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Saturday, January 24, 2026

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Les Whittington

The slow, uphill climb to fix the housing mess

  • Affording a home now is not quite as problematic as it was during the COVID years, but affordability is still the worst it’s been
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 21, 2026
Gregor Robertson
Gregor Robertson
Housing Minister Gregor Robertson. The federal government will have to revolutionize the country’s notoriously unproductive homebuilding sector, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The slow, uphill climb to fix the housing mess

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 21, 2026
  • Affording a home now is not quite as problematic as it was during the COVID years, but affordability is still the worst it’s been

The slow, uphill climb to fix the housing mess

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 21, 2026
  • Affording a home now is not quite as problematic as it was during the COVID years, but affordability is still the worst it’s been
Gregor Robertson
Housing Minister Gregor Robertson. The federal government will have to revolutionize the country’s notoriously unproductive homebuilding sector, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How far will Trump go?

  • It’s obvious that Donald Trump has established a situation where he can operate with little—if any—of the normal constraints of a U.S. president.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 14, 2026
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats may at times be just pressure tactics and it’s also possible he is going too far, even for today’s Americans, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

How far will Trump go?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 14, 2026
  • It’s obvious that Donald Trump has established a situation where he can operate with little—if any—of the normal constraints of a U.S. president.

How far will Trump go?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 14, 2026
  • It’s obvious that Donald Trump has established a situation where he can operate with little—if any—of the normal constraints of a U.S. president.
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats may at times be just pressure tactics and it’s also possible he is going too far, even for today’s Americans, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

2026: Another year on the edge for Carney and Canada

  • For all the Liberals’ high points since they dodged what was shaping up as certain electoral defeat, the year ahead looms as an even
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 17, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney is dealing with a Rubik’s cube of provincial, financial, environmental, political, labour force, and Indigenous issues, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

2026: Another year on the edge for Carney and Canada

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 17, 2025
  • For all the Liberals’ high points since they dodged what was shaping up as certain electoral defeat, the year ahead looms as an even

2026: Another year on the edge for Carney and Canada

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 17, 2025
  • For all the Liberals’ high points since they dodged what was shaping up as certain electoral defeat, the year ahead looms as an even
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney is dealing with a Rubik’s cube of provincial, financial, environmental, political, labour force, and Indigenous issues, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Welcome to the ‘Trade War World Cup’

  • All the countries sending athletes to next year’s event have been struggling with the damage caused by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 10, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, left, U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Prime Minister Mark Carney participate in the FIFA World Cup drawing in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Welcome to the ‘Trade War World Cup’

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 10, 2025
  • All the countries sending athletes to next year’s event have been struggling with the damage caused by Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Welcome to the ‘Trade War World Cup’

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 10, 2025
  • All the countries sending athletes to next year’s event have been struggling with the damage caused by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Donald Trump
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, left, U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Prime Minister Mark Carney participate in the FIFA World Cup drawing in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Untrodden ground: Carney looks to kickstart post-NAFTA economy

  • The decision to put the possibility of a pipeline back in the national conversation marks a seismic shift in the Liberals’ approach to climate
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 3, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney is seeking to lessen the binary choices on the environment and conventional energy development, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Untrodden ground: Carney looks to kickstart post-NAFTA economy

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 3, 2025
  • The decision to put the possibility of a pipeline back in the national conversation marks a seismic shift in the Liberals’ approach to climate

Untrodden ground: Carney looks to kickstart post-NAFTA economy

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 3, 2025
  • The decision to put the possibility of a pipeline back in the national conversation marks a seismic shift in the Liberals’ approach to climate
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney is seeking to lessen the binary choices on the environment and conventional energy development, 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

  • 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
Maninder Sidhu
Maninder Sidhu
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
Maninder Sidhu
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
More Stories

Real estate nation: putting the economy at risk and disadvantaging a generation

  • OTTAWA—It’s been a decade since the commercial bank borrowing rates influenced by the Bank of Canada shifted permanently downward as the central bank adopted
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 30, 2021
Millennials are facing the outcome of decades of neo-liberal government policies that have left the country with stagnant wages way below what’s needed to comfortably buy a home today, writes Les Whittington. Unsplash photograph by Mika Baumeister

Real estate nation: putting the economy at risk and disadvantaging a generation

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 30, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It’s been a decade since the commercial bank borrowing rates influenced by the Bank of Canada shifted permanently downward as the central bank adopted

Real estate nation: putting the economy at risk and disadvantaging a generation

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 30, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It’s been a decade since the commercial bank borrowing rates influenced by the Bank of Canada shifted permanently downward as the central bank adopted
Millennials are facing the outcome of decades of neo-liberal government policies that have left the country with stagnant wages way below what’s needed to comfortably buy a home today, writes Les Whittington. Unsplash photograph by Mika Baumeister

As political variants of concern rise, Trudeau may yet pay the price for long-time vaccine production failures

  • OTTAWA—Despite an up-and-down performance combatting COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has generally been given okay marks by the public and weathered 16 months of
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 23, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may be about to belatedly pay the price for his and other Canadian leaders’ failure over several decades to recognize the danger of large-scale influenza outbreaks and the need to establish domestic pandemic defences, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

As political variants of concern rise, Trudeau may yet pay the price for long-time vaccine production failures

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 23, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Despite an up-and-down performance combatting COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has generally been given okay marks by the public and weathered 16 months of

As political variants of concern rise, Trudeau may yet pay the price for long-time vaccine production failures

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 23, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Despite an up-and-down performance combatting COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has generally been given okay marks by the public and weathered 16 months of
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may be about to belatedly pay the price for his and other Canadian leaders’ failure over several decades to recognize the danger of large-scale influenza outbreaks and the need to establish domestic pandemic defences, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

With Trump left behind and COVID easing, Trudeau can soon test his standing and vision with voters

  • OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau evaded the Trump menace and is now on the verge of politically surviving the worst public health crisis in a
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 16, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, was present in Britain on the weekend as G7 leaders and others—European Council President Charles Michel, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel—turned the lights on again after wandering around for years in the confused darkness cast by Donald Trump, writes Les Whittington. No. 10 Downing Street photograph by Simon Dawson

With Trump left behind and COVID easing, Trudeau can soon test his standing and vision with voters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 16, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau evaded the Trump menace and is now on the verge of politically surviving the worst public health crisis in a

With Trump left behind and COVID easing, Trudeau can soon test his standing and vision with voters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 16, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau evaded the Trump menace and is now on the verge of politically surviving the worst public health crisis in a
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, was present in Britain on the weekend as G7 leaders and others—European Council President Charles Michel, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel—turned the lights on again after wandering around for years in the confused darkness cast by Donald Trump, writes Les Whittington. No. 10 Downing Street photograph by Simon Dawson

Boris Johnson’s conjurer’s act finally hits the big time

  • OTTAWA—Most of us are all too aware of the unreal, destructive story of Donald Trump. But relatively little attention has been paid to the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 9, 2021
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the foremost modern disruptor of European co-ordination by closing the deal on Brexit, the climax of the Euroskeptic theme the prime minister had been using to successfully promote his personal ambitions for decades, writes Les Whittington. No. 10 Downing Street photograph by Andrew Parsons

Boris Johnson’s conjurer’s act finally hits the big time

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 9, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Most of us are all too aware of the unreal, destructive story of Donald Trump. But relatively little attention has been paid to the

Boris Johnson’s conjurer’s act finally hits the big time

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 9, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Most of us are all too aware of the unreal, destructive story of Donald Trump. But relatively little attention has been paid to the
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the foremost modern disruptor of European co-ordination by closing the deal on Brexit, the climax of the Euroskeptic theme the prime minister had been using to successfully promote his personal ambitions for decades, writes Les Whittington. No. 10 Downing Street photograph by Andrew Parsons

Milking scapegoats: Biden administration bows to demands to reopen hyped up attacks on Canadian dairy, lumber

  • OTTAWA—One of the reasons Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency in 2016 was his promise to “drain the swamp”—that is, reduce the immense power
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 2, 2021
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is former president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, the lobby group whose demands for action in retaliation for Canada’s allegedly unfair dairy practices put the tariff-rate quotas issue on the government agenda in Washington, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Milking scapegoats: Biden administration bows to demands to reopen hyped up attacks on Canadian dairy, lumber

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 2, 2021
  • OTTAWA—One of the reasons Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency in 2016 was his promise to “drain the swamp”—that is, reduce the immense power

Milking scapegoats: Biden administration bows to demands to reopen hyped up attacks on Canadian dairy, lumber

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 2, 2021
  • OTTAWA—One of the reasons Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency in 2016 was his promise to “drain the swamp”—that is, reduce the immense power
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is former president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, the lobby group whose demands for action in retaliation for Canada’s allegedly unfair dairy practices put the tariff-rate quotas issue on the government agenda in Washington, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

The populist riddle: who can you recruit to support their own race to the bottom?

  • OTTAWA—The fact that millions of Americans vote against their own interests—long a subject of political science curiosity—is becoming increasingly beside the point. In the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 26, 2021
As reported by the Toronto Star, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, right, intrigued by the shift of blue-collar voters to the right in Britain led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and in the U.S. under Donald Trump, left, is paying for social media tactics from British-based consultants who worked for Johnson during the 2019 U.K. election, writes Les Whittington. Official White House photograph by Shealah Craighead, Flickr photograph by Arno Mikkor, The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The populist riddle: who can you recruit to support their own race to the bottom?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 26, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The fact that millions of Americans vote against their own interests—long a subject of political science curiosity—is becoming increasingly beside the point. In the

The populist riddle: who can you recruit to support their own race to the bottom?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 26, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The fact that millions of Americans vote against their own interests—long a subject of political science curiosity—is becoming increasingly beside the point. In the
As reported by the Toronto Star, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, right, intrigued by the shift of blue-collar voters to the right in Britain led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and in the U.S. under Donald Trump, left, is paying for social media tactics from British-based consultants who worked for Johnson during the 2019 U.K. election, writes Les Whittington. Official White House photograph by Shealah Craighead, Flickr photograph by Arno Mikkor, The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Unfinished political business piles up as pandemic drags on

  • OTTAWA—People with broken teeth are putting off visits to the dentist. In Ontario, you haven’t been able to get a replacement for a disintegrating
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 19, 2021
In an unexpected move, Quebec Premier François Legault has resurfaced the volatile sovereignty issue in a manner freighted with unknown consequences as part of the newly released Bill 96, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Unfinished political business piles up as pandemic drags on

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 19, 2021
  • OTTAWA—People with broken teeth are putting off visits to the dentist. In Ontario, you haven’t been able to get a replacement for a disintegrating

Unfinished political business piles up as pandemic drags on

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 19, 2021
  • OTTAWA—People with broken teeth are putting off visits to the dentist. In Ontario, you haven’t been able to get a replacement for a disintegrating
In an unexpected move, Quebec Premier François Legault has resurfaced the volatile sovereignty issue in a manner freighted with unknown consequences as part of the newly released Bill 96, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

While no longer a daily spectacle, Trump still has U.S. democracy on the ropes

  • OTTAWA—Not having to read about or hear about Donald Trump every day has been like a six-month vacation. But those who thought the former
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 12, 2021
Despite Donald Trump being disgraced by impeachment in the House of Representatives, despite his leaving office with the lowest approval rating in 40 years, despite his effort to literally overthrow the results of the election, and despite him being the first incumbent president to be ousted by voters in nearly three decades, his grip on Republicans appears for now immutable, writes Les Whittington. Pixabay image by Gerd Altmann

While no longer a daily spectacle, Trump still has U.S. democracy on the ropes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 12, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Not having to read about or hear about Donald Trump every day has been like a six-month vacation. But those who thought the former

While no longer a daily spectacle, Trump still has U.S. democracy on the ropes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 12, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Not having to read about or hear about Donald Trump every day has been like a six-month vacation. But those who thought the former
Despite Donald Trump being disgraced by impeachment in the House of Representatives, despite his leaving office with the lowest approval rating in 40 years, despite his effort to literally overthrow the results of the election, and despite him being the first incumbent president to be ousted by voters in nearly three decades, his grip on Republicans appears for now immutable, writes Les Whittington. Pixabay image by Gerd Altmann

So, Ontario, how’s electing unqualified, anti-government populists working out for you?

  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s handling of COVID-19 and the public response are reminiscent of the way things went with former U.S. president Donald Trump’s
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 5, 2021
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
With Premier Doug Ford’s failures as Ontario’s pandemic leader peaking in recent weeks, the Progressive Conservatives have taken Trump-like to outright lying in an attempt to silt up the political waters and deflect attention from the out-of-control provincial health catastrophe, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

So, Ontario, how’s electing unqualified, anti-government populists working out for you?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 5, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s handling of COVID-19 and the public response are reminiscent of the way things went with former U.S. president Donald Trump’s

So, Ontario, how’s electing unqualified, anti-government populists working out for you?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 5, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s handling of COVID-19 and the public response are reminiscent of the way things went with former U.S. president Donald Trump’s
Doug Ford
With Premier Doug Ford’s failures as Ontario’s pandemic leader peaking in recent weeks, the Progressive Conservatives have taken Trump-like to outright lying in an attempt to silt up the political waters and deflect attention from the out-of-control provincial health catastrophe, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Memo to Singh: the NDP enabled the demise of Canada’s only national childcare program

  • OTTAWA—Accuracy is not a prominent feature in today’s public affairs and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh probably doesn’t expect people to remember 2005 events—certainly, he
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 28, 2021
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured during a press conference on Feb. 23. Singh should have a chat with Ken Dryden, who as Liberal social development minister spent 2004 and 2005 negotiating federal-provincial childcare agreements, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Memo to Singh: the NDP enabled the demise of Canada’s only national childcare program

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 28, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Accuracy is not a prominent feature in today’s public affairs and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh probably doesn’t expect people to remember 2005 events—certainly, he

Memo to Singh: the NDP enabled the demise of Canada’s only national childcare program

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 28, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Accuracy is not a prominent feature in today’s public affairs and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh probably doesn’t expect people to remember 2005 events—certainly, he
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, pictured during a press conference on Feb. 23. Singh should have a chat with Ken Dryden, who as Liberal social development minister spent 2004 and 2005 negotiating federal-provincial childcare agreements, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

COVID or not, Freeland’s budget doesn’t shy away from challenging Canadians on their vision for the future

  • OTTAWA—Despite the immediate crunch of the third wave, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government shows no signs of backing away from its plan to transform
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 19, 2021
In the most impactful budget in recent memory, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland looked beyond COVID-19 on Monday to preview the greener, fairer Canada the Liberals are hoping voters will endorse for the future, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

COVID or not, Freeland’s budget doesn’t shy away from challenging Canadians on their vision for the future

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 19, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Despite the immediate crunch of the third wave, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government shows no signs of backing away from its plan to transform

COVID or not, Freeland’s budget doesn’t shy away from challenging Canadians on their vision for the future

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 19, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Despite the immediate crunch of the third wave, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government shows no signs of backing away from its plan to transform
In the most impactful budget in recent memory, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland looked beyond COVID-19 on Monday to preview the greener, fairer Canada the Liberals are hoping voters will endorse for the future, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Are Canadians ready for the more just, green future Freeland will frame in next week’s budget?

  • OTTAWA—No one would have wished the COVID-19 epidemic on any country, and Canadians have paid a heavy price, in terms of illness, lives lost,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 14, 2021
Crises open the way for change, and it’s possible Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget next week will mark an opportunity to reshape Canadians’ overall approach in ways that will better correspond to the urgent demands of the 21st century, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Are Canadians ready for the more just, green future Freeland will frame in next week’s budget?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 14, 2021
  • OTTAWA—No one would have wished the COVID-19 epidemic on any country, and Canadians have paid a heavy price, in terms of illness, lives lost,

Are Canadians ready for the more just, green future Freeland will frame in next week’s budget?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 14, 2021
  • OTTAWA—No one would have wished the COVID-19 epidemic on any country, and Canadians have paid a heavy price, in terms of illness, lives lost,
Crises open the way for change, and it’s possible Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget next week will mark an opportunity to reshape Canadians’ overall approach in ways that will better correspond to the urgent demands of the 21st century, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s continuum of hate: time to address COVID-accelerated bigotry

  • OTTAWA—How big of a problem is hate-motivated violence in Canada? The fact is, no one knows. Only a small portion of all hate crimes
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 7, 2021
The climate of anti-Asian antagonism has been fed by political figures criticizing Beijing’s early handling of the outbreak, in particular by former president Donald Trump, who has repeatedly referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” as part of his effort to deflect blame for his own mishandling of the pandemic when it first broke out in the U.S. Unsplash photograph by Jason Leung

Canada’s continuum of hate: time to address COVID-accelerated bigotry

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 7, 2021
  • OTTAWA—How big of a problem is hate-motivated violence in Canada? The fact is, no one knows. Only a small portion of all hate crimes

Canada’s continuum of hate: time to address COVID-accelerated bigotry

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 7, 2021
  • OTTAWA—How big of a problem is hate-motivated violence in Canada? The fact is, no one knows. Only a small portion of all hate crimes
The climate of anti-Asian antagonism has been fed by political figures criticizing Beijing’s early handling of the outbreak, in particular by former president Donald Trump, who has repeatedly referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” as part of his effort to deflect blame for his own mishandling of the pandemic when it first broke out in the U.S. Unsplash photograph by Jason Leung

April 19: next act in the politics of the pandemic

  • OTTAWA—Everything at the national political level seems obscured now by COVID-19, which belatedly registered here a little over a year ago with Prime Minister
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 31, 2021
The country is going to be in need of leadership nationally, whether by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, or someone else. Turning points are trite, but Canada is at an historic crossroads as it prepares to move beyond the pandemic, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

April 19: next act in the politics of the pandemic

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 31, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Everything at the national political level seems obscured now by COVID-19, which belatedly registered here a little over a year ago with Prime Minister

April 19: next act in the politics of the pandemic

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 31, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Everything at the national political level seems obscured now by COVID-19, which belatedly registered here a little over a year ago with Prime Minister
The country is going to be in need of leadership nationally, whether by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, or someone else. Turning points are trite, but Canada is at an historic crossroads as it prepares to move beyond the pandemic, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

O’Toole’s attempt to entice Canada’s soccer moms into the Conservative fold skewered by his own hard-liners

  • OTTAWA—Seldom is a political situation encapsulated so completely in a single moment as in the climate change gaffe at the Conservative policy convention. First,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 24, 2021
In a March 19 keynote speech, Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole urged the Conservative faithful to have the courage to jettison some of their extremist positions in order to win over moderate voters outside the party’s Prairie and rural Ontario strongholds. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

O’Toole’s attempt to entice Canada’s soccer moms into the Conservative fold skewered by his own hard-liners

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Seldom is a political situation encapsulated so completely in a single moment as in the climate change gaffe at the Conservative policy convention. First,

O’Toole’s attempt to entice Canada’s soccer moms into the Conservative fold skewered by his own hard-liners

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Seldom is a political situation encapsulated so completely in a single moment as in the climate change gaffe at the Conservative policy convention. First,
In a March 19 keynote speech, Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole urged the Conservative faithful to have the courage to jettison some of their extremist positions in order to win over moderate voters outside the party’s Prairie and rural Ontario strongholds. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

A year after Nova Scotia shooting tragedy, it’s clear there’s plenty of guilt to go around

  • OTTAWA—Maybe someday we’ll find out what the Nova Scotia killer (his name should be buried along with him) was really up to all those
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 17, 2021
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is pictured in Ottawa on Oct. 19, 2020. With a class-action lawsuit being launched by victims’ families and the federal and Nova Scotia governments deciding under public pressure to establish a full judicial inquiry, Canadians may eventually find out more about how this all happened and who bears responsibility, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A year after Nova Scotia shooting tragedy, it’s clear there’s plenty of guilt to go around

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Maybe someday we’ll find out what the Nova Scotia killer (his name should be buried along with him) was really up to all those

A year after Nova Scotia shooting tragedy, it’s clear there’s plenty of guilt to go around

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Maybe someday we’ll find out what the Nova Scotia killer (his name should be buried along with him) was really up to all those
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is pictured in Ottawa on Oct. 19, 2020. With a class-action lawsuit being launched by victims’ families and the federal and Nova Scotia governments deciding under public pressure to establish a full judicial inquiry, Canadians may eventually find out more about how this all happened and who bears responsibility, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why accuracy and facts count

  • OTTAWA—With Republicans doing everything they could in the U.S. Congress to hold up passage of a COVID-19 aid package, Sen. Ron Johnson forced Senate
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 10, 2021
The Conservatives, led by Erin O’Toole, who is pictured on March 2, can’t be said to have steered clear of the internet craziness that has contributed to extremism and violence in the U.S. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why accuracy and facts count

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 10, 2021
  • OTTAWA—With Republicans doing everything they could in the U.S. Congress to hold up passage of a COVID-19 aid package, Sen. Ron Johnson forced Senate

Why accuracy and facts count

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 10, 2021
  • OTTAWA—With Republicans doing everything they could in the U.S. Congress to hold up passage of a COVID-19 aid package, Sen. Ron Johnson forced Senate
The Conservatives, led by Erin O’Toole, who is pictured on March 2, can’t be said to have steered clear of the internet craziness that has contributed to extremism and violence in the U.S. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The long road back from COVID will challenge Canadians on every front

  • OTTAWA—The ever-receding light at the end of the tunnel is, if nothing else, getting a little brighter now that Canadians are finally being vaccinated.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 3, 2021
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Nov. 23, 2020, is preparing to deliver the government’s first budget in two years. Struggling with one of the most devastating crises in a century, we’re not really focusing on the next phase beyond considerations of ‘building back better,’ writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The long road back from COVID will challenge Canadians on every front

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 3, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The ever-receding light at the end of the tunnel is, if nothing else, getting a little brighter now that Canadians are finally being vaccinated.

The long road back from COVID will challenge Canadians on every front

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 3, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The ever-receding light at the end of the tunnel is, if nothing else, getting a little brighter now that Canadians are finally being vaccinated.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, pictured Nov. 23, 2020, is preparing to deliver the government’s first budget in two years. Struggling with one of the most devastating crises in a century, we’re not really focusing on the next phase beyond considerations of ‘building back better,’ writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Another lose-lose situation on guns, the black hole of North American politics

  • OTTAWA—The scene was a Feb. 20 rally in Toronto in response to the apparently random fatal shooting last month of 20-year-old Hashim Omar Hashi.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 24, 2021
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is pictured in Ottawa on Oct. 19, 2020. As a half-measure, Bill C-21 seems unlikely to please anyone. Gun control advocates see the unexpected voluntary nature of the buyback of assault-style rifles as a betrayal of Trudeau’s promises, and the move to allow municipalities to ban handguns is widely viewed as passing the buck to largely powerless cities, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Another lose-lose situation on guns, the black hole of North American politics

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The scene was a Feb. 20 rally in Toronto in response to the apparently random fatal shooting last month of 20-year-old Hashim Omar Hashi.

Another lose-lose situation on guns, the black hole of North American politics

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The scene was a Feb. 20 rally in Toronto in response to the apparently random fatal shooting last month of 20-year-old Hashim Omar Hashi.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is pictured in Ottawa on Oct. 19, 2020. As a half-measure, Bill C-21 seems unlikely to please anyone. Gun control advocates see the unexpected voluntary nature of the buyback of assault-style rifles as a betrayal of Trudeau’s promises, and the move to allow municipalities to ban handguns is widely viewed as passing the buck to largely powerless cities, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will next month’s long-awaited divorce law reforms make a difference?

  • OTTAWA—One woman every six days is murdered by their intimate partner in Canada. Men account for 95 per cent of those accused of murder-suicide,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 17, 2021
When the revised Divorce Act goes into force on March 1, Canadians will begin to get an inkling of whether long-overdue legislative efforts at the federal level to update divorce rules and better protect victims of domestic violence will be effective in addressing this problem, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

Will next month’s long-awaited divorce law reforms make a difference?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—One woman every six days is murdered by their intimate partner in Canada. Men account for 95 per cent of those accused of murder-suicide,

Will next month’s long-awaited divorce law reforms make a difference?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—One woman every six days is murdered by their intimate partner in Canada. Men account for 95 per cent of those accused of murder-suicide,
When the revised Divorce Act goes into force on March 1, Canadians will begin to get an inkling of whether long-overdue legislative efforts at the federal level to update divorce rules and better protect victims of domestic violence will be effective in addressing this problem, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

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