you're trying to understand the American parties' political strategies in the home stretch, or make sense of early results on election night, the colour-coded map you see here shows how American states have voted since Clinton's first election in 1992: Blue means Democratic all five times, bright blue means four times Democratic, pale blue three times, while pink ones went Republican three times, bright red ones four times and red ones were solid GOP the whole way.
On Nov. 6 Americans will vote and elect a president, right? Wrong. The Electoral College chooses the president on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December. And while roughly 40% of eligible voters can't be bothered, more than a quarter are so keen they vote early. Click here to read more.
It looks like Canada's history at the Museum of Civilization, which the government is transforming into a national historical museum in our national capital. It's hard to believe we didn't already have one.
In announcing his semi-resignation on Monday Dalton McGuinty provided a revealing glimpse into his mind. Sounds ghastly? Please look anyway, because ideas matter. Click here to read the rest.