Sunday, February 16, 2025

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Books & Big Ideas

News | BY PETER MAZEREEUW | February 4, 2025
Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, centre, holds a press conference in West Block on Feb. 1 to announce tariffs on $30-billion of American imports starting on Feb. 4. Those tariffs did not come into effect after the United States agreed to delay its levies by 30 days. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
News | BY PETER MAZEREEUW | February 4, 2025
News | BY PETER MAZEREEUW | February 4, 2025
Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, centre, holds a press conference in West Block on Feb. 1 to announce tariffs on $30-billion of American imports starting on Feb. 4. Those tariffs did not come into effect after the United States agreed to delay its levies by 30 days. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | January 13, 2025
Frank Baylis
An electrical engineer by training, Frank Baylis is currently the executive chairman of Baylis Medical Technologies. The Hill Times photograph by Peter Mazereeuw
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | January 13, 2025
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | January 13, 2025
Frank Baylis
An electrical engineer by training, Frank Baylis is currently the executive chairman of Baylis Medical Technologies. The Hill Times photograph by Peter Mazereeuw
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | January 9, 2025
In his new book, Shadows of Tyranny, left, Ken McGoogan argues we're at a historical juncture, where an ascendant right—personified by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, right—is fed up with this system of laws, regulations, and institutions and means to rewrite them, writes Christopher Dornan. Book cover courtesy of Douglas & McIntyre and Trump photo courtesy of Commons Wikimedia
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | January 9, 2025
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | January 9, 2025
In his new book, Shadows of Tyranny, left, Ken McGoogan argues we're at a historical juncture, where an ascendant right—personified by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, right—is fed up with this system of laws, regulations, and institutions and means to rewrite them, writes Christopher Dornan. Book cover courtesy of Douglas & McIntyre and Trump photo courtesy of Commons Wikimedia
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | January 2, 2025
Chrystia Freeland
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, with Chrystia Freeland prior to her resignation from cabinet. A new biography on Freeland details the former finance minister and deputy prime minister's past. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | January 2, 2025
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | January 2, 2025
Chrystia Freeland
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, with Chrystia Freeland prior to her resignation from cabinet. A new biography on Freeland details the former finance minister and deputy prime minister's past. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | December 17, 2024
Chrystia Freeland
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Dec. 3, 2024, resigned from cabinet on Dec. 16. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | December 17, 2024
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | December 17, 2024
Chrystia Freeland
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Dec. 3, 2024, resigned from cabinet on Dec. 16. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | December 16, 2024
Carol Off's At a Loss for Words: Conversation in an Age of Rage is a worthwhile assessment of the world we face, taking a step back from the daily news and examining why we're divided, how this has happened, and who stands to benefit the most from a polity that cannot find a common ground on basic reality. Photographs courtesy of Penguin Random House
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | December 16, 2024
FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY | December 16, 2024
Carol Off's At a Loss for Words: Conversation in an Age of Rage is a worthwhile assessment of the world we face, taking a step back from the daily news and examining why we're divided, how this has happened, and who stands to benefit the most from a polity that cannot find a common ground on basic reality. Photographs courtesy of Penguin Random House
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 11, 2024
Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference on Oct. 16. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 11, 2024
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 11, 2024
Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference on Oct. 16. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 4, 2024
Jerry DeMarco
Environment Commissioner Jerry DeMarco’s spring audit found many of the businesses getting cash under the Net Zero Accelerator Initiative were under no obligation to reduce their emissions by any specific amount. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 4, 2024
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 4, 2024
Jerry DeMarco
Environment Commissioner Jerry DeMarco’s spring audit found many of the businesses getting cash under the Net Zero Accelerator Initiative were under no obligation to reduce their emissions by any specific amount. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | November 4, 2024
NDP MP Charlie Angus just released a new book, Dangerous Memory: Coming of Age in the Decade of Greed, his ninth book: 'I don’t think I would have been able to keep doing the political work if I didn’t nurture space for musical creativity and research.' Photograph courtesy of Paul Rincon and House of Anansi Press
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | November 4, 2024
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | November 4, 2024
NDP MP Charlie Angus just released a new book, Dangerous Memory: Coming of Age in the Decade of Greed, his ninth book: 'I don’t think I would have been able to keep doing the political work if I didn’t nurture space for musical creativity and research.' Photograph courtesy of Paul Rincon and House of Anansi Press
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | October 30, 2024
Justin Trudeau, left, Pierre Poilievre, and Jagmeet Singh. Author Jonathan Manthorpe insists our representative democracy is crucially misrepresentative. The first-past-the-post electoral system skews the outcome, so the governments we get are a triple distortion of voters’ political will, writes Chris Dornan. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | October 30, 2024
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | October 30, 2024
Justin Trudeau, left, Pierre Poilievre, and Jagmeet Singh. Author Jonathan Manthorpe insists our representative democracy is crucially misrepresentative. The first-past-the-post electoral system skews the outcome, so the governments we get are a triple distortion of voters’ political will, writes Chris Dornan. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | October 28, 2024
Marc Miller
Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a U-turn in the government’s immigration policy on Oct. 24, scaling back plans for the number of new permanent residents from 500,000 to 395,000 in 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | October 28, 2024
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | October 28, 2024
Marc Miller
Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a U-turn in the government’s immigration policy on Oct. 24, scaling back plans for the number of new permanent residents from 500,000 to 395,000 in 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | October 7, 2024
Mark Holland
On Sept. 24, Health Minister Mark Holland jointly announced the creation of a new government body focused on advancing Canada's life sciences capacity ahead of a future pandemic. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | October 7, 2024
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | October 7, 2024
Mark Holland
On Sept. 24, Health Minister Mark Holland jointly announced the creation of a new government body focused on advancing Canada's life sciences capacity ahead of a future pandemic. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | September 30, 2024
Opposition day motions—like the two used last week by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for votes of non-confidence—can be used by parties to frame themselves, says Yaroslav Baran. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | September 30, 2024
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | September 30, 2024
Opposition day motions—like the two used last week by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for votes of non-confidence—can be used by parties to frame themselves, says Yaroslav Baran. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY CHELSEA NASH | June 16, 2024
Andrew Lawton is a right-wing media personality and the author of the first biography written about current Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY CHELSEA NASH | June 16, 2024
FeatureBY CHELSEA NASH | June 16, 2024
Andrew Lawton is a right-wing media personality and the author of the first biography written about current Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | June 10, 2024
Hot tickets: Stephen Maher's The Prince: The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau, and Paul Wells' Justin Trudeau on the Ropes are must-reads this spring. Images courtesy of Simon & Schuster, Sutherland House, and The Hill Times photographs by Jake Wright
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | June 10, 2024
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | June 10, 2024
Hot tickets: Stephen Maher's The Prince: The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau, and Paul Wells' Justin Trudeau on the Ropes are must-reads this spring. Images courtesy of Simon & Schuster, Sutherland House, and The Hill Times photographs by Jake Wright
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | May 27, 2024
Justin Trudeau: 'The contrast between the vision that Mr. Poilievre is putting forward and what we continue to work for every single day couldn't be clearer, couldn't be crisper. As a competitor, as a leader, as someone committed to this country, being there for that conversation with Canadians touches me at the ore of what I feel my purpose is.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | May 27, 2024
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | May 27, 2024
Justin Trudeau: 'The contrast between the vision that Mr. Poilievre is putting forward and what we continue to work for every single day couldn't be clearer, couldn't be crisper. As a competitor, as a leader, as someone committed to this country, being there for that conversation with Canadians touches me at the ore of what I feel my purpose is.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Who Owns Outer Space? draws attention to the many risks that are linked to the deployment of very large numbers of new satellites, and the growing rivalries among leading spacefaring nations and corporations, writes the Donner Prize Foundation. Image courtesy of Cambridge University Press
Who Owns Outer Space? draws attention to the many risks that are linked to the deployment of very large numbers of new satellites, and the growing rivalries among leading spacefaring nations and corporations, writes the Donner Prize Foundation. Image courtesy of Cambridge University Press
FeatureBY KENT ROACH | April 24, 2024
The uncertainty surrounding the full implementation of LaForme/Westmoreland Traore report is one reason why I agreed to write this book. New legislation to establish a new commission has the potential to be the most important law reform with respect to wrongful convictions in a generation, writes Kent Roach. Book cover courtesy of Simon & Schuster, 2023
FeatureBY KENT ROACH | April 24, 2024
FeatureBY KENT ROACH | April 24, 2024
The uncertainty surrounding the full implementation of LaForme/Westmoreland Traore report is one reason why I agreed to write this book. New legislation to establish a new commission has the potential to be the most important law reform with respect to wrongful convictions in a generation, writes Kent Roach. Book cover courtesy of Simon & Schuster, 2023
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | April 24, 2024
Jane Philpott, the former federal health minister and current dean of health sciences at Queen's University, spoke to The Hill Times about how to fix Canada's ailing family health systems. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | April 24, 2024
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | April 24, 2024
Jane Philpott, the former federal health minister and current dean of health sciences at Queen's University, spoke to The Hill Times about how to fix Canada's ailing family health systems. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Pandemic Panic will be very relevant to policymakers in that it provides a critical analysis of past actions and their implications, offering lessons that can inform future crisis response and policy development, writes the Donner Prize Foundation. Book cover image courtesy of Optimum Publishing International
Pandemic Panic will be very relevant to policymakers in that it provides a critical analysis of past actions and their implications, offering lessons that can inform future crisis response and policy development, writes the Donner Prize Foundation. Book cover image courtesy of Optimum Publishing International
Opinion | BY ARTHUR MILNES | October 23, 2023
John Diefenbaker was prime minister from 1957-1963, followed by Lester B. Pearson from 1963-1968. 'If Pearson walked with ease in the halls of power, Diefenbaker connected with the farmers and small-town merchants and others left outside the inner circle,' writes John Ibbitson in his new book. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY ARTHUR MILNES | October 23, 2023
Opinion | BY ARTHUR MILNES | October 23, 2023
John Diefenbaker was prime minister from 1957-1963, followed by Lester B. Pearson from 1963-1968. 'If Pearson walked with ease in the halls of power, Diefenbaker connected with the farmers and small-town merchants and others left outside the inner circle,' writes John Ibbitson in his new book. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Opinion | BY JIM CRESKEY | October 16, 2023
Keep Hope Alive: Essays for a War-Free World by Doug Roche, published 2023. Cover design by Khalid Yaqub
Opinion | BY JIM CRESKEY | October 16, 2023
Opinion | BY JIM CRESKEY | October 16, 2023
Keep Hope Alive: Essays for a War-Free World by Doug Roche, published 2023. Cover design by Khalid Yaqub
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | September 18, 2023
Roy MacGregor: 'There have, over that half-century of journalism, been blown jet engines, threatening weapons at Oka, a snowstorm on James Bay that forced us to take shelter for three days on a barren island, physical threats from unhappy athletes—and more fun than I ever should have imagined.' Photograph courtesy of Random House Canada/Fred Lum
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | September 18, 2023
FeatureBY KATE MALLOY | September 18, 2023
Roy MacGregor: 'There have, over that half-century of journalism, been blown jet engines, threatening weapons at Oka, a snowstorm on James Bay that forced us to take shelter for three days on a barren island, physical threats from unhappy athletes—and more fun than I ever should have imagined.' Photograph courtesy of Random House Canada/Fred Lum
FeatureBY STEPHEN POLOZ | May 10, 2023
Image courtesy of Allen Lane Canada
FeatureBY STEPHEN POLOZ | May 10, 2023
FeatureBY STEPHEN POLOZ | May 10, 2023
Image courtesy of Allen Lane Canada
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER GULY | May 8, 2023
Guests, pictured May 9, 2018, on the terrace of the Chateau Laurier Hotel at that year's Politics and the Pen gala fundraiser. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER GULY | May 8, 2023
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER GULY | May 8, 2023
Guests, pictured May 9, 2018, on the terrace of the Chateau Laurier Hotel at that year's Politics and the Pen gala fundraiser. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY DALE EISLER | May 8, 2023
Dale Eisler: 'I wrote the book to understand the political transformation of Saskatchewan and why it happened, which I believe is one of the more interesting stories in Canadian politics.' Images courtesy of the University of Regina Press
FeatureBY DALE EISLER | May 8, 2023
FeatureBY DALE EISLER | May 8, 2023
Dale Eisler: 'I wrote the book to understand the political transformation of Saskatchewan and why it happened, which I believe is one of the more interesting stories in Canadian politics.' Images courtesy of the University of Regina Press
FeatureBY JOSH O’KANE | May 8, 2023
Josh O'Kane, author of Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy: 'Digital giants have spent much of the past 15 years trying to expand their dominance into the physical world, and governments the world over are woefully underprepared for grappling with what this means for their citizens.' Images courtesy of Penguin Random House Canada
FeatureBY JOSH O’KANE | May 8, 2023
FeatureBY JOSH O’KANE | May 8, 2023
Josh O'Kane, author of Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy: 'Digital giants have spent much of the past 15 years trying to expand their dominance into the physical world, and governments the world over are woefully underprepared for grappling with what this means for their citizens.' Images courtesy of Penguin Random House Canada
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 28, 2022
Michael Wernick served as the clerk of the Privy Council, the top executive in Canada's public service, before his retirement in 2019. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 28, 2022
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW | November 28, 2022
Michael Wernick served as the clerk of the Privy Council, the top executive in Canada's public service, before his retirement in 2019. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | September 7, 2022
Dale Eisler is a wise mind. In the first part of his career, he was an influential and widely respected journalist on the Prairies. In the second, he was an influential and widely respected public servant in the nation's capital. Images courtesy of Facebook and the University of Regina Press
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | September 7, 2022
FeatureBY CHRISTOPHER DORNAN | September 7, 2022
Dale Eisler is a wise mind. In the first part of his career, he was an influential and widely respected journalist on the Prairies. In the second, he was an influential and widely respected public servant in the nation's capital. Images courtesy of Facebook and the University of Regina Press
FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT | August 24, 2022
University of Toronto law professor Douglas Sanderson, left, and his former law student and ex-federal staffer Andrew Stobo Sniderman, right, are co-authors of the upcoming book, Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation. Photographs courtesy of HarperCollins
FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT | August 24, 2022
FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT | August 24, 2022
University of Toronto law professor Douglas Sanderson, left, and his former law student and ex-federal staffer Andrew Stobo Sniderman, right, are co-authors of the upcoming book, Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation. Photographs courtesy of HarperCollins
FeatureBY JIM CRESKEY | June 13, 2022
Charlie Angus' eighth book, the very readable Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower, belongs in the category of Canadian history that isn't taught in school but should be, writes Jim Creskey. Image courtesy of House of Anansi Press and The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
FeatureBY JIM CRESKEY | June 13, 2022
FeatureBY JIM CRESKEY | June 13, 2022
Charlie Angus' eighth book, the very readable Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower, belongs in the category of Canadian history that isn't taught in school but should be, writes Jim Creskey. Image courtesy of House of Anansi Press and The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | May 23, 2022
At the heart of former U.S. president George W. Bush’s May 18 stumble is that fact that he really is a war criminal whose actions resulted in the needless deaths of more than one million Iraqi civilians, writes Scott Taylor. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/NBC News
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | May 23, 2022
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | May 23, 2022
At the heart of former U.S. president George W. Bush’s May 18 stumble is that fact that he really is a war criminal whose actions resulted in the needless deaths of more than one million Iraqi civilians, writes Scott Taylor. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/NBC News
News | BY STUART BENSON | May 16, 2022
The Politics and the Pen gala held inside the Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel ballroom in May, 2017. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright
News | BY STUART BENSON | May 16, 2022
News | BY STUART BENSON | May 16, 2022
The Politics and the Pen gala held inside the Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel ballroom in May, 2017. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright
Co-author Mike Blanchfield, pictured. 'We wanted to shine the light on an important case of two Canadians who were arrested and imprisoned in China as time was marching on and there seemed little prospect of their being released.' The Hill Times photograph by Kate Malloy
Co-author Mike Blanchfield, pictured. 'We wanted to shine the light on an important case of two Canadians who were arrested and imprisoned in China as time was marching on and there seemed little prospect of their being released.' The Hill Times photograph by Kate Malloy
FeatureBY STEPHEN POLOZ | May 16, 2022
Stephen Poloz, pictured on May 1, 2020, at a press conference on the Hill. 'Failing to meet this challenge is likely to strain many of the foundations we hold dear, placing extraordinary demands on our political leadership. Indeed, the next age of uncertainty will demand longer-term thinking not only by companies and individuals, but by governments, besides.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
FeatureBY STEPHEN POLOZ | May 16, 2022
FeatureBY STEPHEN POLOZ | May 16, 2022
Stephen Poloz, pictured on May 1, 2020, at a press conference on the Hill. 'Failing to meet this challenge is likely to strain many of the foundations we hold dear, placing extraordinary demands on our political leadership. Indeed, the next age of uncertainty will demand longer-term thinking not only by companies and individuals, but by governments, besides.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | March 14, 2022
Vladimir Putin's Eyes, art installation. Re-establishing that 'legitimacy' is the world’s biggest future challenge if we are to minimize future risks of conflict and solve global problems. This won’t be achieved as the U.S. is trying to do by dividing the world into a zero-sum competition between democracies and autocracies. It will be achieved by designing the guidelines for a workable world community. That requires a different kind of statesmanship, writes David Crane. Image courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | March 14, 2022
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | March 14, 2022
Vladimir Putin's Eyes, art installation. Re-establishing that 'legitimacy' is the world’s biggest future challenge if we are to minimize future risks of conflict and solve global problems. This won’t be achieved as the U.S. is trying to do by dividing the world into a zero-sum competition between democracies and autocracies. It will be achieved by designing the guidelines for a workable world community. That requires a different kind of statesmanship, writes David Crane. Image courtesy of Flickr
Opinion | BY NELSON WISEMAN | January 31, 2022
Alberta’s Fair Deal Panel recycled the suggestion for a provincial police service, to which the Jason Kenney government committed only to study further, which is a way of saying they will not act on the proposal. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY NELSON WISEMAN | January 31, 2022
Opinion | BY NELSON WISEMAN | January 31, 2022
Alberta’s Fair Deal Panel recycled the suggestion for a provincial police service, to which the Jason Kenney government committed only to study further, which is a way of saying they will not act on the proposal. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade