iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Delighted to stumble upon a CC writer! The depth of philosphical/political thought for a grassroots publication has always been superb.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 3h

Conservative parties in this country abandoned any semblance of policy coherence a long time ago, but it really is breathtaking how often they introduce directives or bills that completely contradict their ideological lineage.

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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 6h

You can just stop. The daily rage bait goes away. The bad actors you'll never convince might as well not exist. The illusion of influence is popped. The skewered view of reality ends. I had 50K when I stopped. Zero regrets.

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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 6h

Near 3 years off that site. Zero regrets. Better life.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 5h

Many Canadian politicians, and public sector organizations funded by your tax dollars, are still on X, the Everything App for Breaking Up the Country

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 6h

Was the removal of the carbon tax a necessary political move to shore up national unity? Maybe. It was also something that effectively acted like a small income supplement for low income families that didn't have to be subsidized through tax expenditures.

theglobeandmail.com

End of carbon tax rebates a financial hit for Canada’s poorest, research shows

Rebates were tax-free payments that compensated consumers for the cost of carbon taxes

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 20h

This is just Ontarian things but the time I rode the ferry without a vehicle in tow was one of the best travel experiences I've had in this country for the price.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 21h

Wow, this was a wild read for a government document. Unfortunate for you folks but I also never fail to be awed at the sheer scale of everything in BC.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 21h

Obviously that would be an ill-advised course of action to take in the real world but also at what point do we stop legitimizing the endless treadmill of grievances from provinces who can't see past their own (sub-sovereign btw) borders?

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 21h

I would love to see the federal government put a take it or leave it clock on this. You don't want it? Fine, throw your petulant little tantrums. Ontario will get an Ottawa-Toronto leg and we'll give the rest to Alberta's HSR. Come back to the table when you're ready to act like serious adults.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The LinkedInification of public writing

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The premier's constant interference in municipal decision-making has unfortunately given preemptive, province-wide zoning changes a bad look, but it is past time they simply imposed higher as-of-right missing middle density on cities.

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Colleen @cbailey6.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Scarborough grew so slowly that they lost an MP. If the one politician with the courage to actually point out the numbers loses to the former MPs who just whine about how unfair it all is and demand even less growth, I don't know what hope young people in the area can have for their future.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I feel like her campaign is underestimating how powerful "we will make the streetcars run on time" could be as a focal point, especially when @fast-track.to has already handed out the blueprint for free!

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Smh, federalism tankies everywhere you look these days

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

"God's Country" would be understating what the cultural capital of northsouthwestern Ontario brings to the table

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Do you know the reason for this? Fascinating!

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Yeah, yeah, I remember rule #4 but we got a lot more nonsense in the tank before 2027

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

2026 really decided that Well's Rules #1 is suspended until further notice eh

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

We need to keep progressives like Matt on regional council. He's consistent, principled, and has professional expertise in how to build better, more inclusive metro areas and cities. If I lived in Kitchener he'd be the first X I mark on my ballot. www.mattrodrigues.ca/priorities

mattrodrigues.ca

Explore Matt's Priorities

Matt's Core Priorities

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

One thing I've been desperately looking for in regional platforms is any idea on alternative emergency responses for people experiencing mental health/addictions issues. @mattjrodrigues.bsky.social is the only candidate I've seen discuss this. Please consider voting for him Kitchener neighbours!

Develop community-based alternative response pilot for mental health and addiction-related emergency calls by partnering with local care providers and frontline organizations

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Fox News is perpetually posting unintentionally based political platforms

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I do find the difference in local opinions interesting! The consensus in both Kitchener and Waterloo seems to be all in on Stage 2 even though the direct benefit to us is less this time. I'd think Cbridge would want to ensure the region fulfills its goals there but I do get the desire for better GO

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

That's really too bad. I want to see this happen for you!

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Unless you're Kitchener Centre, who is usually doing things for the plot (complimentary)

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

This ain't a left or right thing. It's about recognizing that a changing climate means patio weather can last well into late fall with heaters; that cities are for people and not just cars; and that outdoor life doesn't shut down and we should provide amenities (like washrooms!) throughout the year.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Ontario cities writ large act like we have to shut down outdoor public life from October to March/April, ignoring that there are winter cities who embrace keeping it alive year round. If small businesses think their patios are viable into later months, municipalities should get out of the way.

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Isaiah Bishop @isaiahbishop.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Can we do cool shit for once without the same characters coming out and being like "damn this isn't going to breakeven". Yeah motherfucker it isn't. That's what the govt is for

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Brendan Dawe @dawe.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Keep in mind that success of the 1970s anti-housing movement is materially bad for you and me *today*

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

What's clear is that absolutely nothing else happened in 2020 that might explain this

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Sam @samd.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Left-NIMBY vacancy trutherism is so funny because their argument implicitly accepts the logic that greater supply of housing lowers prices but then completely refuses to take it to its logical endpoint that we should build more housing.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

And it's going to be a useful case study for future generations of students on what can happen when different levels of government successfully work together. It's as much a feat of intergovernmental relations gone right as it is a conservation and landscape architecture triumph.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A lot of Americans think we're just having an unnecessary trade dispute with a president occasionally making unfunny jokes, while the reality is there are elements in the US conservative movement actively trying to tear our country apart. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

theglobeandmail.com

The elephant in the room

Alberta separatists have gone to D.C. offering fresh water and oil in exchange for American support – and Republican operatives have provided tactical assistance inside the province

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The notwithstanding clause should never have gone into the Charter, but its original intent was for cases of such extreme judicial overreach that a "break glass in case of emergency" option would be needed to assert parliamentary supremacy. Encampments do not begin to reach this threshold.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Hey so it's kind of insane the former leader of the provincial social democrat party was a) looking forward to doing a preemptive end run around the constitution to clear homeless encampments b) was upset they would face obvious criticism for how obtusely reckless this would be

The conversations do, indeed, get bumpy. In 2024, Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath appeared to accuse one of her peers of leaking a draft of a joint proposal to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, in which the mayors planned to ask the province to use the notwithstanding clause to clear homeless encampments. "Congratulations to whoever decided to leak the draft motion and sabotage a campaign that we could all get behind ... and break the trust of colleagues," she wrote. "Also as predicted the heat has shifted to us and off the other orders of government as predicted. Great move."

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Steve Lafleur @stevelafleur.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

What the "don't build towers" people are actually saying is "move to Alberta," even if they don't know it.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The You Can Just Do Things™ agenda, Seattle edition

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

To be fair, for those who settle in Canadian Valhalla (Guelph), it is difficult to envision spending more time away from the glorious cultural capital of northsouthwestern Ontario.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It truly boggles the mind that the Ontario Green Party is not 10x more popular than the OLP and ONDP

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

NDP parties across the country are succumbing to lazy anti-tax populism that is indistinguishable from centre-right policies of needlessly cutting revenue sources when we have skyrocketing program costs. Manitoba did it with their tax cut on groceries, the ONDP want the same, and now this.

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Alex Bozikovic @alexbozikovic.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

There’s a general vibe that we have done the work of planning reform. Truth is, we’ve barely started.

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John Michael McGrath @jm-mcgrath.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

New from me at TVO, on a new report from the Toronto Board of Trade arguing for why we need more provincial control over zoning (and what it has to do with prefab housing.) www.tvo.org/article/anal...

tvo.org

ANALYSIS: Should the province rip up Toronto’s zoning rules? | TVO Today

A new report argues that the city is getting in its own way — and wants Queen’s Park to step in.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Without fail, anytime I've accompanied someone on day trip to a larger city, the retail that jumps out to them as the most attractive is anything woven into a residential neighbourhood. It shouldn't be radical that you don't need to get to a high street for all your small errands or dining out.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Ditto nodes and corridors planning. People don't access everything around their homes in long straight lines. Apartment buildings on arterial roads are often sold as being transit oriented if near bus/rail, but it also means you're reducing opportunities for people to do things close by on foot.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Not sure singling out one guy as the long-shot candidate is entirely accurate for the party that has regularly done better in polls when the leadership position was vacant

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

One thing that always struck me about Aitchison was his respectful exchanges with opposition colleagues in committee. He often had dialogue with then housing minister Sean Fraser that gave brief glimmers of hope we might find a sustainable consensus on common sense fixes to the housing crisis.

youtu.be

We Need to Be Using Land to Its Full Potential

YouTube video by Scott Aitchison

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