Doug Ford’s political porn cheapens Ontario democracy

OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who will face voters next June, wants to run against former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne again. Eight months before the election, Ford and his Stephen Harper brain trust have released a series of ads trying to tie the current provincial Liberal Party to the unpopular Wynne government. This early, misogynistic re-election […]
O’Toole has friends in high places

OTTAWA—Erin O’Toole has friends in high places. And now, Ontario and Quebec provincial governments have taken a page from the O’Toole playbook. They claim to support the need to vaccinate all Ontarians, but have exempted those who work in health-care settings from mandatory vaccinations. Notwithstanding the sage advice of his former leader that all Conservative […]
Canada must get serious about Arctic science

Canada needs to take a larger role in Arctic research. So far, despite all the dire warnings, the campaign promises, and the clear responsibility we hold, our country has failed to step up. With the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) underway and a new cabinet minted after a summer of devastating fires, wild weather, and […]
Politics This Morning: Innovation Minister in Washington to discuss unblocking supply chains
Good Thursday morning! Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry FRANCOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE is in Washington, D.C. today for his second and final day of meetings. His goal? Unblocking North America’s currently buckling supply chains and making them more resilient to outside shocks. Quite the tall order. According to a press release, Mr. Champagne will speak with […]
From election night to swearing-in day: starting out as a Parliamentarian

With the conclusion of the federal election and various provincial elections within the last year, readers might wonder what happens in between the night of the win and when the real work begins. What happens once the victory party ends? How does one start this new adventure? The following will attempt to cast light on […]
A stronger Arctic Council leads towards a sustainable Arctic

Iceland’s two-year chairmanship of the Arctic Council came to an end at the Reykjavík Ministerial Meeting in May 2021 with the adoption of the Reykjavík Declaration and a first-ever Strategic Plan. Since the creation of the Arctic Council in Ottawa in 1996, declarations of the biannual ministerial meetings have served as the main tool to […]
‘A major slap in the face’: Steven Guilbeault’s appointment draws ire, concern over the future of Alberta’s energy industry

Steven Guilbeault’s history of environmental activism has some Alberta MPs worried about the future of oil and gas in the province, while others say there needs to be a transition away from reliance on this sector in Alberta. Mr. Guilbeault’s (Laurier–Sainte-Marie, Que.) appointment on Oct. 26 as the environment and climate change minister came less […]
Arctic shipping critical issue for new ministers

Today, Nov. 1, 2021, is the first full day of the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland. There is a strong delegation of Inuit leaders there, supported by Inuit elders and youth. Our decades old message about climate change is no longer contested. Indeed, the most recent IPCC Report highlighted that climate change is […]
Bloc Québécois has most to lose from Quebec’s shrinking seat count, says Béland

The removal of one of Quebec’s seats in the House of Commons beginning in 2024 will most likely hurt the Bloc Québécois or the Conservative Party in the long term, while the Liberals, who hold the most seats in the province, are less likely to feel any pain in the elections that follow, says political […]
Who is going to Glasgow, Quebec or Alberta?

CHELSEA, QUE.—Sometimes—last week, for instance—it is hard to believe that Alberta and Quebec occupy the same country, never mind the same planet. While Quebec Premier François Legault announced a ban on any further extraction of fossil fuels in the province, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney continues to promote oil and gas, celebrating a post-pandemic uptick in […]