The best, worst places to get an abortion in Canada

Here’s the thing about abortion: it hasn’t been against the law in Canada for over 30 years. But in 2019, it still remains out of reach for hundreds of thousands of people in this country. Most Canadians—and surveys suggest most are pro choice—believe they can easily access an abortion when they need one. This misconception […]
‘Charting my own path’: Singh pitches his positive, people politics in battleground B.C.

BURNABY SOUTH, B.C.—NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has been getting the five-minute warning for the last 15 minutes, but after more than 70 selfies, conversations, and handshakes, he waits to greet the last person in line. He learns from the man that his performance at this Sept. 28 town hall in Burnaby South, B.C., featuring friend […]
Leadership contradictions, affordability, and a redefined Ford among election highlights so far

OTTAWA—How do you define excitement? Spoiler. Campaign 2019 is so far not the answer. But hope springs eternal as we hit the halfway mark of the election. If polls are to be believed, if the election ended today, we’d likely have a minority government, probably of the Liberal variety. Were that the case then the […]
No matter how bad the climate situation becomes, tackling it is still an uphill climb politically

OTTAWA—I used to say, “maybe people will start getting concerned about climate change when the polar bears start swimming up to their front steps.” But maybe not. Perhaps that’s just alarmist, as the climate change deniers like to say about those expressing urgent worries these days on the fate of the planet. I covered the […]
Vancouver Granville race a ‘toss-up,’ as Wilson-Raybould’s rivals urge voters not to pick someone ‘on the outside’

VANCOUVER—It’s the waning minutes of a public forum in Vancouver, and the tense dynamic at play in a B.C. battleground is captured in a single question directed at ex-Liberal minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, who is taking on her former party as an Independent in a bid to keep her Vancouver Granville seat. Eighteen-year-old Sam Shuster—who days […]
The future of work is upon us, and it’s being overlooked this election

OTTAWA—Trudeau in blackface aside, this is one of the most uninspired elections to date, yet also one of the most important ones. Nationally, we are facing an economic crossroads: commodity prices are down, technology is flourishing, labour is vulnerable and income inequality is growing. The future of work we were promised, with all the impact […]
Mistake-free leaders’ debates would be a win for Trudeau, says pollster Lyle

With the Liberals and the Conservatives still running neck and neck nationally at the midway mark of the 2019 election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has to ensure he doesn’t make any mistakes in the three leaders’ debates to come, and if the Liberal leader is successful in doing that, it will be a success […]
Three in four federal scientists say Canada isn’t doing enough to combat climate change

Only one in five federal scientists think Canada is doing enough to fight climate change, and PIPSC president Debi Daviau says the government needs to do more to equip these experts with the resources needed to properly combat the crisis. A recent survey conducted by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) […]
Realism, as well as idealism, will decide our climate future

OTTAWA—“Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” In the midst of a downpour, I am reminded of that quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, but actually the wit of Charles Dudley Warner. I was thinking of Warner’s phrase when several hundred thousand people marched with teenage #climatestrike phenomenon Greta Thunberg in […]
New book explores legacy of the first female Supreme Court chief justice

In a recently released book, two academics explore the legacy of Canada’s first-ever female Supreme Court chief justice, Beverley McLachlin, who held the role from 2000 to 2017. “Not only has McLachlin had the courage to confront the ‘issues that really divide society,’ but she has developed techniques for considering these issues dispassionately, effectively, and […]