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Monday, February 2, 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.

Poilievre’s next hurdle: winning broader support

  • Party faithful have affirmed their loyalty to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, but not corrected the deeper dilemma: can the populist conservatism he embodies expand
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 2, 2026
A resounding vote of confidence may offer comfort, but it still doesn’t bring the direction the Conservatives need to find their way back to power, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Amir Said

Poilievre’s next hurdle: winning broader support

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 2, 2026
  • Party faithful have affirmed their loyalty to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, but not corrected the deeper dilemma: can the populist conservatism he embodies expand

Poilievre’s next hurdle: winning broader support

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | February 2, 2026
  • Party faithful have affirmed their loyalty to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, but not corrected the deeper dilemma: can the populist conservatism he embodies expand
A resounding vote of confidence may offer comfort, but it still doesn’t bring the direction the Conservatives need to find their way back to power, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Amir Said

MPs face a choice this Parliament: play partisan games or meet the moment

  • As grocery bills soar and households struggle, Parliament’s return will reveal if politicians can produce real results—or remain trapped in procedure.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 26, 2026
This spring, parliamentarians will be tested as to whether they can rise above the news cycle and arrest the structural erosion of Canada’s welfare state, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

MPs face a choice this Parliament: play partisan games or meet the moment

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 26, 2026
  • As grocery bills soar and households struggle, Parliament’s return will reveal if politicians can produce real results—or remain trapped in procedure.

MPs face a choice this Parliament: play partisan games or meet the moment

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 26, 2026
  • As grocery bills soar and households struggle, Parliament’s return will reveal if politicians can produce real results—or remain trapped in procedure.
This spring, parliamentarians will be tested as to whether they can rise above the news cycle and arrest the structural erosion of Canada’s welfare state, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On China, Carney practices statecraft

  • The question in foreign affairs is not if diplomatic risk exists, but how it is managed. As the government balances that reality, the Conservative
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 14, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government deserves credit for adopting a more pragmatic approach. It has not gone unnoticed in Beijing, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On China, Carney practices statecraft

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 14, 2026
  • The question in foreign affairs is not if diplomatic risk exists, but how it is managed. As the government balances that reality, the Conservative

On China, Carney practices statecraft

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 14, 2026
  • The question in foreign affairs is not if diplomatic risk exists, but how it is managed. As the government balances that reality, the Conservative
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government deserves credit for adopting a more pragmatic approach. It has not gone unnoticed in Beijing, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Maduro, Trump, and the politics of timing

  • Canadian politicians were quick to weigh in on an illegal U.S. military action—but whose interests are they really serving?
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 8, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump’s anti-drug rationale for attacking Venezuela is not a legal premise but a moral narrative, historically deployed to sanitize illegal interventions in Latin America, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Maduro, Trump, and the politics of timing

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 8, 2026
  • Canadian politicians were quick to weigh in on an illegal U.S. military action—but whose interests are they really serving?

Maduro, Trump, and the politics of timing

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 8, 2026
  • Canadian politicians were quick to weigh in on an illegal U.S. military action—but whose interests are they really serving?
U.S. President Donald Trump’s anti-drug rationale for attacking Venezuela is not a legal premise but a moral narrative, historically deployed to sanitize illegal interventions in Latin America, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

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
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Greg Fergus and Parliament’s structural bind

  • In Parliament, decency has lost ground to indecency as the political parties vie to control the national discourse.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 22, 2024
Greg Fergus, the first Black Speaker of the House of Commons, had to jump through hypocritical hoops to prove his sincerity to his peers, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Greg Fergus and Parliament’s structural bind

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 22, 2024
  • In Parliament, decency has lost ground to indecency as the political parties vie to control the national discourse.

Greg Fergus and Parliament’s structural bind

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 22, 2024
  • In Parliament, decency has lost ground to indecency as the political parties vie to control the national discourse.
Greg Fergus, the first Black Speaker of the House of Commons, had to jump through hypocritical hoops to prove his sincerity to his peers, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On Israel, Justin Trudeau dances on the fence

  • On the surface it would seem as if Justin Trudeau has muddled his messaging on Israel. But perhaps there is merit to Pierre Poilievre's
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 17, 2024
Liberal MP Salma Zahid speaks to the press in December, 2023. Justin Trudeau's biggest critics on the Israel file are on his own team, and Zahid is one of them, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On Israel, Justin Trudeau dances on the fence

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 17, 2024
  • On the surface it would seem as if Justin Trudeau has muddled his messaging on Israel. But perhaps there is merit to Pierre Poilievre's

On Israel, Justin Trudeau dances on the fence

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 17, 2024
  • On the surface it would seem as if Justin Trudeau has muddled his messaging on Israel. But perhaps there is merit to Pierre Poilievre's
Liberal MP Salma Zahid speaks to the press in December, 2023. Justin Trudeau's biggest critics on the Israel file are on his own team, and Zahid is one of them, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why Justin Trudeau should employ pragmatic diplomacy

  • Pragmatic diplomacy is a first-rate diagnostic device. Used in concert with motivational factors, it can reveal options that are morally defensible and serve the
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 11, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has two options when it comes to Ukraine: uphold the illusion that ongoing war represents a victory for Ukraine; or, use pragmatic diplomacy, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why Justin Trudeau should employ pragmatic diplomacy

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 11, 2024
  • Pragmatic diplomacy is a first-rate diagnostic device. Used in concert with motivational factors, it can reveal options that are morally defensible and serve the

Why Justin Trudeau should employ pragmatic diplomacy

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 11, 2024
  • Pragmatic diplomacy is a first-rate diagnostic device. Used in concert with motivational factors, it can reveal options that are morally defensible and serve the
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has two options when it comes to Ukraine: uphold the illusion that ongoing war represents a victory for Ukraine; or, use pragmatic diplomacy, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Justin Trudeau’s 2023 foreign policy in review

  • Justin Trudeau’s foreign policy logic is pretzeled because it tries to balance the 'forever wars' mentality of the U.S. against our moral code of
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 28, 2023

Justin Trudeau’s 2023 foreign policy in review

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 28, 2023
  • Justin Trudeau’s foreign policy logic is pretzeled because it tries to balance the 'forever wars' mentality of the U.S. against our moral code of

Justin Trudeau’s 2023 foreign policy in review

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | December 28, 2023
  • Justin Trudeau’s foreign policy logic is pretzeled because it tries to balance the 'forever wars' mentality of the U.S. against our moral code of

Israel-Hamas is more complex than good versus evil

  • The immorality of apartheid, fascism, or Stalinism was defeated not because the ruling classes or managers of power saw the error of their ways.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 22, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly have looked to the Americans for moral guidance, going against the tide of world opinion and joining the U.S. to vote down UN General Assembly resolutions that denounced Israel’s belligerent behaviour. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Israel-Hamas is more complex than good versus evil

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 22, 2023
  • The immorality of apartheid, fascism, or Stalinism was defeated not because the ruling classes or managers of power saw the error of their ways.

Israel-Hamas is more complex than good versus evil

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 22, 2023
  • The immorality of apartheid, fascism, or Stalinism was defeated not because the ruling classes or managers of power saw the error of their ways.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly have looked to the Americans for moral guidance, going against the tide of world opinion and joining the U.S. to vote down UN General Assembly resolutions that denounced Israel’s belligerent behaviour. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau should not put geopolitics ahead of Canadians

  • Irrespective of the pulls of domestic politics or the pushes of foreign allies, Justin Trudeau's only priority should be the safe return of all
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 8, 2023
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is serious about making Canada an interlocutor of peace and diplomacy, he should use this time to gather academics, experts, and diaspora community members to build global goodwill, policy capacity, and programming which can be deployed once the war is over, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau should not put geopolitics ahead of Canadians

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 8, 2023
  • Irrespective of the pulls of domestic politics or the pushes of foreign allies, Justin Trudeau's only priority should be the safe return of all

Trudeau should not put geopolitics ahead of Canadians

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 8, 2023
  • Irrespective of the pulls of domestic politics or the pushes of foreign allies, Justin Trudeau's only priority should be the safe return of all
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is serious about making Canada an interlocutor of peace and diplomacy, he should use this time to gather academics, experts, and diaspora community members to build global goodwill, policy capacity, and programming which can be deployed once the war is over, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Joly unveils astute policy framework, but must bridge gaps between words and action

  • The framework stands on two planks: defending Canadian sovereignty, and using pragmatic diplomacy to prevent global conflicts.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 1, 2023
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly
Speaking at the Economic Club of Canada on Oct. 30, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly presented a detailed new foreign policy framework. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Joly unveils astute policy framework, but must bridge gaps between words and action

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 1, 2023
  • The framework stands on two planks: defending Canadian sovereignty, and using pragmatic diplomacy to prevent global conflicts.

Joly unveils astute policy framework, but must bridge gaps between words and action

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 1, 2023
  • The framework stands on two planks: defending Canadian sovereignty, and using pragmatic diplomacy to prevent global conflicts.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly
Speaking at the Economic Club of Canada on Oct. 30, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly presented a detailed new foreign policy framework. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Domestic political calculus shapes federal response to Israel-Hamas conflict

  • A review of statements by our politicians during previous Israel-Hamas conflicts shows they follow one steadfast script: 'We stand with Israel,' writes Bhagwant Sandhu.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 25, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. When it comes to their position on Israel-Hamas conflict, federal politicians of all stripes are far too busy picking sides in hopes of scooping up votes wherever they can, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Domestic political calculus shapes federal response to Israel-Hamas conflict

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 25, 2023
  • A review of statements by our politicians during previous Israel-Hamas conflicts shows they follow one steadfast script: 'We stand with Israel,' writes Bhagwant Sandhu.

Domestic political calculus shapes federal response to Israel-Hamas conflict

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 25, 2023
  • A review of statements by our politicians during previous Israel-Hamas conflicts shows they follow one steadfast script: 'We stand with Israel,' writes Bhagwant Sandhu.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. When it comes to their position on Israel-Hamas conflict, federal politicians of all stripes are far too busy picking sides in hopes of scooping up votes wherever they can, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Our foreign policy has turned into performative political theatre, and we’re worse off for it

  • Part of the problem is we have allowed our politicians to get way with abbreviating serious policy debates into simple wisecracks.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 19, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs' conference on Antisemitism on Oct. 17. Responding to the Israel-Hamas conflict, party leaders recite pre-scripted lines that follow a pattern of 'we stand with Israel' to 'we call on all parties to show restraint,' writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Our foreign policy has turned into performative political theatre, and we’re worse off for it

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 19, 2023
  • Part of the problem is we have allowed our politicians to get way with abbreviating serious policy debates into simple wisecracks.

Our foreign policy has turned into performative political theatre, and we’re worse off for it

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 19, 2023
  • Part of the problem is we have allowed our politicians to get way with abbreviating serious policy debates into simple wisecracks.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs' conference on Antisemitism on Oct. 17. Responding to the Israel-Hamas conflict, party leaders recite pre-scripted lines that follow a pattern of 'we stand with Israel' to 'we call on all parties to show restraint,' writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

As Trudeau hosts CARICOM, will he repeat mistakes of the past?

  • Justin Trudeau is at risk of repeating the mistakes of former prime minister Jean Chrétien when it comes to Haiti, relying on weapons to
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 12, 2023
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly wants 'to do more' on Haiti. That usually means humanitarian aid will rapidly follow the deployment of 1,000 armed Kenya-led soldiers to the beleaguered island. Since 2010, Canada has directed $1.87-billion in aid to Haiti. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

As Trudeau hosts CARICOM, will he repeat mistakes of the past?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 12, 2023
  • Justin Trudeau is at risk of repeating the mistakes of former prime minister Jean Chrétien when it comes to Haiti, relying on weapons to

As Trudeau hosts CARICOM, will he repeat mistakes of the past?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | October 12, 2023
  • Justin Trudeau is at risk of repeating the mistakes of former prime minister Jean Chrétien when it comes to Haiti, relying on weapons to
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly wants 'to do more' on Haiti. That usually means humanitarian aid will rapidly follow the deployment of 1,000 armed Kenya-led soldiers to the beleaguered island. Since 2010, Canada has directed $1.87-billion in aid to Haiti. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre failing to hold government accountable on Indian interference

  • On China, Poilievre was razor sharp. On India, he has yet to mention its prime minister by name.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 28, 2023
If Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wants to be politically astute, he can turn the heat high on the prime minister on India, as he did with China, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre failing to hold government accountable on Indian interference

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 28, 2023
  • On China, Poilievre was razor sharp. On India, he has yet to mention its prime minister by name.

Poilievre failing to hold government accountable on Indian interference

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 28, 2023
  • On China, Poilievre was razor sharp. On India, he has yet to mention its prime minister by name.
If Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wants to be politically astute, he can turn the heat high on the prime minister on India, as he did with China, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada can still be a force of global peace and prosperity if Trudeau changes his foreign policy

  • It is Justin Trudeau’s good fortune that our elections are not contested on foreign policy successes. But they could be on its failures.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 20, 2023
Instead of getting a grip on the changing nature of global politics, leaders like Justin Trudeau, pictured on Sept. 19, still view the Global South as a third-world abstraction to be used, not as a shrewd driver of its own domestic political interests and transnational agendas, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada can still be a force of global peace and prosperity if Trudeau changes his foreign policy

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 20, 2023
  • It is Justin Trudeau’s good fortune that our elections are not contested on foreign policy successes. But they could be on its failures.

Canada can still be a force of global peace and prosperity if Trudeau changes his foreign policy

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 20, 2023
  • It is Justin Trudeau’s good fortune that our elections are not contested on foreign policy successes. But they could be on its failures.
Instead of getting a grip on the changing nature of global politics, leaders like Justin Trudeau, pictured on Sept. 19, still view the Global South as a third-world abstraction to be used, not as a shrewd driver of its own domestic political interests and transnational agendas, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Embracing homophobia and transphobia is not a smart move for Poilievre

  • History shows us that politicians who fish for votes by sowing division don’t fare too well in the long run.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 11, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister for Women and Gender Equality Marci Ien, centre, raise Pride flags on Parliament Hill on June 8, 2023, surrounded by other MPs from different parties. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he missed the ceremony because he had been working late the night before. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Embracing homophobia and transphobia is not a smart move for Poilievre

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 11, 2023
  • History shows us that politicians who fish for votes by sowing division don’t fare too well in the long run.

Embracing homophobia and transphobia is not a smart move for Poilievre

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 11, 2023
  • History shows us that politicians who fish for votes by sowing division don’t fare too well in the long run.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister for Women and Gender Equality Marci Ien, centre, raise Pride flags on Parliament Hill on June 8, 2023, surrounded by other MPs from different parties. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he missed the ceremony because he had been working late the night before. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

For Pierre Poilievre, nastiness serves a strategic political purpose

  • Anger is Poilievre’s calling card. It got him elected, made him a cabinet minister, and won him the Conservative leadership.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 6, 2023
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has recently attempted to soften his image through a series of video advertisements. However, we can safely assume that the nastiness will continue, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

For Pierre Poilievre, nastiness serves a strategic political purpose

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 6, 2023
  • Anger is Poilievre’s calling card. It got him elected, made him a cabinet minister, and won him the Conservative leadership.

For Pierre Poilievre, nastiness serves a strategic political purpose

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | September 6, 2023
  • Anger is Poilievre’s calling card. It got him elected, made him a cabinet minister, and won him the Conservative leadership.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has recently attempted to soften his image through a series of video advertisements. However, we can safely assume that the nastiness will continue, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The economy isn’t broken, but things are changing and we have to keep up

  • To change the channel on Poilievre, Trudeau and his cabinet should show foresight and foreign policy realism, starting with scouting emerging markets for Canadian
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 16, 2023
It is odd that Justin Trudeau and his new cabinet, pictured in the background, is expected to crank up messaging on the economy when we already have one of the strongest economies in the G7, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The economy isn’t broken, but things are changing and we have to keep up

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 16, 2023
  • To change the channel on Poilievre, Trudeau and his cabinet should show foresight and foreign policy realism, starting with scouting emerging markets for Canadian

The economy isn’t broken, but things are changing and we have to keep up

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 16, 2023
  • To change the channel on Poilievre, Trudeau and his cabinet should show foresight and foreign policy realism, starting with scouting emerging markets for Canadian
It is odd that Justin Trudeau and his new cabinet, pictured in the background, is expected to crank up messaging on the economy when we already have one of the strongest economies in the G7, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Government policy doesn’t come from the public service. Should it?

  • It is mostly wealth and capital, not political parties, that steers policies of the modern state.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 2, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference on July 26, standing in front of his newly shuffled cabinet. Post-cabinet shuffle, bureaucrats will be preparing briefs for all the incoming ministers, but don't expect them to be providing policy direction, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Government policy doesn’t come from the public service. Should it?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 2, 2023
  • It is mostly wealth and capital, not political parties, that steers policies of the modern state.

Government policy doesn’t come from the public service. Should it?

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | August 2, 2023
  • It is mostly wealth and capital, not political parties, that steers policies of the modern state.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference on July 26, standing in front of his newly shuffled cabinet. Post-cabinet shuffle, bureaucrats will be preparing briefs for all the incoming ministers, but don't expect them to be providing policy direction, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The federal public service needs to adapt to a new political reality, and stat

  • Senior leadership should stop lamenting what was, and start adapting to what is, trading deference for critique and creativity; and old hierarchies for mission-driven
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 19, 2023
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier. Internally, the public service functions as a tightly-wound hierarchy. Externally, it's steered by the political power of the relevant minister and commands of the PMO, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The federal public service needs to adapt to a new political reality, and stat

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 19, 2023
  • Senior leadership should stop lamenting what was, and start adapting to what is, trading deference for critique and creativity; and old hierarchies for mission-driven

The federal public service needs to adapt to a new political reality, and stat

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 19, 2023
  • Senior leadership should stop lamenting what was, and start adapting to what is, trading deference for critique and creativity; and old hierarchies for mission-driven
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier. Internally, the public service functions as a tightly-wound hierarchy. Externally, it's steered by the political power of the relevant minister and commands of the PMO, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Without skin in the game, Trudeau won’t change policy direction on Ukraine—even if it’s not working

  • Those who like to prolong wars 'for as long as it takes' can only destroy things, not put them back together.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 10, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine. The war is stuck in a stalemate, but Trudeau has no reason to change course, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of the government of Ukraine

Without skin in the game, Trudeau won’t change policy direction on Ukraine—even if it’s not working

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 10, 2023
  • Those who like to prolong wars 'for as long as it takes' can only destroy things, not put them back together.

Without skin in the game, Trudeau won’t change policy direction on Ukraine—even if it’s not working

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 10, 2023
  • Those who like to prolong wars 'for as long as it takes' can only destroy things, not put them back together.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine. The war is stuck in a stalemate, but Trudeau has no reason to change course, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of the government of Ukraine

Why Maxime Bernier should be in Parliament

  • Ideologies that have potency on the periphery can be rendered lifeless once they are brought under investigation in the mainstream. Canada’s Green Party is
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 21, 2023
People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier is part of a far-right populism that is in serious decline, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why Maxime Bernier should be in Parliament

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 21, 2023
  • Ideologies that have potency on the periphery can be rendered lifeless once they are brought under investigation in the mainstream. Canada’s Green Party is

Why Maxime Bernier should be in Parliament

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 21, 2023
  • Ideologies that have potency on the periphery can be rendered lifeless once they are brought under investigation in the mainstream. Canada’s Green Party is
People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier is part of a far-right populism that is in serious decline, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

David Johnston rises above politics in delivering his foreign interference report

  • Justin Trudeau and his government can breathe a sigh of relief—for now—but foreign interference is not going away.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 24, 2023
Special Rapporteur David Johnston could have succumbed to political pressures and recommended a public inquiry. Instead, he gave his neutral, independent advice, despite the possibility this his good name would be dragged through the political mud, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

David Johnston rises above politics in delivering his foreign interference report

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 24, 2023
  • Justin Trudeau and his government can breathe a sigh of relief—for now—but foreign interference is not going away.

David Johnston rises above politics in delivering his foreign interference report

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 24, 2023
  • Justin Trudeau and his government can breathe a sigh of relief—for now—but foreign interference is not going away.
Special Rapporteur David Johnston could have succumbed to political pressures and recommended a public inquiry. Instead, he gave his neutral, independent advice, despite the possibility this his good name would be dragged through the political mud, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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