Infrastructure gaps for Inuit are critical
OTTAWA—Did you know that infrastructure gaps for Inuit are critical? As a southerner, I have been honoured to travel to Nunavut numerous times to support Inuit capacity and leadership development. Just like every other southerner, I was wide-eyed and awestruck the first time. The Arctic has that effect on all newcomers. I also experienced an […]
Feds may face tough choices if record spikes in new infections continue, says Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a stern warning to premiers on Friday, saying the government could be forced to make tough decisions about where to deploy its “limited resources” if it’s unable to rein in the “really troubling surges” in parts of the country. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) said his […]
A less attractive Northwest Passage is good for Canada
OTTAWA—Back in 1998, when I was the commander of the Canadian Forces Northern Area, I became concerned with the impact of global warming and the disappearance of the ice in the Canadian Archipelago. Although there were no apparent military threats to the Canadian Arctic at the time, there was nevertheless a concern with increasing risks […]
Expected rise in mail-in voting to alter GOTV dynamics, federal parties need to adjust strategies for the next election, say political players
If the next federal election is held before the COVID-19 pandemic is over, millions of people are expected to use mail-in ballots, according to Elections Canada, and political players are advising candidates and political parties to make adjustments in their Get Out the Vote strategies. The use of postal ballots has significantly altered GOTV operations, […]
The 1995 Quebec referendum: recalling a ‘near-death’ experience
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—This has been quite a year for anniversaries in Quebec: the 50th since the October Crisis, the 40th of the 1980 Quebec referendum and, this week, the 25th of the “near-death” referendum of 1995. They are an opportunity to feel old, to reminisce, and for some analysts, to offer a different take on history. […]
The N-word is hate speech, not free speech
CALGARY—The aroma of burning crosses dotting the landscape of this “multicultural” nation sure smells like the anti-Black racism most “leaders” are purported to stand against. The proliferation of N-word usage, primarily among educators in publicly funded institutions is becoming a crisis of mental and emotional abuse that manifests itself in structural violence. Coined in the […]
Wolves in Canadian military personnel’s clothing
OTTAWA—Last week, there was a bizarre little story in the Ottawa Citizen that, at first glance, appeared to be so ridiculous that it had to be satire. Reporter David Pugliese revealed that a letter from the Nova Scotia government sent out to residents in Annapolis Valley to warn about a pack of wolves on the […]
Tam says ‘extremely difficult balance’ lays ahead in second wave of COVID-19
The country’s top doctor called on leaders Tuesday to consider “fine-tuning” any reopening plans to avoid the possibility of more cases and a “yo-yoing” effect in the pandemic’s second wave. Speaking to reporters, federal chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam noted jurisdictions like Quebec and Ontario are facing an “extremely difficult” balance, as parts […]
Incumbency, ‘cooperation, and a multi-partisan approach’ electoral advantages for conservative-leaning provincial governments during pandemic, say pollsters
With a number of popular, conservative-leaning provincial leaders either heading to the polls in the near future, fresh off a recent election win, or facing pressure to call an early election while riding particularly high approval numbers, pollsters, and political insiders say incumbent provincial governments are at an advantage politically at this point in the […]
Let’s not turn COVID-19 fight into Canadian versus Canadian
OTTAWA—Last week in this space, I wrote about the need to consider gradually opening the Atlantic Bubble. Let me just say, the reaction from my home region was not overwhelmingly positive. Note the sarcasm—if they could have burned me in effigy, they would have. I had not been called some of the names I was […]
