Because it’s 2019, let’s stop using feminism as a not-truly-equal cabinet crutch

OTTAWA—Gender parity, once on-trend in 2015, is now merely a passing thought just four years later. Cabinet announcements will be made today and not since in the days immediately following the election in October has gender parity in cabinet been discussed. What’s that we hear? Oh, crickets. In 2015, the nascent Trudeau government formed a […]
How Canadian foreign policy can build on synergies, address global challenges

A new cabinet provides opportunities to reconsider how public policy can be synergized in addressing interconnected global challenges. Canadian think tanks periodically urge Canada to take global leadership on specific issues. A selective focus on foreign policy priorities is deemed necessary because, as the story goes, Canada cannot realistically address too many issues, given its […]
Military making progress on Indigenous, visible minority recruitment, lagging on attracting women

New statistics on military recruitment provided to The Hill Times show the Regular Forces and Primary Reserves are close to meeting their targets for Indigenous people and visible minorities in the armed forces, but are still lagging on bringing more women into the fold. The data also shows certain positions are well short of the […]
Western alienation is real, but Kenney, Moe grievances are about entitlement

OTTAWA—Never in the annals of history have white men been so oppressed and subjugated—or that’s what Jason Kenney and Scott Moe would have us believe. In fact, all over the world, we have been inundated by mainstream media about the care and support we must give our fallen white brothers. Two and a half weeks […]
‘Modest’ progress sees more women elected to the House, but researchers call 2019 the ‘status quo’

Women were more likely to run in weaker ridings for their respective parties this election, while new male candidates disproportionately ran in target seats—a trend academics say lines up with historical patterns, and puts this election firmly in the “status quo” for poor gender representation. Though 10 more women were elected on Oct. 21 compared […]
Harper, Chrétien to share stage; to discuss federalism, populism and Canada’s future in Calgary

Stephen Harper and Jean Chrétien—Canada’s fifth and sixth longest serving former prime ministers—will share the stage in Calgary to discuss Canada’s future in the post-truth age. Mr. Harper and Mr. Chrétien have collectively been prime minister of Canada for the last 19 of 25 years. Mr. Chrétien, led his Liberal government from 1993 to 2003, […]
What’s your issue? Taxes, climate change, health care top leaders’ campaign pitches this election

With less than a week to go until Oct. 21, there’s been plenty of lamenting over the issues that aren’t being talked about this campaign. So, what have the leaders spent their time spotlighting? And what issues have media definitively brought to the fore? The Hill Times took a look at the issues raised by or with […]
Singh’s Atwater Market encounter became about comforting the comfortable

OTTAWA—The tenor of this election has abruptly and sharply turned towards race, and with every incident, we choose to stick our heads in the sand or “move on.” The most recent one being a white man—who CBC’s The National referred to as “a concerned voter”—who took it upon himself to approach NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh […]
Haters gotta hate, hate, hate on Bernier

Pity poor Maxime Bernier. The leader of the People’s Party of Canada, who came within a hair’s breadth of becoming head honcho of the Conservative Party, cannot catch a break. At first he was not welcome at the commission’s leaders debates—even the Greens were invited! He later qualified. No one seems to give him a […]
The best, worst places to get an abortion in Canada

Here’s the thing about abortion: it hasn’t been against the law in Canada for over 30 years. But in 2019, it still remains out of reach for hundreds of thousands of people in this country. Most Canadians—and surveys suggest most are pro choice—believe they can easily access an abortion when they need one. This misconception […]