We need to talk about Azov
OTTAWA—I didn’t want to write about this topic, but every time I try to get out, white supremacy just pulls me back in. There has been a lot of Russian disinformation accompanying their invasion of Ukraine, an accoutrement to the ground war. Russia’s pretext to the invasion, in Vladimir Putin’s own words, as printed in […]
Feds deny delay as lawyer in multi-billion-dollar Black bureaucrats’ class-action suit calls Crown’s ‘overlap’ arguments ‘insulting’
The leading lawyer in a multi-billion-dollar class-action lawsuit representing current and former Black federal public servants, filed against the federal government and now involving nearly 1,300 individuals, says the government’s lawyers are attempting to delay proceedings by claiming the Black class action overlaps with other ongoing cases—an argument which he calls “insulting.” “It’s not a […]
Is Canadian political discourse f*cked?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been targeted by a variety of products cursing and denouncing him, and as a result, experts say it’s clear discourse is becoming more provocative and polarized. “The bubble has been burst that we’re a polite society, clearly the Americanization of politics has landed in Canada and the question is whether […]
Alarms still ringing: interpreters continue to face challenges in hybrid Parliament, putting limited workforce at risk
With a workforce in short supply, interpreters supporting Parliament continue to face challenges amid virtual proceedings, and unless more is done to address identified issues and prevent a further dwindling of available interpreters, it could lead to a “critical problem” for Canada’s bilingual Parliament, says Canadian Association of Professional Employees national president Greg Phillips. “They’re […]
Diving into Health Minister Duclos’ team, plus O’Regan has new policy head
After a trying last couple of years amid COVID-19, there’s an almost entirely fresh slate of staff in place in the health minister’s office under Jean-Yves Duclos, a number of whom have followed the minister from his old post. As previously reported, Jamie Kippen has been brought in as chief of staff; he was last […]
Magnitude of Ukraine crisis cannot be overstated, and the international system is marked by chaos
EDMONTON—At first, I didn’t want to write about the possibility of the Ukraine crisis escalating into nuclear warfare. I have written for many years about the dangers of the 13,000 nuclear weapons in the world, and have always been careful not to be dismissed as an “alarmist.” But when Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened “such […]
Red Tories: another species at risk?
CHELSEA, QUE.—The Red Tory, like many seasonal pests, tends to vanish from sight for long periods, only to re-emerge when conditions are right—in this case, when there is a race to lead the federal Conservative party. These plucky survivors are generally rebuffed, isolated or ridiculed by the new Conservatives, armed with sharper teeth and the […]
The white, male pity party springs from the heartland
OTTAWA—It is easy to dismiss the Ottawa Occupation and border blockades as an anti-vaxxer clown show. Or a radicalization buffet for working-class pretenders marching against Canadian elitism, dressed in the sartorial splendour of hoser chic, fuelled by pig roasts, legalized pot, and foreign demagoguery. Not so easy if you were spat upon, assaulted, harassed, intimidated, […]
The United States is not coming to Ukraine’s rescue
HALIFAX—Former Ukraine president Petro Poroshenko has described Vladimir Putin in a nutshell. “He’s just simply mad. He’s just simply crazy. He’s just simply evil to come here to kill Ukrainians.” If Poroshenko has it right, the world has awakened to its worst nightmare. How do you deal with a madman with 4,500 nuclear weapons, who […]
As the world faces-off against Vladimir Putin, sanctions won’t be enough
OTTAWA—Sanctions are not enough. If Canada and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies are not willing to directly engage the invading military, the Russian attack won’t stop. Sanctions caused the value of the Russian stock market to fall by 30 per cent. But President Vladimir Putin’s personal holdings were left untouched. And Russia was allowed […]
