@jbroschek.bsky.social
Political Science Prof and Laurier Research Chair | Federalism/Multilevel Governance | Political Economy | (Active) Transportation and Infrastructure Policy | Kitchener/Waterloo Region More at https://tinyurl.com/4pzjpykm
It will “never happen again”:
From the broken Greenbelt promise over multiple leadership failures in handling Covid (Rod Phillips, LTC homes, playground closures) to the “hat in hand” comment.
I can't recall a government apologizing so many times.
globalnews.ca/news/1146863...
This is quite a good briefing note on Canada’s #productivity problems and its dependence on the #US and #resource #exports. One data point: #Canada ranks 48th in #economic #complexity.
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...
On tariffs, there wasn't a lot the EU (or anyone else) could do to push back on the US damaging itself. On regulation, a lot more important to draw the line as is happening
10.10.2025 13:18 — 👍 55 🔁 17 💬 0 📌 1The EU is confronted with similar challenges like Canada, and it has an industrial strategy (of course far from perfect).
If this is the “Canadian moment we need to seize”, then I would expect more depth, breadth and systematic thinking than what we see here based on what has transpired so far.
Screenshot from the Draghi Report Content Page
The Draghi Report, for example:
➡️ Identifies 3 transformations the EU is facing
➡️ Defines corresponding key policy goals
➡️ Proposes horizontal (policy) and vertical (sectors) measures to achieve these goals
➡️ Outlines institutional governance reforms required to implement this industrial strategy
An industrial "strategy" without at least mentioning the net-zero economy should be a first red flag.
There is no indication that this “three-point plan” is at least trying to emulate what the EU has developed under the VDL Commission + the Draghi Report.
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
It's going to be interesting to see how the EP responds:
"I want to make sure that nothing in our right to regulate, from digital services to carbon pricing, has been compromised in return for this deal.”
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
What buying access to the American market means in practice:
"The legislation has come under attack from US oil and gas companies, with ExxonMobil’s chief executive Darren Woods describing the rules as threatening."
I honestly hope you are right. I also understand the difficult position the federal government is in. But - and being aware of the limited information we have, as I am reading the tea leaves here - I am even more concerned now than I was this morning (unlike Minister LeBlanc).
07.10.2025 21:36 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
“But there are more areas where we are stronger together, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
The problem: "Stronger together" rests on the premise Trump views Canada as a partner, and not as a vulnerable, dependent + resource-rich neighbor it can dominate.
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Thank you @stevenchase.bsky.social for asking the Golden Dome question. But still 🤷♂️
Also, would be interesting to know more about what "joint ventures" and "developing certain industries together" exactly means when they talk about "formulas".
This "manufacturing" of a conflict around ASE represents a more general phenomenon. We've seen it here now with bike lanes and ASE. Other countries experience it in different areas, too. Either way, it prevents better policy outcomes and - indeed - contributes to erode public trust in institutions.
05.10.2025 16:24 — 👍 12 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0The premier, councillors and mayors, amplified by media commentary, have been:
➡️evoking emotions by suggesting non-law complying drivers are victims (it's "punitive")
➡️reframing cause and effect: bureaucrats, not drivers are the problem (cash grab)
➡️ pretending all of this is "common sense"
One has to put this puzzle into perspective. The ASE program is a general interest reform that:
➡️is effective in improving road safety
➡️only requires drivers to comply with an existing law
➡️at the expense of a few minutes added travel time.
That's it. Not a huge sacrifice. So what happened?
A comparative angle leads to a different conclusion: manufactured conflict rather than poor execution.
The question to begin with is:
Why do other countries use ASE much more broadly, e.g. hidden mobile cameras, 24/7, to enforce 30km/h speed limits in residential areas - without so much backlash?
I suspect it varies from province to province. As for Ontario, as far as I know the only potential concern would be whether or not this would pose a problem for emergency vehicles. Otherwise I believe munis have leeway.
04.10.2025 19:25 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
This letter demonstrates that ASE as one of the most effective tools to enhance road safety has never been a partisan issue per se.
The signatures are, therefore, a good indicator of who has policy competence, and who doesn't (e.g. Kitchener, Vaughan).
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Ein von Michael Zürn und mir verfasster Nachruf auf Claus Offe. Ein bemerkenswerter Mensch und Wissenschaftler www.faz.net/aktuell/feui...
03.10.2025 15:04 — 👍 236 🔁 83 💬 5 📌 8Eine traurige Nachricht. Wenige Autoren haben mich so in den ersten Jahren meines Studiums geprägt wie Claus Offe. Nicht nur "Politische Herrschaft und Klassenstrukturen" oder die "Strukturprobleme", sondern auch Aufsätze wie "Die Utopie der Null-Option". Ich habe noch alle Kopien von damals (viele)
02.10.2025 16:57 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0And this spin is becoming a thing now, first Ottawa, now - shocker - Queen's Park:
"But targets are not outcomes. We believe in achievable outcomes, not unrealistic objectives."
Serious climate policy-making going on here.
"We are continuing to meet our commitment to at least try to meet our commitment for the 2030 target," the Environment Minister said.
Wow.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Kitchener City Council, 12-11-2023: "I'm not seeing the dangers everyone is seeing....In fact, I hardly see any kids in schools and parks. In fact, they are rather playing video games in their bedrooms."
2:17:00ff. But the entire debate is an interesting case study.
www.youtube.com/live/mw1p4XE...
Del Duca tries to reframe speeding drivers as victims w/out agency.
"People who'd never gotten a speeding ticket in their entire driving lives being dinged with not 1, not 2, but in some cases 6, 7, 8 tickets."
Like the problem is the cameras & drivers are helpless to solve this themselves?
6/
The other message that my residents have conveyed to me, which I will convey to you, and I've explained this to the premier, and he knows it instinctively, the people of this city, and I suspect the people of Ontario, want us to focus on what I will call the real criminals. They don't want us to be dinging them, as I mentioned a moment ago. They acknowledge occasionally going a few kilometers over, but when someone gets killed in front of their own kids, when someone has their home in a quiet residential street shot at in one case more than once, when York Regional Police do their job, but our bail system and our and our criminal justice system is letting everyone down. To equate the two, speed cameras with going after the real criminals, it's not even a close fight. My job as mayor, one of my most important obligations is to keep the people of Vaughn safe. It's something that I will turn over every stone to make happen.
Here Del Duca does something interesting with msging. He tries to reframe dangerous driving as benign, thereby exonerating himself from doing harm cancelling the cameras, while also sounding like he's empathetic & tough on crime. Cynical stuff for a man removing cameras meant to protect kids.
5/?
Next up, the mayor of Vaughn, Stephen Del Duca, leaned hard on pathos as a rhetorical device -- not for vulnerable pedestrians & cyclists but for drivers. He spoke about their "anxiety", "fear" and "concern". And he referred to the speeders getting tickets not as drivers but as "residents".
4/?
Only in 🇨🇦:
Kitchener Market this morning, waiting in line at Kipfer's Heritage Farms. "Wow, Dad - they have whole free run chicken. Can we buy one?" "Hmm, maybe next time." Woman in front, buys two, asks for a separate bag. Gives one to my son: "But you gotta help your Dad preparing it". ❤️
"I have a right to move about without the state recording my activities."
Actually, no one has a right to move about on public roads in a potentially dangerous one-ton motorized vehicle. It’s a privilege and a responsibility that requires accountability.
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Even if I don't agree with A. Coyne's columns, which happens, I usually can see where he is coming from, and I can acknowledge that he has a point. Not in this case. Maybe it's also b/c our 13yr old is biking around more independently. Not a helicopter parent here, but it makes me very anxious.
26.09.2025 20:16 — 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A mobile speed camera in Ulm, Germany.
...this effective policy tool everyone there - and vulnerable road users in particular - can enjoy much more freedom to roam around. It educates drivers to adopt a safe speed instead of letting them decide via an alleged "herd intelligence" (in fact a "herd mentality") what an appropriate speed is.
26.09.2025 20:16 — 👍 3 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 0Also, all these European countries that have been using ASE much more broadly for decades (e.g. mobile cameras in residential areas) with significant success? 🇨🇭, 🇦🇹, 🇩🇪, 🇫🇷, 🇸🇪 etc. – “free and democratic” societies no more? Their citizens “all too complacent about the surveillance state”?
Thanks to...
