Economic, environmental and social well-being vulnerable to changed climate: Forest Products Association of Canada
The basic truth about climate change policy is that it is not simple. It is complex stuff that interweaves questions of ecosystem integrity, engineering, social cohesion, economics and international politics. For this reason, tantalizingly simple yet entirely ineffective solutions tend to come from those who are merely advocating positions. The reality is that addressing an […]
Liberal MP Khan feels heat from Liberal caucus while Tories defend his appointment
Liberal MP Wajid Khan received a rough reaction from his caucus colleagues last week for accepting an appointment from Prime Minister Stephen Harper as special advisor for South Asia and the Middle East, but Conservatives say the Prime Minister made the right choice by appointing a Muslim-Canadian MP to the position. “It’s a very appropriate […]
Softwood lumber poses political risks for Tories, says Goodale
The government has given the softwood lumber industry until Monday, Aug. 21 to accept the July 1 Softwood Lumber Agreement between Canada and the U.S., and if they don’t, there could be significant political consequences for the Conservatives, says opposition House Leader Ralph Goodale. “Softwood goes a long way as everyone knows, and I don’t […]
The leaked Liberal memos, obtained by The Hill Times
Maria Minna’s email memo to Liberal caucus, Aug. 9 Dear Colleagues: In my opinion, Mississauga-Streetsville MP Wajid Khan should either resign his new position as Special Advisor to Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper on South Asia and the Middle East or resign temporarily from National Liberal Caucus. Wajid’s appointment is a slick, sick, calculated move […]
Harper’s transition is ‘the best I’ve seen,’ says Arthur Kroeger
Despite a widespread perception of tension between the senior ranks of the public service and the new Conservative government, former long-time mandarin Arthur Kroeger says that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s transition has been the best one yet. “I’ve had casual conversations from many people, from deputy ministers to practically half the Cabinet. They all say […]
Others do not share the Prime Minister’s version of history
Where does Middle East history begin? Is it before or after the Old Testament, the exodus of Jews from Europe and Arabs from Palestine or, pick one, the bombing of civilians in a Tel Aviv nightclub or a Beirut suburb? This isn’t an academic exercise or one of those annoying quizzes that make fools of […]
Parliamentarians should use their power of speech to create a groundswell of support for U.N. action on Mideast crisis
When I was a law student at Osgoode Hall in the late 1950s, I recall being very sympathetic to and readily supportive of the passionate position of the Jewish students in mock Parliaments and discussions about the conflict in Israel and Palestine. Like everyone else, it seemed, my thoughts centered solely on the Jewish people […]
PM Harper may defy the advice of the public service, but not the electorate
There has been a significant amount of discussion in recent days about Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s governing style. Lawrence Martin, political biographer and columnist for The Globe and Mail, wrote a column last week about Mr. Harper’s relationship with the senior ranks of the public service, in which Mr. Martin pointed to a set of […]
Climate change versus BSE: Canadian concerns are curious
It is always interesting, indeed often baffling, to note where individuals and nations concentrate their energies and attentions. Canadians presumably are puzzled as to why Americans have spent years obsessing over what would appear to be a personal lifestyle choice such as same-sex marriage or tertiary symbolism such as flag burning while refusing to address […]
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Don’t use Canadian troops for electioneering: HT reader Stephen Harper, during a campaign-style speech to his caucus on Aug. 3, said Liberals are divided on “whether or not to support our troops in Afghanistan.” This is a despicable comment and a bald-faced lie. Every politician, of every stripe, supports our troops. Stephen Harper did the […]
