Alberta: problem child of Confederation
TORONTO—Unlike the founding provinces of Confederation, Alberta was created by the federal government. Although Ottawa granted Alberta control of its natural resources in 1930, no other English Canadian province has whined as much about the federal system. Equalization is the provincial government’s current leading grievance. Alberta’s governments have fought Ottawa for over a century. The […]
‘Freedom Convoy’ rolls into town, jams Parliamentary Precinct, thousands protest against COVID-19 mandates
The “Freedom Convoy,” a large convoy of big rig and pickup truck drivers from across Canada, who are here to protest against vaccine mandates and the Trudeau government, rolled into town and took over the entire Parliamentary Precinct on Saturday. They started arriving in big numbers late Friday night, with the main demonstration against COVID-19 […]
No buyer’s remorse after federal election
The federal election is now four months in our rearview mirror and recent polling done by Discover by Navigator shows that support for the parties remains relatively stable from the 2021 election result. With a slow start to Parliament resuming and much of the COVID attention squarely on the provinces, it is perhaps no surprise […]
O’Toole attack on Guilbeault an appeal to blue collar class, says strategists
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s mid-January video criticizing the Liberal’s climate change policy was derided by some commentators for misquoting Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and blurring the truth, but strategists note it was a pointed appeal by the Conservatives to “entire classes” of Canadians who depend on the energy economy. It’s an approach that may win […]
‘Cacophony of views’ in national media landscape may not serve viewers, says former CBC bureau chief
Veteran former journalist and political strategist Elly Alboim says the current national media landscape represents a “cacophony of views” that may actually be leading audiences to consume more information that they already agree with, and that there remains a role for national broadcasters like the CBC to provide “a common set of information on a […]
In praise of Ford’s snow theatrics
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Ontario Premier Doug Ford was sharply criticized in some circles recently for doing a good deed. Okay, maybe it wasn’t so much a “good deed,” as it was a brilliantly planned public relations performance. I’m talking, of course, about how, the morning after his province got walloped by a massive winter storm, Ford was […]
Canada boosts Ukrainian military training mission, but yet to match Kyiv’s ask for lethal weapons, sanctions
Canada came short of matching Kyiv’s appeals for help, announcing it is extending and expanding its military training mission to Ukraine, but defensive weapons and sectoral sanctions are not part of the assistance package. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) announced on Jan. 26 Operation Unifier would be extended for another three years. He also […]
COVID’s very real demands taking a toll on purveyors of populist flimflam
OTTAWA—Boris Johnson’s troubles have ballooned to the point of creating a moment of truth for the British prime minister. By the weekend, his ability to hang onto his job was dangling in the balance, as Johnson tried to fend off attacks on his integrity from across the political spectrum. One of the most successful politicians […]
Turning a blind eye to economic violence
OTTAWA—The Republicans of the North have never met a point they didn’t bludgeon, nor a fact they didn’t massage into terror. It’s understandable that the Conservatives want to jump on the inflation bandwagon, since people are feeling the pinch of rising grocery prices, reduced aggregate supply due to the pandemic, and many of them rushed […]
Big issues at play as the parliamentary games begin
OTTAWA—Parliament returns on Jan. 31 for what could prove to be an eventful sitting. As we all work to slog through winter, our federal legislative Chamber will be focused on the pandemic, inflation, and, in these early days, potential war in Ukraine. Fascinating subplots will also be in Justin Trudeau’s flourishing “will he or won’t […]
