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Tuesday, October 14, 2025

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Les Whittington

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Waiting for the truckers to come back

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

Waiting for the truckers to come back

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

Waiting for the truckers to come back

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

Is Canada ready for the nation-defining challenges ahead?

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

Is Canada ready for the nation-defining challenges ahead?

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

Is Canada ready for the nation-defining challenges ahead?

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

The Canada that Dryden believed in remains at risk today

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

The Canada that Dryden believed in remains at risk today

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

The Canada that Dryden believed in remains at risk today

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A world without principles

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

A world without principles

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

A world without principles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That’s what dictators do

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

That’s what dictators do

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

That’s what dictators do

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Election? What election?

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

Election? What election?

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

Election? What election?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mark Carney and the disappearing pipeline

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

Mark Carney and the disappearing pipeline

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

Mark Carney and the disappearing pipeline

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

The man who lost his seat will soon return

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

The man who lost his seat will soon return

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

The man who lost his seat will soon return

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

And now comes the hard part: negotiating with Trump

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

And now comes the hard part: negotiating with Trump

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

And now comes the hard part: negotiating with Trump

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

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
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Convoy grifters get another boost with an equivalent voice before Rouleau

  • OTTAWA—Without intending any disrespect for Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Paul Rouleau, one has to wonder when he opened the Emergencies Act inquiry with
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 19, 2022
Convoy organizer Tamara Lich, centre, arrives for the Public Emergency Order Commission public hearing with lawyers Eva Chipiuk, left, and Keith Wilson at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa on Oct. 13. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Convoy grifters get another boost with an equivalent voice before Rouleau

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 19, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Without intending any disrespect for Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Paul Rouleau, one has to wonder when he opened the Emergencies Act inquiry with

Convoy grifters get another boost with an equivalent voice before Rouleau

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 19, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Without intending any disrespect for Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Paul Rouleau, one has to wonder when he opened the Emergencies Act inquiry with
Convoy organizer Tamara Lich, centre, arrives for the Public Emergency Order Commission public hearing with lawyers Eva Chipiuk, left, and Keith Wilson at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa on Oct. 13. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The sporting life and the cost of bad decisions

  • OTTAWA—The positive cultural value available from Canadian sport appeared to be on the upswing in 2019 when the CBC belatedly relieved us from having
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 12, 2022
Andrea Skinner’s resignation as Hockey Canada’s interim board chair isn’t likely to put the issue of payouts for player sexual misconduct to rest, as MPs are probably going to want to get to the bottom of it all, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of ParlVu

The sporting life and the cost of bad decisions

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The positive cultural value available from Canadian sport appeared to be on the upswing in 2019 when the CBC belatedly relieved us from having

The sporting life and the cost of bad decisions

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The positive cultural value available from Canadian sport appeared to be on the upswing in 2019 when the CBC belatedly relieved us from having
Andrea Skinner’s resignation as Hockey Canada’s interim board chair isn’t likely to put the issue of payouts for player sexual misconduct to rest, as MPs are probably going to want to get to the bottom of it all, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of ParlVu

Backing blithely into the storm

  • OTTAWA—In a season of confusion, denial, and self-defeating causes, the man who will be leading Quebec again has been a standout. Last week, while
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 5, 2022
Quebec Premier François Legault, left, Alberta United Conservative Party leadership front-runner Danielle Smith, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are championing self-defeating causes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and file photograph

Backing blithely into the storm

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 5, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In a season of confusion, denial, and self-defeating causes, the man who will be leading Quebec again has been a standout. Last week, while

Backing blithely into the storm

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 5, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In a season of confusion, denial, and self-defeating causes, the man who will be leading Quebec again has been a standout. Last week, while
Quebec Premier François Legault, left, Alberta United Conservative Party leadership front-runner Danielle Smith, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are championing self-defeating causes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and file photograph

The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems ready to push his self-appointed war with the West into even more dangerous realms, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name

The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems ready to push his self-appointed war with the West into even more dangerous realms, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
There’s no compelling reason for this country to have the British monarch, now King Charles III, as head of state; however, there’s no easy way to get rid of this antiquated situation, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at
There’s no compelling reason for this country to have the British monarch, now King Charles III, as head of state; however, there’s no easy way to get rid of this antiquated situation, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida greet the audience after he becomes the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on Sept. 10. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled
Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida greet the audience after he becomes the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on Sept. 10. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
The United People of Canada supporters gather outside their location in the former St. Brigid’s church in Ottawa’s Lowertown neighbourhood on Aug. 25, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a
The United People of Canada supporters gather outside their location in the former St. Brigid’s church in Ottawa’s Lowertown neighbourhood on Aug. 25, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland addresses Laurier Club members at the Canadian War Museum on June 13. The improvement in wealth inequality has attracted little media attention, and a lot of the people helped by the federal government’s anti-poverty efforts are not among those with a high voting tendency, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland addresses Laurier Club members at the Canadian War Museum on June 13. The improvement in wealth inequality has attracted little media attention, and a lot of the people helped by the federal government’s anti-poverty efforts are not among those with a high voting tendency, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre hasn’t said much yet about economic policy, but you can bet his plan to make Canada ‘the freest nation on earth’ will include freedom for the rich to pay fewer income taxes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre hasn’t said much yet about economic policy, but you can bet his plan to make Canada ‘the freest nation on earth’ will include freedom for the rich to pay fewer income taxes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
By refusing to lift the effective wage freeze Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed on nurses, he is hastening the decline in the health-care system and without doubt setting the stage for further privatization in the province, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/CityNews

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll
Doug Ford
By refusing to lift the effective wage freeze Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed on nurses, he is hastening the decline in the health-care system and without doubt setting the stage for further privatization in the province, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/CityNews

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, pictured during the party's first leadership debate held at the Canada Strong and Free Network's conference in Ottawa on May 5. It gets more obvious every week that Poilievre, a sort of Trump stand-in, is riding a wave of angry anti-establishment sentiment with a lot more momentum than anyone expected, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, pictured during the party's first leadership debate held at the Canada Strong and Free Network's conference in Ottawa on May 5. It gets more obvious every week that Poilievre, a sort of Trump stand-in, is riding a wave of angry anti-establishment sentiment with a lot more momentum than anyone expected, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
The art installation Broken, by Dennis Josef Meseg, is pictured in Bonn, Germany. In 2021 alone, 173 women and girls were violently killed in Canada, with the vast majority of the accused being male, research shows. Unsplash photograph by Mika Baumeister

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call
The art installation Broken, by Dennis Josef Meseg, is pictured in Bonn, Germany. In 2021 alone, 173 women and girls were violently killed in Canada, with the vast majority of the accused being male, research shows. Unsplash photograph by Mika Baumeister

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
RCMP Supt. Darren Campbell testified before the Mass Casualty Commission on July 25. It’s hard to imagine how any other single individual could have come to the attention of the various police forces in the region more than the Nova Scotia shooter during his decades-long run of lawless behaviour before the 2020 shooting, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of the Mass Casualty Commission

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of
RCMP Supt. Darren Campbell testified before the Mass Casualty Commission on July 25. It’s hard to imagine how any other single individual could have come to the attention of the various police forces in the region more than the Nova Scotia shooter during his decades-long run of lawless behaviour before the 2020 shooting, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of the Mass Casualty Commission

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly sits alongside her Chinese, America, Brazilian, and German counterparts at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia on July 8. The relatively young G20 was designed to bring together leading wealthy and developing nations to tackle world problems, but it has instead laid bare the acceptance in some capitals of Putin’s bloodletting, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Ron Przysucha courtesy of Flickr/the U.S. Department of State

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly sits alongside her Chinese, America, Brazilian, and German counterparts at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia on July 8. The relatively young G20 was designed to bring together leading wealthy and developing nations to tackle world problems, but it has instead laid bare the acceptance in some capitals of Putin’s bloodletting, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Ron Przysucha courtesy of Flickr/the U.S. Department of State

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
Outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his resignation statement outside 10 Downing Street on July 7. Johnson helped give rise to Brexit, sold it to Britons in 2016, and got the keys to 10 Downing Street to finally make the separation with the EU happen. Which he did. But, after only three years, he is giving up as prime minister, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Tim Hammond courtesy of No 10 Downing Street's Flickr

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United
Outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his resignation statement outside 10 Downing Street on July 7. Johnson helped give rise to Brexit, sold it to Britons in 2016, and got the keys to 10 Downing Street to finally make the separation with the EU happen. Which he did. But, after only three years, he is giving up as prime minister, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Tim Hammond courtesy of No 10 Downing Street's Flickr

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
The general thinking has been that choosing chief trucker convoy apologist Pierre Poilievre as Conservative leader would be a huge gift for the Liberals. But that may prove fanciful, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from
The general thinking has been that choosing chief trucker convoy apologist Pierre Poilievre as Conservative leader would be a huge gift for the Liberals. But that may prove fanciful, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
One way to view Doug Ford’s victory can be as support for a pragmatic focus on cost-of-living issues as opposed to aspirational calls to create a fairer and/or greener society, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Twitter/fordnation

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may
One way to view Doug Ford’s victory can be as support for a pragmatic focus on cost-of-living issues as opposed to aspirational calls to create a fairer and/or greener society, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Twitter/fordnation

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
Pierre Poilievre has tapped into baseless suspicion of the central bank to beef up his popular campaign for Conservative leader, but it’s clear he correctly sees the affordability crisis as a potent political force with the potential to scramble the outlook for all federal and provincial parties over the next few years, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada
Pierre Poilievre has tapped into baseless suspicion of the central bank to beef up his popular campaign for Conservative leader, but it’s clear he correctly sees the affordability crisis as a potent political force with the potential to scramble the outlook for all federal and provincial parties over the next few years, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford still depicts himself as being for the little guy, but most of his government’s actual policies are geared to his upscale supporters and business backers, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford still depicts himself as being for the little guy, but most of his government’s actual policies are geared to his upscale supporters and business backers, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Heading backwards in Ontario

  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
If anything, Ontario Premier Doug Ford seems to have shown that, although people are worried about impending climate disasters, they’re not too fussy about accountability when it comes to what governments are actually doing, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Heading backwards in Ontario

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,

Heading backwards in Ontario

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,
Doug Ford
If anything, Ontario Premier Doug Ford seems to have shown that, although people are worried about impending climate disasters, they’re not too fussy about accountability when it comes to what governments are actually doing, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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