Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
@timabray.bsky.social
PhD (politics), comms pro, sometime journo. I study democracy, voters' brains. Yeah. Weird time for me. Some things I wrote: ottawacitizen.com/author/tim-abray
Pinned
Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
@timabray.bsky.social
· Feb 20
I'm collecting my long explanatory threads from the hell site and will post them in a series of posts to Medium. I'll link to each one individually, below, just to make it easier for me to find them and link to them. 🧵
Apropos of nothing… (okay, it’s about Ottawa city politics)…
Pro tip from a political theorist: an ideology is a coherent system of ideas. To say that you like ideas but reject ideology suggests that you might just not be all that coherent… or simply aren’t aware of your own underlying assumptions.
Pro tip from a political theorist: an ideology is a coherent system of ideas. To say that you like ideas but reject ideology suggests that you might just not be all that coherent… or simply aren’t aware of your own underlying assumptions.
September 18, 2026 at 12:55 AM
Apropos of nothing… (okay, it’s about Ottawa city politics)…
Pro tip from a political theorist: an ideology is a coherent system of ideas. To say that you like ideas but reject ideology suggests that you might just not be all that coherent… or simply aren’t aware of your own underlying assumptions.
Pro tip from a political theorist: an ideology is a coherent system of ideas. To say that you like ideas but reject ideology suggests that you might just not be all that coherent… or simply aren’t aware of your own underlying assumptions.
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
Ah, Sign Night—one of the most chaotic, exciting traditions of any election campaign! 🪧✨ At midnight, volunteers and candidates hit the streets to stake out the best spots across the city. If you want to join our re-election crew and get in on the fun, drop your info in our sign-up form below! 👇1/
September 2, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Ah, Sign Night—one of the most chaotic, exciting traditions of any election campaign! 🪧✨ At midnight, volunteers and candidates hit the streets to stake out the best spots across the city. If you want to join our re-election crew and get in on the fun, drop your info in our sign-up form below! 👇1/
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
Over the past few days, Mayor Sutcliffe has been framing the city’s challenges as something inherited from “previous councils,” while warning against “divisive ideology.” That framing deserves a closer look. 1/
June 19, 2026 at 1:28 AM
Over the past few days, Mayor Sutcliffe has been framing the city’s challenges as something inherited from “previous councils,” while warning against “divisive ideology.” That framing deserves a closer look. 1/
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
Journalists, please remember that repeating obviously false statements is not balance or fairness. It is actively participating in deception.
January 25, 2026 at 12:46 AM
Journalists, please remember that repeating obviously false statements is not balance or fairness. It is actively participating in deception.
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
A doctor who witnessed the shooting submits a sworn declaration in federal litigation to halt ICE surge in MN:
"I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind."
and
"The victim had at least three bullet wounds in his back."
Read storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind."
and
"The victim had at least three bullet wounds in his back."
Read storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 25, 2026 at 1:49 AM
A doctor who witnessed the shooting submits a sworn declaration in federal litigation to halt ICE surge in MN:
"I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind."
and
"The victim had at least three bullet wounds in his back."
Read storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind."
and
"The victim had at least three bullet wounds in his back."
Read storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
This is Minneapolis.
Literally every corner along Lake St. packed with people holding candles, many singing, honoring a person who by all accounts was an absolute gem of a human, whose life was tragically stolen by a fascist, paramilitary occupation force.
Literally every corner along Lake St. packed with people holding candles, many singing, honoring a person who by all accounts was an absolute gem of a human, whose life was tragically stolen by a fascist, paramilitary occupation force.
January 25, 2026 at 2:46 AM
This is Minneapolis.
Literally every corner along Lake St. packed with people holding candles, many singing, honoring a person who by all accounts was an absolute gem of a human, whose life was tragically stolen by a fascist, paramilitary occupation force.
Literally every corner along Lake St. packed with people holding candles, many singing, honoring a person who by all accounts was an absolute gem of a human, whose life was tragically stolen by a fascist, paramilitary occupation force.
It’s time for the self-gratifying Pollyannas on here to break out the smelling salts. The obsessive nitpicking and self-satisfied partisan ankle biting is completely pointless right now. It’s exhausting, counterproductive, and uninteresting. Read the room.
January 25, 2026 at 3:02 AM
It’s time for the self-gratifying Pollyannas on here to break out the smelling salts. The obsessive nitpicking and self-satisfied partisan ankle biting is completely pointless right now. It’s exhausting, counterproductive, and uninteresting. Read the room.
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
By who? Who shot the person dead? You saw the video. We all know a federal agent shot a man dead who was prone on the ground. Also, it's not "according to officials." It's according to verified video seen with your eyes. Not saying what anyone can obviously see with their eyes is a form of lying.
January 24, 2026 at 6:28 PM
By who? Who shot the person dead? You saw the video. We all know a federal agent shot a man dead who was prone on the ground. Also, it's not "according to officials." It's according to verified video seen with your eyes. Not saying what anyone can obviously see with their eyes is a form of lying.
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
“I don't know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him.”
You have to read this. Firsthand affidavit from one of the women who was there and recording the video. She talks about how Alex Pretti was directing traffic when she arrived. She watched him be killed in front of her. She's afraid to go home, worried she'll be arrested.
January 25, 2026 at 2:27 AM
“I don't know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him.”
America. Enough. You are now alone in the world and no one trusts you. When are you going to wake up and realize *you* are now the murderous villain?
January 25, 2026 at 2:27 AM
America. Enough. You are now alone in the world and no one trusts you. When are you going to wake up and realize *you* are now the murderous villain?
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
It is newsworthy that the president of the United States is increasingly verbally abusive of women reporters and he should be asked about it.
December 8, 2025 at 8:39 PM
It is newsworthy that the president of the United States is increasingly verbally abusive of women reporters and he should be asked about it.
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
They're using the confinement box, one of the most horrific methods of CIA torture in the post-9/11 black sites, against migrants now. This is the direct result of the lack of consequences for the architects of the torture program. Either there will be criminal penalties for this or it will expand.
Torture Techniques from CIA Black Sites Were Used at Alligator Alcatraz
Amnesty International, interviewing migrant detainees, identifies use of the confinement box. There can be no denying it is a torture prison
www.forever-wars.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:40 PM
They're using the confinement box, one of the most horrific methods of CIA torture in the post-9/11 black sites, against migrants now. This is the direct result of the lack of consequences for the architects of the torture program. Either there will be criminal penalties for this or it will expand.
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
This was a scurrilous ad hominem attack on the integrity of City Council colleagues by @timtierney.ca. During a Term of Council when we've all sought to avoid the petty divisiveness of the last term, Councillor Tierney sadly brought us all lower yesterday. 1/ ottawacitizen.com/opinion/budg...
Is your councillor a chronic no-voter on city budgets? | Opinion
Tim Tierney: Ottawa has traded safety and security for policing alternatives – experiments that have repeatedly failed. | Opinion
ottawacitizen.com
December 7, 2025 at 3:44 PM
This was a scurrilous ad hominem attack on the integrity of City Council colleagues by @timtierney.ca. During a Term of Council when we've all sought to avoid the petty divisiveness of the last term, Councillor Tierney sadly brought us all lower yesterday. 1/ ottawacitizen.com/opinion/budg...
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
There's enough inaccurate or concerning information in the way in which @en.ottawa.ca is communicating about the 2026 Budget that I felt it should be addressed. And it's the concept of $252M in "savings" that I want to talk about, because this information is being used falsely. 1/
#OttBudget 2026 invests in the services we rely on every day. Through service reviews and continuous improvement, we have realized more than $252 million in savings during this Term of Council.
One example of a service improvement is the redesigned Open Ottawa platform.
1/5
One example of a service improvement is the redesigned Open Ottawa platform.
1/5
December 3, 2025 at 3:25 AM
There's enough inaccurate or concerning information in the way in which @en.ottawa.ca is communicating about the 2026 Budget that I felt it should be addressed. And it's the concept of $252M in "savings" that I want to talk about, because this information is being used falsely. 1/
I can’t believe what I just heard on The Current. This “documentary” pack report is… straight up christo-prop. Just wide-eyed cultist reporting from an indoctrinated “reporter.” What the hell, @mattgalloway.bsky.social? There is a way to approach this subject without it becoming a recruiting drive.
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
I can’t believe what I just heard on The Current. This “documentary” pack report is… straight up christo-prop. Just wide-eyed cultist reporting from an indoctrinated “reporter.” What the hell, @mattgalloway.bsky.social? There is a way to approach this subject without it becoming a recruiting drive.
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
November 14, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
The most helpful phrase of 2025 👇
November 13, 2025 at 3:24 PM
The most helpful phrase of 2025 👇
This is incredibly well-written… and also maximally terrifying. We have a confused adolescent wielding the power of the “Secretary of War.” What is most sobering is the complete lack of understanding of America’s history and *why* the institutions are the way they are. /1
apple.news/AufIL1uzDQQ2...
apple.news/AufIL1uzDQQ2...
Holy Warrior — The Atlantic
Pete Hegseth is bringing his fundamentalist interpretation of Christianity into the Pentagon.
apple.news
October 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM
This is incredibly well-written… and also maximally terrifying. We have a confused adolescent wielding the power of the “Secretary of War.” What is most sobering is the complete lack of understanding of America’s history and *why* the institutions are the way they are. /1
apple.news/AufIL1uzDQQ2...
apple.news/AufIL1uzDQQ2...
Well. I guess we know why Ford wants to get rid of speed cameras. Wow. Whoever this asshat is, they need to be fired, ASAP.
globalnews.ca/news/1146702...
globalnews.ca/news/1146702...
Ford government vehicle recorded at stunt driving speeds on Ontario highways | Globalnews.ca
At least one cabinet-assigned vehicle was recorded driving more than 50 km/h over the speed limit multiple times in the past three years, according to documents.
globalnews.ca
October 7, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Well. I guess we know why Ford wants to get rid of speed cameras. Wow. Whoever this asshat is, they need to be fired, ASAP.
globalnews.ca/news/1146702...
globalnews.ca/news/1146702...
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
"Emmy award-winning journalist Mario Guevara was deported today to El Salvador – a country he fled over 20 years ago — in retaliation for filming law enforcement activities."
"This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press."
#Georgia #USA #ElSalvador #Incarceration #Deportation #EthnicCleansing
"This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press."
#Georgia #USA #ElSalvador #Incarceration #Deportation #EthnicCleansing
Journalist Mario Guevara Deported After Reporting on Anti-Trump Protest
Human rights organizations have condemned Mario Guevara’s deportation as an authoritarian attack on the free press.
truthout.org
October 3, 2025 at 9:02 PM
"Emmy award-winning journalist Mario Guevara was deported today to El Salvador – a country he fled over 20 years ago — in retaliation for filming law enforcement activities."
"This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press."
#Georgia #USA #ElSalvador #Incarceration #Deportation #EthnicCleansing
"This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press."
#Georgia #USA #ElSalvador #Incarceration #Deportation #EthnicCleansing
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
BREAKING🚨 Journalist Mario Guevara has officially been deported Friday from the United States back to his native El Salvador. This is a shameful erosion of press freedom in the U.S. — the first time that CPJ has documented this type of retaliation related to reporting.
cpj.org/2025/10/jour...
cpj.org/2025/10/jour...
October 3, 2025 at 4:06 PM
BREAKING🚨 Journalist Mario Guevara has officially been deported Friday from the United States back to his native El Salvador. This is a shameful erosion of press freedom in the U.S. — the first time that CPJ has documented this type of retaliation related to reporting.
cpj.org/2025/10/jour...
cpj.org/2025/10/jour...
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
Reposted by Tim Abray, PhD 🇨🇦
Just thinking today of all the colleagues who called us alarmists and cranks when we pointed out that Trump was talking and acting like a fascist in 2016
September 30, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Just thinking today of all the colleagues who called us alarmists and cranks when we pointed out that Trump was talking and acting like a fascist in 2016