Amid China trade talk, remember the Dalai Lama
With Parliament having most ceremoniously recognized the Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, as a Canadian honorary citizen, we Canadians must identify with the Dalai Lama and his people in terms of full human rights and the complete Tibetan culture, which by definition includes leadership by the Dalai Lama. We just cannot have double […]
Emerging world order requires Canada to partner with China
University of Toronto Prof. Goldwin Smith wrote a highly controversial book in 1891 called Canada and the Canadian Question. In the 21st century we face another important and equally controversial question. Is Canada prepared to move out of the American orbit and align itself with a new world order envisaged by China? The future of Canada’s […]
Groundwork being laid for ‘inevitable’ deepening of Canada-China relations
The Liberal government has been laying the groundwork, during its recent weeklong trip to China, for a deeper Canada-China relationship that is “inevitable,” given that country’s fast-growing economy and importance in the geopolitical pecking order. “[China is] the second-largest economy in the world, there’s just no way that we’re not going to have to pay attention to it, and […]
Trips to China are mostly about playing to the home crowd
TORONTO—Every time a Canadian prime minister visits China, the media hype leads Canadians to believe that something economically important is going to happen. Not true. Canadian politicians go to China to do politics in Canada. There are two major issues in dealing with China: human rights and economic trade. If our politicians talk about the […]
Ease up on export bank’s Russia-ban: Business groups
Canadian businesses are calling on the government to reverse orders to Canada’s export credit agency that stop it from supporting trade with Russia, saying it has cost them millions of dollars in business. But the government and official opposition are standing firm, saying the move is an extension of the more targeted sanctions against the country […]
Why can’t a public servant do Pettigrew’s job?
It’s clear the Liberal government likes consulting and getting outside policy advice, or being seen to do this. Since taking office last fall, Justin Trudeau’s government has named a raft of advisory panels, special envoys, and expert panels to help it review policy. Inuit leader Mary Simon was named special representative to Indigenous and Northern […]
G20 summit: Bringing homegrown solutions to global challenges
Leaders from the most powerful developed and emerging states will descend on Hangzhou, China in a few days to deliberate on the state of the world’s economy. The G20 Forum—a brainchild of our own former prime minister (then finance minister) Paul Martin—was established nearly 20 years ago in response to the Asian financial crisis that […]
G20 needs new blood, sense of mission
As China prepares to host the G20 leaders’ summit for the first time this week, it’s promising a different kind of summit, one focused on global development and the challenges of implementing the pro-poor goals of the UN’s new Agenda 2030. But China seems fated to do little better than past chairs. The G20 is […]
Politics this morning: Liberal caucus retreat kicks off, Canada Post workers’ union to give update
Today is Thursday, Aug. 25. Here’s what you should know before starting your day: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal caucus will hold a two-day retreat in Saguenay, Que. The group will discuss legislative priorities as the start of the fall session—September 19—nears. Officials from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers will be holding a […]
Canada preparing legal counterattack to potential softwood duties
Canada’s foreign ministry is preparing a three-pronged strategy to counter the United States trade penalties expected on Canadian softwood lumber if the two countries can’t resolve the trade fracas by a mid-October deadline, according to one of the department’s top legal advisers. “We’re not going to be in a position to prevent harm. What we […]
