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Douglas Roche

McPhedran, May, McPherson, Davies defy government, attend UN meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

  • Senator Marilou McPhedran will use her experience to engage her Senate colleagues in special dialogues. Green Leader Elizabeth May says she’s 'more committed than ever to
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 4, 2023
Non-affiliated Senator Marilou McPhedran, left, Jennifer Simons, president of The Simons Foundation, NDP MP Don Davies, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, and NDP MP Heather McPherson at the UN in New York City last week. Photograph courtesy of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

McPhedran, May, McPherson, Davies defy government, attend UN meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 4, 2023
  • Senator Marilou McPhedran will use her experience to engage her Senate colleagues in special dialogues. Green Leader Elizabeth May says she’s 'more committed than ever to

McPhedran, May, McPherson, Davies defy government, attend UN meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 4, 2023
  • Senator Marilou McPhedran will use her experience to engage her Senate colleagues in special dialogues. Green Leader Elizabeth May says she’s 'more committed than ever to
Non-affiliated Senator Marilou McPhedran, left, Jennifer Simons, president of The Simons Foundation, NDP MP Don Davies, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, and NDP MP Heather McPherson at the UN in New York City last week. Photograph courtesy of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

As John F. Kennedy famously said in his inaugural speech, we should never negotiate out of fear, and never fear to negotiate

  • Jeffrey Sachs, the renowned senior UN adviser and author, said the key lesson that we can learn from Kennedy 'is to fashion the future
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 16, 2023
U.S. president John F. Kennedy, pictured in 1962, throwing the season's first pitch at the baseball stadium in Washington, D.C. Kennedy was shot on Nov. 22, 1963. On the 60th anniversary of his assassination, Kennedy's greatest lesson—that humanity can build a world of peace—is lost amid the flotsam of today's political wreckage. Photograph courtesy of the U.S. National Archives via Picryl.com

As John F. Kennedy famously said in his inaugural speech, we should never negotiate out of fear, and never fear to negotiate

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 16, 2023
  • Jeffrey Sachs, the renowned senior UN adviser and author, said the key lesson that we can learn from Kennedy 'is to fashion the future

As John F. Kennedy famously said in his inaugural speech, we should never negotiate out of fear, and never fear to negotiate

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 16, 2023
  • Jeffrey Sachs, the renowned senior UN adviser and author, said the key lesson that we can learn from Kennedy 'is to fashion the future
U.S. president John F. Kennedy, pictured in 1962, throwing the season's first pitch at the baseball stadium in Washington, D.C. Kennedy was shot on Nov. 22, 1963. On the 60th anniversary of his assassination, Kennedy's greatest lesson—that humanity can build a world of peace—is lost amid the flotsam of today's political wreckage. Photograph courtesy of the U.S. National Archives via Picryl.com

Darkness of violence must not kill hopes for peace

  • Escalating global conflict in Israel and Gaza raises the question of whether 'our world is becoming unhinged,' to use the phrase of the beleaguered
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 9, 2023
UN Secretary-General António Guterres tweeted on Oct. 9: 'It’s time to end the vicious circle of bloodshed, hatred & polarization in the Middle East. Israel must see its legitimate needs for security materialized, and Palestinians must see a clear perspective for the establishment of their own state realized.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Darkness of violence must not kill hopes for peace

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 9, 2023
  • Escalating global conflict in Israel and Gaza raises the question of whether 'our world is becoming unhinged,' to use the phrase of the beleaguered

Darkness of violence must not kill hopes for peace

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 9, 2023
  • Escalating global conflict in Israel and Gaza raises the question of whether 'our world is becoming unhinged,' to use the phrase of the beleaguered
UN Secretary-General António Guterres tweeted on Oct. 9: 'It’s time to end the vicious circle of bloodshed, hatred & polarization in the Middle East. Israel must see its legitimate needs for security materialized, and Palestinians must see a clear perspective for the establishment of their own state realized.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Guterres’ new agenda for peace ignored by most big media

  • It is sad that the UN chief cannot be heard over the clatter of ongoing war. The pressure to send more arms to Ukraine
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 31, 2023
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres published his 'New Agenda for Peace' on July 20, laying out a route for stronger world co-operation. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Guterres’ new agenda for peace ignored by most big media

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 31, 2023
  • It is sad that the UN chief cannot be heard over the clatter of ongoing war. The pressure to send more arms to Ukraine

Guterres’ new agenda for peace ignored by most big media

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 31, 2023
  • It is sad that the UN chief cannot be heard over the clatter of ongoing war. The pressure to send more arms to Ukraine
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres published his 'New Agenda for Peace' on July 20, laying out a route for stronger world co-operation. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Guterres has a good pencil, but NATO has a big hammer

  • Peace in the world is larger than NATO’s vision. The UN’s forthcoming 'New Agenda for Peace' will show it's a multi-agenda issue linking sustainable
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 17, 2023
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, pictured in 2018, is preparing 'A New Agenda for Peace.' The issue of peace in the world is far larger than NATO’s vision, it's a multi-agenda issue, writes Douglas Roche. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Guterres has a good pencil, but NATO has a big hammer

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 17, 2023
  • Peace in the world is larger than NATO’s vision. The UN’s forthcoming 'New Agenda for Peace' will show it's a multi-agenda issue linking sustainable

Guterres has a good pencil, but NATO has a big hammer

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 17, 2023
  • Peace in the world is larger than NATO’s vision. The UN’s forthcoming 'New Agenda for Peace' will show it's a multi-agenda issue linking sustainable
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, pictured in 2018, is preparing 'A New Agenda for Peace.' The issue of peace in the world is far larger than NATO’s vision, it's a multi-agenda issue, writes Douglas Roche. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

At 100 years old, Kissinger pushes back against demonizing China

  • When The Economist recently asked Henry Kissinger his thoughts on China’s global role today, he said he wants a permanent dialogue between the U.S. and
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 19, 2023
Former U.S. national security adviser Henry Kissinger calls for 'reason' to prevail in making a world order out of present chaos. 'I found it revelatory that the man who always put power over morality is now talking in ways that, while he doesn’t say so explicitly, point to a common security agenda to ensure common survival," writes Douglas Roche. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

At 100 years old, Kissinger pushes back against demonizing China

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 19, 2023
  • When The Economist recently asked Henry Kissinger his thoughts on China’s global role today, he said he wants a permanent dialogue between the U.S. and

At 100 years old, Kissinger pushes back against demonizing China

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 19, 2023
  • When The Economist recently asked Henry Kissinger his thoughts on China’s global role today, he said he wants a permanent dialogue between the U.S. and
Former U.S. national security adviser Henry Kissinger calls for 'reason' to prevail in making a world order out of present chaos. 'I found it revelatory that the man who always put power over morality is now talking in ways that, while he doesn’t say so explicitly, point to a common security agenda to ensure common survival," writes Douglas Roche. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The nuclear threat is real

  • Canadian policy on nuclear disarmament can be summed up in one word: ambiguity. It’s not a pretty word, nor is it a pretty sight
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | May 25, 2023
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured May 9, 2023. Even though the prime minister has said publicly that Canada would remain engaged in nuclear disarmament discussions 'in all multilateral fora,' it appears that Joly did not get the message, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The nuclear threat is real

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | May 25, 2023
  • Canadian policy on nuclear disarmament can be summed up in one word: ambiguity. It’s not a pretty word, nor is it a pretty sight

The nuclear threat is real

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | May 25, 2023
  • Canadian policy on nuclear disarmament can be summed up in one word: ambiguity. It’s not a pretty word, nor is it a pretty sight
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured May 9, 2023. Even though the prime minister has said publicly that Canada would remain engaged in nuclear disarmament discussions 'in all multilateral fora,' it appears that Joly did not get the message, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau is right to resist defence lobby’s call for more military spending

  • NATO doesn’t do holistic peace. Always demanding more money for arms, it intimidates its own members.
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 20, 2023
It's not easy for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to challenge the military-industrial complex, which drives U.S. policy, which in turn, drives NATO. He deserves credit, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau is right to resist defence lobby’s call for more military spending

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 20, 2023
  • NATO doesn’t do holistic peace. Always demanding more money for arms, it intimidates its own members.

Trudeau is right to resist defence lobby’s call for more military spending

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 20, 2023
  • NATO doesn’t do holistic peace. Always demanding more money for arms, it intimidates its own members.
It's not easy for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to challenge the military-industrial complex, which drives U.S. policy, which in turn, drives NATO. He deserves credit, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Pope Francis focuses his remaining energies on Ukraine battlefield

  • Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time.
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 13, 2023
On March 13, Pope Francis will observe the 10th anniversary of his election to the papacy. In that decade, he has reached outward to a fractured world and inward to a fractured church. Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time. Photograph courtesy Flickr/Commons Wikimedia

Pope Francis focuses his remaining energies on Ukraine battlefield

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 13, 2023
  • Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time.

Pope Francis focuses his remaining energies on Ukraine battlefield

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 13, 2023
  • Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time.
On March 13, Pope Francis will observe the 10th anniversary of his election to the papacy. In that decade, he has reached outward to a fractured world and inward to a fractured church. Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time. Photograph courtesy Flickr/Commons Wikimedia

Canada quiet as Ukraine war inches Doomsday Clock closer to midnight

  • With the risk of nuclear weapons being used in the war, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says the globe has entered ‘a time
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 30, 2023
Mélanie Joly
Mélanie Joly
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly speaks with reporters in June 2022. A Global Affairs response to the extreme warning Doomsday Clock tightening to 90 seconds to midnight is just business-as-usual for Canada, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada quiet as Ukraine war inches Doomsday Clock closer to midnight

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 30, 2023
  • With the risk of nuclear weapons being used in the war, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says the globe has entered ‘a time

Canada quiet as Ukraine war inches Doomsday Clock closer to midnight

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 30, 2023
  • With the risk of nuclear weapons being used in the war, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says the globe has entered ‘a time
Mélanie Joly
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly speaks with reporters in June 2022. A Global Affairs response to the extreme warning Doomsday Clock tightening to 90 seconds to midnight is just business-as-usual for Canada, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ purchase of F-35s indicates Canada has given up on peace-building as best route to global security

  • It’s now clear for all to see that militarism has taken over Canada’s foreign policy.
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 16, 2023
Defence Minister Anita Anand announced on Jan. 9 that the government had finalized its deal to replace the Air Force's again fleet of CF-18 fighter jets with 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets. It's estimated to cost $19-billion, but will cost about $70-billion for the entire lifecycle of the jets. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ purchase of F-35s indicates Canada has given up on peace-building as best route to global security

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 16, 2023
  • It’s now clear for all to see that militarism has taken over Canada’s foreign policy.

Feds’ purchase of F-35s indicates Canada has given up on peace-building as best route to global security

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 16, 2023
  • It’s now clear for all to see that militarism has taken over Canada’s foreign policy.
Defence Minister Anita Anand announced on Jan. 9 that the government had finalized its deal to replace the Air Force's again fleet of CF-18 fighter jets with 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets. It's estimated to cost $19-billion, but will cost about $70-billion for the entire lifecycle of the jets. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A path to peace in a time of polycrisis

  • The age of common security, or at least the recognition that no one nation can achieve security at the expense of neighbours, has arrived.
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 15, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Defence Minister Anita Anand, right, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, left, and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland leave a media availability in West Block on Jan. 26, 2022. Changing our attitude to reject militarism would enable Canada to adopt a more holistic approach in pursuing a just peace, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A path to peace in a time of polycrisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 15, 2022
  • The age of common security, or at least the recognition that no one nation can achieve security at the expense of neighbours, has arrived.

A path to peace in a time of polycrisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 15, 2022
  • The age of common security, or at least the recognition that no one nation can achieve security at the expense of neighbours, has arrived.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Defence Minister Anita Anand, right, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, left, and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland leave a media availability in West Block on Jan. 26, 2022. Changing our attitude to reject militarism would enable Canada to adopt a more holistic approach in pursuing a just peace, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Peace movement in Canada has a new leader, it’s Cesar Jaramillo

  • Cesar Jaramillo has reached a critical point in his career. His effectiveness as a peace advocate will be judged by how well he finesses
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 31, 2022
Cesar Jaramillo, a 45-year-old political refugee from Colombia, last week guided a high-powered policy conference on new ways to build global security out of the Ukraine war. Photograph courtesy of Douglas Roche

Peace movement in Canada has a new leader, it’s Cesar Jaramillo

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 31, 2022
  • Cesar Jaramillo has reached a critical point in his career. His effectiveness as a peace advocate will be judged by how well he finesses

Peace movement in Canada has a new leader, it’s Cesar Jaramillo

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 31, 2022
  • Cesar Jaramillo has reached a critical point in his career. His effectiveness as a peace advocate will be judged by how well he finesses
Cesar Jaramillo, a 45-year-old political refugee from Colombia, last week guided a high-powered policy conference on new ways to build global security out of the Ukraine war. Photograph courtesy of Douglas Roche

The world doesn’t want another Cuban Missile Crisis

  • EDMONTON—The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 12, 2022
The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago this month, in which, for 13 days, humanity stood on the brink of World War III. The crisis passed because U.S. president John F. Kennedy, left, and Soviet Union president Nikita Khrushchev, right, engaged in crisis diplomacy and negotiated a solution to the problem of the Soviets installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The world doesn’t want another Cuban Missile Crisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 12, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago

The world doesn’t want another Cuban Missile Crisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 12, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago
The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago this month, in which, for 13 days, humanity stood on the brink of World War III. The crisis passed because U.S. president John F. Kennedy, left, and Soviet Union president Nikita Khrushchev, right, engaged in crisis diplomacy and negotiated a solution to the problem of the Soviets installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canada needs to give more support to UN’s new Agenda for Peace

  • EDMONTON—If good speeches at the UN—which fill the air this week at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate—could save the world, we’d all
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 22, 2022
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is currently preparing a paper, 'A New Agenda for Peace,' which will be published next year as part of the run-up to the UN Summit for the Future in 2024. Give the man credit for at least trying to build an agenda that prevents future wars, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Canada needs to give more support to UN’s new Agenda for Peace

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 22, 2022
  • EDMONTON—If good speeches at the UN—which fill the air this week at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate—could save the world, we’d all

Canada needs to give more support to UN’s new Agenda for Peace

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 22, 2022
  • EDMONTON—If good speeches at the UN—which fill the air this week at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate—could save the world, we’d all
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is currently preparing a paper, 'A New Agenda for Peace,' which will be published next year as part of the run-up to the UN Summit for the Future in 2024. Give the man credit for at least trying to build an agenda that prevents future wars, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

The ugly truth about nuclear disarmament

  • EDMONTON—”The ugly truth, no matter how we wrap it, is that all nine nuclear weapon states have no intention to disarm; quite the contrary,
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 5, 2022
The Western states blamed Russia and Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine for the failed Non-Proliferation Treaty conference. Yet to leave the matter squarely on the doorstep of Russia would be a gross distortion. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The ugly truth about nuclear disarmament

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 5, 2022
  • EDMONTON—”The ugly truth, no matter how we wrap it, is that all nine nuclear weapon states have no intention to disarm; quite the contrary,

The ugly truth about nuclear disarmament

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 5, 2022
  • EDMONTON—”The ugly truth, no matter how we wrap it, is that all nine nuclear weapon states have no intention to disarm; quite the contrary,
The Western states blamed Russia and Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine for the failed Non-Proliferation Treaty conference. Yet to leave the matter squarely on the doorstep of Russia would be a gross distortion. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Influx of women into nuclear disarmament gives us hope, unless they work for a NATO country

  • EDMONTON—At 10 a.m. on Aug. 4, the fourth day of the month-long Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton stepped to the
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | August 10, 2022
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, Defence Minister Anita Anand, and Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton. Despite the enormous danger to the world from the aggressive nuclear modernization programs of the nuclear powers, who intend to spend billions of dollars to retain their nuclear arsenals for the rest of this century, the Canadian government still refuses to support comprehensive, time-bound negotiations for the elimination of nuclear weapons, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and courtesy Flickr, and Commons Wikimedia

Influx of women into nuclear disarmament gives us hope, unless they work for a NATO country

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | August 10, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At 10 a.m. on Aug. 4, the fourth day of the month-long Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton stepped to the

Influx of women into nuclear disarmament gives us hope, unless they work for a NATO country

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | August 10, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At 10 a.m. on Aug. 4, the fourth day of the month-long Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton stepped to the
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, Defence Minister Anita Anand, and Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton. Despite the enormous danger to the world from the aggressive nuclear modernization programs of the nuclear powers, who intend to spend billions of dollars to retain their nuclear arsenals for the rest of this century, the Canadian government still refuses to support comprehensive, time-bound negotiations for the elimination of nuclear weapons, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and courtesy Flickr, and Commons Wikimedia

World’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty is on the verge of collapse

  • EDMONTON—Joe Biden is ineffectual. Vladimir Putin is demented. Donald Trump is ubiquitous. Antonio Guterres is invisible. Jens Stoltenberg reigns. Political leadership in the world
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 18, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured May 30, in Ottawa. Does anybody care that the world’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty—the one designed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons around the world—is on the verge of collapse, writes Douglas Roche.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

World’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty is on the verge of collapse

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 18, 2022
  • EDMONTON—Joe Biden is ineffectual. Vladimir Putin is demented. Donald Trump is ubiquitous. Antonio Guterres is invisible. Jens Stoltenberg reigns. Political leadership in the world

World’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty is on the verge of collapse

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 18, 2022
  • EDMONTON—Joe Biden is ineffectual. Vladimir Putin is demented. Donald Trump is ubiquitous. Antonio Guterres is invisible. Jens Stoltenberg reigns. Political leadership in the world
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured May 30, in Ottawa. Does anybody care that the world’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty—the one designed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons around the world—is on the verge of collapse, writes Douglas Roche.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s absence at nuclear prohibition treaty meeting a disappointment

  • EDMONTON—Sadness best describes my feelings about Canada not showing up at the first meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 27, 2022
Canadian Senator Marilou McPhedran, and two interns, Rooj Ali, left, and Sarah Rohleder, protested against the absence of Canada at the first meeting of the states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna June 21-23. The Hill Times photograph by Douglas Roche

Canada’s absence at nuclear prohibition treaty meeting a disappointment

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 27, 2022
  • EDMONTON—Sadness best describes my feelings about Canada not showing up at the first meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of

Canada’s absence at nuclear prohibition treaty meeting a disappointment

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 27, 2022
  • EDMONTON—Sadness best describes my feelings about Canada not showing up at the first meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of
Canadian Senator Marilou McPhedran, and two interns, Rooj Ali, left, and Sarah Rohleder, protested against the absence of Canada at the first meeting of the states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna June 21-23. The Hill Times photograph by Douglas Roche

The United Nations can help us get through these dark days

  • EDMONTON—The Russian war in Ukraine is bogged down and no one knows how it will end. The West is dispirited, frantically pouring billions of
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 9, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured May 9, 2022, at the 2022 Victory Parade in Red Square, Moscow, to mark the 77th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. On March 2, 2022, the UN General Assembly, by a vote of 141-5-35, adopted a resolution demanding the Russian Federation immediately end its invasion of Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces. The vote condemning Russian aggression clearly showed Russia's isolation from the rest of the international community. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The United Nations can help us get through these dark days

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 9, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The Russian war in Ukraine is bogged down and no one knows how it will end. The West is dispirited, frantically pouring billions of

The United Nations can help us get through these dark days

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 9, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The Russian war in Ukraine is bogged down and no one knows how it will end. The West is dispirited, frantically pouring billions of
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured May 9, 2022, at the 2022 Victory Parade in Red Square, Moscow, to mark the 77th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. On March 2, 2022, the UN General Assembly, by a vote of 141-5-35, adopted a resolution demanding the Russian Federation immediately end its invasion of Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces. The vote condemning Russian aggression clearly showed Russia's isolation from the rest of the international community. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

UN faces biggest crisis in its history due to political impotence of Secretary General Guterres

  • EDMONTON—At 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, 1962, the eighth day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, acting secretary-general U Thant sent an urgent message to
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 25, 2022
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, pictured, should step up his leadership on the crisis in the Ukraine war, writes Doug Roche. ‘It takes a strong leader to overcome the intimidation tactics of Washington and Moscow. Guterres is not that leader. However, the moral power of the entire UN is of greater consequence than the characteristics of any secretary general.’ Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

UN faces biggest crisis in its history due to political impotence of Secretary General Guterres

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 25, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, 1962, the eighth day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, acting secretary-general U Thant sent an urgent message to

UN faces biggest crisis in its history due to political impotence of Secretary General Guterres

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 25, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, 1962, the eighth day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, acting secretary-general U Thant sent an urgent message to
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, pictured, should step up his leadership on the crisis in the Ukraine war, writes Doug Roche. ‘It takes a strong leader to overcome the intimidation tactics of Washington and Moscow. Guterres is not that leader. However, the moral power of the entire UN is of greater consequence than the characteristics of any secretary general.’ Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Canada’s middle power diplomacy is far from ‘errant nonsense’

  • EDMONTON—In calling Mélanie Joly “a disgrace,” because she stood up for the vigorous exercise of Canadian diplomacy, Andrew Caddell has attacked not only the
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 30, 2022
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has said Canada is not a nuclear power, but a middle power that is good at convening, fostering diplomacy, and influencing other countries to act in the interest of peace. The Hill Times Photograph by Sam Garcia

Canada’s middle power diplomacy is far from ‘errant nonsense’

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 30, 2022
  • EDMONTON—In calling Mélanie Joly “a disgrace,” because she stood up for the vigorous exercise of Canadian diplomacy, Andrew Caddell has attacked not only the

Canada’s middle power diplomacy is far from ‘errant nonsense’

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 30, 2022
  • EDMONTON—In calling Mélanie Joly “a disgrace,” because she stood up for the vigorous exercise of Canadian diplomacy, Andrew Caddell has attacked not only the
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has said Canada is not a nuclear power, but a middle power that is good at convening, fostering diplomacy, and influencing other countries to act in the interest of peace. The Hill Times Photograph by Sam Garcia

War in Ukraine has placed the West at a crossroads: pursue war or peace?

  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 18, 2022
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, at Ādaži Military Base together with the President of Latvia Egils Levits, left, Canada's Minister of Defence Anita Anand and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 8, 2022. Stoltenberg is calling for 'major investments' from NATO partners as it draws up plans for a significantly larger long-term deployment of Western forces in Eastern Europe. Photograph courtesy of NATO/Flickr

War in Ukraine has placed the West at a crossroads: pursue war or peace?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 18, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister

War in Ukraine has placed the West at a crossroads: pursue war or peace?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 18, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, at Ādaži Military Base together with the President of Latvia Egils Levits, left, Canada's Minister of Defence Anita Anand and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 8, 2022. Stoltenberg is calling for 'major investments' from NATO partners as it draws up plans for a significantly larger long-term deployment of Western forces in Eastern Europe. Photograph courtesy of NATO/Flickr

Ukraine has brought us to another crossroads for humanity

  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 17, 2022
Defence Minister Anita Anand, pictured Feb. 22, 2022, at a press conference on the Hill. It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Anand, reeling from the demands of the Ukraine war, is openly campaigning for more money and will present 'aggressive options' to cabinet, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ukraine has brought us to another crossroads for humanity

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 17, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister

Ukraine has brought us to another crossroads for humanity

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 17, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister
Defence Minister Anita Anand, pictured Feb. 22, 2022, at a press conference on the Hill. It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Anand, reeling from the demands of the Ukraine war, is openly campaigning for more money and will present 'aggressive options' to cabinet, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be outlawed now

  • EDMONTON—It’s no longer postponable. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 7, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured Jan. 10, 2022. Far from closing down the little that remains of nuclear disarmament agreements because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this seminal moment in the history of the 21st century must be seized, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be outlawed now

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 7, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s no longer postponable. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be

Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be outlawed now

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 7, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s no longer postponable. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured Jan. 10, 2022. Far from closing down the little that remains of nuclear disarmament agreements because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this seminal moment in the history of the 21st century must be seized, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Magnitude of Ukraine crisis cannot be overstated, and the international system is marked by chaos

  • EDMONTON—At first, I didn’t want to write about the possibility of the Ukraine crisis escalating into nuclear warfare. I have written for many years
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 28, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured. The Russian president is displaying all the hallmarks of unleashed grievance. You don’t have to be a psychiatrist to see a tormented mind giving orders for full attack if he is thwarted from taking over Ukraine, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Magnitude of Ukraine crisis cannot be overstated, and the international system is marked by chaos

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 28, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At first, I didn’t want to write about the possibility of the Ukraine crisis escalating into nuclear warfare. I have written for many years

Magnitude of Ukraine crisis cannot be overstated, and the international system is marked by chaos

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 28, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At first, I didn’t want to write about the possibility of the Ukraine crisis escalating into nuclear warfare. I have written for many years
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured. The Russian president is displaying all the hallmarks of unleashed grievance. You don’t have to be a psychiatrist to see a tormented mind giving orders for full attack if he is thwarted from taking over Ukraine, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ottawa Declaration hits sensitive nerve inside federal government

  • EDMONTON—The Ottawa Declaration, a new document calling on Canada to begin the process of joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 11, 2022
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured Feb. 8, 2022, on the Hill. The Prohibition Treaty is already having an effect on world politics. Recently, the five major nuclear weapons states—the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and China—issued a joint statement reaffirming that 'a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,' writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ottawa Declaration hits sensitive nerve inside federal government

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 11, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The Ottawa Declaration, a new document calling on Canada to begin the process of joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and

Ottawa Declaration hits sensitive nerve inside federal government

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 11, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The Ottawa Declaration, a new document calling on Canada to begin the process of joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured Feb. 8, 2022, on the Hill. The Prohibition Treaty is already having an effect on world politics. Recently, the five major nuclear weapons states—the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and China—issued a joint statement reaffirming that 'a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,' writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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World cooperation is more necessary now than ever before, and Parliament needs to come together

  • EDMONTON—World problems centring around COVID-19, climate change, nuclear weapons, and inequalities pose immense challenges to political systems everywhere. The well-being of all humanity is
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 22, 2021
Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, left, Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, NDP MP Heather McPherson, and Green MP Elizabeth May all signed Doug Roche's statement of principle. He sent the statement to five Members of Parliament from five different parties, and noted that if they signed, there would be no implication they were speaking for their party, just exercising their right as a Member of Parliament to express views. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Sam Garcia and courtesy of Flickr

World cooperation is more necessary now than ever before, and Parliament needs to come together

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 22, 2021
  • EDMONTON—World problems centring around COVID-19, climate change, nuclear weapons, and inequalities pose immense challenges to political systems everywhere. The well-being of all humanity is

World cooperation is more necessary now than ever before, and Parliament needs to come together

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 22, 2021
  • EDMONTON—World problems centring around COVID-19, climate change, nuclear weapons, and inequalities pose immense challenges to political systems everywhere. The well-being of all humanity is
Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, left, Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, NDP MP Heather McPherson, and Green MP Elizabeth May all signed Doug Roche's statement of principle. He sent the statement to five Members of Parliament from five different parties, and noted that if they signed, there would be no implication they were speaking for their party, just exercising their right as a Member of Parliament to express views. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Sam Garcia and courtesy of Flickr

Is the political machinery of government killing idealism?

  • EDMONTON—Foreign Minister Marc Garneau began his speech to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 27 in a way no other foreign minister had ever
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 4, 2021
Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau, left, and Bob Rae. Can Garneau actually break through the stranglehold his own government has put on key security issues well identified by the UN? Why has Rae, the much-acclaimed Canadian ambassador to the UN who entered the post with bold statements of justice for the tragic numbers of refugees in the world and dramatic action for climate change, toned down his vision, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Is the political machinery of government killing idealism?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 4, 2021
  • EDMONTON—Foreign Minister Marc Garneau began his speech to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 27 in a way no other foreign minister had ever

Is the political machinery of government killing idealism?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 4, 2021
  • EDMONTON—Foreign Minister Marc Garneau began his speech to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 27 in a way no other foreign minister had ever
Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau, left, and Bob Rae. Can Garneau actually break through the stranglehold his own government has put on key security issues well identified by the UN? Why has Rae, the much-acclaimed Canadian ambassador to the UN who entered the post with bold statements of justice for the tragic numbers of refugees in the world and dramatic action for climate change, toned down his vision, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

20 years since 9/11, what have we learned?

  • EDMONTON—On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, when I stepped out of the shower at 7 a.m. Mountain time, my wife told me to look at
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 2, 2021
Members of the 6 Mobile Strike Force Kandak move into position during an exercise in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2013. Canadian troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 2014. Canadian Armed Forces photograph courtesy of Sgt. James Funk

20 years since 9/11, what have we learned?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 2, 2021
  • EDMONTON—On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, when I stepped out of the shower at 7 a.m. Mountain time, my wife told me to look at

20 years since 9/11, what have we learned?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 2, 2021
  • EDMONTON—On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, when I stepped out of the shower at 7 a.m. Mountain time, my wife told me to look at
Members of the 6 Mobile Strike Force Kandak move into position during an exercise in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2013. Canadian troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 2014. Canadian Armed Forces photograph courtesy of Sgt. James Funk

As countries adapt to a post COVID-19 world, innovative responses to crisis of common survival will be essential

  • EDMONTON—What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 22, 2021
What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the Elders, an independent group of former global leaders using their experience to press today’s governments to smarten up on peace, justice, and human rights. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikimedia and Flickr

As countries adapt to a post COVID-19 world, innovative responses to crisis of common survival will be essential

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 22, 2021
  • EDMONTON—What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the

As countries adapt to a post COVID-19 world, innovative responses to crisis of common survival will be essential

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 22, 2021
  • EDMONTON—What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the
What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the Elders, an independent group of former global leaders using their experience to press today’s governments to smarten up on peace, justice, and human rights. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikimedia and Flickr

NDP MP McPherson out-classes Alberta Conservatives every day in Commons

  • EDMONTON—You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 18, 2021
You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, pictured, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other way around, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

NDP MP McPherson out-classes Alberta Conservatives every day in Commons

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 18, 2021
  • EDMONTON—You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other

NDP MP McPherson out-classes Alberta Conservatives every day in Commons

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 18, 2021
  • EDMONTON—You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other
You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, pictured, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other way around, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

View of Canada’s approach to defence spending needs a wider lens

  • John Ivison, a columnist for the National Post, is dangerously wrong when he asserts that Canada “should increase, not reduce” military spending in next
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 16, 2021
It is Chrystia Freeland who is responsible for giving credence to the idea that Canada’s defence spending must increase, thanks to a 2017 speech in Parliament, when she was foreign minister, where she praised 'military power in defence of our principles and our alliances,’ writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

View of Canada’s approach to defence spending needs a wider lens

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 16, 2021
  • John Ivison, a columnist for the National Post, is dangerously wrong when he asserts that Canada “should increase, not reduce” military spending in next

View of Canada’s approach to defence spending needs a wider lens

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 16, 2021
  • John Ivison, a columnist for the National Post, is dangerously wrong when he asserts that Canada “should increase, not reduce” military spending in next
It is Chrystia Freeland who is responsible for giving credence to the idea that Canada’s defence spending must increase, thanks to a 2017 speech in Parliament, when she was foreign minister, where she praised 'military power in defence of our principles and our alliances,’ writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadians want nuclear disarmament and our government should act

  • A strong majority across Canada want the government to join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, despite pressure it may face
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 7, 2021
Austria’s Alexander Kmentt says that Canada, by attending the first meeting of the states party to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons next year as an observer could signal that nuclear weapons are not ‘a sustainable security policy in the long run,’ writes Douglas Roche. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Friends of Europe

Canadians want nuclear disarmament and our government should act

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 7, 2021
  • A strong majority across Canada want the government to join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, despite pressure it may face