Quebec is on the land of Indigenous Nations whether you like it or not
OTTAWA—Quebec Premier Legault wants to increase the use of French in Quebec through Bill 96, come hell or high water. As federal parties fell over themselves to show support and garner future votes, a House of Commons motion to tacitly approve of Bill 96 was stalled by MP Jody Wilson-Raybould. The eagle feather has been […]
O’Toole’s Quebec quandary
OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Conservative Party of Canada must be experiencing a disturbing case of déjà vu. I say that because, just like in times of yore, Quebec is rattling its nationalistic sabre, demanding the right to unilaterally amend the constitution to enshrine its status as a nation and its official language as French. This is a […]
The decline of French in Quebec is a nationalist myth
MONTREAL—Let Us Compare Mythologies. The title of Leonard Cohen’s first book of poetry seems pertinent in a new context: the introduction of the clumsy and fatuous Bill 96 by the CAQ government. The 100-page language law’s proposals are built on the mythology of the “decline” of French in Quebec. The bill was introduced last week […]
Canada joins EU Military Mobility initiative: why does this matter?
It may seem like a small, administrative step, but it is a significant move for EU-Canada security and defence cooperation: on May 6, the Council of the EU formally invited Canada to join the EU’s Military Mobility initiative in the framework of the Permanent and Structured Cooperation (PESCO). Significantly, two other NATO members, the U.S. […]
Opposition MPs say they’re worried about lack of defence spending in budget, as experts to future of NORAD
A lack of defence spending in Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s first budget has some experts and MPs worried about the future of Canada’s military at a time when, they say, its responsibilities are getting bigger both at home and abroad and allied nations are beefing up their defence spending and reworking their strategies. The budget’s […]
Can’t attack the message? Then attack the messenger
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Canada must be an awful place, full of horrible people. That’s certainly the takeaway you’d get, if you believed all the nasty rhetoric that’s floating around our political atmosphere these days. For instance, Alberta’s Justice Minister Kaycee Madu made headlines recently when he went on Facebook and, while defending his government’s handling of the […]
Unfinished political business piles up as pandemic drags on
OTTAWA—People with broken teeth are putting off visits to the dentist. In Ontario, you haven’t been able to get a replacement for a disintegrating licence plate for your car. Broken or outdated reading glasses go unimproved, personal care habits are out of bounds, remote family ties wear thin, and who visits a doctor unless absolutely […]
A tale of two Canadas: Atlantic premiers popular, Ford and Kenney in big trouble
Canadians are giving very different reviews of how their provincial governments have managed the COVID-19 pandemic, and pollsters say some premiers could face a “reckoning” when they go before voters again. A recent poll from Ekos Research shows voters in Quebec and Atlantic Canada are pleased with how their governments have responded to the pandemic. […]
Come walk with me: Sen. Simons leads tour of ‘glories’ and ‘absurdities’ of hometown park
“When people think of Alberta, they probably don’t think of avant-garde, mid-century, modern heritage architecture,” Independent Senator Paula Simons said of Coronation Park, the area she decided to hold a virtual tour through. As a part of the annual global Jane’s Walk festival, citizen-led walking conversations are par for the course. The event celebrates the […]
It’s time for Canada to show it believes in Newfoundland and Labrador
HALIFAX—I remember the day I visited Joey Smallwood in his ramshackle bungalow on the Roaches Line, off the Trans-Canada Highway west of Conception Bay. By that time, he was no longer a great man. He was very frail, and had lost his ability to speak after a stroke. Smallwood without the spellbinding oratory was like […]
