Talk:Lloyd Axworthy

message: The sentence below is inappropriate. All groups have their critics, but to lambast HRW for a 'record of political bias' and 'lack of credibility' is pretty absurd, all advocacy groups have some sort of position, and both statements are, themselves, subjective and, dare I say, biased.
Axworthy is Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Americas Division of Human Rights Watch, a highly controversial position resulting from this organisation's record of political bias, fundraising in Saudi Arabia, and lack of credibility.[15]   — Preceding unsigned comment added by 104.246.146.105 (talk) 05:06, 13 December 2023 (UTC)
thread_title: NPOV

message: What was his PhD in?  What did he teach at U of M?  Does he continue to teach and in what field? moink 17:40, 2 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Field of study? 

message: Why is Axworthy's bio so one-sided? On the pretense of presenting "the facts", many important details are left out (his Nobel Peace Prize nomination is not one of the important ones - anyone can be nominated). Axworthy, along with fellow cabinet minister Paul Martin (later Canadian Prime Minister) administered the largest funding cuts to Canada's social programmes in the history of their existence (since 1930s and 1940s).  The largest funding cuts since the 1990s, on a flimsy argument about paying down the deficit, soon followed by reckless tax cuts (although Axworthy was not directly responsible for those). Health care, social assistance, education - 40% cuts approximately (more details are easily available). Under Axworthy's watch, unemployment insurance (as it used to be called before its reinvention under Axworthy) was pilfered to pay for tax cuts and supposedly paying down the deficit. He also helped ensure that the federal right to social assistance was done away with in Canada, leaving the provinces to develop a nasty dog's breakfast of systems, and cut back assistance to the poor. Tuition fees skyrocketed across Canada and now Axworthy champions Winnipeg's poor and access to education. Axworthy called on Young Liberal clubs on campuses to attempt infiltrate the student movement in Canada, to end the criticism of his policies (see source: Double Vision by Anthony Wilson-Smith, former editor of Maclean's magazine, a major newsmagazine in Canada).  In 1998-1999, the East Timor Alert Network proved that Axworthy had bald-faced lied in a meeting with them (after returning from a visit to East Timor and Indonesia before the independence referendum for ET) about Canada's military sales to Indonesia. Bottom line: if you can't provide a balanced analysis of all this, then I'm afraid the bio should undergo some serious editing.  There are likely as many Axworthy skeptics as fans in Manitoba: the first lines of his bio are totally unsupported and the reference to his popularity should be removed. Axworthy's bio is like so many of the politico's bios on Wikipedia - one-sided and congratulatory, keeping the "controversial" parts to minor issues or quirky facts about nominations and elections. For Wikipedia to gain credibility, it has to stop touting the power class status quo in its biographies. A catalogue of election dates and a CV is fine. If Wikipedia wants to delve into the politics of these individuals, then it needs to declare a political philosophy and have some coherent analysis. Otherwise, it's open to abuse by people like Axworthy and their supporters. And this doesn't even begin to get at the selectivity problems - i.e. it is mainly the power class seems to have time and resources (and the ego) to put bios online. I think Wikipedia needs to be a public service with some accountability, and a clear operational philosophy (beyond just being online and free and piling up codes of conduct while ignoring larger political issues) to ever be truly effective. I know I'm mixing macro and micro concerns here, but the Axworthy biography does need some serious editing. - E. C.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.77.26.128 (talk) 15:25, 14 September 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: As regards Axworthy's popularity; as with many political figures, it varies depending on the time.  His latest work, of course, is at the University of Winnipeg - perhaps where the citation above originates?  There has been some very localized controversy during his tenure as Chancellor of the University there which might stimulate some aggressive critiquing of his work in public life; all of which is still fair game, as he himself would be the first to acknowledge, I'm sure.  If such is to become part of the article, then it should be reconciled with the facts and circumstances of his achievements as well - in accordance not only with Wikipedia's guidelines for content, but the degree to which any public figure would be duly subject to non-rhetorical criticisms in an article of reference, which this is.  Hopefully, Mr. Axworthy's life isn't at an end - so the purpose shouldn't be to pretend to be writing up the first chapter of his legacy.  Leave that to the historians who may use this (and a whole lot of other sources, hopefully) as a guide to do further research.  ross613 (talk) 04:38, 30 May 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Lloyd Axworthy bio leaves out many important facts and arguments 

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*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20050908130227/http://www.nobel.no/eng_lect_97b.html to http://www.nobel.no/eng_lect_97b.html
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20130501004937/http://www.sandiego.edu/peacestudies/institutes/ipj/programs/distinguished_lecture_series/biographies/lloyd_axworthy.php to http://www.sandiego.edu/peacestudies/institutes/ipj/programs/distinguished_lecture_series/biographies/lloyd_axworthy.php
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thread_title:  External links modified