In talks to address cuts to francophone services, feds should not be so quick to cast first stone
Doug Ford’s purposeful neglect of Ontario’s francophone minority has sparked howls of outrage, especially from Ottawa. Without question, Ford’s recent decisions—even if he has walked back from them a bit—to relegate the standing of Franco-Ontarians to little more than an expense Ontario can no longer afford should be condemned in strong terms. But federal politicians […]
French is an asset to Ontario, the bigots be damned
OTTAWA—It has been a long couple of weeks for Franco-Ontarians and their supporters. It began with the announcement by Premier Doug Ford that the French language services commissioner would be eliminated and plans for a French-language university would be scrapped, both as cost-saving measures. Considering the Ontario government inherited a deficit from the Wynne Liberals […]
Feds must halt Site C dam construction before Indigenous cultural sites lost forever
The Site C dam under construction in northern British Columbia is a completely unnecessary project that will overload the B.C. power grid, killing demand for less ecologically destructive and more socially just energy projects proposed by First Nations. Yet the B.C. government is going ahead anyway, despite the enormous significance of the Peace River valley, where […]
Feds’ lack of certainty being noted in international space community
According to the Canada Space Agency’s 2016 report entitled, “State of the Canadian Space Sector, Covering the Results from Our 2016 Survey,” the space industry contributed $2.3-billion to Canada’s GDP and supports just shy of 22,000 jobs in the country. However, Canada’s space sector is overseen by antiquated regulations and an equally out-of-step law called […]
Liberals call Ford’s ‘interlaying’ with federal Conservatives ‘unprecedented,’ but say they’re not worried
The extent of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s public posturing against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and declaration that he wants to see Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer as Canada’s prime minister in 2019 is unprecedented and the rationale behind the strategy is unclear, say Liberal MPs, but Conservatives says Kathleen Wynne used the same strategy as premier […]
Trudeau’s extra-parliamentary opposition
CHELSEA, QUE.—It can change in a heartbeat, but the Trudeau government has been on the upswing lately—applauded for its delicate handling of Donald Trump, for a relatively stable economy and for last week’s artful fiscal update, which offered targeted help to businesses to offset recent Trump tax cuts for their U.S. competitors. You can tell […]
Ontario PCs taking notes from House of Cards, problematic practice of politicising the naming of legislation
TORONTO—In the latest season of house of cards there is a scene in which the vice president is sitting with members of his staff deliberating what they should name their newest act. Should we call it the “Comprehensive Safety Act, or the Comprehensive Chemical Safety Act?” Then the secretary of state pipes up and says […]
The incredible shrinking country
OTTAWA—Think back through the years and see if you can remember a more petty, vengeful act by a political leader than Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decision to raise the number of seats needed for a party to reach official status at Queen’s Park. The Progressive Conservatives are hiking the required seat total in the Ontario legislature required […]
To save a buck, Ford triggers waves of indignation
Make no mistake. By putting Ontario’s francophone minority on his fiscal hit list this week, Premier Doug Ford has placed his federal ally Andrew Scheer in harm’s way. In Thursday’s fiscal update, Ontario’s Tory government put plans for a long-promised French-language university on the chopping block, in the process reversing Ford’s campaign commitment to the […]
Demand for action on climate change shatters Scheer’s hopes in Quebec
MONTREAL—Tens of thousands of Quebecers took to the streets on Nov. 10 to call for more decisive action on climate change. In Montreal alone, 50,000 took part in the demonstration. In the short space of a week, more than 150,000 signed a pledge that commits them to reduce their carbon footprints but also demands more […]
