Newfoundland politicians can’t afford to duck its problems
OTTAWA—Dale Carnegie, in his renowned book How to Win Friends and Influence People, would have probably advised not to go to your hometown to tell your brethren they are almost shagged. But I did that last week with a clear purpose in mind. It was not to get drowned in the St. John’s harbour. Quite […]
Use technology, take risks to advance Canadian health care, say innovators
It all started when the two of us sat down over a cup of coffee. As a family physician and endocrinologist, we stand on opposite sides of a large chasm called patient wait times, and we both started seeing more and more of our patients getting swallowed up by this abyss. In her role as […]
For Ontario PCs, the sniff of power is more potent than the stench of scandal
OTTAWA—Not unexpectedly, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is reeling following the resignation of its leader Patrick Brown after sexual misconduct allegations were levelled against him. A few days later, another top PC Ontario executive, party president Rick Dykstra (a close friend of Brown), also stepped down, hours before Maclean’s magazine published a story concerning […]
‘Sickened and disheartened’: federal Conservatives react to sexual misconduct allegations against Patrick Brown
Conservative MPs are expressing shock and disappointment after learning about sexual misconduct allegations levelled against former caucus colleague Patrick Brown, who resigned as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party early Thursday morning after two young women accused him of making unwanted sexual advances after plying them with liquor. In an interview with The Hill Times, Conservative […]
Let’s explore making Cape Breton Island a self-governing district
In 1758, Nova Scotia was the first representative government in British North America. By 1784, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton Island were granted status as British colonies. In 1820, Nova Scotia circumvented the Royal Charter and administratively annexed Cape Breton, during a period of global warfare. Cape Breton did indeed protest, to […]
Easy pickings for tow-truck operators and politicians alike
Re: “Despite Ontario law, some operators blowing it when towing it,” (The Hill Times, Dec. 6, 2017, p. 11). Sadly, legislation and policies around automobile accidents turn out to be window dressing at election time, with no real benefit to the public at large. The tow-truck legislation is toothless from the start, as tow trucks sit roadside like […]
Despite Ontario law, some operators blowing it when towing it
OTTAWA—No dissection of the latest attacks on Bill Morneau by the opposition, or assessment of the Trudeau trade agenda for me this week—though both are topical and interesting. Instead, it is time to talk tow trucks. And unless you’re in the industry, they are the bane of man’s existence. Where did this sudden interest come […]
Plenty of challenges for Ottawa to sort through with carbon pricing in 2018, say critics and observers
While the Trudeau government is refusing to back down from its plan mandating provinces and territories impose a carbon levy in 2018, it must still contend with competing concerns over regional pushback, rising American competition, and ever-present political optics, say critics and observers. Most notably, the Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments and Alberta’s popular United Conservative […]
Liberals, Conservatives finalize candidates for upcoming byelections
The Liberals and Conservatives are lining up their candidates for a series of federal byelections next month. The two parties have determined who will carry their respective banners in all four ridings up for grabs on Dec. 11, with the Tories tasking a former cabinet minister with keeping a Vancouver-area seat blue in what’s expected […]
Better to be done right than on time: Senate, opposition concerned about marijuana legalization deadline
The Liberals are sticking to their July 2018 marijuana legalization deadline, but the opposition, Senators, and other stakeholders say their push-it-through approach risks setting the policy up to fail. NDP health critic Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway, B.C.) said he sees the bill as too restrictive when compared to alcohol regulations. “It’s changing a hundred years […]
