A Rogue's Gallery

Just two pictures, so perhaps not a real gallery, but I think the descriptor is accurate.

Reflections on Political Leadership

Inveterate cynic that I am, I have long believed that most politicians see us, to borrow a phrase that I think originated in The Depression, as 'easy marks,' people who are especially susceptible to manipulation and victimization. The fact is that as a species we are a mass of contradictions, at times incredibly weak and at times surprisingly noble; and it is a rare politician indeed who chooses the path less traveled by appealing to our better natures through logic, respect, and conviction instead of rhetoric that plays on our fears, prejudices and attraction to easy 'solutions'.

So it seems only fitting to use two quite disparate politicians to illustrate my thesis, and although both are from the Ontario political landscape, I believe what they represent has widespread application.

Let's start with Rob Ford, mayor of Canada's erstwhile world-class city, Toronto. While his buffoonish antics are well-known, why does he continue to be very popular with a significant proportion of Toronto's citizens? Clearly, his message of low taxes, the elimination of gravy trains and his simplistic and disingenuous promise of ending gridlock painlessly (casinos, casinos, casinos!) resonate with a substantial segment of the populace, no matter how absurd his 'vision' may be or how socially expensive it would be to implement. Indeed, Ford poses as 'everyman,' understanding the travails of the average person - he 'feels their pain.'

I think it is clear which side of human nature Rob Ford is appealing to.

Then we move on to another neophyte leader, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. Here is a lady I find myself liking and respecting more and more each day, and for one reason only: she is treating us like adults, not talking down to us, not talking to distract us, but talking to make us think, and in the process, appealing to our nobler instincts.

Despite the fact that an election is likely sooner rather than later, Wynne has taken the bold step of initiating a frank (and hopefully mature) discussion on how to pay for the infrastructure needed to deal definitively with the perennial problem of gridlock in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area. Her message is refreshingly frank: There are no free rides in improved transit. Billions in revenue are needed, and there is only a limited array of funding options.

No sugarcoating for the sake of political expedience. No promises of a painless panacea for gridlock. No shirking the responsibilities of real leadership.

A risky approach to take, as noted by Martin Regg Cohn in today's Star, one fraught with all manner of pitfalls thanks to a political opposition all too willing to continue offering platitudes rather solutions, rhetoric rather than substance.

I may very well not ultimately agree with the funding measures the Wynne government decides upon. But at least I will feel that I have been respected, I have been listened to earnestly, and probably most important of all, not been lied to.

In 'the corrupted currents' of this political world, that is as much optimism as an inveterate cynic can muster

The Royal Bank Responds With An Attempt At Damage Control

Somehow, I don't think George Orwell would be too impressed by the RBC response to its public relations nightmare over the outsourcing of Canadian jobs:

Said Zabeen Hirji, RBC’s chief human resources officer:

“We recognize the impact of this situation on our employees and we continue to remain focused on assisting our employees through this transition. We are working diligently to find suitable roles for those affected and it is our hope over the next few months to transition them to other positions.”

My hope would be that RBC and the other banks making record profits immediately transition to a policy of employee retention instead of dismissal through outsourcing.

More On Wealthy Tax Cheats

As noted in a previous post, many of our more prosperous citizens feel no obligation to the country that made their great wealth possible. Rather, they are quite happy to hide it in offshore financial institutions, which, while being ethically questionable, is not illegal. However, many of them are also committing crimes by not declaring profits that accrue to them in those faraway places, and tax evasion is most definitely illegal.

Today's Star readers weigh in on the issue in their usual insightful manner. I am taking the liberty of reproducing their letters below:

Rich can no longer hide millions; Crack down on tax havens, Editorial, April 5

Regarding the recent articles about tax havens and governments world-wide saying they will now put more effort into getting those public monies back from the super-affluent. Well, the world’s supposed democratic governments have been aware of these billions of dollars illegally absconded by the rich and powerful for a long time. It has only been through the efforts of private citizens (journalists, authors, the Tax Justice Network) that this information has become common knowledge. Why is it that, as the editorial states, “. . . until recently there has been little political will to crack down on the super-affluent”?

The U.S. Republican party, our own Conservative government and democratic governments world-wide have been crying their “austerity” mantra ad nauseam, claiming massive shortfalls in revenues as their reason for cannibalizing tax-funded social programs. Yet they cogently and deceitfully failed to mention or address the flagrant abuse (tax evasion) by the world’s 1 per cent in causing these monetary shortfalls. Collusion between our elected officials and the super-rich is common knowledge. So now the question is why do the super-affluent and their political lackeys seem so determined to undermine the finances, wealth, health and security of The People (99 per cent) in our democratic systems of society?

Al Dunn, Kingston

Any Canadian with money in tax havens should be treated like the holders of accounts in Cyprus banks — charge them 60 per cent when they are found out. Tax havens should be made impossible through international laws. They work to the detriment of society.

Tony ten Kortenaar, Toronto

Now It All Makes Sense

RBC CEO Gord Nixon

I just knew there had to be a logical explanation. This explains that.

Empirical Evidence Versus Bluster

Although this is just a brief clip, it does, I think, show why the 'right' prefers ideology and 'talking points' to empirical evidence:

The Royal Bank's Abasement of Its Employees

It may be helpful to remember the following video the next time you see an RBC ad portraying the bank as the solution to everyone's problems. Forty-five soon-to-be-former employees (after they have trained their replacements) would beg to differ with the characterization. I suspect if I had an account with RBC, I would be closing it very soon in protest.

H/t Kev