Public patience wearing thin in labour dispute between Ontario government, teachers
OTTAWA—Another week goes by here in Ontario with another set of rotating strike actions by Ontario’s teachers, who are in a labour dispute with Doug Ford’s government. These groups have been out of sorts since the fall. To date, no full-on strike has occurred, but neither has a negotiated settlement been reached. For me, this […]
The case for a ‘For Indigenous, By Indigenous’ housing strategy
OTTAWA—When politicians and commentators discuss Indigenous peoples in Canada, it’s not often recognized that 87 per cent of Indigenous peoples in Canada live in urban, rural, and northern settings. Given that fact, it’s an unfortunate reality that the federal government is not living up to its housing obligations for Indigenous people living in urban, rural, […]
Newfoundlanders struggling from historic storm in need of federal funds, MPs say
In the aftermath of the biggest blizzard to hit Newfoundland and Labrador in half a century, propelling its capital into a state of emergency, the province’s MPs say the blizzard revealed its resident’s resilience, but the federal government will need to step up for those hardest hit. NDP MP Jack Harris (St. John’s East, N.L.) […]
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Snowmaggedon shows the power of community helping community
OTTAWA—Last week I was in St. John’s for the memorial service for John Crosbie. It was an excellent occasion, well attended by the mighty and the meek. A fitting testament to the connection Crosbie himself had with so many. The sun split the Rock that day, but shortly thereafter, Snowmaggedon arrived. You have all seen […]
The beauty of billboards
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Maybe this is a sign I’m getting old, but it always pleases me when, in this age of high-tech communication strategies, an “old-fashioned” tactic manages to score a huge public relations success. So when I learned recently that a political message plastered on a billboard—an ancient medium of communication if ever there was one—had […]
2019: the year of the unexpected
OAKVILLE, ONT.—One of the fun aspects about politics is its unpredictably. You just never know what’s going to happen next. And nowadays it seems, for whatever reason, politics is more unpredictable than ever. This is why I’ve decided not to write a “Here’s My Predictions For Next Year” column, since I’m sure 2020 will be […]
Premiers’ nuclear announcement a potential boon, but issues remain: experts
Canadian nuclear energy experts say the recent announcement by three provincial premiers of plans to develop small and modular nuclear reactor technology, which could provide large amounts of greenhouse gas-free electricity, but one environmental expert says serious issues with the technology remain. On Dec. 1, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, and New […]
We are not really ‘The North’
OTTAWA—Thirteen years ago, I went to Whitehorse, the first time I had ever been north of the 60th parallel. It was a memorable visit, as I was enveloped by the northern lights, travelled around the region, and met people of all ages and backgrounds to talk about international policy. In doing so, I was part […]
Canada’s energy narrative needs an urgent reboot
WATERLOO, ONT.—The positive contribution to Canada’s economic well-being by the fossil fuels resource sector—oil, coal, gas—is well-recognized, a matter of record and fully accepted by Canadians. Primarily Alberta and Saskatchewan, but also British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia have been in the vanguard, bringing technological innovation and business acumen to deliver jobs, prosperity, […]
Joly to hit the six regional development agencies ahead of House’s return
Economic Development Minister Mélanie Joly is hitting the road, with a plan to visit all six regional development agencies before Parliament returns next week. Apart from a brief stop in Gatineau, Que., on Wednesday for the Liberals’ cabinet orientation session, Ms. Joly (Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Que.) said she is spending the remaining days before the new parliamentary […]
