Help wanted: a courageous national leader to speak up for the rest of us
CHELSEA, QUE.—There is a gaping hole at the centre of our political life right now and no one—not the prime minister, opposition leaders or even premiers of broader vision—appears capable of filling it. Yet we desperately need a confident leader, not just to stare down the incoherent bullies that have been tormenting the citizens of […]
‘The government is clearly being hurt by this’: Trudeau government criticized for its handling of Ottawa occupation
Justin Trudeau’s handling of the occupation of Ottawa, combined with his own caucus members’ public criticism of their government’s more recent approach on the pandemic, could be politically damaging to the prime minister and the government, say politicos. “The government’s getting a big black eye right now,” said Greg Lyle, president of Innovative Research, in […]
See something, say something, do something
Nazi military names and colours worn openly on the street. Yellow stars worn as a symbol and perversion. Women being harassed for wearing masks and threatened with sexual assault. LGBTQ2S harassed. Individuals swarmed because they are perceived by the occupiers to be counter-protesters, yet no arrests made by police. Occupiers claiming to be patrolling the streets […]
Our politics in Canada has suddenly contracted rabies
HALIFAX—When protesters come to the door of Liberal cabinet minister Sean Fraser’s constituency office, they usually get coffee, cookies, and conversation—no matter how controversial their complaint. They sit down and talk with the MP or his staff about what’s on their mind. But last week was a little different for the MP who brought Central […]
Treasury Board should get out of the business of faking disclosures
OTTAWA—The Treasury Board thinks and acts like a privileged cabinet committee yet continues to handle federal disclosure policies with a bureaucratic and regressive fist. So putting Treasury Board in charge of future access policy and an access-to-information review that has taken at least two years instead of one was a calculated and cynical strategy. But […]
‘Freedom Convoy’ a seditious campaign organized by those with more a dangerous agenda
TORONTO—The ability of a small group of anti-vaxxers, white supremacists, conspiracy theorists, anti-democracy activists, Nazi sympathizers, and others calling for the overthrow of the federal government to hold the country hostage and threaten then rule of law has shocked Canadians and created an ugly image of Canada that has amazed the rest of the world. […]
COVID is something we all have to learn to live with
OTTAWA—Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen may have her way after all. With Liberals breaking ranks with the government on vaccination mandates, all eyes are on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. And as the days pass with no solution in sight, what was a small Canadian story has become a global phenom. Everywhere you look, from The […]
Interim party leaders are not just caretakers
On Feb. 2, after voting to remove Erin O’Toole as party leader, the parliamentary caucus of the Conservative Party of Canada elected Candace Bergen, MP for Portage Lisgar, Man., to serve as interim party leader of the party. Many media commentators used the term “caretaker” to describe Bergen’s new role. The term suggests that she […]
Former U.S. ambassador to Canada Heyman says anxiety over trade relationship is overblown; MPs say relationship at all-time low
As the House Trade Committee wrapped up the electric vehicle portion of its broader study on Canada-U.S. trade last week, the threat of Joe Biden’s “made-in-America” tax credit for electric vehicles loomed large. Bruce Heyman, former Barack Obama-era American ambassador to Canada, said he thinks Canadian anxiety over the electric vehicle (EV) rebate is unwarranted […]
Many players behind truckers’ convoy protest, Hillier says 50 people ‘in various control rooms or war rooms in hotels around the city’
They say they seek freedom from government control over their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have been enormously disruptive in the capital for more than two weeks now as they convey that message by placing Ottawa’s downtown core under siege. But the truckers’ protest is not being led by any one leader, according […]
