Category Archives: Humour & Satire

Mimetic & Mendacious Mirth: The Secret to Jean Chretien’s Political Success and Enduring Appeal

Posted on 2024/03/05 by J.W.J. Bowden

The accolades poured in for Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003, as he became a nonagenarian in January. They came even from some unlikely sources, such as former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper.[1] Chretien’s enduring success … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour & Satire | 2 Comments

When Hollywood Screenwriters Don’t Understand How Parliamentary Government Works

Posted on 2020/03/01 by J.W.J. Bowden

The plots of some films hinge upon fundamental misunderstandings of how parliamentary government works, and I thought that outlining an example would prove both entertaining and instructive. Sherlock Holmes from 2009, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Jude Law and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film & Television, Humour & Satire, Reviews | 9 Comments

Toronto Has Always Been Thus

Posted on 2018/11/15 by J.W.J. Bowden

As so often happens, I discovered this wonderful little tidbit while reading about something entirely different.

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The Harry Potter Parliament: British Columbia’s 41st Legislature

Posted on 2017/05/31 by J.W.J. Bowden

A geeky, Obsessive Pop-Culture Disorder-like thought about British Columbia’s 41st Legislature just occurred to me. Whomever the assembly elects as its Speaker, and whether the Clark ministry survives or a Horgan ministry takes its place, the razor-thin margin between the … Continue reading →

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Toronto’s City Hall Perfectly Represents Toronto Itself

Posted on 2017/01/10 by J.W.J. Bowden

A few years ago, I took the train from Ottawa to Toronto. For whatever reason, I became transfixed at this portrait of Toronto’s city hall mounted to the front of the passenger car. I started at it for a minute … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour & Satire | 4 Comments