NDP’s Qaqqaq says nearly two years as MP an ‘isolating’ experience, did not ‘belong’
When NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq delivered her farewell speech remotely to the House of Commons on June 15, she called out Canada for its treatment of Indigenous communities, saying the country’s history “is stained with blood” and urged immediate action. “It is the blood of children, youth, adults, and elders. It is time to face […]
Community-centred, Indigenous approach needed for mental health in the North, say territory denizens
Although the recent federal budget included some new provisions for mental health in Canada, it fell short in addressing the pressing needs in the North, says Nunavut’s representative in the House of Commons. NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq (Nunavut) said she less pleased with broader efforts outside of the “bare minimum” of government apologies. “They keep […]
The notwithstanding clause has long passed its best-before date
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—“An abject failure.” These were the words Pierre Elliott Trudeau used to describe the new Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, when asked for an assessment by reporters in November of 1982. He did not elaborate, but many experts speculate it was the inclusion of Section 33, the notwithstanding clause, which offended […]
Quebec premier changing Constitution unilaterally starts ‘slippery slope,’ say some Liberal MPs
Quebec Liberal MPs representing anglophone ridings are staying mum on the Quebec government’s controversial attempt to unilaterally change the Constitution, but some Liberal MPs from other regions of the country are warning that the move sets Canada down a “slippery slope” with unintended consequences that will set a precedent for other provinces to do the […]
More than a game: hockey fans in stands offer post-pandemic hope
OTTAWA—The healing and hope that sport provides was on full display over the last week. In both Montreal and Toronto, people, in small numbers, got to watch the Stanley Cup playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs in person. Elsewhere, column miles are being laid down extolling the failure of the […]
Trudeau proving heir apparent of Mulroney, not his father, on constitutional issues
The recent tempest over Quebec’s proposed amendment to the constitution to recognize Quebec as a nation revealed an important detail about Justin Trudeau’s leadership: he will not be defined by his father’s ideology. When Premier François Legault announced his intentions to modify the Constitution, many expected the spirit of Pierre Trudeau to speak through his […]
Quebec is on the land of Indigenous Nations whether you like it or not
OTTAWA—Quebec Premier Legault wants to increase the use of French in Quebec through Bill 96, come hell or high water. As federal parties fell over themselves to show support and garner future votes, a House of Commons motion to tacitly approve of Bill 96 was stalled by MP Jody Wilson-Raybould. The eagle feather has been […]
O’Toole’s Quebec quandary
OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Conservative Party of Canada must be experiencing a disturbing case of déjà vu. I say that because, just like in times of yore, Quebec is rattling its nationalistic sabre, demanding the right to unilaterally amend the constitution to enshrine its status as a nation and its official language as French. This is a […]
The decline of French in Quebec is a nationalist myth
MONTREAL—Let Us Compare Mythologies. The title of Leonard Cohen’s first book of poetry seems pertinent in a new context: the introduction of the clumsy and fatuous Bill 96 by the CAQ government. The 100-page language law’s proposals are built on the mythology of the “decline” of French in Quebec. The bill was introduced last week […]
Unfinished political business piles up as pandemic drags on
OTTAWA—People with broken teeth are putting off visits to the dentist. In Ontario, you haven’t been able to get a replacement for a disintegrating licence plate for your car. Broken or outdated reading glasses go unimproved, personal care habits are out of bounds, remote family ties wear thin, and who visits a doctor unless absolutely […]
