Get used to it, Monsieur Legault: English is the international language
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—April 23 came and went without much fanfare this year, as it always does. If you had forgotten, it was St. George’s Day. It is odd no one notices, the given the chauvinism for other patron saints. On St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) everyone is Irish. St. Andrew’s Day (Nov. 30) is an opportunity […]
‘Inuit culture and traditions are not for sale’: why the government should not approve Baffinland expansion
POND INLET, NUNAVUT—I’m a hunter from Pond Inlet, Nunavut. My father is also a hunter and I grew up helping him, harvesting subsistence food. The hunters in our community are providers—they share their catch by going through radio or Facebook, asking if people want country food. Called the “Jewel of the North,” our Baffin Island […]
Guy Lafleur’s death has united Quebecers in grief
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—Steve Shutt summed up his teammate Guy Lafleur in an interview with Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette: “He didn’t put himself above everybody else. He was just one of the guys.” That certainly was my impression, having followed Lafleur’s career. I had been at the Forum in the fall of 1971 when “Flower” […]
Northerners think feds are ‘out of touch’ with the North, data suggests
Northerners say the federal government is “out of touch” with the North, does not meet their needs, and does not fairly represent them, according to a convenience sample study conducted by the Angus Reid Forum. The data, while anecdotal in nature, offers a glimpse into the frustrations and issues facing those living in Canada’s territories, […]
Regardless of Kenney’s fate, 2023 will be a decisive election for Alberta
After her 2019 election defeat, many Albertans wrote NDP Leader Rachel Notley off for good. Her 2015 victory was a fluke, they said. Alberta is as true blue as they come, they cried. Had conservative forces not been split, she’d never have gotten into office. And nor would she again: not after Jason Kenney triumphantly […]
Indigenous languages on federal ballots could help boost turnout, PROC hears
Directly or indirectly, including Indigenous languages on federal ballots could help to boost Indigenous voter turnout, argue witnesses appearing as part of the House Affairs Committee’s ongoing study into the prospect. But some suggest resources would be better allocated elsewhere. “Having the Inuit language on ballots would help in increasing the voter turnout,” Nunavut Languages […]
Ford gambling on Ontarians’ health in pre-election dice roll
OTTAWA—Whatever you can say about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s handling of the pandemic, it clearly didn’t have anything to do with equal treatment of his province’s population. It emerged last year that private schools had been huge beneficiaries when the Ford government began handing out rapid tests (paid for by federal taxpayers) as Ontarians struggled with […]
Feds’ impending Bay du Nord decision one to watch
OTTAWA—Bay du Nord? If you don’t know what Bay du Nord is now, you will almost certainly know by next week when the federal government is supposed to give this offshore oil project a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Rejection or approval will come with a lot of noise. It will be the first […]
Adding Indigenous languages to ballots a step toward reconciliation: Chief Electoral Officer
Enabling the use of Indigenous languages in the federal electoral process is “at the core of reconciliation,” says Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault, but doing so would require sorting out details around which languages to incorporate, where, and how, and would likely mean amending the Canada Elections Act. “The presence of Indigenous languages at the […]
Jason Kenney fights to keep dancing to the tune he composed
OTTAWA—Many, many years ago, when I was a young political staffer, I had to travel to Alberta to get then-Progressive Conservative premier Don Getty to sign an important document. Worn down from travel and not fully alert, I did not notice that I had uncapped the pen that would be used to sign the material […]
