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Wednesday, May 7, 2025

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Les Whittington

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

Mark Carney puts it all on the line

  • Whatever happens on April 28, Mark Carney will be remembered as the man who stepped up to offer his services to fellow Canadians in
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 23, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney greets supporters at a rally outside of the Lusitania Portuguese Club of Ottawa on April 20. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Mark Carney puts it all on the line

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 23, 2025
  • Whatever happens on April 28, Mark Carney will be remembered as the man who stepped up to offer his services to fellow Canadians in

Mark Carney puts it all on the line

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 23, 2025
  • Whatever happens on April 28, Mark Carney will be remembered as the man who stepped up to offer his services to fellow Canadians in
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney greets supporters at a rally outside of the Lusitania Portuguese Club of Ottawa on April 20. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Do Canadians really want Stephen Harper back?

  • While the former prime minister remains an icon among the Conservative base, his presence may remind voters of what they didn’t like about him
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 16, 2025
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
The current Conservative leader’s campaign is taking on more and more aspects of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s politics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Do Canadians really want Stephen Harper back?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 16, 2025
  • While the former prime minister remains an icon among the Conservative base, his presence may remind voters of what they didn’t like about him

Do Canadians really want Stephen Harper back?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 16, 2025
  • While the former prime minister remains an icon among the Conservative base, his presence may remind voters of what they didn’t like about him
Stephen Harper
The current Conservative leader’s campaign is taking on more and more aspects of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s politics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The world waits to see how long Trump’s attack on the global economy can last

  • The president has brushed off political realities that would have sunk most political actors a hundred times over.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 9, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Within days of U.S. President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement, most of the world was united in its criticism of his decision to wreck everyone’s economy, including his own, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

The world waits to see how long Trump’s attack on the global economy can last

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 9, 2025
  • The president has brushed off political realities that would have sunk most political actors a hundred times over.

The world waits to see how long Trump’s attack on the global economy can last

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 9, 2025
  • The president has brushed off political realities that would have sunk most political actors a hundred times over.
Donald Trump
Within days of U.S. President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement, most of the world was united in its criticism of his decision to wreck everyone’s economy, including his own, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Trump has flipped the election narrative, but it’s a long way to April 28

  • The knock-on effects of tariffs could be well on the way to erasing the Liberals’ advantage in the Trump survival showdown.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump is like having a pet rattlesnake—as the whole world has learned the hard way, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Trump has flipped the election narrative, but it’s a long way to April 28

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
  • The knock-on effects of tariffs could be well on the way to erasing the Liberals’ advantage in the Trump survival showdown.

Trump has flipped the election narrative, but it’s a long way to April 28

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
  • The knock-on effects of tariffs could be well on the way to erasing the Liberals’ advantage in the Trump survival showdown.
Donald Trump
Dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump is like having a pet rattlesnake—as the whole world has learned the hard way, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Trump’s most despised adversary has an election

  • It’s beyond troubling that Canada is always being singled out for its supposedly nasty negotiating stance, and alleged unfair trading relationship with Americans.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to soon give up on his promise to wreck the economy of the land he now deems his country's worst enemy, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Trump’s most despised adversary has an election

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
  • It’s beyond troubling that Canada is always being singled out for its supposedly nasty negotiating stance, and alleged unfair trading relationship with Americans.

Trump’s most despised adversary has an election

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
  • It’s beyond troubling that Canada is always being singled out for its supposedly nasty negotiating stance, and alleged unfair trading relationship with Americans.
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to soon give up on his promise to wreck the economy of the land he now deems his country's worst enemy, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

The real message from the Ford-initiated meeting in D.C.? Canada has no chance of dodging Trump’s trade war for now

  • As relieved as the Canadian contingent was to be engaged in an adult conversation, the March 13 discussion yielded nothing in the way of immediate
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the March 13 meeting with the U.S. commerce secretary was ‘productive,’ but he could be grasping at straws, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The real message from the Ford-initiated meeting in D.C.? Canada has no chance of dodging Trump’s trade war for now

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
  • As relieved as the Canadian contingent was to be engaged in an adult conversation, the March 13 discussion yielded nothing in the way of immediate

The real message from the Ford-initiated meeting in D.C.? Canada has no chance of dodging Trump’s trade war for now

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
  • As relieved as the Canadian contingent was to be engaged in an adult conversation, the March 13 discussion yielded nothing in the way of immediate
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the March 13 meeting with the U.S. commerce secretary was ‘productive,’ but he could be grasping at straws, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives left searching for a message as Carney demonstrates his political potential

  • The Tories’ advantage has blown up in their faces as Canadians have begun to take another look at their political options.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
It hasn’t gone unnoticed that having a prime minister like Liberal Leader Mark Carney with economic skills, global awareness, and experience working with world leaders at the highest level on make-or-break issues might not be such a bad idea, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives left searching for a message as Carney demonstrates his political potential

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
  • The Tories’ advantage has blown up in their faces as Canadians have begun to take another look at their political options.

Conservatives left searching for a message as Carney demonstrates his political potential

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
  • The Tories’ advantage has blown up in their faces as Canadians have begun to take another look at their political options.
Mark Carney
It hasn’t gone unnoticed that having a prime minister like Liberal Leader Mark Carney with economic skills, global awareness, and experience working with world leaders at the highest level on make-or-break issues might not be such a bad idea, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Oval Office blow-up confirmed where Trump really stands

  • It’s becoming undeniable to all concerned that the world we have known has suddenly evaporated.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 5, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Feb. 28 clash at the White House drove home what everyone has been struggling to process about Trump, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/TheWhiteHouse

Oval Office blow-up confirmed where Trump really stands

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 5, 2025
  • It’s becoming undeniable to all concerned that the world we have known has suddenly evaporated.

Oval Office blow-up confirmed where Trump really stands

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 5, 2025
  • It’s becoming undeniable to all concerned that the world we have known has suddenly evaporated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Feb. 28 clash at the White House drove home what everyone has been struggling to process about Trump, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/TheWhiteHouse

Ottawa looks to new partnerships in Europe as Trump’s threats against Canada materialize

  • Canada’s and Europe’s leaders are trying to rewrite the framework of power to open the way for an end to Russia’s murderous attack on
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 26, 2025
For Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, the Feb. 24 call to action in Kyiv on behalf of Ukraine may be remembered as his best moment in nearly a decade in power, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Ottawa looks to new partnerships in Europe as Trump’s threats against Canada materialize

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 26, 2025
  • Canada’s and Europe’s leaders are trying to rewrite the framework of power to open the way for an end to Russia’s murderous attack on

Ottawa looks to new partnerships in Europe as Trump’s threats against Canada materialize

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 26, 2025
  • Canada’s and Europe’s leaders are trying to rewrite the framework of power to open the way for an end to Russia’s murderous attack on
For Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, the Feb. 24 call to action in Kyiv on behalf of Ukraine may be remembered as his best moment in nearly a decade in power, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Canadians face a new reality as the U.S. abandons 75 years of rules-based, liberal world order

  • U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive fixation with this country and his constant denigration of Canadians and our right to exist as a nation are
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
After a month of nearly daily threats of economically devastating tariffs, Canadians are beginning to accept the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump actually does want to erase the Canada-U.S. border, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Canadians face a new reality as the U.S. abandons 75 years of rules-based, liberal world order

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
  • U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive fixation with this country and his constant denigration of Canadians and our right to exist as a nation are

Canadians face a new reality as the U.S. abandons 75 years of rules-based, liberal world order

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
  • U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive fixation with this country and his constant denigration of Canadians and our right to exist as a nation are
Donald Trump
After a month of nearly daily threats of economically devastating tariffs, Canadians are beginning to accept the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump actually does want to erase the Canada-U.S. border, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Carving a new future in the wake of Trump’s betrayal

  • President Donald Trump’s decision to turn on his northern neighbour has forced Canadians to take stock of their heritage, and thrown open the door
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
In Canada, U.S. President Donald Trump’s flailing about in his new king-of-the-world act has sparked a political upheaval unlike anything seen in decades, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Carving a new future in the wake of Trump’s betrayal

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
  • President Donald Trump’s decision to turn on his northern neighbour has forced Canadians to take stock of their heritage, and thrown open the door

Carving a new future in the wake of Trump’s betrayal

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
  • President Donald Trump’s decision to turn on his northern neighbour has forced Canadians to take stock of their heritage, and thrown open the door
Donald Trump
In Canada, U.S. President Donald Trump’s flailing about in his new king-of-the-world act has sparked a political upheaval unlike anything seen in decades, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Trump forcing Canadians to look more closely at what our country is all about

  • Canadians need to grab this moment to redefine our internal and external relations.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
Anita Anand
Anita Anand
The work by Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand to overhaul the country’s internal trade blockages is the most obvious way to bolster the economy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump forcing Canadians to look more closely at what our country is all about

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
  • Canadians need to grab this moment to redefine our internal and external relations.

Trump forcing Canadians to look more closely at what our country is all about

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
  • Canadians need to grab this moment to redefine our internal and external relations.
Anita Anand
The work by Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand to overhaul the country’s internal trade blockages is the most obvious way to bolster the economy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

President’s threat to rules-based world order is no joke

  • As Trump continues his shakedown of Canada, it is becoming apparent that his talk about using 'economic force' to annex this country needs to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
By re-electing Donald Trump, Americans have opened the way to the end of a world order centred on rules-based trade and democratic alliances that western countries have promoted and benefitted from throughout the postwar era, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Gage Skidmore

President’s threat to rules-based world order is no joke

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
  • As Trump continues his shakedown of Canada, it is becoming apparent that his talk about using 'economic force' to annex this country needs to

President’s threat to rules-based world order is no joke

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
  • As Trump continues his shakedown of Canada, it is becoming apparent that his talk about using 'economic force' to annex this country needs to
Donald Trump
By re-electing Donald Trump, Americans have opened the way to the end of a world order centred on rules-based trade and democratic alliances that western countries have promoted and benefitted from throughout the postwar era, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Gage Skidmore

Two-nation partnership that was a beacon of trust in a fractious world goes down Trump’s drain

  • Trump’s expansionist approach may turn out to be highly counterproductive.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s expressed willingness to use force to erase the borders of sovereign countries signals an end to the fundamental principle of international order, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Two-nation partnership that was a beacon of trust in a fractious world goes down Trump’s drain

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
  • Trump’s expansionist approach may turn out to be highly counterproductive.

Two-nation partnership that was a beacon of trust in a fractious world goes down Trump’s drain

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
  • Trump’s expansionist approach may turn out to be highly counterproductive.
Donald Trump
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s expressed willingness to use force to erase the borders of sovereign countries signals an end to the fundamental principle of international order, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Staring down the barrel of 2025

  • The current uncertainty and lack of a well-anchored, unifying voice will put Canada at a severe disadvantage in the onrushing showdown with Donald Trump.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Like any bully, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump needs someone to pick on for the sake of his audience, and for that role he seems to have chosen Canada. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Staring down the barrel of 2025

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
  • The current uncertainty and lack of a well-anchored, unifying voice will put Canada at a severe disadvantage in the onrushing showdown with Donald Trump.

Staring down the barrel of 2025

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
  • The current uncertainty and lack of a well-anchored, unifying voice will put Canada at a severe disadvantage in the onrushing showdown with Donald Trump.
Donald Trump
Like any bully, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump needs someone to pick on for the sake of his audience, and for that role he seems to have chosen Canada. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Freeland’s chaos-inducing resignation brings ever more uncertainty in the face of Canada’s trade emergency

  • Chrystia Freeland’s dramatic move has thrown the ruling Liberals into disarray, and raised new questions about the stability of Trudeau’s minority government.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from cabinet will make stability and a unified front against Donald Trump that much harder to achieve. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s chaos-inducing resignation brings ever more uncertainty in the face of Canada’s trade emergency

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
  • Chrystia Freeland’s dramatic move has thrown the ruling Liberals into disarray, and raised new questions about the stability of Trudeau’s minority government.

Freeland’s chaos-inducing resignation brings ever more uncertainty in the face of Canada’s trade emergency

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
  • Chrystia Freeland’s dramatic move has thrown the ruling Liberals into disarray, and raised new questions about the stability of Trudeau’s minority government.
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from cabinet will make stability and a unified front against Donald Trump that much harder to achieve. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

With one post, Trump has scrambled Canada’s political agenda

  • If nothing else, it has given Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a national mission that resonates with most Canadians.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
Donald Trump.
Donald Trump.
A recent interview confirmed U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is serious about putting a tariffs-for-income-tax-cuts trade-off at the centre of his economic agenda, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of NBC News

With one post, Trump has scrambled Canada’s political agenda

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
  • If nothing else, it has given Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a national mission that resonates with most Canadians.

With one post, Trump has scrambled Canada’s political agenda

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
  • If nothing else, it has given Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a national mission that resonates with most Canadians.
Donald Trump.
A recent interview confirmed U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is serious about putting a tariffs-for-income-tax-cuts trade-off at the centre of his economic agenda, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of NBC News

Don’t expect any breaks from Tariff Man

  • Whatever Donald Trump says about his reasons for slapping tariffs on Canadian imports, it’s safe to assume it's only part of the story.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Canada is just another villain in what U.S. president-elect Donald Trump imagines is a worldwide plot to take advantage of American open trade policies, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Don’t expect any breaks from Tariff Man

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
  • Whatever Donald Trump says about his reasons for slapping tariffs on Canadian imports, it’s safe to assume it's only part of the story.

Don’t expect any breaks from Tariff Man

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
  • Whatever Donald Trump says about his reasons for slapping tariffs on Canadian imports, it’s safe to assume it's only part of the story.
Donald Trump
Canada is just another villain in what U.S. president-elect Donald Trump imagines is a worldwide plot to take advantage of American open trade policies, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Playing the Mexico card

  • Any radical demands will have to take a back seat now that Trump has lumped Canada and Mexico together in his vow to impose
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 27, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, needs Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, centre, as a partner in any trade discussions involving U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and his well-known divide-and-conquer tactics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade, and photographs by Eneas De Troya, and Gage Skidmore

Playing the Mexico card

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 27, 2024
  • Any radical demands will have to take a back seat now that Trump has lumped Canada and Mexico together in his vow to impose

Playing the Mexico card

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 27, 2024
  • Any radical demands will have to take a back seat now that Trump has lumped Canada and Mexico together in his vow to impose
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, needs Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, centre, as a partner in any trade discussions involving U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and his well-known divide-and-conquer tactics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade, and photographs by Eneas De Troya, and Gage Skidmore

A lesson for Canadians in Americans’ economic disconnect

  • As voters look for relief from the high cost of living, misguided nostalgia can play a major role in a campaign.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 20, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump won because people in the U.S. believe he will be better than the Democrats at improving the country’s economic conditions, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CSPAN

A lesson for Canadians in Americans’ economic disconnect

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 20, 2024
  • As voters look for relief from the high cost of living, misguided nostalgia can play a major role in a campaign.

A lesson for Canadians in Americans’ economic disconnect

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 20, 2024
  • As voters look for relief from the high cost of living, misguided nostalgia can play a major role in a campaign.
President-elect Donald Trump won because people in the U.S. believe he will be better than the Democrats at improving the country’s economic conditions, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CSPAN

The world changed on Nov. 5

  • For Canadians, the potential impact of another Trump administration could be nothing less than a turning point in the country’s modern history.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump
We shouldn’t make the same mistake a lot of American voters apparently made of thinking that president-elect Donald Trump doesn’t mean what he says, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Tia Dufour

The world changed on Nov. 5

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
  • For Canadians, the potential impact of another Trump administration could be nothing less than a turning point in the country’s modern history.

The world changed on Nov. 5

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
  • For Canadians, the potential impact of another Trump administration could be nothing less than a turning point in the country’s modern history.
Donald J. Trump
We shouldn’t make the same mistake a lot of American voters apparently made of thinking that president-elect Donald Trump doesn’t mean what he says, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Tia Dufour

Information blackout still shrouds investigation of shocking murder of Ontario resto owner

  • Fourteen months later, Owen Sound citizens continue to deal with a troubling lack of information about a murder that cast a cloud of anxiety
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 6, 2024
The handling of the information in the Sharif Rahman case by the police has raised questions about secrecy and the need to maintain an open justice system. Pexels photograph by Nikita Sh 

Information blackout still shrouds investigation of shocking murder of Ontario resto owner

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 6, 2024
  • Fourteen months later, Owen Sound citizens continue to deal with a troubling lack of information about a murder that cast a cloud of anxiety

Information blackout still shrouds investigation of shocking murder of Ontario resto owner

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 6, 2024
  • Fourteen months later, Owen Sound citizens continue to deal with a troubling lack of information about a murder that cast a cloud of anxiety
The handling of the information in the Sharif Rahman case by the police has raised questions about secrecy and the need to maintain an open justice system. Pexels photograph by Nikita Sh 

Sanewashing, denial, and hate-mongering: the new normal in the U.S.

  • About half the voting populace seems ready to cast a presidential ballot for a criminal who has trod on every notion of decency in
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump
No modern mainstream politician has been so explicit in their bigoted rhetoric as former and prospective U.S. president Donald Trump, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Sanewashing, denial, and hate-mongering: the new normal in the U.S.

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
  • About half the voting populace seems ready to cast a presidential ballot for a criminal who has trod on every notion of decency in

Sanewashing, denial, and hate-mongering: the new normal in the U.S.

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
  • About half the voting populace seems ready to cast a presidential ballot for a criminal who has trod on every notion of decency in
Donald J. Trump
No modern mainstream politician has been so explicit in their bigoted rhetoric as former and prospective U.S. president Donald Trump, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

The authenticity game

  • It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that talking a good populist game is more politically advantageous than any agenda devoted to actually improving peoples’
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2024
Politicians like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have an advantage when voters care more about the perception of a official as honest rather than likable, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The authenticity game

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2024
  • It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that talking a good populist game is more politically advantageous than any agenda devoted to actually improving peoples’

The authenticity game

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2024
  • It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that talking a good populist game is more politically advantageous than any agenda devoted to actually improving peoples’
Politicians like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have an advantage when voters care more about the perception of a official as honest rather than likable, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Real estate nation: Canada’s biggest business sector scores low in the all-important area of economic productivity

  • Investment in housing takes away from money in other sectors, undercutting the country’s ability to devote funds to the kinds of spending crucial to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 16, 2024
The overemphasis on housing is an important factor in what is perhaps Canada’s most pressing economic problem: declining economic productivity, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Real estate nation: Canada’s biggest business sector scores low in the all-important area of economic productivity

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 16, 2024
  • Investment in housing takes away from money in other sectors, undercutting the country’s ability to devote funds to the kinds of spending crucial to

Real estate nation: Canada’s biggest business sector scores low in the all-important area of economic productivity

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 16, 2024
  • Investment in housing takes away from money in other sectors, undercutting the country’s ability to devote funds to the kinds of spending crucial to
The overemphasis on housing is an important factor in what is perhaps Canada’s most pressing economic problem: declining economic productivity, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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Inquiry into Nova Scotia mass killing plods along in private

  • OTTAWA—In the you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up department, consider that the hard-won public inquiry into the murder of 22 people by a lone gunman in Nova Scotia in
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 15, 2021
RCMP vehicles are pictured responding to the mass shooting that began in Portapique, N.S., on April 18, 2020. Victims’ families and the public are demanding to know the details of the RCMP’s cascading ineptitude on the night of the murders, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

Inquiry into Nova Scotia mass killing plods along in private

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 15, 2021
  • OTTAWA—In the you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up department, consider that the hard-won public inquiry into the murder of 22 people by a lone gunman in Nova Scotia in

Inquiry into Nova Scotia mass killing plods along in private

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 15, 2021
  • OTTAWA—In the you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up department, consider that the hard-won public inquiry into the murder of 22 people by a lone gunman in Nova Scotia in
RCMP vehicles are pictured responding to the mass shooting that began in Portapique, N.S., on April 18, 2020. Victims’ families and the public are demanding to know the details of the RCMP’s cascading ineptitude on the night of the murders, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

Finally, an issue the Conservatives’ unlikely populists can work with

  • OTTAWA—As with the housing market, hollowed-out commercial real estate, remote work, and the massive rethink of desirable jobs, the global tornado known as the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 8, 2021
What Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre has in common with the so-called ‘left-behind’ and ‘forgotten’ Canadians the Conservatives are trying to court with their anti-elitist pitch is difficult to imagine, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Finally, an issue the Conservatives’ unlikely populists can work with

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—As with the housing market, hollowed-out commercial real estate, remote work, and the massive rethink of desirable jobs, the global tornado known as the

Finally, an issue the Conservatives’ unlikely populists can work with

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—As with the housing market, hollowed-out commercial real estate, remote work, and the massive rethink of desirable jobs, the global tornado known as the
What Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre has in common with the so-called ‘left-behind’ and ‘forgotten’ Canadians the Conservatives are trying to court with their anti-elitist pitch is difficult to imagine, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Food banks’ COVID experience validated federal aid but the crisis for Canada’s poor is worsening

  • OTTAWA—When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, Canadians who try to care for the less-well-off were facing increased hardship and tragedy of incalculable dimensions. Millions
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 1, 2021
Government COVID aid policies in Canada provided key support for food banks struggling to meet the early challenges of the pandemic, but there are changes needed to try to fix this long-broken system, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Food banks’ COVID experience validated federal aid but the crisis for Canada’s poor is worsening

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, Canadians who try to care for the less-well-off were facing increased hardship and tragedy of incalculable dimensions. Millions

Food banks’ COVID experience validated federal aid but the crisis for Canada’s poor is worsening

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, Canadians who try to care for the less-well-off were facing increased hardship and tragedy of incalculable dimensions. Millions
Government COVID aid policies in Canada provided key support for food banks struggling to meet the early challenges of the pandemic, but there are changes needed to try to fix this long-broken system, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A parliamentary session like no other

  • OTTAWA—Politicians droning on day after day in service of complicated legislative endeavours, amendments, and obscure procedure may not rank high on the average person’s
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 24, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces a political landscape jammed with crises, long-overdue action, unexpected challenges, regional tension, and a multi-faceted, expensive, and publicly demanding policy agenda, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A parliamentary session like no other

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Politicians droning on day after day in service of complicated legislative endeavours, amendments, and obscure procedure may not rank high on the average person’s

A parliamentary session like no other

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Politicians droning on day after day in service of complicated legislative endeavours, amendments, and obscure procedure may not rank high on the average person’s
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces a political landscape jammed with crises, long-overdue action, unexpected challenges, regional tension, and a multi-faceted, expensive, and publicly demanding policy agenda, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Amigos in Trump’s America: time to rethink Canada’s long-term interests

  • OTTAWA—Canadians have been paying a price for months for the U.S. government’s monumental failure to bring some order and sense of justice to the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 17, 2021
Despite saying the right things about U.S. diplomacy and climate in particular, President Joe Biden hasn’t deviated a great deal from America’s profoundly nationalist, inward-looking shift in recent years. White House photograph by Erin Scott

Amigos in Trump’s America: time to rethink Canada’s long-term interests

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Canadians have been paying a price for months for the U.S. government’s monumental failure to bring some order and sense of justice to the

Amigos in Trump’s America: time to rethink Canada’s long-term interests

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Canadians have been paying a price for months for the U.S. government’s monumental failure to bring some order and sense of justice to the
Despite saying the right things about U.S. diplomacy and climate in particular, President Joe Biden hasn’t deviated a great deal from America’s profoundly nationalist, inward-looking shift in recent years. White House photograph by Erin Scott

Doug Ford’s political porn cheapens Ontario democracy

  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who will face voters next June, wants to run against former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne again. Eight months before the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 10, 2021
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has started early because of election spending rules and because he has to try to overcome his low personal standing with voters resulting from his inept handling of the later stages of the COVID-19 emergency, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Doug Ford’s political porn cheapens Ontario democracy

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 10, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who will face voters next June, wants to run against former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne again. Eight months before the

Doug Ford’s political porn cheapens Ontario democracy

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 10, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who will face voters next June, wants to run against former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne again. Eight months before the
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has started early because of election spending rules and because he has to try to overcome his low personal standing with voters resulting from his inept handling of the later stages of the COVID-19 emergency, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Searching for unity of purpose in a world beset by crisis

  • OTTAWA—U.S. President Joe Biden has recommitted his country and his power to the world of multilateral co-operation. But the G20 summit in Rome was
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 3, 2021
Even with the Pope urging them on, the leaders of the 20 economic powers accounting for 80 per cent of global carbon emissions failed in Rome to agree in their communiqué on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as environmentalists had hoped, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Paul Kagame’s Flickr

Searching for unity of purpose in a world beset by crisis

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 3, 2021
  • OTTAWA—U.S. President Joe Biden has recommitted his country and his power to the world of multilateral co-operation. But the G20 summit in Rome was

Searching for unity of purpose in a world beset by crisis

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 3, 2021
  • OTTAWA—U.S. President Joe Biden has recommitted his country and his power to the world of multilateral co-operation. But the G20 summit in Rome was
Even with the Pope urging them on, the leaders of the 20 economic powers accounting for 80 per cent of global carbon emissions failed in Rome to agree in their communiqué on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as environmentalists had hoped, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Paul Kagame’s Flickr

Post-COVID imponderables up the risks with Freeland’s recovery outlook

  • OTTAWA—Will the global economy prove to be a COVID long-hauler? The diagnosis remains uncertain, as with every other factor concerning the virus and its
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 27, 2021
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has now put her confidence in Canada’s reviving economy on the line by replacing broad-based COVID support programs with more targeted, less expensive measures, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Post-COVID imponderables up the risks with Freeland’s recovery outlook

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 27, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Will the global economy prove to be a COVID long-hauler? The diagnosis remains uncertain, as with every other factor concerning the virus and its

Post-COVID imponderables up the risks with Freeland’s recovery outlook

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 27, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Will the global economy prove to be a COVID long-hauler? The diagnosis remains uncertain, as with every other factor concerning the virus and its
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has now put her confidence in Canada’s reviving economy on the line by replacing broad-based COVID support programs with more targeted, less expensive measures, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It’s only the survival of the planet: will the world come up short again at Scottish climate change summit?

  • OTTAWA—Nearly a third of a century has passed since global leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, agreed to try to do something to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 18, 2021
Within the meeting’s limited prospects, Canada can still play a leadership role, writes Les Whittington. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will take an upgraded pledge by Canada to Glasgow and Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has been working with his German counterpart to convince wealthy nations to fulfill their promise to allocate $100-billion per year to developing countries. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

It’s only the survival of the planet: will the world come up short again at Scottish climate change summit?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 18, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Nearly a third of a century has passed since global leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, agreed to try to do something to

It’s only the survival of the planet: will the world come up short again at Scottish climate change summit?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 18, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Nearly a third of a century has passed since global leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, agreed to try to do something to
Within the meeting’s limited prospects, Canada can still play a leadership role, writes Les Whittington. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will take an upgraded pledge by Canada to Glasgow and Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has been working with his German counterpart to convince wealthy nations to fulfill their promise to allocate $100-billion per year to developing countries. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

The Conservatives’ post- election inquiry and the future of Canada’s politics

  • OTTAWA—Had the Conservatives won the election, what would Canadians be expecting now? People who should know say Erin O’Toole is indeed a centrist, and,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 13, 2021
How the Conservatives assess the 2021 campaign, their leader, and their raison d’être in the months ahead will have particular significance at a time when right-wing zealots of every variety are testing the boundaries of traditional democratic activity across the western world, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The Conservatives’ post- election inquiry and the future of Canada’s politics

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 13, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Had the Conservatives won the election, what would Canadians be expecting now? People who should know say Erin O’Toole is indeed a centrist, and,

The Conservatives’ post- election inquiry and the future of Canada’s politics

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 13, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Had the Conservatives won the election, what would Canadians be expecting now? People who should know say Erin O’Toole is indeed a centrist, and,
How the Conservatives assess the 2021 campaign, their leader, and their raison d’être in the months ahead will have particular significance at a time when right-wing zealots of every variety are testing the boundaries of traditional democratic activity across the western world, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

What’s ahead for small government crusaders in the wake of COVID-19?

  • OTTAWA—Sometime last year, people started joking about the “before times” and “the after times” of COVID-19. Now, with the second anniversary of the arrival
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 6, 2021
Consistent with his small-government, libertarian convictions, Premier Jason Kenney appears destined to go down with the COVID ship in Alberta while in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford was accused of penny pinching during an emergency when it emerged that his government spent $5.6-billion less than proposed in its 2020 budget, including $3.5-billion less than planned on health care, even as COVID continued its damage, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

What’s ahead for small government crusaders in the wake of COVID-19?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 6, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Sometime last year, people started joking about the “before times” and “the after times” of COVID-19. Now, with the second anniversary of the arrival

What’s ahead for small government crusaders in the wake of COVID-19?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 6, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Sometime last year, people started joking about the “before times” and “the after times” of COVID-19. Now, with the second anniversary of the arrival
Consistent with his small-government, libertarian convictions, Premier Jason Kenney appears destined to go down with the COVID ship in Alberta while in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford was accused of penny pinching during an emergency when it emerged that his government spent $5.6-billion less than proposed in its 2020 budget, including $3.5-billion less than planned on health care, even as COVID continued its damage, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

As unmarked residential school graves have reinforced, Canada can’t falter in confronting racism and hate

  • OTTAWA—The recent discovery of more than 1,000 unmarked graves of children who disappeared at so-called Indian Residential Schools has awakened Canadians more forcefully to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 29, 2021
A rally in Support of Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders marches in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 7, 2020. As the upsurge of far-right intolerance has evolved in Canada, Indigenous people experienced an increase in digital attacks and threats after the Wet’suwet’en Nation hereditary chiefs’ protest in B.C., writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

As unmarked residential school graves have reinforced, Canada can’t falter in confronting racism and hate

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 29, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The recent discovery of more than 1,000 unmarked graves of children who disappeared at so-called Indian Residential Schools has awakened Canadians more forcefully to

As unmarked residential school graves have reinforced, Canada can’t falter in confronting racism and hate

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 29, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The recent discovery of more than 1,000 unmarked graves of children who disappeared at so-called Indian Residential Schools has awakened Canadians more forcefully to
A rally in Support of Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders marches in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 7, 2020. As the upsurge of far-right intolerance has evolved in Canada, Indigenous people experienced an increase in digital attacks and threats after the Wet’suwet’en Nation hereditary chiefs’ protest in B.C., writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Don’t count on parliamentary progress after this scattershot election outcome

  • OTTAWA—Canadians should demand their newly-elected Members of Parliament take to heart the obvious result of Monday’s election—that voters favour a mixed power dynamic in
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 23, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet. The election results suggest a need for compromise to bring forward what, in theory at least, are policies based on consensus among all, or most, parties on what’s best for the country, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Don’t count on parliamentary progress after this scattershot election outcome

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 23, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Canadians should demand their newly-elected Members of Parliament take to heart the obvious result of Monday’s election—that voters favour a mixed power dynamic in

Don’t count on parliamentary progress after this scattershot election outcome

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 23, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Canadians should demand their newly-elected Members of Parliament take to heart the obvious result of Monday’s election—that voters favour a mixed power dynamic in
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet. The election results suggest a need for compromise to bring forward what, in theory at least, are policies based on consensus among all, or most, parties on what’s best for the country, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Déjà vu vote gives Trudeau a mandate of sorts in a volatile, disjointed political landscape

  • OTTAWA—Canada demonstrated its deeply etched divisions again in the Sept. 20 election, but opted in the end for a progressive, forward-looking approach to the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 22, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pictured on election night in Montreal. While the standings in the Commons should be settled for some time now in as much as forcing another election would be manifestly unpopular, Trudeau will confront a volatile political situation with big, potentially disruptive unknowns on legislative co-operation, the future of parties’ leadership, and evolving federal-provincial relations, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

Déjà vu vote gives Trudeau a mandate of sorts in a volatile, disjointed political landscape

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 22, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Canada demonstrated its deeply etched divisions again in the Sept. 20 election, but opted in the end for a progressive, forward-looking approach to the

Déjà vu vote gives Trudeau a mandate of sorts in a volatile, disjointed political landscape

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 22, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Canada demonstrated its deeply etched divisions again in the Sept. 20 election, but opted in the end for a progressive, forward-looking approach to the
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pictured on election night in Montreal. While the standings in the Commons should be settled for some time now in as much as forcing another election would be manifestly unpopular, Trudeau will confront a volatile political situation with big, potentially disruptive unknowns on legislative co-operation, the future of parties’ leadership, and evolving federal-provincial relations, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

After a campaign that only reinforced Canada’s divisions, it’s unclear what, if anything, will be resolved Monday

  • OTTAWA—Not surprisingly for a national election during a once-in-a-century health crisis, Canadians appear likely to wind up on Sept. 20 more divided than ever
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 16, 2021
The campaign is the most unfocused federal contest in recent memory. It has emerged as a mish-mash dominated by populist-style personal attacks, Trumpist extremism, reshuffled right-left political alignments, diminished commitments to the role of the federal government, and the weaponization of public health issues, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

After a campaign that only reinforced Canada’s divisions, it’s unclear what, if anything, will be resolved Monday

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 16, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Not surprisingly for a national election during a once-in-a-century health crisis, Canadians appear likely to wind up on Sept. 20 more divided than ever

After a campaign that only reinforced Canada’s divisions, it’s unclear what, if anything, will be resolved Monday

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 16, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Not surprisingly for a national election during a once-in-a-century health crisis, Canadians appear likely to wind up on Sept. 20 more divided than ever
The campaign is the most unfocused federal contest in recent memory. It has emerged as a mish-mash dominated by populist-style personal attacks, Trumpist extremism, reshuffled right-left political alignments, diminished commitments to the role of the federal government, and the weaponization of public health issues, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

Breaking new ground in Canadian politics, O’Toole slips a bogus conspiracy theory into the nationally televised leaders’ debate

  • OTTAWA—Late in the English-language leaders’ debate, the Conservatives’ Erin O’Toole decided to inject a bogus conspiracy theory into the chaotic proceedings. “Mr. Trudeau, Canadians
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 13, 2021
Contrary to what Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, right, told the public during the Sept. 9 English-language leaders’ debate, there’s no evidence whatsoever of doing away with the capital gains tax break for residences in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal campaign proposals. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

Breaking new ground in Canadian politics, O’Toole slips a bogus conspiracy theory into the nationally televised leaders’ debate

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 13, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Late in the English-language leaders’ debate, the Conservatives’ Erin O’Toole decided to inject a bogus conspiracy theory into the chaotic proceedings. “Mr. Trudeau, Canadians

Breaking new ground in Canadian politics, O’Toole slips a bogus conspiracy theory into the nationally televised leaders’ debate

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 13, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Late in the English-language leaders’ debate, the Conservatives’ Erin O’Toole decided to inject a bogus conspiracy theory into the chaotic proceedings. “Mr. Trudeau, Canadians
Contrary to what Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, right, told the public during the Sept. 9 English-language leaders’ debate, there’s no evidence whatsoever of doing away with the capital gains tax break for residences in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal campaign proposals. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

What to make of Singh’s claim that the Liberals are in league with the rich?

  • OTTAWA—With his usual free-floating reasoning, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh regularly disparages the Liberals’ Justin Trudeau as a supposed friend of the super-rich—not average people.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 9, 2021
Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh are pictured during the Sept. 8 French-language leaders’ debate in Gatineau, Que. Singh says the NDP would find the money needed to help average people by increasing taxes on the wealthy. Of course, Singh neglects to mention that the Liberal government already did this, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

What to make of Singh’s claim that the Liberals are in league with the rich?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 9, 2021
  • OTTAWA—With his usual free-floating reasoning, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh regularly disparages the Liberals’ Justin Trudeau as a supposed friend of the super-rich—not average people.

What to make of Singh’s claim that the Liberals are in league with the rich?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 9, 2021
  • OTTAWA—With his usual free-floating reasoning, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh regularly disparages the Liberals’ Justin Trudeau as a supposed friend of the super-rich—not average people.
Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh are pictured during the Sept. 8 French-language leaders’ debate in Gatineau, Que. Singh says the NDP would find the money needed to help average people by increasing taxes on the wealthy. Of course, Singh neglects to mention that the Liberal government already did this, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

When your election platform is just a rough draft

  • OTTAWA—Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is trying to redefine the concept of integrity in an election campaign. Is it possible to reverse your party’s position
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 8, 2021
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is now ‘offering a more convoluted stance that sounds good to the general public but which can clearly be construed as a dog whistle to sports shooters and collectors of assault weapons,’ according to gun control advocate Nathalie Provost. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

When your election platform is just a rough draft

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is trying to redefine the concept of integrity in an election campaign. Is it possible to reverse your party’s position

When your election platform is just a rough draft

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is trying to redefine the concept of integrity in an election campaign. Is it possible to reverse your party’s position
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is now ‘offering a more convoluted stance that sounds good to the general public but which can clearly be construed as a dog whistle to sports shooters and collectors of assault weapons,’ according to gun control advocate Nathalie Provost. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Harper without a scowl: can O’Toole sell voters a package of Harper retreads?

  • OTTAWA—When Stephen Harper lost the election to Justin Trudeau and the Liberals on the night of Oct. 19, 2015, he left the stage of
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 2, 2021
Under Erin O’Toole, former prime minister Stephen Harper is back—at least when it comes to the package of ideas, many of them a decade or so old—the Conservative leader is presenting to voters, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

Harper without a scowl: can O’Toole sell voters a package of Harper retreads?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 2, 2021
  • OTTAWA—When Stephen Harper lost the election to Justin Trudeau and the Liberals on the night of Oct. 19, 2015, he left the stage of

Harper without a scowl: can O’Toole sell voters a package of Harper retreads?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 2, 2021
  • OTTAWA—When Stephen Harper lost the election to Justin Trudeau and the Liberals on the night of Oct. 19, 2015, he left the stage of
Under Erin O’Toole, former prime minister Stephen Harper is back—at least when it comes to the package of ideas, many of them a decade or so old—the Conservative leader is presenting to voters, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

How much of the Trump factor are we going to see in this election?

  • OTTAWA—The anti-vaxx crazies trying to disrupt Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s rallies have an all-too-familiar aura. Shouting “lock her up” at the Liberals’ Chrystia Freeland
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 1, 2021
What we don’t know is whether these anti-vaxx political vandals are just more of the nutcases who have been staging occasional rallies against lockdowns for months or whether they are the leading edge of a shift by some Canadians to the more aggressive, manic public behaviour of Trumpish extremists, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

How much of the Trump factor are we going to see in this election?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The anti-vaxx crazies trying to disrupt Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s rallies have an all-too-familiar aura. Shouting “lock her up” at the Liberals’ Chrystia Freeland

How much of the Trump factor are we going to see in this election?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The anti-vaxx crazies trying to disrupt Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s rallies have an all-too-familiar aura. Shouting “lock her up” at the Liberals’ Chrystia Freeland
What we don’t know is whether these anti-vaxx political vandals are just more of the nutcases who have been staging occasional rallies against lockdowns for months or whether they are the leading edge of a shift by some Canadians to the more aggressive, manic public behaviour of Trumpish extremists, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

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