One hundred years after the war, it’s Canada’s time to lead
One of the most eloquent summations of the First World War came from Pope Benedict XV, who witnessed the conflict and called it “the suicide of civilized Europe.” As Canadians prepare to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the fighting, we should all recommit to memorializing the terrible decisions and actions that have […]
How to get northern infrastructure on track
National governments of every stripe around the world have understood that one of their fundamental responsibilities is to ensure that their citizens have access to critical infrastructure. Canada is no exception, except, it seems, when it comes to Canada’s North. Many historians would point to the building of Canada’s transcontinental railway, in the 1880s, as […]
USMCA’s ‘China clause’ another example of U.S. interference in Canada-China ties
Re: “USMCA’s ‘China clause’ may force Canada to consider sectoral trade, but experts question if China would have any interest,” (The Hill Times, Oct. 15, p. 6). Former ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques says the Canadian government entered the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) knowing the implications of Article 32:10, the so-called China clause. If one […]
Angola to close embassy in Canada
After 21 years, Angola is planning to close its embassy in Ottawa, along with its diplomatic missions in several other countries. The embassy planned to close its doors to the public at the end of October, local staff member Manuel Kingunda confirmed on Oct. 25. After that, embassy staff will continue to do some internal […]
Trudeau’s Saudi-deal struggle: dollars and jobs, or credibility and integrity
OTTAWA—In the bizarre world of international espionage it would seem that foreign spy agencies are more bungling than Hollywood comedy characters Austin Powers and Johnny English. First it was the alleged Russian assassination attempt on a former double agent. According to the latest account from authorities in the United Kingdom, President Vladimir Putin dispatched two […]
Canada moves one step closer to protecting its fishing communities
In late June, just before its summer recess, the House marked a pivotal moment in the history of Canada’s fisheries by forwarding legislation to the Senate to amend the Fisheries Act. Unbeknown to most, the House vote was the culmination of two decades of relentless advocacy to have Parliament adopt legislation to protect independent, owner-operator […]
As if the USMCA dairy concessions were not bad enough
SASKATOON—Canadians are rightly concerned by the new North American trade deal’s concessions on supply management. Farmers are also very concerned about its attack on the integrity of Canada’s grain quality control system. Our government’s capitulation on these matters was no doubt encouraged by corporate lobbyists who had easy access to our negotiators. It is deeply […]
Liberals stake party’s future on pricing pollution, for second time in a decade
Is a carbon tax a hill Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is willing to die on? That question had been in the back of many political minds since Ontario—under its new PC government—bailed out of the federal climate change framework last spring. That resulted in a shift in the provincial balance from mostly behind Trudeau’s carbon-pricing […]
Canada, Slovenia see ‘eye to eye’: new envoy
Slovenia’s new ambassador, Melita Gabrič, says she sees many parallels between Canada and her country—priorities such as a feminist foreign policy that speaks to her history working in human rights and equality. “I very much appreciate the focus of Canada on empowerment of women,” said Ms. Gabrič in an Oct. 3 interview at her downtown corner office […]
Canada needs Saudi Arabia ‘whether we like it or not,’ says booted Canadian envoy
Canada—and the world—needs Saudi Arabia “whether we like it or not,” according to Canada’s recently expelled ambassador to the kingdom, but a path to renewed relations is unclear with the impulsive Saudi crown prince showing no sign of backing down. As “imperfect as it might be,” a stable Saudi Arabia is key in the Middle […]
