I’ve been curious about this abandoned bank on Yonge Street. Jonathan Castellino has some great pictures of the interior. (via jonathancastellino)
I was given an opportunity to propose a measure to clarify how and on what basis the federal government allocates funds to STI - a measure that would strengthen relations between the federal government and the STI community by eliminating misunderstandings and suspicions on this point. In short, my proposal was that Ottawa direct its Science, Technology and Innovation Council to do three things:
To provide an up-to-date description of how these allocation decisions have been made in the past;
To identify the principles and sources of advice on which such decisions should be based;
To recommend the most appropriate structure and process - one characterized by transparency and openness - for making these decisions in the future.
These are reasonable suggestions from Preston Manning: be clear about why and how the Federal government funds science and technology.
Of course I may not agree with the actual decisions made through such a process, but at least I would know why the decisions were made. The current process is far too opaque and confused for such critical investment decisions.
Every day is ‘science day'
I was given an opportunity to propose a measure to clarify how and on what basis the federal government allocates funds to STI - a measure that would strengthen relations between the federal government and the STI community by eliminating misunderstandings and suspicions on this point. In short, my proposal was that Ottawa direct its Science, Technology and Innovation Council to do three things:
To provide an up-to-date description of how these allocation decisions have been made in the past;
To identify the principles and sources of advice on which such decisions should be based;
To recommend the most appropriate structure and process - one characterized by transparency and openness - for making these decisions in the future.
These are reasonable suggestions from Preston Manning: be clear about why and how the Federal government funds science and technology.
Of course I may not agree with the actual decisions made through such a process, but at least I would know why the decisions were made. The current process is far too opaque and confused for such critical investment decisions.
The kids have a great time together, which is fantastic.
TheStar.com | World-beating bureaucrats
My research compared the achievements of Canadian public service and political leaders with their U.K. counterparts, and the results are very favourable to Canada. It was rewarding to hear so many U.K. public service leaders ask about Canadian reforms. It seems that public service managers around the world are looking carefully at leading practices emerging in Ottawa and the provinces, especially Ontario.
One of the strange challenges I have as a public servant is the constant description of my colleagues as overpaid and underworked. The classic quote came from John Tory as leader of Ontario’s opposition party:
“These kinds of jobs are people who are breathing each other’s exhaust and sitting around, analyzing each other’s papers. There hasn’t been enough attention paid to looking at whether those people are really making a productive contribution to the effective delivery of public services in Ontario.”
Of course, you can point to several studies showing how efficient Ontario’s public servants are and how much the public benefits from government services, but people aren’t interested in reviewing this kind of evidence. So, I’m happy to see Tony Dean advocating for public servants. I think that strong advocacy from public servant leaders will help much more than statistics.
Math and the City
judson.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/1…
A good read on the mathematics of scaling in urban patterns. I had looked into using the Bettencourt paper (cited in this article) for making allocation decisions. The trick is moving from the general patterns observed in urban scaling to specific recommendations for where to invest in new infrastructure. This is particularly challenging in the absence of good, detailed data on the current infrastructure stock. We’ve made good progress on gathering some of this data, and it might be worth revisiting this scaling relationship.
Mama Earth Organics
I’m certain that paying attention to where my food comes from is important. Food production influences my health, has environmental consequences, and affects both urban and rural design. Ideally, I would develop relationships with local farmers, carefully choose organic produce, and always consider broad environmental impacts. Except, I like to spend time with my young family, try to get some exercise, and have more than enough commitments through work to actually spend this much effort on food choices. So, I’ve outsourced this process to the excellent Mama Earth Organics.
Every week a basket of fresh organic and/or local fruit and vegetables arrives on our doorstep. Part of the fun of this service is that different items arrive each week, which diversifies our weekly food routine. But, we always know what’s coming several days in advance, so we can plan our meals well ahead of time. After over a year of service, we’ve only had a single complaint about quality and this was handled very quickly by Mama Earth with a full refund plus credit.
We’ve found the small basket is sufficient for two adults and a picky four-year old. We’ve also added in some fresh bread from St. John’s Bakery, which has been consistently delicious and lasts through most of the week.
When it comes to the Canadian economy, Obama may as well be PM
www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/s…
An important discussion of how US energy policy is driving Canadian policy.
Commercial air travel, like many other industries, is lubricated by cheap oil. Mr. Rubin, the former chief economist of CIBC World Markets, has now bet his career on a single idea – that the cheap oil era is dead and globalization is about to wither along with it. But the most fascinating part of his thesis has nothing to do with geology or Hubbert’s peak oil theory. It’s about the reindustrialization of North America. Those unemployed airline workers could be looking for work – and finding it – in the revitalized factories of Southern Ontario.
Energy, carbon taxes and the winds of change - The Globe and Mail
globeandmail.com: Natives, Bay Street form country’s biggest farm
www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/s…
… in Saskatoon today, Bay Street investors and a group of chiefs from Saskatchewan and Alberta will formally announce the unlikeliest of marriages, one that will make them the most influential farmers in all of Canada, with a super-sized one-million-acre operation that could rival the largest corporate farms in the world.
Under the plan, 17 native bands will lease their land at market value to a new entity called One Earth Farms Corporation, which will focus on sustainable, environmentally responsible land use, hire and train aboriginal workers, and provide first nations an equity stake in the company.
This is an interesting initiative and worth tracking – not because of the massive size of the project. Rather, the partnership between bands and investors is novel.
Goodyear's Religious Beliefs vs. Evolution
Our minister of science continues to argue that his unwillingness to endorse the theory of evolution is not relevant to science policy. As quoted by the Globe and Mail:
My view isn’t important. My personal beliefs are not important.
I find this amazing. How can the minister of science’s views on the fundamental unifying theory of biology not be important?
I don’t expect him to understand the details of evolutionary theory or to have all of his personal beliefs vetted and religious views muted. However, I do expect him – as minister – to champion and support Canadian science, especially basic research. When our minister refuses to acknowledge the fundamental discoveries of science, our reputation is diminished.
There is also a legitimate – though rather exaggerated – concern that the minister’s views on the truth can influence policy and funding decisions. The funding councils are more than sufficiently independent to prevent any undue ministerial influence here. The real problem is an apparent distrust or lack of interest in basic research from the federal government.
Old Growth Media And The Future Of News
www.stevenberlinjohnson.com/2009/03/t…
If only there were some institution that had a reputation for journalistic integrity that had a staff of trained editors and a growing audience arriving at its web site every day seeking quality information. If only… Of course, we have thousands of these institutions. They’re called newspapers.
Canada says it has legal obligation to prevent Abdelrazik from travelling: Other terrorism suspects have returne.. theglobeandmail.com/servlet…
This has to stop. Abdelrazik is a Canadian citizen and should be allowed to return. I don’t understand what the Canadian Government is trying to accomplish here.
CBC.ca | The National | High-Minded Hypocrisy
Rex Murphy is great at this.
His main point is certainly right: we can’t have the many benefits of energy without consequence and the National Geographic neglected to show these benefits. However, I do think that Canadians need to be aware of the trade-offs we are making and mitigate – to the extent possible – threats to our environment. For most of us, energy just appears when we flip a switch or drive to the gas station.
I think the tar sands are an important Canadian resource and with careful stewardship their benefits could far exceed their costs. However, my sense is that current policies are not focussed on stewardship and we risk squandering the opportunities provided by the tar sands.
Another good shot of Owen (via Matthew Routley)
This picture always makes me smile. (via Matthew Routley)
These companies couldn’t succeed by doing, so how are they supposed to succeed by planning?
globeandmail.com: America’s monumental failure of management
globeandmail.com: The latest outrage: Just say no
www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/s…
But here’s a surprise for Stephen Harper. We’re calling your bluff. This time we’re telling Ottawa: not so fast. Lots of Canadians are prepared to risk prosecution and defy the ban on funding Abdelrazik. Through an explicit civil disobedience project called Operation Fly Home, spearheaded by Mary Foster in Montreal, a first group of 115 Canadians have so far donated small sums to buy his air ticket home. All of us are making our names and addresses public, so the Mounties won’t have trouble finding us. Our crime? Paying $20 dollars or so to bring home a stranded fellow Canadian whose only crime is his name and religion.
“Operation Fly Home” is a great initiative in response to this bizarre government behaviour.
Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Backseat of a Car Is a Horrifying Mistake. Is It a Crime? Gene Weingarten Reports.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co…
This is horrifying:
“Death by hyperthermia” is the official designation. When it happens to young children, the facts are often the same: An otherwise loving and attentive parent one day gets busy, or distracted, or upset, or confused by a change in his or her daily routine, and just… forgets a child is in the car. It happens that way somewhere in the United States 15 to 25 times a year, parceled out through the spring, summer and early fall. The season is almost upon us.