Mulroney’s right, renegotiating NAFTA will be rough and more than a ‘tweak’
TORONTO—Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland was only stating the obvious when she told a recent conference that any negotiations on the future of NAFTA had to be a three-way negotiation. “NAFTA is a three-country agreement and we need a three-country negotiation,” she said. Still, it was important for her to say this since there is […]
‘Elites’ has become ‘catch-all term of political opportunism,’ say experts
When politicians like Kellie Leitch and Donald Trump rail against “elites,” they are referring to a broad range of people seen as having influence on government, say experts. And they do it despite the fact that, given their backgrounds in business and/or politics, not to mention their economic means, there is an argument to be […]
Trudeau can say what he wants, proportional representation best choice for Canada
On Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, the newly appointed Minister of Democratic Institutions, Karina Gould, announced that the government would not be pursuing its election promise of electoral reform, attracting much opposition and public protest. In the House, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau energetically defended this decision, saying that he would not do something that was harmful […]
Trudeau’s courage in communication
PARLIAMENT HILL—When it comes to retail politics, Justin Trudeau and his father are not cut from the same cloth. Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s public persona was self-contained, enigmatic, and at times abrasively combative. In private, he was sensitive, caring and thoughtful, but the public did not often see that side of him. When he toured, we […]
Liberals need to toughen up
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, known for his prowess in the boxing ring, has shown himself to have a glass jaw in the political ring. In fact, it seems whenever Trudeau gets hit with tough criticism it throws his entire communications team into dazed disarray, causing them to flail aimlessly. If that sounds overly critical, […]
The Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists: elite players know how to ‘align interests’ with government
There are thousands of lobbyists whose job it is to persuade federal government officials to take certain action, but it takes a special combination of experience, knowledge, and high-level connections to be considered among the very elite of this profession. As usual, this year’s 10th annual edition of the Top 100 Lobbyists list includes an […]
Is the public sector integrity commissioner a friend or foe to whistleblowers?
OTTAWA—Last week, I wrote about the shortcomings of our government whistleblower protection system by examining the law itself. But that’s only half of the story: the efficacy of the program depends equally on those managing it, especially the public sector integrity commissioner. This position, created in 2006, is a powerful one: the commissioner is an […]
Canada must not lecture, but show progressive global leadership on human rights and inclusive societies
During his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the “last thing Canadians want is for me to lecture another country on how they should govern.” That may well be the case, but there has never been a more important time for Canada to show progressive leadership globally in support […]
NATO and the return of deterrence
In 2002, during the NATO-Russia Council’s Rome Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed committed to peace and cooperation. In his speech, he highlighted “wide-ranging possibilities for building a single security region—from Vancouver to Vladivostok.” Fifteen years later, the NATO-Russia Council’s pulse is weak, and the rift between NATO and Russia deep, most notably over Russia’s […]
Ongoing chaos in Washington could actually work in Canada’s favour
OTTAWA—It was Canada’s hour in the European Parliament last week. Even those parties who voted against the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement were compelled to proclaim their affection for our country with hand-held signs that said, “Yes to Canada. No to CETA.” In the end, the vote was not even close, even though parties on […]
