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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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Poilievre’s platform offers scant details on foreign policy positions

  • OTTAWA—The problem for Conservative leadership candidate front-runner Pierre Poilievre—once he takes over the party after the race results are in and gets set to
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 20, 2022
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre answers a question during the party's first leadership contest debate, held at the Canada Strong and Free Network’s conference in Ottawa on May 5, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s platform offers scant details on foreign policy positions

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The problem for Conservative leadership candidate front-runner Pierre Poilievre—once he takes over the party after the race results are in and gets set to

Poilievre’s platform offers scant details on foreign policy positions

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The problem for Conservative leadership candidate front-runner Pierre Poilievre—once he takes over the party after the race results are in and gets set to
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre answers a question during the party's first leadership contest debate, held at the Canada Strong and Free Network’s conference in Ottawa on May 5, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau must make foreign policy course correction for South America

  • Canadian prime ministers have always exhibited an intense idiosyncratic hostility towards left-leaning governments in South America –with the possible exception of Cuba. This has
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 8, 2022
The election of social-democratic governments across South America puts Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his foreign policy postures in a tight spot, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau must make foreign policy course correction for South America

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 8, 2022
  • Canadian prime ministers have always exhibited an intense idiosyncratic hostility towards left-leaning governments in South America –with the possible exception of Cuba. This has

Trudeau must make foreign policy course correction for South America

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 8, 2022
  • Canadian prime ministers have always exhibited an intense idiosyncratic hostility towards left-leaning governments in South America –with the possible exception of Cuba. This has
The election of social-democratic governments across South America puts Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his foreign policy postures in a tight spot, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Global Affairs review a golden opportunity to shift gears on Canada’s incoherent foreign policy

  • It’s good Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has launched an operational review of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to modernize her department’s culture and its cadre.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 16, 2022
Mélanie Joly is the fifth minister to oversee foreign affairs since the Liberals swept to power in 2015. The problem is not the rank and file, nor the departmental culture. It is the lack of political leadership and informed policy direction, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph Andrew Meade

Global Affairs review a golden opportunity to shift gears on Canada’s incoherent foreign policy

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 16, 2022
  • It’s good Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has launched an operational review of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to modernize her department’s culture and its cadre.

Global Affairs review a golden opportunity to shift gears on Canada’s incoherent foreign policy

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | June 16, 2022
  • It’s good Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has launched an operational review of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to modernize her department’s culture and its cadre.
Mélanie Joly is the fifth minister to oversee foreign affairs since the Liberals swept to power in 2015. The problem is not the rank and file, nor the departmental culture. It is the lack of political leadership and informed policy direction, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph Andrew Meade

Canada must push for peace in Ukraine

  • Where to next with Ukraine? If it were left to the ideological hawks, the answer would be more bombs, more death, more destruction. Three
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 12, 2022
On April 7, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said 'the world’s democracies—including our own—can be safe only once the Russian tyrant and his armies are entirely vanquished.' That's essentially urging for regime change in Russia, writes Bhagwant Sandhu, The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada must push for peace in Ukraine

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 12, 2022
  • Where to next with Ukraine? If it were left to the ideological hawks, the answer would be more bombs, more death, more destruction. Three

Canada must push for peace in Ukraine

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 12, 2022
  • Where to next with Ukraine? If it were left to the ideological hawks, the answer would be more bombs, more death, more destruction. Three
On April 7, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said 'the world’s democracies—including our own—can be safe only once the Russian tyrant and his armies are entirely vanquished.' That's essentially urging for regime change in Russia, writes Bhagwant Sandhu, The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Joly rightly called Canada a convener, and it’s time to put her words into action

  • Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is right. During a recent CTV appearance, she offered a deep political insight, noting that Canada is “a middle-sized
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 13, 2022
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly’s assessments are accurate: middle-sized powers should stay away from the geo-political games of the big guns, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Joly rightly called Canada a convener, and it’s time to put her words into action

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 13, 2022
  • Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is right. During a recent CTV appearance, she offered a deep political insight, noting that Canada is “a middle-sized

Joly rightly called Canada a convener, and it’s time to put her words into action

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | April 13, 2022
  • Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is right. During a recent CTV appearance, she offered a deep political insight, noting that Canada is “a middle-sized
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly’s assessments are accurate: middle-sized powers should stay away from the geo-political games of the big guns, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Spike in NATO member defence spending warrants closer look

  • For decades, Western powers have promised Ukrainians a lifelong insurance policy by signing up with NATO. Ukraine fell for it, though that membership never
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 17, 2022
Defence Minister Anita Anand says she is looking at 'aggressive options' to increase Canada's military spending to address a NATO request that allied nations spend a minimum of two per cent. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Spike in NATO member defence spending warrants closer look

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 17, 2022
  • For decades, Western powers have promised Ukrainians a lifelong insurance policy by signing up with NATO. Ukraine fell for it, though that membership never

Spike in NATO member defence spending warrants closer look

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 17, 2022
  • For decades, Western powers have promised Ukrainians a lifelong insurance policy by signing up with NATO. Ukraine fell for it, though that membership never
Defence Minister Anita Anand says she is looking at 'aggressive options' to increase Canada's military spending to address a NATO request that allied nations spend a minimum of two per cent. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada must take ethical stance to stop bloodshed in Yemen

  • Canada’s foreign policy is now tethered to what the Trudeau government calls a “rules-based order.” At first glance, this sounds sensible and morally satisfying:
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 2, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should cancel our shipments of combat machinery to Saudi Arabia. Unlike the Ukrainians under attack by Russia, the Yemenis offer no domestic political capital to our well-disposed politicians. Yemen, unfortunately, is on its own, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada must take ethical stance to stop bloodshed in Yemen

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 2, 2022
  • Canada’s foreign policy is now tethered to what the Trudeau government calls a “rules-based order.” At first glance, this sounds sensible and morally satisfying:

Canada must take ethical stance to stop bloodshed in Yemen

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 2, 2022
  • Canada’s foreign policy is now tethered to what the Trudeau government calls a “rules-based order.” At first glance, this sounds sensible and morally satisfying:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should cancel our shipments of combat machinery to Saudi Arabia. Unlike the Ukrainians under attack by Russia, the Yemenis offer no domestic political capital to our well-disposed politicians. Yemen, unfortunately, is on its own, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Domestic politics in play in Canada’s posturing on Ukraine and Russia

  • The hard part of any war effort is to get the public on side. It takes a well co-ordinated messaging strategy and speaking points.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 27, 2022
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly just spent a week in Ukraine meeting with the Ukrainian officials to demonstrate, as she put it, 'Canada’s unwavering solidarity in the ongoing crisis,' adding shortly thereafter that 'Canada’s position has not changed. We believe that Ukraine should be able to join NATO.' That last remark might have been an unintended slip, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Domestic politics in play in Canada’s posturing on Ukraine and Russia

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 27, 2022
  • The hard part of any war effort is to get the public on side. It takes a well co-ordinated messaging strategy and speaking points.

Domestic politics in play in Canada’s posturing on Ukraine and Russia

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 27, 2022
  • The hard part of any war effort is to get the public on side. It takes a well co-ordinated messaging strategy and speaking points.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly just spent a week in Ukraine meeting with the Ukrainian officials to demonstrate, as she put it, 'Canada’s unwavering solidarity in the ongoing crisis,' adding shortly thereafter that 'Canada’s position has not changed. We believe that Ukraine should be able to join NATO.' That last remark might have been an unintended slip, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau should proceed with caution on Indo-Pacific policy project

  • Historically Canada has been seen by the world as an independent, peaceful country with no known enemies and a cultural identity affixed to the
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 19, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured with Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, and Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge, right, on Dec. 8, 2021, to announce the government’s diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games. Trudeau should mandate Joly to normalize relations with China as a priority, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau should proceed with caution on Indo-Pacific policy project

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 19, 2022
  • Historically Canada has been seen by the world as an independent, peaceful country with no known enemies and a cultural identity affixed to the

Trudeau should proceed with caution on Indo-Pacific policy project

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | January 19, 2022
  • Historically Canada has been seen by the world as an independent, peaceful country with no known enemies and a cultural identity affixed to the
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured with Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, and Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge, right, on Dec. 8, 2021, to announce the government’s diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games. Trudeau should mandate Joly to normalize relations with China as a priority, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Joly can prove critics wrong, rebrand Canada, and make her mark on foreign policy

  • The recent appointment of Mélanie Joly as Canada’s latest foreign affairs minister has been derided and ridiculed by many commentators. This is not fair.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 10, 2021
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, pictured leaving a Liberal caucus meeting Nov. 8, is the fifth minister to hold the foreign affairs portfolio in the six years prime minister Justin Trudeau has been in power. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Joly can prove critics wrong, rebrand Canada, and make her mark on foreign policy

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 10, 2021
  • The recent appointment of Mélanie Joly as Canada’s latest foreign affairs minister has been derided and ridiculed by many commentators. This is not fair.

Joly can prove critics wrong, rebrand Canada, and make her mark on foreign policy

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | November 10, 2021
  • The recent appointment of Mélanie Joly as Canada’s latest foreign affairs minister has been derided and ridiculed by many commentators. This is not fair.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, pictured leaving a Liberal caucus meeting Nov. 8, is the fifth minister to hold the foreign affairs portfolio in the six years prime minister Justin Trudeau has been in power. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Moïse assassination calls for renewed Canadian regionally-rooted, multilateral approach in Haiti

  • For many Haiti watchers, the news of the assassination of president Jovenel Moïse came as a sudden shock. It did not come as a  surprise.
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 14, 2021
Haitian President Jovenel Moise, pictured in Port au Prince on Feb. 7, 2017, after being sworn in as the 58th president of Haiti. Canada, unfortunately, remains a steadfast supporter of Haiti’s political status quo, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Moïse assassination calls for renewed Canadian regionally-rooted, multilateral approach in Haiti

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 14, 2021
  • For many Haiti watchers, the news of the assassination of president Jovenel Moïse came as a sudden shock. It did not come as a  surprise.

Moïse assassination calls for renewed Canadian regionally-rooted, multilateral approach in Haiti

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | July 14, 2021
  • For many Haiti watchers, the news of the assassination of president Jovenel Moïse came as a sudden shock. It did not come as a  surprise.
Haitian President Jovenel Moise, pictured in Port au Prince on Feb. 7, 2017, after being sworn in as the 58th president of Haiti. Canada, unfortunately, remains a steadfast supporter of Haiti’s political status quo, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Trudeau should continue steady-as-she-goes style and demeanour with China

  • OTTAWA—Tit-for-tat is a well-established strategy in game theory. It is known to produce win-win scenarios when at least one player decides to favour cooperation
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 13, 2021
Justin Trudeau, pictured April 22, 2021, taking part in the leaders' summit on climate change, should recruit U.S. President Joe Biden into the mix also. Unlike his predecessor, Biden sees China more of a competitive threat to American trade and commerce, not as a political risk to American hegemony, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

Trudeau should continue steady-as-she-goes style and demeanour with China

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 13, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Tit-for-tat is a well-established strategy in game theory. It is known to produce win-win scenarios when at least one player decides to favour cooperation

Trudeau should continue steady-as-she-goes style and demeanour with China

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | May 13, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Tit-for-tat is a well-established strategy in game theory. It is known to produce win-win scenarios when at least one player decides to favour cooperation
Justin Trudeau, pictured April 22, 2021, taking part in the leaders' summit on climate change, should recruit U.S. President Joe Biden into the mix also. Unlike his predecessor, Biden sees China more of a competitive threat to American trade and commerce, not as a political risk to American hegemony, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

Canada needs to take a real hard look at its foreign policy, and reset it

  • From rejoining the Paris Climate Accord to rapprochement with Iran and China, the Biden administration appears to be actively resetting the U.S. government’s foreign
Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 22, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured March 5, 2021, should task Bob Rae, the Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, with resolving Canada’s apparent foreign policy contradictions as a top priority, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada needs to take a real hard look at its foreign policy, and reset it

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 22, 2021
  • From rejoining the Paris Climate Accord to rapprochement with Iran and China, the Biden administration appears to be actively resetting the U.S. government’s foreign

Canada needs to take a real hard look at its foreign policy, and reset it

Opinion | BY BHAGWANT SANDHU | March 22, 2021
  • From rejoining the Paris Climate Accord to rapprochement with Iran and China, the Biden administration appears to be actively resetting the U.S. government’s foreign
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured March 5, 2021, should task Bob Rae, the Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, with resolving Canada’s apparent foreign policy contradictions as a top priority, writes Bhagwant Sandhu. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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