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 Broken or outdated reading glasses go unimproved, personal care habits are out of bounds, remote family ties wear thin, and who visits a doctor unless absolutely […]
Come walk with me: Sen. Simons leads tour of ‘glories’ and ‘absurdities’ of hometown park
“When people think of Alberta, they probably don’t think of avant-garde, mid-century, modern heritage architecture,” Independent Senator Paula Simons said of Coronation Park, the area she decided to hold a virtual tour through. As a part of the annual global Jane’s Walk festival, citizen-led walking conversations are par for the course. The event celebrates the […]
It’s time for Canada to show it believes in Newfoundland and Labrador
HALIFAX—I remember the day I visited Joey Smallwood in his ramshackle bungalow on the Roaches Line, off the Trans-Canada Highway west of Conception Bay. By that time, he was no longer a great man. He was very frail, and had lost his ability to speak after a stroke. Smallwood without the spellbinding oratory was like […]
So, Ontario, how’s electing unqualified, anti-government populists working out for you?
OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s handling of COVID-19 and the public response are reminiscent of the way things went with former U.S. president Donald Trump’s bumbling, deceitful tenure. On the life-and-death issue of paid sick days, Ford and his cabinet have taken such an outrageous, indefensible position that everyone is struggling to find ways to talk […]
Scratching the surface: more needed to address northern housing, say MPs, experts
New funding allotted for the North in the recent federal budget won’t make a dent in the housing problems that plague these communities, and more needs to be done in a multitude of areas, experts say. Housing conditions in the North came under a spotlight following the release of NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq’s (Nunavut) report, […]
New consul in Nunavut even more essential without ability to travel to the North, says Danish envoy
Providing a voice for an ambassador stuck in Ottawa as a result of public health measures, Denmark named a new honorary consul to Iqaluit last month. Originally from Greenland, Navarana Beveridge was appointed by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark to the new post on March 5. Danish Ambassador to Canada Hanne Fugl Eskjær told The […]
