Shhh, don’t tell anyone François Legault has a hidden agenda
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—“The cat is out of the bag.” That is what Quebec Premier François Legault said in the Quebec National Assembly recently, referring to comments made by the leader of the left-wing Québec Solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. But the statement could quite easily have applied to Legault himself: he virtually promised a third referendum on Quebec […]
Arctic Council after 25 years: including Inuit knowledge key to the path forward
Inuit across four circumpolar nations—Alaska (United States), Canada, Chukotka (Russia), and Greenland—consider Sept. 19, 1996, a historic milestone in the advancement of our social, political, and economic issues. On that day, the Ottawa Declaration was signed, formally creating the Arctic Council. It is particularly significant for Inuit in Canada as the former Inuit Circumpolar Council […]
Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan
OTTAWA—Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan. Political failure is even more solitary as Erin O’Toole will likely discover on Monday night. Insiders will blame his loss on Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who allegedly broke a promise not to make any announcements for the duration of the campaign. Others will finger the media […]
AFN’s call for Indigenous voters to be election ‘kingmakers’ challenged by lack of voter enthusiasm, say chiefs and politicos
Despite the Assembly of First Nations’ assertion that Indigenous electors in 24 ridings could play the role of “kingmakers” in the upcoming election, regional chiefs and political experts say it is unlikely that there will be a huge boost in turnout like there was during the 2015 election. Three chiefs and two experts say that […]
Erin O’Toole, the Man of Rubber
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—“I will give Quebec the powers of a nation.” Quick: what Quebec nationalist said that? Was it premier Maurice Duplessis in the 1950s, PQ premier René Lévesque in the 1970s, or his successor premier Jacques Parizeau in the 1990s? Nope, none of the above. It was Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole, in his “contract” […]
Northern races heat up as candidates vie to succeed Qaqqaq, Bagnell
Nunavut candidates are ones to watch as outgoing NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq leaves talented shoes to fill, those running say, and the issues in the area are more pressing than ever before. The issues shared across party lines in the northern territories centred on Indigenous issues, housing, affordability, COVID-19 recovery, access to services, the environment, […]
Cabinet record could help or hinder at-risk ministers in Quebec, Ontario
After a contentious English-language debate that had the Bloc Québécois accusing others of Quebec bashing, some Liberal cabinet members from the province who narrowly won in 2019 are “in trouble,” according to one pollster. Those most at risk include Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos (Québec, Que.), who won re-election by just 325 votes in the […]
Legault’s ‘dangerous’ claims may have just cost O’Toole the election
Quebec Premier François Legault’s “dangerous” claims may have just cost Erin O’Toole the election. Angry warnings not to vote for Liberals, New Democrats, or Greens were supposed to help the Conservative leader. Early in the campaign, Legault made it very clear that his sympathies were with O’Toole. But that was before O’Toole revealed that part […]
Canada’s vaccine passport challenge a chance for international co-operation
The past 18 months since the outbreak of the COVID-19 have been a bumpy ride for Canada, but with ingenuity and resilience, Canadians have emerged from this pandemic to stimulate reforms, enhance collaboration, and force the federal parties to embrace bold and decisive ideas—the results of which are evident in their respective platforms. If there […]
Rock ramblings: skeptical but steady support for the Liberals
OTTAWA—Over summer’s last weekend, I got the chance to spend some time at home in St. John’s. Mostly I was with people removed from the daily grind of politics—though they were Newfoundlanders, so not fully disengaged. But these are more normal folks, not reading every tweet dispatched about #Election44 or waiting for the next public […]
