Quebec stands out from the rest of Canada. The tour of the National Assembly, its provincial parliament, continues that tradition.
Posts
Preferential treatment: what Australia’s 2019 election would have looked like under first-past-the-post voting
Let's be clear from the outset: Australia will probably never again adopt first-past-the-post voting, whether at a federal or state level. Apart from the lack of appetite for it, other countries have looked to Australia's system as something worth emulating. But hypotheticals are fun! Having just moved to Canada, where federal politicians will face voters … Continue reading Preferential treatment: what Australia’s 2019 election would have looked like under first-past-the-post voting
On grief and being newly grandparent-less
Grief is weird. Thankfully I had very little exposure to it until my mid-20s, but it’s always managed to surprise. Its reality hits you at the most unexpected moments, like going to call the person, only to realise you’d need a very powerful phone to reach them, or hearing a song, or just hearing an … Continue reading On grief and being newly grandparent-less
Dancing in the dark
Tonight I went to a place where the dancing only starts when the disco ball disappears and the lights go out... THE year is 1998. Careless in the throes of youth, you dance around the lounge room as Saturday morning’s Rage plays the bubblegum pop hits that defined the decade as substantially as grunge. While … Continue reading Dancing in the dark
Diagnosis Wanderlust
THE symptoms will strike without warning, finding their way into your day in vulnerable places like the office, the morning commute or even your empty house. All of a sudden you suffer a heaviness of the heart, concentration loss and a mild delirium that flings you to places visited and destinations for which only imagination … Continue reading Diagnosis Wanderlust
Maths-metal and streaking: Hottest 100 vote lobbying’s shaky history
THIS month, many of my friends, relatives, complete strangers and I have been asked to make a very important decision; one that could change the course of history. There’s also a state election on. I speak, of course, of the decision whether or not to follow the social media push to force Taylor Swift's "Shake … Continue reading Maths-metal and streaking: Hottest 100 vote lobbying’s shaky history
My kind of town, Chicago is… in summer
“YEAH, I could live here,” I thought as I strolled along the Lake Michigan shoreline. It was a sunny June morning and I was on a decent hike from my hostel through skyscraper-lined streets, parkland, beaches, and riverfront, soon to arrive at the Lincoln Park Zoo. America’s third-largest city was alive with a pulsing energy, … Continue reading My kind of town, Chicago is… in summer
