In this episode of the Missing Middle Podcast, @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social and @carastern.bsky.social discuss how rent controls can actually harm the mobility of renters themselves. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCJo...

Sharing here @beynate.bsky.social's nuanced opinions on the budget that is up for a confidence vote in parliament today. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysP5...

Today is the last day for @ontarioliberal.bsky.social Party members to fill out the survey from the Executive Council and Leadership Vote Committee regarding the potential format of the leadership contest. Here is a sample of my responses.

Sad to think that all World War II veterans will be lost to us soon enough... Appreciate them while you can.

New data modelling suggests that the world is on track to warm by 2°C and 3°C even if countries met every near-term climate pledge and hit their targets for net-zero CO₂ emissions

New MMI episode! Today, we ask, "Is Canada the worst country in the world when it comes to housing affordability?" The short version: It depends on what metric you use, but quite possibly "yes". For the long answer, watch the episode here: www.youtube.com/watc...

The Simpsons has a long, weird love affair with video games

Budget reaction piece at The Hub. A number of experts weigh in; I share my thoughts on housing, along with the government's decision to follow Keir Starmer's footsteps in adopting Brexit-inspired language to refer to immigration reform. Read here:

U.S. government official refers to Doug Ford as ‘Prime Minister of Ontario’ during TV interview www.thestar.com/news/ontario... Prime Minister Doug Ford? There was a time when Ontario premiers were called prime minister, explains @spaikin.bsky.social, but why? www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnBD...

Reflections From The Losing Presidential Candidate On The 2025 #Ontario #Liberal Party Annual General Meeting > unpublished.ca/opinion/refl... #LiberalParty #onpoli

I give my belated thanks to the 147 Ontario Liberal delegates who last weekend put their trust in me and voted me for party President! Here is a 1600-word reflection that I have written about the experience: stefanklietsch.substack.com/p/reflection...

The campaign platform of the incumbent OLP President Kathryn McGarry is now live: www.votemcgarry.ca/platform It includes a promise for a Campaign Debrief Implementation Committee. This is the first time I have ever seen her commit in print to enabling policy resolutions - due to me running?

After careful consideration, I have decided that if I am elected as @ontarioliberal.bsky.social President, and if delegates vote for a leadership contest, that I will be supportive of @bonnieforontario.bsky.social staying on in the position for the duration of the contest.

Honestly, I expect that the Council elections are going to toss out some of the incumbents and keep in place others. I expect the process to be as fair as past AGM elections were. I am not sure that leadership reviews, as opposed to contests, can even be "fair" in principle.

@stefanklietsch.bsky.social > I am running for President of the #LiberalParty of #Ontario. Here’s why > unpublished.ca/opinion/i-am... #onpoli

After murdering 19 civilians in #Kyiv, #Russia says it 'remains interested' in #Ukraine peace negotiations > kyivindependent.com/after-deadly... #UkraineWar

I am running for the position of President of the @ontarioliberal.bsky.social Party, to help bring about the change in governance that the party desperately needs. I explain why in this blog: medium.com/@stefan_klie... See you all at the AGM!

Roberta Tevlin is bringing a resolution on electoral reform to the Ontario Liberal AGM this fall. Her message: talk to your PLA president, spread the word, and make every vote count. Hear her full conversation on The Brian Crombie Hour.

The cancellation of the Capital Pride march after of a disruption by pro-Palestine protesters was disappointing, but it was still a pleasure yesterday to meetup with other @fairvote.ca volunteers, along with some @ontarioliberal.bsky.social friends as well. This banner was still put to use!

In this week's newsletter, I break down: • How Trump was duped into thinking that he's making progress in peace talks with Putin • Why Putin really wants more territory in Donetsk, and why Ukraine can never surrender it • What Steve Bannon is up to www.bugeyedandshameless.com/p/next-time-...

eg. If omnibus budget bills were banned tomorrow, the House would suddenly be faced with a lot more individual pieces of legislation. And on the current sitting calendar, I don't think there'd be enough days to actually deal with those bills.

I enjoyed my weekend spent at the Ontario Young Liberals Summer Fling (I am just barely visible in the photo, sitting by the window). Looking forward to seeing some of these bright young minds again at the OLP Annual General Meeting.

Trump is keeping chummy with his authoritarian war crime buddies Putin and Bibi. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwRl...

I agree with @acoyne.bsky.social's take here. The war in Gaza has been brutal to see unfold, but the makeup of the Middle East has been permanently changed and there certainly is potential for something good to come out of international pressure. www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0xf...

There are two features of American politics that are objectively and profoundly perplexing in their existence and persistence. 1. The unconstrained role of money. 2. Gerrymandering.

I find myself in agreement with Janice Stein here. Israel is not guilty of "genocide", but Israel's Trump-supported plans for pressuring part of the Gazan population to leave the territory certainly amounts to ethnic cleansing. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOmv...

@jordanlucasray.bsky.social Hi Jordan, I hope that you are doing well. I am poaching for amendment endorsements once again, but this time I have just one proposal worth bringing to your attention: docs.google.com/document/d/1... Is this an amendment you can endorse for the AGM? Best regards!

Ontario Liberal friends, I am trying to submit several constitutional amendments for the AGM to democratize the OLP's plenary processes. Please watch this video and let me know if you can endorse any of the amendments for debate! www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pUJ...

I have no idea what's going on in the Ontario Liberal party, but reaching out to the prime minister's office to complain about something Nathaniel Erskine-Smith did seems... rather silly. www.thestar.com/politics/pro...

Here's an early clip from tomorrow's episode with Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie where we ask about leadership review vote. The episode will premiere in video format on YouTube at noon on July 25. Click the notify button to be notified when we go live: lnkd.in/gjxwB9HW youtu.be/BhHNBG2Lo-g

It seems clear the opposition parties in Ontario need a strategy to make their policies heard, and do something to increase their leaders profiles. All three parties are going nowhere. The provincial liberal numbers are significantly below federal liberal numbers. Changes are needed. #onpoli

Theodore Roosevelt?

Evangelicals helped build America's anti-AIDS program in Africa, saving millions of lives. Now Trump has destroyed it. Why don't they speak out? From Peter Wehner www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

ICYMI, @jrobson.bsky.social and I discussed this on my channel this week, and a proper exercise in rationalising and reducing red tape is going to take a lot longer than 60 days.

Intimate partner violence is not a women's issue... where are the men? By Ralph Lean and Claudia Redondo: torontosun.com/opinion/colu... #IPV #Violence #ViolenceAgainstWomen

For the Monday morning crowd, my latest YouTube episode, where @jrobson.bsky.social and I talk about Carney's promise to cut red tape in 60 days #cdnpoli

Two years ago, Canadian media prioritized getting paid for links over changing tech reality. At the time, I wrote “the Online News Act is written for a different era entirely. In fact, the bill acts as if AI does not exist at all.” www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com... thelogic.co/comment/ai-j...

I do not agree with this paramedic's views accusing Israel of "murder", but they are mainstream enough that she absolutely should not have been fired for them. actionnetwork.org/letters/rein...

I only just became aware of this civil society unrest over Bill C-2, but the amount of opposition to this warrantless personal data intrusion Bill is not surprising. openmedia.org/press/item/o... @openmediaorg.bsky.social

Liberals promise anti-democratic components of Bill C-5 will be used sparingly as long as Conservatives never get in power again

Here is @nintendolife.com's review of the value proposition with the Switch 2 console. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFNw...

This one Liberal MP has done a better job in this parliament pushing for needed scrutiny of government legislation than has the entire Conservative caucus! www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RAt... @beynate.bsky.social @steveboots.bsky.social

I have my misgivings with Carney, but he has undeniably been a champ in showing restraint and withholding comment as the senile sympathizer to authoritarianism pollutes the airwaves within the Prime Minister's presence. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcN_... @steveboots.bsky.social

“Elections" with the presence of Russian soldiers followed, then a "request" to join the USSR. Does this sound familiar?

Hmmm… #MarkCarney doesn’t win 2 months ago without the support of #environmentalists and the #indigenous community in #Canada. This is an unnecessary betrayal when these people only ask to be included in the decision making process as per the law > rabble.ca/politics/can... #C5 #cdnpoli #cdnnews

Review: Nintendo Switch 2 Camera - An Elegant But Nonessential GameChat Companion. (Repost)

Belatedly sharing this CBC reporting on Ukraine's stunningly successful recent attacks on Russian bombers inside Russian territory. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxNX...

Well Trump has nothing to show for cancelling Obama's nuclear deal with Iran. Some peacemaker!