Canada’s Arctic is warming faster than expected
CHURCHILL, MAN.—Hudson Bay, second in size only to the Bay of Bengal, brings the Arctic deep into Canada. I live in Churchill, a tiny community of about 800 on the tundra beside the bay. Churchill is the Polar Bear Capital of the World. In October and November, tourists flock here from around the world to […]
Ford’s brand strength, low public appetite for change key to PC win in Ontario, say politicos
The strength of the ‘Ford brand’ that easily overmatched what the Ontario Liberals and NDP had on offer, combined with a low-key communications and media strategy, pushed Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative Party into a second straight majority government, say politicos, with pollster Greg Lyle saying the premier “essentially won the job a year […]
Massive infrastructure and capacity gaps with regard to clean drinking water
As the heat of summer bears down on Ottawa, I reach for a glass of water and take a moment to reflect on the sad reality that being able to drink a glass of cold tap water, shower and do my laundry is a privilege. Despite Canada having almost one-fifth of the world’s fresh water, […]
Are we adequately prepared for emerging infectious diseases in the Canadian Arctic?
Imagine that the Canadian beef herd declined by 75 per cent because of some unknown disease, and then the same happened to the pork herd. Although at a higher cost, you likely would still have access to your preferred meat. And, purchased from the local grocery store, you’d be confident that the Canadian food inspection […]
Ontario’s perfect storm for apathy
OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Ontario election’s historically low voter turnout has generated lots of anxious handwringing. University professor and author Emmett Macfarlane bluntly summed up much of that anxiety when he tweeted, “The worst government in the history of the province and (censored) couldn’t even be bothered to vote. A pox on uninformed, apathetic citizens, most of […]
Religion was both a blessing and a curse in Quebec
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—The original French version of O Canada was written in 1880 by a man who lived just down the road. Adolphe-Basile Routhier was a judge in Kamouraska, but also an author, poet, and ultramontane Catholic. The latter two characteristics were evident in the national anthem: the lyrics refer to knowing “how to carry the […]
‘Patchwork approach’ to drug decriminalization ‘shameful,’ shows ‘lack of leadership’ from feds, say advocates, critics
Despite the federal government leaving the door open to expanding the decriminalization of small amounts of drugs in the future, drug policy and human rights organizations across the country are criticizing the temporary exemption approved for British Columbia on May 31 as a “patchwork approach” that will leave many Canadians behind. “It’s incredibly disappointing,” said […]
Federal Conservatives should look to Ford’s Ontario campaign for a more pragmatic, open-minded approach, say strategists
Ontario voters responded to Doug Ford’s more collaborative, open-minded approach to politics by sending the Progressive Conservatives to a second straight majority, say both a Liberal and Conservative strategist, but it’s not clear if any of the leading contenders for the federal Conservative leadership are interested in following that model. Shakir Chambers, who worked under former […]
What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?
OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may not amount to much. Ford benefited from the advantage of incumbency and having two main opposition leaders—the NDP’s Andrea Horwath and the Liberals’ Steven Del Duca—who couldn’t find a way to […]
In Ontario, economic anxiety prevails
Last Thursday night, it took only 18 minutes for the major networks to declare Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservatives the winners of the 2022 Ontario election. Later, we would learn that his team won a record 83 seats in the legislature. In 1995, Mike Harris similarly swept the Ontario election, winning 82 of the […]
