Just Right… with Bob Metz and Robert Vaughan

510 – The broken political compass

Jun 222017

COMPASSING THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM – LEFT and RIGHT

In traditional scales and diagrams illustrating the political spectrum, most people have been taught that the political gradients from left to right look something like the following illustration:

LEFT —————————————————————- RIGHT
Radical —- Liberal —- Centrist —- Conservative —- Reactionary
Communism ——————————————————— Fascism

Both in theory and in practice, these ideological representations (and others like them) are wrong. They do not reflect political reality, and demonstrably so. Yet, they continue to be taught in our schools and used as a standard method of contrasting the political spectrum.

This has caused untold confusion in the minds of millions, and perhaps has played a greater role than most would expect in the accelerating and tragic drift of nations to the left – towards communism and fascism. Continue reading »

509 – Councillors at large | Melissa Hailey & Chris Graham

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Jun 152017

On the heels of their recent attendance at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference in Ottawa (June 1-4), we are joined in studio by Chris Graham, councillor of Central Saanich (Victoria) BC, and Melissa Hailey, former councillor who served in Sidney BC.

Remarkably, each set a record for being the youngest (male and female) municipal councillor in Canada when first elected. Today, many years after their first election, our guests share their experiences, views and opinions on a potpourri of municipal issues.

As in Ontario, British Columbia is experiencing skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem foreign investment and capital increasing the local demand? Or is the problem on the supply side of the housing equation?

Both Ontario and British Columbia imposed a 15% tax on non-resident home buyers, though unlike Ontario’s province-wide tax, BC only imposed the tax on purchases made in Vancouver. Continue reading »

508 – How do you solve a problem like sharia? | Sandra Solomon & Ted Harlson

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Jun 082017

How do you solve a problem like Sharia?

To help answer that question, join us for the second round of our conversation about the Islamization of Canada with guests Sandra Solomon and Ted Harlson that began on our August 25 broadcast.

Angered by a recent unjust Ontario Human Rights ruling in favour of a Muslim complainant, Ted concludes “When government becomes a dictatorship, run by thugs, they need altruism as a cover for what they’re doing.”

The Islamization of Canada takes many subtle and not-so-subtle forms.

In addition to the ruling cited, Canadians have witnessed municipal declarations of “sanctuary cities” which grant undocumented “immigrants” immunity from Canada’s laws. Continue reading »

507 – Trump means business

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Jun 012017

Interpret that phrase however you might, but turning words into action has thus far been the hallmark of US president Donald Trump’s administration, and it is applicable to both his business and political style.

To assess the powerfully symbolic impact of Trump’s first presidential visit abroad, Western University’s Associate Professor of Political Science Salim Mansur once again joins us to connect the dots between the events of today and the too-little-remembered history of yesterday.

It was inevitable that “Islam” would become the national and global issue of the day, given the West’s embrace of official multiculturalism.

The ISIS terrorist bombing in Manchester England is but one of the dots connected to Trump’s speech in Saudi Arabia. Another is the history of American and British involvement in having created the conditions in the mid-east that Trump must now confront.

In stark contrast, as Trump fights “Islamization” in America and abroad, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to pursue policies consistent with the political Islamization of Canada. Continue reading »

506 – Islam? | Sandra Solomon & Ted Harlson

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May 252017

Ask someone whether “Islam” is the root cause of the world-wide terrorism associated with it, or whether it is just the “people using” Islam to justify violent terrorism, the answer you get will depend on that person’s definition of Islam.

Is Islam a “religion” or a “political ideology”? Or both? Or neither?

To help us understand the devil in the details so lacking in definitions, Islam takes on an entirely different “definition” when described by someone who has lived it – right in the heart of Saudi Arabia itself.

Her name is Sandra Solomon and today she joins us in studio to share her story. It is a glimpse into a life that few in the West can truly appreciate. Her personal experience has led Sandra to begin a crusade across Canada to warn Canadians about the dangers of Sharia Law and the Islamization of Canadian public schools. Continue reading »

505 – Life on the fringe of art and politics | John Palmer & Paul Merrifield

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May 182017

Does art imitate life or does life imitate art?

It’s called “Noam Chomsky vs Rush Limbaugh” and is one of London Ontario’s “Fringe Festival” entries to be featured at the Palace Theatre in June.

As the only play in the fringe line-up to feature a “political” theme, it asks a question that is often entertained on Just Right: “Is there more to this political bird than just the left and the right wings?”

To help us entertain that question, we are joined by Western University economics professor John Palmer, who plays the role of Noam Chomsky, and by playwright Paul Merrifield, whose humourous script provided the inspiration for the very unlikely meeting of two highly polarized political figures.

Says AM980 radio’s Andrew Lawton: “An amusing romp that squarely takes aim at political correctness in a way that I wish more art would.” Adds London City Councillor Michael Van Holst “These are dialogues you wish would happen!” Continue reading »

504 – Trump’s “Big Stick” foreign policy and France surrenders to Macron | Salim Mansur & Amir Farahi

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May 112017

Despite the establishment media’s continuing hostility to the president, including attempts to paint him as radical and unpredictable, Trump is far more traditional than were his immediate predecessors. That tradition, simply put, is one of acting in his own country’s interests.

“Speak softly and carry a big stick” reflects the Roosevelt foreign policy. It was described by past US president Theodore Roosevelt as “the exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive action sufficiently far in advance of any likely crisis.”

Amir Farahi of the London Institute and Western University’s Associate Professor of Political Science Salim Mansur join us to share their assessment of what Trump’s early days in office have revealed – both about the president’s foreign policies and about some of the major crisis’ brewing around the globe today.

From America’s actions taken against Assad in Syria, to the bomb dropped in Afghanistan and to movements against North Korea, our conversation connects the dots between what most believe are isolated and unrelated conflicts in distant parts of the globe. Continue reading »