Ht-Logo-gigapixel-icon
Ht-Logo-gigapixel-icon
Friday, November 28, 2025

Canada’s Politics and Government News Source Since 1989

Latest Paper
Friday, November 28, 2025 | Latest Paper
Subscribe Now

TRENDING:

Les Whittington

With even Conservatives conspiring to pass Carney’s budget, PM turns attention to the wider world

  • The prime minister is engaged in a series of strikingly ambitious undertakings from leveraging Canada’s status as a global middle power to launching a
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 26, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney has been going ahead with what has to be called a top-to-bottom renovation of Canada’s economic posture and place in the world, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

With even Conservatives conspiring to pass Carney’s budget, PM turns attention to the wider world

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 26, 2025
  • The prime minister is engaged in a series of strikingly ambitious undertakings from leveraging Canada’s status as a global middle power to launching a

With even Conservatives conspiring to pass Carney’s budget, PM turns attention to the wider world

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 26, 2025
  • The prime minister is engaged in a series of strikingly ambitious undertakings from leveraging Canada’s status as a global middle power to launching a
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney has been going ahead with what has to be called a top-to-bottom renovation of Canada’s economic posture and place in the world, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The laws of economics finally catch up with Trump

  • It is clear that the upward pressure on prices exerted by Donald Trump’s tariffs is becoming a political liability for the United States president.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 19, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump recently broke with his usual patter by admitting tariffs may ‘in some cases’ drive up consumer prices, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

The laws of economics finally catch up with Trump

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 19, 2025
  • It is clear that the upward pressure on prices exerted by Donald Trump’s tariffs is becoming a political liability for the United States president.

The laws of economics finally catch up with Trump

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 19, 2025
  • It is clear that the upward pressure on prices exerted by Donald Trump’s tariffs is becoming a political liability for the United States president.
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump recently broke with his usual patter by admitting tariffs may ‘in some cases’ drive up consumer prices, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Pierre Poilievre may be done

  • The Conservative leader has shown no inclination or ability to temper his highly polarized style, which makes his chances in the next election appear
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 12, 2025
Pierre Poilievre
Pierre Poilievre
If the turmoil in Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has reached the point where MPs who might be considering defecting are getting threats to destroy their futures, as has been widely reported, it’s obvious that the leader is in serious trouble, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Pierre Poilievre may be done

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 12, 2025
  • The Conservative leader has shown no inclination or ability to temper his highly polarized style, which makes his chances in the next election appear

Pierre Poilievre may be done

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 12, 2025
  • The Conservative leader has shown no inclination or ability to temper his highly polarized style, which makes his chances in the next election appear
Pierre Poilievre
If the turmoil in Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has reached the point where MPs who might be considering defecting are getting threats to destroy their futures, as has been widely reported, it’s obvious that the leader is in serious trouble, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney rewrites the Liberals’ vision in a pro-growth budget for a post-NAFTA era

  • The historic budget will forever mark the end of Canada’s era of economic integration over 75 years with its erstwhile U.S. ally.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 4, 2025
The budget presented by Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne embodies a business-focused, expansionist strategy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney rewrites the Liberals’ vision in a pro-growth budget for a post-NAFTA era

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 4, 2025
  • The historic budget will forever mark the end of Canada’s era of economic integration over 75 years with its erstwhile U.S. ally.

Carney rewrites the Liberals’ vision in a pro-growth budget for a post-NAFTA era

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 4, 2025
  • The historic budget will forever mark the end of Canada’s era of economic integration over 75 years with its erstwhile U.S. ally.
The budget presented by Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne embodies a business-focused, expansionist strategy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Outrage sells: with Poilievre, it’s got nothing to do with attracting moderates

  • It doesn’t matter about the facts or reality involved. It’s all about the media attention a stunt generates.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 29, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is well aware that in today’s social media-driven political ecosphere, outrage sells, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Outrage sells: with Poilievre, it’s got nothing to do with attracting moderates

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 29, 2025
  • It doesn’t matter about the facts or reality involved. It’s all about the media attention a stunt generates.

Outrage sells: with Poilievre, it’s got nothing to do with attracting moderates

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 29, 2025
  • It doesn’t matter about the facts or reality involved. It’s all about the media attention a stunt generates.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is well aware that in today’s social media-driven political ecosphere, outrage sells, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Remaking Canada at warp speed: Nov. 4 will be a budget like no other

  • The Liberals have been left to draw up a budget package in the midst of the destruction of the trade relationship that is the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 22, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
In his first budget, Prime Minister Mark Carney has on his shoulders a collective task that surpasses the long-term challenges undertaken by a single prime minister in decades, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Remaking Canada at warp speed: Nov. 4 will be a budget like no other

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 22, 2025
  • The Liberals have been left to draw up a budget package in the midst of the destruction of the trade relationship that is the

Remaking Canada at warp speed: Nov. 4 will be a budget like no other

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 22, 2025
  • The Liberals have been left to draw up a budget package in the midst of the destruction of the trade relationship that is the
Mark Carney
In his first budget, Prime Minister Mark Carney has on his shoulders a collective task that surpasses the long-term challenges undertaken by a single prime minister in decades, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It’s always do or die on budget day

  • Budgets have always tended to be historical markers that stood as a defining or make-or-break moment for federal governments.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 15, 2025
As finance ministers, the likes of John Crosbie, left, Allan MacEachen, Jim Flaherty, and Chrystia Freeland all had to plant their respective governments’ flagpoles. Photographs courtesy of Library and Archives Canada and The Hill Times photographs by Jake Wright and Andrew Meade

It’s always do or die on budget day

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 15, 2025
  • Budgets have always tended to be historical markers that stood as a defining or make-or-break moment for federal governments.

It’s always do or die on budget day

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 15, 2025
  • Budgets have always tended to be historical markers that stood as a defining or make-or-break moment for federal governments.
As finance ministers, the likes of John Crosbie, left, Allan MacEachen, Jim Flaherty, and Chrystia Freeland all had to plant their respective governments’ flagpoles. Photographs courtesy of Library and Archives Canada and The Hill Times photographs by Jake Wright and Andrew Meade

A crisis in search of a cause: Smith brandishes unity issue in dangerous new pipeline gambit

  • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith made it clear she would see anything but a go-ahead from Ottawa as a powerful accelerant for the smouldering Alberta
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 8, 2025
Danielle Smith
Danielle Smith
Asking the Liberals to scrap one of their signature environmental policies is just a political stunt, but Alberta Premier Danielle Smith seems to see her move as a win-win, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A crisis in search of a cause: Smith brandishes unity issue in dangerous new pipeline gambit

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 8, 2025
  • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith made it clear she would see anything but a go-ahead from Ottawa as a powerful accelerant for the smouldering Alberta

A crisis in search of a cause: Smith brandishes unity issue in dangerous new pipeline gambit

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 8, 2025
  • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith made it clear she would see anything but a go-ahead from Ottawa as a powerful accelerant for the smouldering Alberta
Danielle Smith
Asking the Liberals to scrap one of their signature environmental policies is just a political stunt, but Alberta Premier Danielle Smith seems to see her move as a win-win, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

At the UN, Zelenskyy urges action to avert a world of war

  • In his Sept. 24 UN General Assembly address, the Ukrainian president gave a stark warning about the collapse of international law.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 1, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the UN General Assembly on Sept. 24. Photograph courtesy of the Office of the President of Ukraine

At the UN, Zelenskyy urges action to avert a world of war

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 1, 2025
  • In his Sept. 24 UN General Assembly address, the Ukrainian president gave a stark warning about the collapse of international law.

At the UN, Zelenskyy urges action to avert a world of war

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 1, 2025
  • In his Sept. 24 UN General Assembly address, the Ukrainian president gave a stark warning about the collapse of international law.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the UN General Assembly on Sept. 24. Photograph courtesy of the Office of the President of Ukraine

Waiting for the truckers to come back

  • A great deal has changed in federal politics in a few months, but Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre? Not so much.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 24, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre faces a leadership review this winter, so we shouldn't assume he'll suddenly begin prioritizing moderate, incremental, and fact-based politics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Waiting for the truckers to come back

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 24, 2025
  • A great deal has changed in federal politics in a few months, but Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre? Not so much.

Waiting for the truckers to come back

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 24, 2025
  • A great deal has changed in federal politics in a few months, but Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre? Not so much.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre faces a leadership review this winter, so we shouldn't assume he'll suddenly begin prioritizing moderate, incremental, and fact-based politics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is Canada ready for the nation-defining challenges ahead?

  • If we are going to succeed in the historic task of reinventing our economic culture, it will take hitherto unknown co-operation, compromise, and good-faith
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 17, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney makes a housing announcement in Nepean, Ont., on Sept. 14. Carney has set out a roadmap for the biggest upheaval in this country’s economic life in many decades, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is Canada ready for the nation-defining challenges ahead?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 17, 2025
  • If we are going to succeed in the historic task of reinventing our economic culture, it will take hitherto unknown co-operation, compromise, and good-faith

Is Canada ready for the nation-defining challenges ahead?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 17, 2025
  • If we are going to succeed in the historic task of reinventing our economic culture, it will take hitherto unknown co-operation, compromise, and good-faith
Prime Minister Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney makes a housing announcement in Nepean, Ont., on Sept. 14. Carney has set out a roadmap for the biggest upheaval in this country’s economic life in many decades, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Canada that Dryden believed in remains at risk today

  • There is no reason to think a Poilievre government wouldn’t find ways to seriously weaken the country's social programs.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 10, 2025
Ken Dryden
Ken Dryden
As minister of social development, Ken Dryden laid the groundwork for the Liberals’ early learning and childcare plan, which was the most important Canadian social program since medicare, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Canada that Dryden believed in remains at risk today

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 10, 2025
  • There is no reason to think a Poilievre government wouldn’t find ways to seriously weaken the country's social programs.

The Canada that Dryden believed in remains at risk today

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 10, 2025
  • There is no reason to think a Poilievre government wouldn’t find ways to seriously weaken the country's social programs.
Ken Dryden
As minister of social development, Ken Dryden laid the groundwork for the Liberals’ early learning and childcare plan, which was the most important Canadian social program since medicare, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Putin’s gulling of Trump a historic setback for Ukraine and the world’s democracies

  • The Aug. 15 meeting gave Russia the green light to continue its invasion without worrying too much about Washington intervening in a major way
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 3, 2025
It’s clear that U.S. President Donald Trump, right, has decided that it’s up to somebody else to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin’s obsession with wiping out Ukraine and other in eastern Europe, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Putin’s gulling of Trump a historic setback for Ukraine and the world’s democracies

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 3, 2025
  • The Aug. 15 meeting gave Russia the green light to continue its invasion without worrying too much about Washington intervening in a major way

Putin’s gulling of Trump a historic setback for Ukraine and the world’s democracies

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 3, 2025
  • The Aug. 15 meeting gave Russia the green light to continue its invasion without worrying too much about Washington intervening in a major way
It’s clear that U.S. President Donald Trump, right, has decided that it’s up to somebody else to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin’s obsession with wiping out Ukraine and other in eastern Europe, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

A world without principles

  • The commitment to democracy and individual rights has been and continues to be badly eroded, in part because of U.S. regression under its current
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 30, 2025
Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu
Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The horrors being visited on the people of Gaza are one of the most grievous of the many atrocities consistent with a world increasingly steered by rights-ignoring leaders, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

A world without principles

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 30, 2025
  • The commitment to democracy and individual rights has been and continues to be badly eroded, in part because of U.S. regression under its current

A world without principles

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 30, 2025
  • The commitment to democracy and individual rights has been and continues to be badly eroded, in part because of U.S. regression under its current
Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The horrors being visited on the people of Gaza are one of the most grievous of the many atrocities consistent with a world increasingly steered by rights-ignoring leaders, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Disconnect on Canada-U.S. trade as CUSMA eludes Trump menace

  • The continuation of the broad CUSMA exemption is still a significant positive development for this country in the context of the full-blown trade war
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 23, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Unsurprisingly, with Ottawa’s negotiations with the U.S. taking place behind closed doors, Prime Minister Mark Carney and his ministers aren’t saying a lot about CUSMA’s status, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Disconnect on Canada-U.S. trade as CUSMA eludes Trump menace

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 23, 2025
  • The continuation of the broad CUSMA exemption is still a significant positive development for this country in the context of the full-blown trade war

Disconnect on Canada-U.S. trade as CUSMA eludes Trump menace

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 23, 2025
  • The continuation of the broad CUSMA exemption is still a significant positive development for this country in the context of the full-blown trade war
Mark Carney
Unsurprisingly, with Ottawa’s negotiations with the U.S. taking place behind closed doors, Prime Minister Mark Carney and his ministers aren’t saying a lot about CUSMA’s status, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Has Trump realized Putin was making a fool out of him on the world stage?

  • The Russian leader’s ability to hoodwink the American former reality show host has been a constant element of Trump’s actuality for more than a
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 16, 2025
Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin
Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin
U.S. President Donald Trump appears to have finally changed his tune on the Russians because Russian President Vladimir Putin has run circles around the self-appointed great dealmaker, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Has Trump realized Putin was making a fool out of him on the world stage?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 16, 2025
  • The Russian leader’s ability to hoodwink the American former reality show host has been a constant element of Trump’s actuality for more than a

Has Trump realized Putin was making a fool out of him on the world stage?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 16, 2025
  • The Russian leader’s ability to hoodwink the American former reality show host has been a constant element of Trump’s actuality for more than a
Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin
U.S. President Donald Trump appears to have finally changed his tune on the Russians because Russian President Vladimir Putin has run circles around the self-appointed great dealmaker, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Canada today: an exporting country in a trade-compromised world

  • For all the effort towards building new overseas trade relationships, the prospects for an outward-focused nation like Canada—where exports account for 34 per cent
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 9, 2025
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu. The reordering of Canadian export options is taking place in a world of increasing anti-globalization, splintering trade frameworks, and deteriorating supply chains, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada today: an exporting country in a trade-compromised world

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 9, 2025
  • For all the effort towards building new overseas trade relationships, the prospects for an outward-focused nation like Canada—where exports account for 34 per cent

Canada today: an exporting country in a trade-compromised world

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 9, 2025
  • For all the effort towards building new overseas trade relationships, the prospects for an outward-focused nation like Canada—where exports account for 34 per cent
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu. The reordering of Canadian export options is taking place in a world of increasing anti-globalization, splintering trade frameworks, and deteriorating supply chains, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The failed $5-billion program the feds can’t shake

  • With the deployment of 200 people and the use of AI in some instances, the Phoenix backlog is gradually coming under control, but a
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 2, 2025
Alex Benay, the associate deputy minister at Public Services and Procurement Canada in whose lap this mess has landed, estimated on June 23 that the cost of fixing and replacing Phoenix would be $5.1-billion, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The failed $5-billion program the feds can’t shake

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 2, 2025
  • With the deployment of 200 people and the use of AI in some instances, the Phoenix backlog is gradually coming under control, but a

The failed $5-billion program the feds can’t shake

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 2, 2025
  • With the deployment of 200 people and the use of AI in some instances, the Phoenix backlog is gradually coming under control, but a
Alex Benay, the associate deputy minister at Public Services and Procurement Canada in whose lap this mess has landed, estimated on June 23 that the cost of fixing and replacing Phoenix would be $5.1-billion, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney blows the roof off inertia-bound Ottawa, but there’s no guarantee of success

  • Canada’s highly decentralized federation requires time, energy, and good fortune to reach consensus.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 25, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney
It remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Mark Carney's government can make all this work in a timeframe that complies with his refreshing, unconventional campaign to rapidly bring the country together to start building a stronger, more independent economy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney blows the roof off inertia-bound Ottawa, but there’s no guarantee of success

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 25, 2025
  • Canada’s highly decentralized federation requires time, energy, and good fortune to reach consensus.

Carney blows the roof off inertia-bound Ottawa, but there’s no guarantee of success

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 25, 2025
  • Canada’s highly decentralized federation requires time, energy, and good fortune to reach consensus.
Prime Minister Mark Carney
It remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Mark Carney's government can make all this work in a timeframe that complies with his refreshing, unconventional campaign to rapidly bring the country together to start building a stronger, more independent economy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

That’s what dictators do

  • This plunge into totalitarian-style histrionics is just a minor manifestation of the upheaval in public norms radiating across the U.S. from Trump’s White House.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 18, 2025
Only five months into his new term, U.S. President Donald Trump has indeed moved quite a ways down the road to his own version of one-man rule, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

That’s what dictators do

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 18, 2025
  • This plunge into totalitarian-style histrionics is just a minor manifestation of the upheaval in public norms radiating across the U.S. from Trump’s White House.

That’s what dictators do

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 18, 2025
  • This plunge into totalitarian-style histrionics is just a minor manifestation of the upheaval in public norms radiating across the U.S. from Trump’s White House.
Only five months into his new term, U.S. President Donald Trump has indeed moved quite a ways down the road to his own version of one-man rule, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Visions of a gold rush in expanded oil exports fly in the face of a decades-old reality

  • The potential for a conduit to load oil tankers in the dangerous waters of the northern B.C. coast actually ended more than three decades
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 11, 2025
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith would have been in her late teens when the Exxon Valdez forever changed the public attitude on pipelines on B.C.’s northern coast, so maybe she didn’t pay much attention, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Jim Brickett

Visions of a gold rush in expanded oil exports fly in the face of a decades-old reality

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 11, 2025
  • The potential for a conduit to load oil tankers in the dangerous waters of the northern B.C. coast actually ended more than three decades

Visions of a gold rush in expanded oil exports fly in the face of a decades-old reality

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 11, 2025
  • The potential for a conduit to load oil tankers in the dangerous waters of the northern B.C. coast actually ended more than three decades
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith would have been in her late teens when the Exxon Valdez forever changed the public attitude on pipelines on B.C.’s northern coast, so maybe she didn’t pay much attention, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Jim Brickett

Election? What election?

  • The Conservatives seem to be trying to juggle the need to be constructive during a national crisis, and the belief that they got cheated
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 4, 2025
Pierre Poilievre
Pierre Poilievre
One might indeed be forgiven for thinking Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is a bit focused on the rear-view mirror, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Election? What election?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 4, 2025
  • The Conservatives seem to be trying to juggle the need to be constructive during a national crisis, and the belief that they got cheated

Election? What election?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 4, 2025
  • The Conservatives seem to be trying to juggle the need to be constructive during a national crisis, and the belief that they got cheated
Pierre Poilievre
One might indeed be forgiven for thinking Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is a bit focused on the rear-view mirror, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

In 50 years, the G7’s never had a summit like the one Carney is hosting next month

  • It’s hard to imagine how the stakes could be higher in the midst of the U.S. president's economic warfare against most of the other
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 28, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump’s last trip to Canada was for the G7 Leaders’ Summit in 2018. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

In 50 years, the G7’s never had a summit like the one Carney is hosting next month

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 28, 2025
  • It’s hard to imagine how the stakes could be higher in the midst of the U.S. president's economic warfare against most of the other

In 50 years, the G7’s never had a summit like the one Carney is hosting next month

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 28, 2025
  • It’s hard to imagine how the stakes could be higher in the midst of the U.S. president's economic warfare against most of the other
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump’s last trip to Canada was for the G7 Leaders’ Summit in 2018. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Unchartable as ever: Canada’s future still up in the air as Trump juggles his trade strategy

  • Canada needs some kind of breakthrough soon because the combination of existing tariffs and the uncertainty from Trump’s tariff shell game has this country
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 21, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump seems to be entering into a more difficult phase in his unorthodox economic project, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Unchartable as ever: Canada’s future still up in the air as Trump juggles his trade strategy

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 21, 2025
  • Canada needs some kind of breakthrough soon because the combination of existing tariffs and the uncertainty from Trump’s tariff shell game has this country

Unchartable as ever: Canada’s future still up in the air as Trump juggles his trade strategy

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 21, 2025
  • Canada needs some kind of breakthrough soon because the combination of existing tariffs and the uncertainty from Trump’s tariff shell game has this country
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump seems to be entering into a more difficult phase in his unorthodox economic project, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Mark Carney and the disappearing pipeline

  • The Alberta premier and Conservative leader’s regular excoriations of Ottawa policy never seem to contain a reference to Trans Mountain.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 14, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney has repeatedly stated he's willing to adopt a new approach to energy development, combining increased conventional oil production with climate mitigation tactics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Mark Carney and the disappearing pipeline

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 14, 2025
  • The Alberta premier and Conservative leader’s regular excoriations of Ottawa policy never seem to contain a reference to Trans Mountain.

Mark Carney and the disappearing pipeline

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 14, 2025
  • The Alberta premier and Conservative leader’s regular excoriations of Ottawa policy never seem to contain a reference to Trans Mountain.
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney has repeatedly stated he's willing to adopt a new approach to energy development, combining increased conventional oil production with climate mitigation tactics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The man who lost his seat will soon return

  • It will be interesting to see how Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre—once back in his parliamentary role—chooses to position his party as the Liberals try
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 7, 2025
Pierre Poilievre
Pierre Poilievre
It’s not clear what would motivate Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to back off the anti-Liberal crusade he has been profiting off of for years, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The man who lost his seat will soon return

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 7, 2025
  • It will be interesting to see how Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre—once back in his parliamentary role—chooses to position his party as the Liberals try

The man who lost his seat will soon return

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 7, 2025
  • It will be interesting to see how Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre—once back in his parliamentary role—chooses to position his party as the Liberals try
Pierre Poilievre
It’s not clear what would motivate Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to back off the anti-Liberal crusade he has been profiting off of for years, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

And now comes the hard part: negotiating with Trump

  • Canadians can’t count on a flip-flop on tariffs since the U.S. president seems obsessed with undermining Canada in keeping with his persistent lusting after
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 30, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump can’t seem to get through a day in the Oval Office without reverting to his accusations about those freeloaders in Canada, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

And now comes the hard part: negotiating with Trump

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 30, 2025
  • Canadians can’t count on a flip-flop on tariffs since the U.S. president seems obsessed with undermining Canada in keeping with his persistent lusting after

And now comes the hard part: negotiating with Trump

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 30, 2025
  • Canadians can’t count on a flip-flop on tariffs since the U.S. president seems obsessed with undermining Canada in keeping with his persistent lusting after
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump can’t seem to get through a day in the Oval Office without reverting to his accusations about those freeloaders in Canada, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok
More Stories

The booming use of productivity-eroding stock buybacks will come under the microscope with new federal tax

  • Stock buybacks have played a very significant role in the growth of income inequality and the declining economic prospects of the North American middle
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 3, 2024
In a recent speech, Bank of Canada Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers dwelled on the long-standing lack of business investment in machinery and equipment by Canadian companies, but didn’t mention the controversial issue of share buybacks, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The booming use of productivity-eroding stock buybacks will come under the microscope with new federal tax

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 3, 2024
  • Stock buybacks have played a very significant role in the growth of income inequality and the declining economic prospects of the North American middle

The booming use of productivity-eroding stock buybacks will come under the microscope with new federal tax

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 3, 2024
  • Stock buybacks have played a very significant role in the growth of income inequality and the declining economic prospects of the North American middle
In a recent speech, Bank of Canada Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers dwelled on the long-standing lack of business investment in machinery and equipment by Canadian companies, but didn’t mention the controversial issue of share buybacks, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can Taylor Swift save the world from Donald Trump?

  • Swift’s ballot-box influence is untested, but Republicans clearly see her as enough of a threat to Trump that they have begun warning her to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 27, 2024
Former U.S. president and 2024 Republican candidate Donald Trump recently said cultural phenomenon Taylor Swift would be acting in a ‘disloyal’ way if she supported President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 election, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore

Can Taylor Swift save the world from Donald Trump?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 27, 2024
  • Swift’s ballot-box influence is untested, but Republicans clearly see her as enough of a threat to Trump that they have begun warning her to

Can Taylor Swift save the world from Donald Trump?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 27, 2024
  • Swift’s ballot-box influence is untested, but Republicans clearly see her as enough of a threat to Trump that they have begun warning her to
Former U.S. president and 2024 Republican candidate Donald Trump recently said cultural phenomenon Taylor Swift would be acting in a ‘disloyal’ way if she supported President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 election, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore

The triumph of misinformation

  • The anti-carbon tax campaign is the leading edge of a collective, well-orchestrated, and fortuitous assault on everything progressive in this country.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 20, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has a clear shot at a victory for his party in the next election based, to a large extent, on this single campaign against the carbon levy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The triumph of misinformation

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 20, 2024
  • The anti-carbon tax campaign is the leading edge of a collective, well-orchestrated, and fortuitous assault on everything progressive in this country.

The triumph of misinformation

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 20, 2024
  • The anti-carbon tax campaign is the leading edge of a collective, well-orchestrated, and fortuitous assault on everything progressive in this country.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has a clear shot at a victory for his party in the next election based, to a large extent, on this single campaign against the carbon levy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The stakes couldn’t be higher for Canada as Biden kicks off rematch with Trump

  • Canadians can only hope that the potential for civil unrest and dysfunctional turmoil in the United States can be contained, as in 2021.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 13, 2024
It’s hard to overstate the enormity of the consequences of former U.S. president Donald Trump’s, left, rematch against incumbent President Joe Biden, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Gage Skidmore, and U.S. Department of Defense photograph by Lisa Ferdinando

The stakes couldn’t be higher for Canada as Biden kicks off rematch with Trump

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 13, 2024
  • Canadians can only hope that the potential for civil unrest and dysfunctional turmoil in the United States can be contained, as in 2021.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for Canada as Biden kicks off rematch with Trump

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 13, 2024
  • Canadians can only hope that the potential for civil unrest and dysfunctional turmoil in the United States can be contained, as in 2021.
It’s hard to overstate the enormity of the consequences of former U.S. president Donald Trump’s, left, rematch against incumbent President Joe Biden, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Gage Skidmore, and U.S. Department of Defense photograph by Lisa Ferdinando

Brian Mulroney: a centre-right, would-be unifier left behind in an era of divisive right-wing extremism

  • A truly progressive conservative, Mulroney inherited the democratic tradition of brokerage decision-making in the public interest.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 6, 2024
Then-prime minister Brian Mulroney delivers remarks in the Reading Room in Centre Block in this undated photo. The Hill Times photograph by Ingrid Phaneuf

Brian Mulroney: a centre-right, would-be unifier left behind in an era of divisive right-wing extremism

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 6, 2024
  • A truly progressive conservative, Mulroney inherited the democratic tradition of brokerage decision-making in the public interest.

Brian Mulroney: a centre-right, would-be unifier left behind in an era of divisive right-wing extremism

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 6, 2024
  • A truly progressive conservative, Mulroney inherited the democratic tradition of brokerage decision-making in the public interest.
Then-prime minister Brian Mulroney delivers remarks in the Reading Room in Centre Block in this undated photo. The Hill Times photograph by Ingrid Phaneuf

A dire nursing shortage, private-sector windfall profits all part of Ford’s disastrous approach to Ontario health care

  • Bill 124 contributed to a mass exodus of front-line nurses, creating of a unique opportunity for private-nurse-hiring agencies to realize a huge windfall of
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 28, 2024
Ontario Premier Doug Ford finally scrapped Bill 124 last week, but not before it contributed to the deterioration of some of the health-care services Ontarians count on, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A dire nursing shortage, private-sector windfall profits all part of Ford’s disastrous approach to Ontario health care

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 28, 2024
  • Bill 124 contributed to a mass exodus of front-line nurses, creating of a unique opportunity for private-nurse-hiring agencies to realize a huge windfall of

A dire nursing shortage, private-sector windfall profits all part of Ford’s disastrous approach to Ontario health care

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 28, 2024
  • Bill 124 contributed to a mass exodus of front-line nurses, creating of a unique opportunity for private-nurse-hiring agencies to realize a huge windfall of
Ontario Premier Doug Ford finally scrapped Bill 124 last week, but not before it contributed to the deterioration of some of the health-care services Ontarians count on, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadians must take a closer look at the populist-themed juggernaut that’s leaving the Liberals behind

  • As practiced in Canada, populism thrives on persistent expressions of alarm about the state of national affairs, and policies don’t really count.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 21, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s approach is typical of what one political scientist called ‘the empty heart of populism,’ writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadians must take a closer look at the populist-themed juggernaut that’s leaving the Liberals behind

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 21, 2024
  • As practiced in Canada, populism thrives on persistent expressions of alarm about the state of national affairs, and policies don’t really count.

Canadians must take a closer look at the populist-themed juggernaut that’s leaving the Liberals behind

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 21, 2024
  • As practiced in Canada, populism thrives on persistent expressions of alarm about the state of national affairs, and policies don’t really count.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s approach is typical of what one political scientist called ‘the empty heart of populism,’ writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Port of Montreal: a long history of crime—and a lack of adequate responses

  • Organized crime and the inability on the part of elected leaders and bureaucrats to take the issue seriously has made Canada the source for
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 14, 2024
Justice Minister Arif Virani speaks at a press conference at the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft on Feb. 8. Finally doing something about stolen cars leaving from the country’s large ports will require a lot more than gathering people around a table in Ottawa to talk it over, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Port of Montreal: a long history of crime—and a lack of adequate responses

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 14, 2024
  • Organized crime and the inability on the part of elected leaders and bureaucrats to take the issue seriously has made Canada the source for

Port of Montreal: a long history of crime—and a lack of adequate responses

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 14, 2024
  • Organized crime and the inability on the part of elected leaders and bureaucrats to take the issue seriously has made Canada the source for
Justice Minister Arif Virani speaks at a press conference at the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft on Feb. 8. Finally doing something about stolen cars leaving from the country’s large ports will require a lot more than gathering people around a table in Ottawa to talk it over, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Right at home in Canada: Tucker Carlson spews lies and hate in Alberta

  • Despite Carlson having no real political weight, it’s still disgusting that we now have a pro-Trump MAGA influencer being wildly applauded on Canadian soil
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 7, 2024
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, left, had no problem lending her official stature to the barrage of insults and false accusations about Canada by right-wing provocateur Tucker Carlson, Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Right at home in Canada: Tucker Carlson spews lies and hate in Alberta

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 7, 2024
  • Despite Carlson having no real political weight, it’s still disgusting that we now have a pro-Trump MAGA influencer being wildly applauded on Canadian soil

Right at home in Canada: Tucker Carlson spews lies and hate in Alberta

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 7, 2024
  • Despite Carlson having no real political weight, it’s still disgusting that we now have a pro-Trump MAGA influencer being wildly applauded on Canadian soil
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, left, had no problem lending her official stature to the barrage of insults and false accusations about Canada by right-wing provocateur Tucker Carlson, Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Almost apologetic Federal Court ruling revives truckers’ 2022 anti-vaccine rampage

  • This court decision based on a cherry-picking of the facts and questionable second guessing only serves to supercharge what has turned out to be
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2024
Freedom Convoy supporters gather along Wellington Street on Feb. 17, 2022, as the occupation of downtown Ottawa entered its third week. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Almost apologetic Federal Court ruling revives truckers’ 2022 anti-vaccine rampage

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2024
  • This court decision based on a cherry-picking of the facts and questionable second guessing only serves to supercharge what has turned out to be

Almost apologetic Federal Court ruling revives truckers’ 2022 anti-vaccine rampage

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2024
  • This court decision based on a cherry-picking of the facts and questionable second guessing only serves to supercharge what has turned out to be
Freedom Convoy supporters gather along Wellington Street on Feb. 17, 2022, as the occupation of downtown Ottawa entered its third week. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Four years on, Brexit is demonstrating the long-term risks of shaping a country’s future on nativist, populist anger

  • Besides slowing economic growth, Brexit shared part of the responsibility for soaring prices by increasing trade barriers with the EU, the U.K.’s biggest trading
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 17, 2024
Among the four prime ministers who have departed 10 Downing Street in the ensuing chaos is Boris Johnson, who captured the job on the basis of his long-time Euroskeptic laurels, but was forced out amid a series of ethics scandals, writes Les Whittington. No. 10 Downing Street photograph by Pippa Fowles

Four years on, Brexit is demonstrating the long-term risks of shaping a country’s future on nativist, populist anger

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 17, 2024
  • Besides slowing economic growth, Brexit shared part of the responsibility for soaring prices by increasing trade barriers with the EU, the U.K.’s biggest trading

Four years on, Brexit is demonstrating the long-term risks of shaping a country’s future on nativist, populist anger

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 17, 2024
  • Besides slowing economic growth, Brexit shared part of the responsibility for soaring prices by increasing trade barriers with the EU, the U.K.’s biggest trading
Among the four prime ministers who have departed 10 Downing Street in the ensuing chaos is Boris Johnson, who captured the job on the basis of his long-time Euroskeptic laurels, but was forced out amid a series of ethics scandals, writes Les Whittington. No. 10 Downing Street photograph by Pippa Fowles

Mark Carney has unlimited possibilities, but Liberals shouldn’t assume he’s the solution to their woes

  • While Carney can be charming and down to earth, he is certainly not attuned to the low-level, thuggish discourse dominating today’s public discourse.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 10, 2024
With the polls showing that Canadians seem ready to accept almost anyone as national leader to oust Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, long-standing speculation about former central bank governor Mark Carney’s political ambitions has taken on a new tempo, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Mark Carney has unlimited possibilities, but Liberals shouldn’t assume he’s the solution to their woes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 10, 2024
  • While Carney can be charming and down to earth, he is certainly not attuned to the low-level, thuggish discourse dominating today’s public discourse.

Mark Carney has unlimited possibilities, but Liberals shouldn’t assume he’s the solution to their woes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 10, 2024
  • While Carney can be charming and down to earth, he is certainly not attuned to the low-level, thuggish discourse dominating today’s public discourse.
With the polls showing that Canadians seem ready to accept almost anyone as national leader to oust Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, long-standing speculation about former central bank governor Mark Carney’s political ambitions has taken on a new tempo, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

As Canada enters its fifth year of COVID and its aftermath, will the economic and political turmoil finally begin to recede?

  • More than anything, the Liberals have been hurt by the affordability crunch as the cost of living reached heights most Canadians have never seen.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 13, 2023
Despite all its efforts to protect Canadians since early 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government can’t seem to escape most of the blame for the seemingly never-ending trials and tribulations of the pandemic, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

As Canada enters its fifth year of COVID and its aftermath, will the economic and political turmoil finally begin to recede?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 13, 2023
  • More than anything, the Liberals have been hurt by the affordability crunch as the cost of living reached heights most Canadians have never seen.

As Canada enters its fifth year of COVID and its aftermath, will the economic and political turmoil finally begin to recede?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 13, 2023
  • More than anything, the Liberals have been hurt by the affordability crunch as the cost of living reached heights most Canadians have never seen.
Despite all its efforts to protect Canadians since early 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government can’t seem to escape most of the blame for the seemingly never-ending trials and tribulations of the pandemic, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre tests the limits of populist flim-flam with his pitch to Canada’s workers

  • The current version of the strategy is to capitalize on the crushed dreams of middle-class prosperity, and the horrendous income inequality the whole right-wing
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 6, 2023
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stems from a conservative tradition that has been striving for decades to reduce the supports and services that help working people and lower-income Canadians achieve better outcomes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre tests the limits of populist flim-flam with his pitch to Canada’s workers

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 6, 2023
  • The current version of the strategy is to capitalize on the crushed dreams of middle-class prosperity, and the horrendous income inequality the whole right-wing

Poilievre tests the limits of populist flim-flam with his pitch to Canada’s workers

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 6, 2023
  • The current version of the strategy is to capitalize on the crushed dreams of middle-class prosperity, and the horrendous income inequality the whole right-wing
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stems from a conservative tradition that has been striving for decades to reduce the supports and services that help working people and lower-income Canadians achieve better outcomes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Missing the point of Freeland’s what-have-we-got-to-lose mini-budget

  • The Nov. 21 economic statement was the implicit recognition of the political reality facing the Liberals in the aftermath of eight years of all-in
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 29, 2023
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s, left, fall economic statement signalled that times have changed since 2016 when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Liberals had a mandate from Canadians to invest, not cut spending, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Missing the point of Freeland’s what-have-we-got-to-lose mini-budget

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 29, 2023
  • The Nov. 21 economic statement was the implicit recognition of the political reality facing the Liberals in the aftermath of eight years of all-in

Missing the point of Freeland’s what-have-we-got-to-lose mini-budget

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 29, 2023
  • The Nov. 21 economic statement was the implicit recognition of the political reality facing the Liberals in the aftermath of eight years of all-in
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s, left, fall economic statement signalled that times have changed since 2016 when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Liberals had a mandate from Canadians to invest, not cut spending, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Fixing Canada’s problems will remain an uphill struggle until voters start holding provinces accountable

  • The provinces have been unwilling to step in and use their authority over municipalities to fix the housing problem, and now they’re worried about
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 22, 2023
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is one of the provincial leaders who has accused the Trudeau government of jurisdictional creep. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Fixing Canada’s problems will remain an uphill struggle until voters start holding provinces accountable

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 22, 2023
  • The provinces have been unwilling to step in and use their authority over municipalities to fix the housing problem, and now they’re worried about

Fixing Canada’s problems will remain an uphill struggle until voters start holding provinces accountable

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 22, 2023
  • The provinces have been unwilling to step in and use their authority over municipalities to fix the housing problem, and now they’re worried about
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is one of the provincial leaders who has accused the Trudeau government of jurisdictional creep. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Still losing the war on climate change all these years later

  • The likelihood of the carbon tax becoming a game-changing problem for the government was advanced by the prime minister’s failure to effectively explain to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 15, 2023
The price on carbon has emerged as a major symbolic liability for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Still losing the war on climate change all these years later

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 15, 2023
  • The likelihood of the carbon tax becoming a game-changing problem for the government was advanced by the prime minister’s failure to effectively explain to

Still losing the war on climate change all these years later

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 15, 2023
  • The likelihood of the carbon tax becoming a game-changing problem for the government was advanced by the prime minister’s failure to effectively explain to
The price on carbon has emerged as a major symbolic liability for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What counts with voters?

  • If policy ever counted for much, it certainly is not the case in the era of QAnon and wall-to-wall misinformation.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 8, 2023
Ontario voters returned Doug Ford, left, as premier last year, despite his track record, while according to the polls, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is now increasingly unpopular, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What counts with voters?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 8, 2023
  • If policy ever counted for much, it certainly is not the case in the era of QAnon and wall-to-wall misinformation.

What counts with voters?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 8, 2023
  • If policy ever counted for much, it certainly is not the case in the era of QAnon and wall-to-wall misinformation.
Ontario voters returned Doug Ford, left, as premier last year, despite his track record, while according to the polls, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is now increasingly unpopular, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Economic turmoil, irrepressible housing bubble leave Liberals playing for time

  • As long as the economy remains the central political issue, the Liberals’ only real friend is the time between now and the likely federal
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 1, 2023
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has no easy fixes and very little likelihood of major shifts in the key economic factors contributing to the public’s discouragement and anxiety, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Economic turmoil, irrepressible housing bubble leave Liberals playing for time

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 1, 2023
  • As long as the economy remains the central political issue, the Liberals’ only real friend is the time between now and the likely federal

Economic turmoil, irrepressible housing bubble leave Liberals playing for time

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 1, 2023
  • As long as the economy remains the central political issue, the Liberals’ only real friend is the time between now and the likely federal
Chrystia Freeland
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has no easy fixes and very little likelihood of major shifts in the key economic factors contributing to the public’s discouragement and anxiety, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is this any way to run a country?

  • Amid the urgent need to do something about the catastrophe of climate change, Canadians on the right continue to undermine the required national co-operation.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2023
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’s willing to lead the charge with other premiers opposing the federal government’s environmental and energy policies, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is this any way to run a country?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2023
  • Amid the urgent need to do something about the catastrophe of climate change, Canadians on the right continue to undermine the required national co-operation.

Is this any way to run a country?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2023
  • Amid the urgent need to do something about the catastrophe of climate change, Canadians on the right continue to undermine the required national co-operation.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’s willing to lead the charge with other premiers opposing the federal government’s environmental and energy policies, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

News

Get free news updates

Opinion

Submit a guest opinion article

resources

Follow us

Advertise

get help

Subscribe
CloseMenu