In Canada, I am politically homeless right now. Here are the basic tenets of my philosophy. 1. I believe that free and competitive markets work better than anything else. ie, less regulation and bureaucracy is typically the better way and should be the default. 2. I believe anyone who lives in our society should have a strong social safety net. ie, any single person's worst case scenario should be something that I could live with. 3. I believe in empiricism and the scientific method. That means you come up with a hypothesis, and design experiments (or debates) to test if it is true. If you find out you made a mistake, that's ok. ie, it's ok to change your mind. 4. I believe that we should have no sacred cows - This is highly integrated with idea 3. ie, if something is no longer useful, we can't hold onto it for the sake of holding onto it. That's religion, not science. 5. I believe that to govern successfully, our leaders need to be able to listen to their opponents. They are members of the same team (team Canada) not enemies. ie, I do not agree that the primary purpose of the opposition is to oppose. It is to ensure that the party in power is seeing things outside of their own idealogical lens. This is closest to being what we would typically call a "Classical Liberal". But the Federal Liberal party is not this. They aren't concerned with free markets or abandoning their sacred cows. The Federal Conservative party is not this. They are clear that leading the opposition means opposing. The NDP - they do not seem interested in empiricism.

I spent the early hours of this morning at a meditation to mark October 7th. We took a moment to read a brief eulogy for each of the 8 Canadians who were murdered on October 7th. Most of them were very young. Several sacrificed their lives to save others. Others were peace activists.

It's election time in Toronto. Did you know you also get to vote for Schoolboard Trustee? Those are the people who are representing parents and kids in the city of Toronto. The mayor matters, but so do trustees and city councillors! I sat down with @TashaKheiriddin yesterday to discuss her campaign! Check it out on Youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=bDuujMHO… Tasha in particular is a fantastic and compelling speaker. Spotify & Apple Podcast link in the comments 💪

Earlier this year I met with @BradMBradford I have lived in Toronto for 25 years. For the past 5, the city has been in a steep decline. Crime. Open drug use. Gridlock. Garbage. Safety concerns on the TTC. It didn’t used to be like this. Toronto can return to being a thriving city but it begins with leadership. We need a serious Mayor. Get out and vote.

In other words from her supporters: 1. Olivia Chow sucks (but it's ok because everyone else sucks more) 2. She is a mayor for all Torontonians, just not for the Jews 3. She likes trains and bicycles - doesn't matter if they are safe, or run on time, or logically placed. But she likes them so that's what matters. Please please go vote for Brad Bradford. @BradMBradford. Advanced Polls are already open. Have thoughts on my ward (St. Paul's) and the others as well if you're looking for info/guidance.

I don't always read the comments, and I feel like it is cherry picking, but this thread is so demonstrative of the Olivia Chow logic here. -- Me: Did you watch the debate? Olivia Chow Supporter: Yes, she was off her game, her strength is not debates. Me: What's her strength? Team Chow: She's the least worst. Is a mayor for everyone. Positive about transit and bikes are her two strengths. Me: She doesn't behave like a mayor for everyone. Team Chow: Oh you mean the Jews... yeah no one is perfect.

I know I am biased, but how can anyone watch this debate and vote for @oliviachow? She doesn't answer the questions. She only sounds decent when she's reading from her notes. She doesn't listen to the moderator. She can't string a sentence together. Her ideas are vague and nondescript. Even the moderator ends up responding to her with an "...ok?" after most questions. I wish there was a way to ensure that everyone watches a debate before voting because it's just so evident to me that @BradMBradford is crushing her on the debate stage. #toronto #topoli

This clip was the highlight of the latest Toronto debate on City for me, but you could take just about any segment and repeat the same happenings more or less: Oliva Chow, reading from her notes, makes a wild and baseless accusation. Accuses Bradford of privatizing water and making the pipes unsafe "like Calgary" she says. Brad Bradford simply corrects her. "Calgary's recommendation is exactly what I am proposing." Then Olivia, (on a stool btw to I guess look more legitimate?) stares off at her staffers in the back with what can only be a "wtf, why didn't you read that report?" kind of glance. I feel bad for her staffers today.

I like how the step stool is always in the shot during this Toronto mayoral debate. It's a metaphor for something....

To all the Torontonians who know what it's like to be or to grow up with a single mom. Here's a great story about our next mayor. Who would name their kid "Brad Bradford"? You night chuckle at the repetition, but his name is actually a phenomenal reason precisely to vote for him.

Minor update but we crossed the 100 subscriber threshold at accordingto.ca 🥳👍💯 It’s just a number but damn it feels good to know that 100+ people want to hear the nuanced and intelligent discourse we’re putting out there. I used to sign every article off with: “we’re building something here, and we can’t do it alone.” That appreciation and that challenge applies more than ever today. Check it out if you’re so inclined and thank you so much for the support!

Heh - forgot to turn the scheduled posts off, eh?

Chris Alexander never intended on being the mayor of Toronto. He wanted you to remember his name. From August 21: accordingto.ca/p/chris-alexa…