Leadership contradictions, affordability, and a redefined Ford among election highlights so far
OTTAWA—How do you define excitement? Spoiler. Campaign 2019 is so far not the answer. But hope springs eternal as we hit the halfway mark of the election. If polls are to be believed, if the election ended today, we’d likely have a minority government, probably of the Liberal variety. Were that the case then the […]
No matter how bad the climate situation becomes, tackling it is still an uphill climb politically
OTTAWA—I used to say, “maybe people will start getting concerned about climate change when the polar bears start swimming up to their front steps.” But maybe not. Perhaps that’s just alarmist, as the climate change deniers like to say about those expressing urgent worries these days on the fate of the planet. I covered the […]
Vancouver Granville race a ‘toss-up,’ as Wilson-Raybould’s rivals urge voters not to pick someone ‘on the outside’
VANCOUVER—It’s the waning minutes of a public forum in Vancouver, and the tense dynamic at play in a B.C. battleground is captured in a single question directed at ex-Liberal minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, who is taking on her former party as an Independent in a bid to keep her Vancouver Granville seat. Eighteen-year-old Sam Shuster—who days […]
The future of work is upon us, and it’s being overlooked this election
OTTAWA—Trudeau in blackface aside, this is one of the most uninspired elections to date, yet also one of the most important ones. Nationally, we are facing an economic crossroads: commodity prices are down, technology is flourishing, labour is vulnerable and income inequality is growing. The future of work we were promised, with all the impact […]
Mistake-free leaders’ debates would be a win for Trudeau, says pollster Lyle
With the Liberals and the Conservatives still running neck and neck nationally at the midway mark of the 2019 election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has to ensure he doesn’t make any mistakes in the three leaders’ debates to come, and if the Liberal leader is successful in doing that, it will be a success […]
Three in four federal scientists say Canada isn’t doing enough to combat climate change
Only one in five federal scientists think Canada is doing enough to fight climate change, and PIPSC president Debi Daviau says the government needs to do more to equip these experts with the resources needed to properly combat the crisis. A recent survey conducted by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) […]
Realism, as well as idealism, will decide our climate future
OTTAWA—“Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” In the midst of a downpour, I am reminded of that quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, but actually the wit of Charles Dudley Warner. I was thinking of Warner’s phrase when several hundred thousand people marched with teenage #climatestrike phenomenon Greta Thunberg in […]
Trump’s pressuring of Ukraine is foreign interference on steroids
OTTAWA—Now that we are in the midst of our federal election, Canadians are constantly reminded by our security agencies that foreign “malign actors” are hard at work interfering with our democratic process. It is repeated so often and so emphatically that it must be true. I am not sure exactly what kind of divisive issues […]
New book explores legacy of the first female Supreme Court chief justice
In a recently released book, two academics explore the legacy of Canada’s first-ever female Supreme Court chief justice, Beverley McLachlin, who held the role from 2000 to 2017. “Not only has McLachlin had the courage to confront the ‘issues that really divide society,’ but she has developed techniques for considering these issues dispassionately, effectively, and […]
Liberals hope to turn London-Fanshawe red with help of $2-billion defence procurement funding
The Liberals, who hold two of the four London, Ont., ridings, hope to hold onto their incumbents but also want to win one other urban riding, after recently announcing $2-billion for the Canadian Forces to buy light armoured vehicles built by General Dynamics Land Systems which is based in the riding of London-Fanshawe. Right now, […]
