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Wednesday, January 7, 2026

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Bhagwant Sandhu

Bhagwant Sandhu is a retired director general from the federal government. Between 2002-21 he held senior roles in several departments, including Fisheries and Ocean Canada, Infrastructure Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, and Public Works Canada. He has also held executive positions in the governments of Ontario and British Columbia.

The NDP leadership race might be sleepwalking to irrelevance

  • The party is being battered in the polls and remains, at best, a long shot to regain official party status any time soon. It
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 18, 2025
The five NDP leadership contenders take to the stage on Oct. 22. The contest should be a chance for the diminished New Democratic Party to rediscover its roots, but it's failing that task, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The NDP leadership race might be sleepwalking to irrelevance

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 18, 2025
  • The party is being battered in the polls and remains, at best, a long shot to regain official party status any time soon. It

The NDP leadership race might be sleepwalking to irrelevance

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 18, 2025
  • The party is being battered in the polls and remains, at best, a long shot to regain official party status any time soon. It
The five NDP leadership contenders take to the stage on Oct. 22. The contest should be a chance for the diminished New Democratic Party to rediscover its roots, but it's failing that task, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can Carney hold the line in a 2026 CUSMA showdown?

  • Mark Carney’s success will depend on his ability to navigate U.S. trade pressures along with widening political divides at home.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 3, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House. Ahead of the 2026 CUSMA review, the Canada–U.S. diplomatic engagement is becoming openly transactional, focusing on national self-interest rather than historic precedent, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of The White House

Can Carney hold the line in a 2026 CUSMA showdown?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 3, 2025
  • Mark Carney’s success will depend on his ability to navigate U.S. trade pressures along with widening political divides at home.

Can Carney hold the line in a 2026 CUSMA showdown?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 3, 2025
  • Mark Carney’s success will depend on his ability to navigate U.S. trade pressures along with widening political divides at home.
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House. Ahead of the 2026 CUSMA review, the Canada–U.S. diplomatic engagement is becoming openly transactional, focusing on national self-interest rather than historic precedent, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of The White House

Pierre Poilievre and the exhaustion of populism

  • The Conservative leader’s antagonistic instincts may help him survive a leadership review, but they’re undermining his credibility as a national leader.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 19, 2025
The anxieties Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre taps into—including crime, economic precarity, and housing—are real. But where substantive solutions are needed, he defaults to hashtags, columnist Bhagwant Sandhu writes. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Pierre Poilievre and the exhaustion of populism

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 19, 2025
  • The Conservative leader’s antagonistic instincts may help him survive a leadership review, but they’re undermining his credibility as a national leader.

Pierre Poilievre and the exhaustion of populism

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 19, 2025
  • The Conservative leader’s antagonistic instincts may help him survive a leadership review, but they’re undermining his credibility as a national leader.
The anxieties Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre taps into—including crime, economic precarity, and housing—are real. But where substantive solutions are needed, he defaults to hashtags, columnist Bhagwant Sandhu writes. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Budget 2025 and the perfection of managerial politics

  • Mark Carney’s first budget displays the prime minister’s administrative instincts: control the narrative, project calm, and preserve credibility in bond markets. 
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 5, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s budget represents a perfection of managerial politics: continuity disguised as change, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Budget 2025 and the perfection of managerial politics

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 5, 2025
  • Mark Carney’s first budget displays the prime minister’s administrative instincts: control the narrative, project calm, and preserve credibility in bond markets. 

Budget 2025 and the perfection of managerial politics

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 5, 2025
  • Mark Carney’s first budget displays the prime minister’s administrative instincts: control the narrative, project calm, and preserve credibility in bond markets. 
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s budget represents a perfection of managerial politics: continuity disguised as change, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s budget challenge: govern for the many, or manage for the few?

  • The prime minister's first budget won’t be judged by the numbers, but by whom they lift up, and whom they leave behind.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 30, 2025
So far, Prime Minister Mark Carney has fixated on investor sentiment: walking back the capital gains tax hike, hinting at 'builder-friendly' tax cuts and capital access tools.

Carney’s budget challenge: govern for the many, or manage for the few?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 30, 2025
  • The prime minister's first budget won’t be judged by the numbers, but by whom they lift up, and whom they leave behind.

Carney’s budget challenge: govern for the many, or manage for the few?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 30, 2025
  • The prime minister's first budget won’t be judged by the numbers, but by whom they lift up, and whom they leave behind.
So far, Prime Minister Mark Carney has fixated on investor sentiment: walking back the capital gains tax hike, hinting at 'builder-friendly' tax cuts and capital access tools.

Anita Anand’s India challenge: engage without enabling

  • Re-engagement with India makes strategic sense. Without political accountability and institutional backbone, it risks repeating past failures.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 13, 2025
Anita Anand
Anita Anand
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand's task isn’t to draft a flawless India policy, but to reinforce Canadian autonomy, backed by legislative and institutional muscle. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Anita Anand’s India challenge: engage without enabling

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 13, 2025
  • Re-engagement with India makes strategic sense. Without political accountability and institutional backbone, it risks repeating past failures.

Anita Anand’s India challenge: engage without enabling

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 13, 2025
  • Re-engagement with India makes strategic sense. Without political accountability and institutional backbone, it risks repeating past failures.
Anita Anand
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand's task isn’t to draft a flawless India policy, but to reinforce Canadian autonomy, backed by legislative and institutional muscle. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The challenge around AI is simple: anchor policy in public purpose

  • Ottawa risks chasing tech-fuelled illusions without building the governance architecture for an AI-driven future.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 1, 2025
Evan Solomon
Evan Solomon
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon. If AI is to serve the public good, Ottawa must step up as a regulator. Anything less is legislative neglect, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The challenge around AI is simple: anchor policy in public purpose

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 1, 2025
  • Ottawa risks chasing tech-fuelled illusions without building the governance architecture for an AI-driven future.

The challenge around AI is simple: anchor policy in public purpose

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 1, 2025
  • Ottawa risks chasing tech-fuelled illusions without building the governance architecture for an AI-driven future.
Evan Solomon
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon. If AI is to serve the public good, Ottawa must step up as a regulator. Anything less is legislative neglect, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s cabinet exit a lesson in high ideals and harsh politics

  • The envoy role may honour the Liberal MP's personal narrative, but it looks more like an escape from fiscal reckoning and waning political relevance.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 18, 2025
Chrystia Freeland, left, once defined Liberal foreign and fiscal policy, but she now departs as Prime Minister Mark Carney's special envoy for Ukraine with a title, but no institutional authority, Bhagwant Sandhu writes. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s cabinet exit a lesson in high ideals and harsh politics

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 18, 2025
  • The envoy role may honour the Liberal MP's personal narrative, but it looks more like an escape from fiscal reckoning and waning political relevance.

Freeland’s cabinet exit a lesson in high ideals and harsh politics

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 18, 2025
  • The envoy role may honour the Liberal MP's personal narrative, but it looks more like an escape from fiscal reckoning and waning political relevance.
Chrystia Freeland, left, once defined Liberal foreign and fiscal policy, but she now departs as Prime Minister Mark Carney's special envoy for Ukraine with a title, but no institutional authority, Bhagwant Sandhu writes. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Gaza is testing Canada’s moral compass, and Carney’s credibility

  • As the UN debates Palestinian statehood on Sept. 22, the prime minister must decide whether to shape the conversation or to keep equivocating.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 15, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney should stop equivocating and act decisively by demanding a credible path for an immediate two-state solution, and voting for Palestine’s ascension to full UN membership, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Gaza is testing Canada’s moral compass, and Carney’s credibility

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 15, 2025
  • As the UN debates Palestinian statehood on Sept. 22, the prime minister must decide whether to shape the conversation or to keep equivocating.

Gaza is testing Canada’s moral compass, and Carney’s credibility

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 15, 2025
  • As the UN debates Palestinian statehood on Sept. 22, the prime minister must decide whether to shape the conversation or to keep equivocating.
Prime Minister Mark Carney should stop equivocating and act decisively by demanding a credible path for an immediate two-state solution, and voting for Palestine’s ascension to full UN membership, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada needs a South America strategy, not just a trade agenda

  • If Canada wants real influence in South America, it needs to ditch Trudeau’s U.S.-first legacy and rethink its diplomatic posture from Cuba to Colombia
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 1, 2025
Liberal MP Maninder Sidhu
Liberal MP Maninder Sidhu
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu's trips to Brazil and Colombia should act as a step to spur active diplomacy across South America The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada needs a South America strategy, not just a trade agenda

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 1, 2025
  • If Canada wants real influence in South America, it needs to ditch Trudeau’s U.S.-first legacy and rethink its diplomatic posture from Cuba to Colombia

Canada needs a South America strategy, not just a trade agenda

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 1, 2025
  • If Canada wants real influence in South America, it needs to ditch Trudeau’s U.S.-first legacy and rethink its diplomatic posture from Cuba to Colombia
Liberal MP Maninder Sidhu
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu's trips to Brazil and Colombia should act as a step to spur active diplomacy across South America The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

No place for Poilievre’s old politics against Liberal centre-right pivot

  • With the Carney Liberals occupying the centre-right, the Conservatives face a hard question: evolve to lead a changing Canada or stay stuck in a
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 20, 2025
Pierre Poilievre
Pierre Poilievre
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre won the Aug. 18 Alberta byelection which will send him back to the House of Commons this fall. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

No place for Poilievre’s old politics against Liberal centre-right pivot

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 20, 2025
  • With the Carney Liberals occupying the centre-right, the Conservatives face a hard question: evolve to lead a changing Canada or stay stuck in a

No place for Poilievre’s old politics against Liberal centre-right pivot

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 20, 2025
  • With the Carney Liberals occupying the centre-right, the Conservatives face a hard question: evolve to lead a changing Canada or stay stuck in a
Pierre Poilievre
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre won the Aug. 18 Alberta byelection which will send him back to the House of Commons this fall. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s trade talks demand transparency

  • Shifting deadlines may require discretion, but that’s no excuse to shield national decisions from democratic oversight and public scrutiny.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 11, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney doesn’t need to reveal the blow-by-blow of his negotiations with the American president—but he does need to speak plainly about what’s guiding his decisions, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s trade talks demand transparency

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 11, 2025
  • Shifting deadlines may require discretion, but that’s no excuse to shield national decisions from democratic oversight and public scrutiny.

Carney’s trade talks demand transparency

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 11, 2025
  • Shifting deadlines may require discretion, but that’s no excuse to shield national decisions from democratic oversight and public scrutiny.
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney doesn’t need to reveal the blow-by-blow of his negotiations with the American president—but he does need to speak plainly about what’s guiding his decisions, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The NDP leadership race: continuity, rupture, or reinvention?

  • As the party prepares for its March 2026 convention, the question isn’t who will lead but what purpose the NDP will serve in Canadian
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 23, 2025
Heather McPherson
Heather McPherson
NDP MP Heather McPherson is considering a leadership run. The party has to decide what it wants to be, in an era where political branding, not base-building, is the shortcut to survival, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The NDP leadership race: continuity, rupture, or reinvention?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 23, 2025
  • As the party prepares for its March 2026 convention, the question isn’t who will lead but what purpose the NDP will serve in Canadian

The NDP leadership race: continuity, rupture, or reinvention?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 23, 2025
  • As the party prepares for its March 2026 convention, the question isn’t who will lead but what purpose the NDP will serve in Canadian
Heather McPherson
NDP MP Heather McPherson is considering a leadership run. The party has to decide what it wants to be, in an era where political branding, not base-building, is the shortcut to survival, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s fiscal plans put the public service at risk

  • Austerity masked as modernization has a history. Former Conservative PM Stephen Harper offers the real lessons for navigating the balance between fiscal targets and
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 10, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney shouldn’t lean too heavily on his corporate background, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Applying Bay Street’s quarterly logic of returns on capital investment to a 158-year-old civil service is a slow grind to institutional death. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s fiscal plans put the public service at risk

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 10, 2025
  • Austerity masked as modernization has a history. Former Conservative PM Stephen Harper offers the real lessons for navigating the balance between fiscal targets and

Carney’s fiscal plans put the public service at risk

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 10, 2025
  • Austerity masked as modernization has a history. Former Conservative PM Stephen Harper offers the real lessons for navigating the balance between fiscal targets and
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney shouldn’t lean too heavily on his corporate background, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Applying Bay Street’s quarterly logic of returns on capital investment to a 158-year-old civil service is a slow grind to institutional death. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s China challenge requires a foreign policy reset

  • Ottawa won’t gain global independence by echoing Washington or isolating China. It’s time for selective engagement, grounded in Canadian interests.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 2, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney cannot let defence spending stand-in for a foreign policy strategy, writes Bhagwant Sandhu.

Carney’s China challenge requires a foreign policy reset

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 2, 2025
  • Ottawa won’t gain global independence by echoing Washington or isolating China. It’s time for selective engagement, grounded in Canadian interests.

Carney’s China challenge requires a foreign policy reset

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 2, 2025
  • Ottawa won’t gain global independence by echoing Washington or isolating China. It’s time for selective engagement, grounded in Canadian interests.
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney cannot let defence spending stand-in for a foreign policy strategy, writes Bhagwant Sandhu.

As the U.S. follows Israel into Iran, where is Canada’s voice?

  • Canada needs bold diplomacy, not cautious complicity, as the Middle East tilts toward a wider war.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 25, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
On the Middle East, Prime Minister Mark Carney is no ideologue, nor does he appear interested in his predecessor’s optics-heavy style. Carney seems more calibrated, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

As the U.S. follows Israel into Iran, where is Canada’s voice?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 25, 2025
  • Canada needs bold diplomacy, not cautious complicity, as the Middle East tilts toward a wider war.

As the U.S. follows Israel into Iran, where is Canada’s voice?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 25, 2025
  • Canada needs bold diplomacy, not cautious complicity, as the Middle East tilts toward a wider war.
Mark Carney
On the Middle East, Prime Minister Mark Carney is no ideologue, nor does he appear interested in his predecessor’s optics-heavy style. Carney seems more calibrated, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The high price of a handshake: Carney’s G7 Modi invite 

  • If Canada cannot draw a line at political assassination on its own soil, where will we draw one?
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 9, 2025
Canada's invite to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 is historic in the way political duplicities often are: low-key, deliberate, and draped in the language of pragmatic necessity, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The high price of a handshake: Carney’s G7 Modi invite 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 9, 2025
  • If Canada cannot draw a line at political assassination on its own soil, where will we draw one?

The high price of a handshake: Carney’s G7 Modi invite 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 9, 2025
  • If Canada cannot draw a line at political assassination on its own soil, where will we draw one?
Canada's invite to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 is historic in the way political duplicities often are: low-key, deliberate, and draped in the language of pragmatic necessity, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canada’s G7 moment: rewrite the script or play along?

  • Mounting contradictions have dulled the G7’s edge. Canada can lead it toward revitalization—or be complicit in its decline.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 5, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
As the G7’s 2025 president, Canada, under Prime Minister Mark Carney, can uphold the status quo or help redefine its resolve, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s G7 moment: rewrite the script or play along?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 5, 2025
  • Mounting contradictions have dulled the G7’s edge. Canada can lead it toward revitalization—or be complicit in its decline.

Canada’s G7 moment: rewrite the script or play along?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 5, 2025
  • Mounting contradictions have dulled the G7’s edge. Canada can lead it toward revitalization—or be complicit in its decline.
Mark Carney
As the G7’s 2025 president, Canada, under Prime Minister Mark Carney, can uphold the status quo or help redefine its resolve, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

NDP identity crisis calls for a return to party’s roots

  • In losing official status, the NDP faces a hard test: does it remain tied to power politics or return to its social democratic origins?
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 28, 2025
Delegates vote on a resolution at the NDP's 2023 convention. With the goal of broadening the party’s appeal, NDP leadership has adopted the posture of Liberal centrism. The result is blurred lines, policy convergence, and disenchanted voters, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

NDP identity crisis calls for a return to party’s roots

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 28, 2025
  • In losing official status, the NDP faces a hard test: does it remain tied to power politics or return to its social democratic origins?

NDP identity crisis calls for a return to party’s roots

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 28, 2025
  • In losing official status, the NDP faces a hard test: does it remain tied to power politics or return to its social democratic origins?
Delegates vote on a resolution at the NDP's 2023 convention. With the goal of broadening the party’s appeal, NDP leadership has adopted the posture of Liberal centrism. The result is blurred lines, policy convergence, and disenchanted voters, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Message to Foreign Minister Anand: build doctrine, not optics

  • Anita Anand’s appointment as foreign affairs minister is a chance to end Canada’s drift and define a sovereign foreign policy rooted in purpose, not
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 15, 2025
Anita Anand
Anita Anand
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand brings a fresh face to a portfolio that badly needs direction, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Message to Foreign Minister Anand: build doctrine, not optics

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 15, 2025
  • Anita Anand’s appointment as foreign affairs minister is a chance to end Canada’s drift and define a sovereign foreign policy rooted in purpose, not

Message to Foreign Minister Anand: build doctrine, not optics

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 15, 2025
  • Anita Anand’s appointment as foreign affairs minister is a chance to end Canada’s drift and define a sovereign foreign policy rooted in purpose, not
Anita Anand
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand brings a fresh face to a portfolio that badly needs direction, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s safe Alberta seat: a symbol of retreat or renewal?

  • OTTAWA—Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s bid to re-enter the House of Commons through an Alberta byelection—after losing his longtime Ontario seat in Carleton—is about more
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 8, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's defeat in Carleton, Ont., reflects a deeper dissonance between his polarizing persona and what a growing share of the electorate expects from national leadership, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s safe Alberta seat: a symbol of retreat or renewal?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 8, 2025
  • OTTAWA—Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s bid to re-enter the House of Commons through an Alberta byelection—after losing his longtime Ontario seat in Carleton—is about more

Poilievre’s safe Alberta seat: a symbol of retreat or renewal?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 8, 2025
  • OTTAWA—Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s bid to re-enter the House of Commons through an Alberta byelection—after losing his longtime Ontario seat in Carleton—is about more
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's defeat in Carleton, Ont., reflects a deeper dissonance between his polarizing persona and what a growing share of the electorate expects from national leadership, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s first test isn’t Trump, it’s his cabinet

  • Power isn’t only about winning elections. It’s also about building a cabinet that can turn political ambition into actual results.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 1, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to supporters at the TD Centre in Ottawa on April 29, 2025, after winning the election. If his cabinet can’t deliver, nothing else will, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s first test isn’t Trump, it’s his cabinet

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 1, 2025
  • Power isn’t only about winning elections. It’s also about building a cabinet that can turn political ambition into actual results.

Carney’s first test isn’t Trump, it’s his cabinet

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 1, 2025
  • Power isn’t only about winning elections. It’s also about building a cabinet that can turn political ambition into actual results.
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to supporters at the TD Centre in Ottawa on April 29, 2025, after winning the election. If his cabinet can’t deliver, nothing else will, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is Canada drifting towards a two-party trap? 

  • The 2025 election results reveal the dangers of narrowing choices in an era that demands broader solutions.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 29, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took a combined 85 per cent of the popular vote on April 28. That points to a two-party setup, which stifles innovation, intensifies polarization, and reduces politics to a zero-sum game, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Joey Sabourin

Is Canada drifting towards a two-party trap? 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 29, 2025
  • The 2025 election results reveal the dangers of narrowing choices in an era that demands broader solutions.

Is Canada drifting towards a two-party trap? 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 29, 2025
  • The 2025 election results reveal the dangers of narrowing choices in an era that demands broader solutions.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took a combined 85 per cent of the popular vote on April 28. That points to a two-party setup, which stifles innovation, intensifies polarization, and reduces politics to a zero-sum game, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Joey Sabourin

Tories and Grits spar over the political centre

  • The party that reclaims that space could define the future of Canadian politics. It's clear those who lead with a steady hand will define
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 17, 2025
With polls leaning in the Liberals' favour, voters are responding to the serious image offered by Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, in contrast to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's partisan theatrics, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Naomi Wildeboer

Tories and Grits spar over the political centre

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 17, 2025
  • The party that reclaims that space could define the future of Canadian politics. It's clear those who lead with a steady hand will define

Tories and Grits spar over the political centre

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 17, 2025
  • The party that reclaims that space could define the future of Canadian politics. It's clear those who lead with a steady hand will define
With polls leaning in the Liberals' favour, voters are responding to the serious image offered by Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, in contrast to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's partisan theatrics, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and illustration by Naomi Wildeboer

Poilievre can win votes by exploiting Liberal foreign policy failures 

  • To turn the tables on Mark Carney, Pierre Poilievre should highlight the Trudeau government’s record of aligning Canada too tightly to American geopolitical objectives. 
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 9, 2025
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau's many foreign policy failures represent a Liberal record that his successor, Mark Carney, should be forced to defend, and which Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre can expose as part of his 'Canada First' strategy, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Poilievre can win votes by exploiting Liberal foreign policy failures 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 9, 2025
  • To turn the tables on Mark Carney, Pierre Poilievre should highlight the Trudeau government’s record of aligning Canada too tightly to American geopolitical objectives. 

Poilievre can win votes by exploiting Liberal foreign policy failures 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 9, 2025
  • To turn the tables on Mark Carney, Pierre Poilievre should highlight the Trudeau government’s record of aligning Canada too tightly to American geopolitical objectives. 
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau's many foreign policy failures represent a Liberal record that his successor, Mark Carney, should be forced to defend, and which Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre can expose as part of his 'Canada First' strategy, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Can Poilievre capitalize on Carney’s weak spots?

  • To derail Prime Minister Mark Carney’s upsurge, Conservatives must adjust their strategy—focusing on unity, the social safety net, and practical policies that confront America
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 19, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s team should adopt an approach that takes stock of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s strengths and why he is clicking with Canadians, and then adjust their strategy, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Sam Garcia

Can Poilievre capitalize on Carney’s weak spots?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 19, 2025
  • To derail Prime Minister Mark Carney’s upsurge, Conservatives must adjust their strategy—focusing on unity, the social safety net, and practical policies that confront America

Can Poilievre capitalize on Carney’s weak spots?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 19, 2025
  • To derail Prime Minister Mark Carney’s upsurge, Conservatives must adjust their strategy—focusing on unity, the social safety net, and practical policies that confront America
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s team should adopt an approach that takes stock of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s strengths and why he is clicking with Canadians, and then adjust their strategy, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Sam Garcia

Carney vs. Poilievre: who will restore Canada’s global independence?

  • As U.S. President Donald Trump abandons Western alliances, our next prime minister must act decisively to secure Canada’s autonomy, and restore our global influence.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 5, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Liberal leadership front-runner Mark Carney need to offer vision and foresight—qualities that seem to be in short supply in Canada’s hyper-partisan politics these days, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Carney vs. Poilievre: who will restore Canada’s global independence?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 5, 2025
  • As U.S. President Donald Trump abandons Western alliances, our next prime minister must act decisively to secure Canada’s autonomy, and restore our global influence.

Carney vs. Poilievre: who will restore Canada’s global independence?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 5, 2025
  • As U.S. President Donald Trump abandons Western alliances, our next prime minister must act decisively to secure Canada’s autonomy, and restore our global influence.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Liberal leadership front-runner Mark Carney need to offer vision and foresight—qualities that seem to be in short supply in Canada’s hyper-partisan politics these days, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
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Party leaders should shift gears as Liberal popularity surges

  • Even with his ’Canada First’ rebrand, Pierre Poilievre’s clock is ticking. If he doesn’t shift gears soon, he might find himself watching the Liberals
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 19, 2025
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. A wholesale change in party leadership would be good for Canada, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Party leaders should shift gears as Liberal popularity surges

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 19, 2025
  • Even with his ’Canada First’ rebrand, Pierre Poilievre’s clock is ticking. If he doesn’t shift gears soon, he might find himself watching the Liberals

Party leaders should shift gears as Liberal popularity surges

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 19, 2025
  • Even with his ’Canada First’ rebrand, Pierre Poilievre’s clock is ticking. If he doesn’t shift gears soon, he might find himself watching the Liberals
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. A wholesale change in party leadership would be good for Canada, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Civil servants the unsung heroes steadying the ship against Trump’s tariff waves

  • OTTAWA—With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation, Parliament in prorogation, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre struggling to define a cohesive narrative for why
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 5, 2025
Union members picket the old post office on April 25, 2023. Often-overlooked, public servants have kept the country’s public administration running smoothly with solid policy proposals to mitigate against shockwaves from the United States, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Civil servants the unsung heroes steadying the ship against Trump’s tariff waves

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 5, 2025
  • OTTAWA—With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation, Parliament in prorogation, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre struggling to define a cohesive narrative for why

Civil servants the unsung heroes steadying the ship against Trump’s tariff waves

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 5, 2025
  • OTTAWA—With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation, Parliament in prorogation, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre struggling to define a cohesive narrative for why
Union members picket the old post office on April 25, 2023. Often-overlooked, public servants have kept the country’s public administration running smoothly with solid policy proposals to mitigate against shockwaves from the United States, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Liberal race is on, so where’s Poilievre?

  • Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre appears stuck in a twilight zone, locked in a bubble with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the Liberal leadership candidates
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 23, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, centre, needs to adjust his talking points with Liberal leadership front-runners Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland now in the mix, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia, Andrew Meade, and illustration by Joey Sabourin

The Liberal race is on, so where’s Poilievre?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 23, 2025
  • Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre appears stuck in a twilight zone, locked in a bubble with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the Liberal leadership candidates

The Liberal race is on, so where’s Poilievre?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 23, 2025
  • Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre appears stuck in a twilight zone, locked in a bubble with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the Liberal leadership candidates
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, centre, needs to adjust his talking points with Liberal leadership front-runners Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland now in the mix, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia, Andrew Meade, and illustration by Joey Sabourin

Leadership race positions Liberals to own coming news cycles about Donald Trump

  • Tight timelines, rigid rules, and a big-ticket entry fee will force most Liberal leadership lightweights to bow out.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 10, 2025
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
By invoking U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, left, outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has raised the stakes for the Liberal leadership race, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Leadership race positions Liberals to own coming news cycles about Donald Trump

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 10, 2025
  • Tight timelines, rigid rules, and a big-ticket entry fee will force most Liberal leadership lightweights to bow out.

Leadership race positions Liberals to own coming news cycles about Donald Trump

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 10, 2025
  • Tight timelines, rigid rules, and a big-ticket entry fee will force most Liberal leadership lightweights to bow out.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
By invoking U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, left, outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has raised the stakes for the Liberal leadership race, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Memo to Liberals: Canada needs another Trudeau, but without the baggage 

  • Liberal Party members have much to consider after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to resign as party leader and then as prime minister
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 6, 2025
Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau
After weeks of building pressure from his caucus to resign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces his plan to step down as Liberal Party leader on Jan. 6, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Memo to Liberals: Canada needs another Trudeau, but without the baggage 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 6, 2025
  • Liberal Party members have much to consider after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to resign as party leader and then as prime minister

Memo to Liberals: Canada needs another Trudeau, but without the baggage 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 6, 2025
  • Liberal Party members have much to consider after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to resign as party leader and then as prime minister
Justin Trudeau
After weeks of building pressure from his caucus to resign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces his plan to step down as Liberal Party leader on Jan. 6, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s opportunism on display in stunning resignation letter

  • Chrystia Freeland ought to be reminded that she's held the finance portfolio since 2020. Not one of her budgets was ever balanced.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 18, 2024
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland
Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland. Being booted from finance was likely a tough pill to swallow if you see yourself as smart and indispensable, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s opportunism on display in stunning resignation letter

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 18, 2024
  • Chrystia Freeland ought to be reminded that she's held the finance portfolio since 2020. Not one of her budgets was ever balanced.

Freeland’s opportunism on display in stunning resignation letter

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 18, 2024
  • Chrystia Freeland ought to be reminded that she's held the finance portfolio since 2020. Not one of her budgets was ever balanced.
Chrystia Freeland
Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland. Being booted from finance was likely a tough pill to swallow if you see yourself as smart and indispensable, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau could offer change by proposing a bold, structural overhaul of Canada’s political system

  • These changes could address oversight of the federal public service, such as the seemingly political stances of Privy Council Clerk John Hannaford.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 2, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to prove that he grasps the psychology of why many voters feel let down by his government, and present a comprehensive package of reforms, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau could offer change by proposing a bold, structural overhaul of Canada’s political system

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 2, 2024
  • These changes could address oversight of the federal public service, such as the seemingly political stances of Privy Council Clerk John Hannaford.

Trudeau could offer change by proposing a bold, structural overhaul of Canada’s political system

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 2, 2024
  • These changes could address oversight of the federal public service, such as the seemingly political stances of Privy Council Clerk John Hannaford.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to prove that he grasps the psychology of why many voters feel let down by his government, and present a comprehensive package of reforms, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Parliament is a gong-show, MPs care more about their political parties

  • Real change will occur only if parliamentary reform is an election issue. It will force party leaders to unite to address emergent crises.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 18, 2024
Mashup
Mashup
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, left, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade/illustration by Neena Singhal

Parliament is a gong-show, MPs care more about their political parties

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 18, 2024
  • Real change will occur only if parliamentary reform is an election issue. It will force party leaders to unite to address emergent crises.

Parliament is a gong-show, MPs care more about their political parties

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 18, 2024
  • Real change will occur only if parliamentary reform is an election issue. It will force party leaders to unite to address emergent crises.
Mashup
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, left, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade/illustration by Neena Singhal

Bracing for a geopolitical shock with Trump

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is hands-down best suited to take on Donald Trump, having a proven track-record dealing with the Republican's trade attacks and
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 7, 2024
Donald Trump, left, and President Vladimir Putin.
Donald Trump, left, and President Vladimir Putin.
Donald Trump, left, has a soft spot for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, like the incoming U.S. president, also exudes an air of despotic edginess. Trump has barely discussed foreign policy, making it very difficult to predict his plans, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Bracing for a geopolitical shock with Trump

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 7, 2024
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is hands-down best suited to take on Donald Trump, having a proven track-record dealing with the Republican's trade attacks and

Bracing for a geopolitical shock with Trump

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 7, 2024
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is hands-down best suited to take on Donald Trump, having a proven track-record dealing with the Republican's trade attacks and
Donald Trump, left, and President Vladimir Putin.
Donald Trump, left, has a soft spot for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, like the incoming U.S. president, also exudes an air of despotic edginess. Trump has barely discussed foreign policy, making it very difficult to predict his plans, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canadian politicians should get real about India

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took too long to heed the warnings of India’s meddling, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been too quiet on
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 16, 2024
Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau
This week Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada has expelled India's high commissioner and five diplomats who are all persons of interest in what the RCMP alleges is serious criminal activity. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadian politicians should get real about India

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 16, 2024
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took too long to heed the warnings of India’s meddling, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been too quiet on

Canadian politicians should get real about India

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 16, 2024
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took too long to heed the warnings of India’s meddling, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been too quiet on
Justin Trudeau
This week Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada has expelled India's high commissioner and five diplomats who are all persons of interest in what the RCMP alleges is serious criminal activity. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau and Poilievre playing politics with Middle East conflict

  • Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is not pressuring Canada to use multilateral diplomacy to stop the war in the Middle East. Instead, he’s sowing division.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 10, 2024
Neither Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre
Neither Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre
Neither Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, nor Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are offering leadership amid a rising death toll and widening regional conflict in the Middle East, writes Bhagwant Sandu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Trudeau and Poilievre playing politics with Middle East conflict

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 10, 2024
  • Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is not pressuring Canada to use multilateral diplomacy to stop the war in the Middle East. Instead, he’s sowing division.

Trudeau and Poilievre playing politics with Middle East conflict

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 10, 2024
  • Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is not pressuring Canada to use multilateral diplomacy to stop the war in the Middle East. Instead, he’s sowing division.
Neither Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre
Neither Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, nor Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are offering leadership amid a rising death toll and widening regional conflict in the Middle East, writes Bhagwant Sandu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Joly’s Africa engagement strategy copies the American approach

  • If the Liberal government cared about engaging constructively with Africa, it would have developed the strategy in its first or second terms when it
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 25, 2024
Mélanie Joly
Mélanie Joly
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly's call for public consultation on Canada's approach to Africa emphasizes our 'feminist foreign policy' and 'engaging' African countries 'to build stronger, and more visible partnerships,' writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Joly’s Africa engagement strategy copies the American approach

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 25, 2024
  • If the Liberal government cared about engaging constructively with Africa, it would have developed the strategy in its first or second terms when it

Joly’s Africa engagement strategy copies the American approach

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 25, 2024
  • If the Liberal government cared about engaging constructively with Africa, it would have developed the strategy in its first or second terms when it
Mélanie Joly
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly's call for public consultation on Canada's approach to Africa emphasizes our 'feminist foreign policy' and 'engaging' African countries 'to build stronger, and more visible partnerships,' writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau needs a post-byelection game plan 

  • On the heels of the byelection collapse of a Liberal stronghold in June, a loss of another Liberal-held riding would be a big blow
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 12, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be worried about the Bloc and the NDP, his chief rivals in the riding of Lasalle-Émard-Verdun, Que., writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau needs a post-byelection game plan 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 12, 2024
  • On the heels of the byelection collapse of a Liberal stronghold in June, a loss of another Liberal-held riding would be a big blow

Trudeau needs a post-byelection game plan 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 12, 2024
  • On the heels of the byelection collapse of a Liberal stronghold in June, a loss of another Liberal-held riding would be a big blow
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be worried about the Bloc and the NDP, his chief rivals in the riding of Lasalle-Émard-Verdun, Que., writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau misses opportunity for brand reset ahead of cabinet retreat 

  • Celebrity is hard to sustain in Canadian politics. Justin Trudeau should shine the spotlight on the rest of his team—after a shakeup of his
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 26, 2024
Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs a reset, and some ministers have held their files for far too long, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau misses opportunity for brand reset ahead of cabinet retreat 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 26, 2024
  • Celebrity is hard to sustain in Canadian politics. Justin Trudeau should shine the spotlight on the rest of his team—after a shakeup of his

Trudeau misses opportunity for brand reset ahead of cabinet retreat 

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 26, 2024
  • Celebrity is hard to sustain in Canadian politics. Justin Trudeau should shine the spotlight on the rest of his team—after a shakeup of his
Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs a reset, and some ministers have held their files for far too long, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It won’t be easy when the election rolls in

  • Political parties will exploit our hopes and fears by prepping candidates to ensure our choice is driven by reactionary emotions, not critical analysis. Luckily, we
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 15, 2024
Justin Trudeau, left, Pierre Poilievre, Yves-François Blanchet, Jagmeet Singh, above left, and Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

It won’t be easy when the election rolls in

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 15, 2024
  • Political parties will exploit our hopes and fears by prepping candidates to ensure our choice is driven by reactionary emotions, not critical analysis. Luckily, we

It won’t be easy when the election rolls in

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 15, 2024
  • Political parties will exploit our hopes and fears by prepping candidates to ensure our choice is driven by reactionary emotions, not critical analysis. Luckily, we
Justin Trudeau, left, Pierre Poilievre, Yves-François Blanchet, Jagmeet Singh, above left, and Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Dumbing down the electoral process

  • Instead of letting voters evaluate the merits of competing policies, political parties are steering us towards simplistic diversions and visceral reactions.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 24, 2024
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, U.S. Vice-president Kamala Harris, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, U.S. Vice-president Kamala Harris, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, U.S. Vice-president Kamala Harris, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Political marketing machines intend to have voters react to ballot questions as consumers of celebrity, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and photographs courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Dumbing down the electoral process

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 24, 2024
  • Instead of letting voters evaluate the merits of competing policies, political parties are steering us towards simplistic diversions and visceral reactions.

Dumbing down the electoral process

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 24, 2024
  • Instead of letting voters evaluate the merits of competing policies, political parties are steering us towards simplistic diversions and visceral reactions.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, U.S. Vice-president Kamala Harris, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, U.S. Vice-president Kamala Harris, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Political marketing machines intend to have voters react to ballot questions as consumers of celebrity, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and photographs courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

If NATO is not useful for democracy or to win wars, what purpose does it serve?

  • NATO may have lost all of its actual, on-the-ground wars, but armed with its scare tactics and access to top political decision-makers, it is
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 11, 2024
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Some argue that NATO is no more than a lobbyist for defence manufacturing based on its persistent pressure to squeeze out two per cent of the GDP of its 32 members, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

If NATO is not useful for democracy or to win wars, what purpose does it serve?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 11, 2024
  • NATO may have lost all of its actual, on-the-ground wars, but armed with its scare tactics and access to top political decision-makers, it is

If NATO is not useful for democracy or to win wars, what purpose does it serve?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 11, 2024
  • NATO may have lost all of its actual, on-the-ground wars, but armed with its scare tactics and access to top political decision-makers, it is
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Some argue that NATO is no more than a lobbyist for defence manufacturing based on its persistent pressure to squeeze out two per cent of the GDP of its 32 members, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Haiti needs home-grown bottom-up solutions, not top-down foreign interference

  • Many Canadian prime ministers have meddled in Haiti before, but this time, we’ve outsourced the solution to Kenyan soldiers.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 4, 2024
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau truly cared about the Haitian people, he would end the flawed Transitional Council, and replace it with a national reconciliation project, writes Bhagwant Sandhu.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Haiti needs home-grown bottom-up solutions, not top-down foreign interference

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 4, 2024
  • Many Canadian prime ministers have meddled in Haiti before, but this time, we’ve outsourced the solution to Kenyan soldiers.

Haiti needs home-grown bottom-up solutions, not top-down foreign interference

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 4, 2024
  • Many Canadian prime ministers have meddled in Haiti before, but this time, we’ve outsourced the solution to Kenyan soldiers.
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau truly cared about the Haitian people, he would end the flawed Transitional Council, and replace it with a national reconciliation project, writes Bhagwant Sandhu.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadians want authenticity in their political candidates

  • Political candidates who come across as caricatures fashioned by consultants and marketing machines will lose. Canadians are tired of it.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 26, 2024
The surprise win by Conservative Don Stewart in downtown Toronto likely suggests the party's on the right track to win the general election, as long as Leader Pierre Poilievre stays the course, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of X

Canadians want authenticity in their political candidates

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 26, 2024
  • Political candidates who come across as caricatures fashioned by consultants and marketing machines will lose. Canadians are tired of it.

Canadians want authenticity in their political candidates

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 26, 2024
  • Political candidates who come across as caricatures fashioned by consultants and marketing machines will lose. Canadians are tired of it.
The surprise win by Conservative Don Stewart in downtown Toronto likely suggests the party's on the right track to win the general election, as long as Leader Pierre Poilievre stays the course, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of X

G7 faces legitimacy crisis as new players gain influence

  • Trudeau can take the G7 to a new policy outlook, one which uses peace and diplomacy and makes NATO the tool of last resort,
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 20, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, holds a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Ottawa in April 2018. Stoltenberg was again in Ottawa on April 19. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

G7 faces legitimacy crisis as new players gain influence

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 20, 2024
  • Trudeau can take the G7 to a new policy outlook, one which uses peace and diplomacy and makes NATO the tool of last resort,

G7 faces legitimacy crisis as new players gain influence

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 20, 2024
  • Trudeau can take the G7 to a new policy outlook, one which uses peace and diplomacy and makes NATO the tool of last resort,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, holds a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Ottawa in April 2018. Stoltenberg was again in Ottawa on April 19. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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