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Thursday, June 26, 2025

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Susan Riley

Susan Riley is a veteran political columnist and regular contributor to The Hill Times.

Carney has energy to burn, that’s a problem

  • The federal government’s legislation encouraging the building of pipelines comes as wildfires in parts of British Columbia and Manitoba force residents to flee their
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 16, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney leaves the Prime Minister’s Office in Ottawa, Ont. on May 20, 2025, to head to a cabinet forum at Meech Lake, Que. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney leaves the Prime Minister’s Office in Ottawa, Ont. on May 20, 2025, to head to a cabinet forum at Meech Lake, Que. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s his recent talk of 'decarbonized oil' deals a near-fatal blow to climate hopes for his new government. No one who is serious about fighting climate change would parrot this ludicrous talking point, drawn directly from the oil and gas sector’s well-funded marketing department, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney has energy to burn, that’s a problem

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 16, 2025
  • The federal government’s legislation encouraging the building of pipelines comes as wildfires in parts of British Columbia and Manitoba force residents to flee their

Carney has energy to burn, that’s a problem

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 16, 2025
  • The federal government’s legislation encouraging the building of pipelines comes as wildfires in parts of British Columbia and Manitoba force residents to flee their
Prime Minister Mark Carney leaves the Prime Minister’s Office in Ottawa, Ont. on May 20, 2025, to head to a cabinet forum at Meech Lake, Que. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s his recent talk of 'decarbonized oil' deals a near-fatal blow to climate hopes for his new government. No one who is serious about fighting climate change would parrot this ludicrous talking point, drawn directly from the oil and gas sector’s well-funded marketing department, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Hurricane Carney blows into town

  • Mark Carney is also, at this early stage, a conundrum: a man who speaks in giant steps, but promises pragmatism.
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 2, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at the Senate of Canada building in Ottawa to attend the Speech from the Throne on May 27, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at the Senate of Canada building in Ottawa to attend the Speech from the Throne on May 27, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at the Senate of Canada Building in Ottawa to attend the Throne Speech on May 27, 2025. He is so extraordinarily ambitious for this country, so focused, deliberate, and determined to do big things in record time, that it seems churlish to doubt him, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Hurricane Carney blows into town

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 2, 2025
  • Mark Carney is also, at this early stage, a conundrum: a man who speaks in giant steps, but promises pragmatism.

Hurricane Carney blows into town

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 2, 2025
  • Mark Carney is also, at this early stage, a conundrum: a man who speaks in giant steps, but promises pragmatism.
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at the Senate of Canada building in Ottawa to attend the Speech from the Throne on May 27, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at the Senate of Canada Building in Ottawa to attend the Throne Speech on May 27, 2025. He is so extraordinarily ambitious for this country, so focused, deliberate, and determined to do big things in record time, that it seems churlish to doubt him, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney era begins: will the low-drama prime minister’s promise of ‘harmony and hard’ work prevail?

  • We will soon see how Carney manages in the fiery pit of partisan politics. Unfortunately, that pit is unavoidable. It is part of democracy,
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 25, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney holds a press conference in West Block on May 21, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney era begins: will the low-drama prime minister’s promise of ‘harmony and hard’ work prevail?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 25, 2025
  • We will soon see how Carney manages in the fiery pit of partisan politics. Unfortunately, that pit is unavoidable. It is part of democracy,

Carney era begins: will the low-drama prime minister’s promise of ‘harmony and hard’ work prevail?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 25, 2025
  • We will soon see how Carney manages in the fiery pit of partisan politics. Unfortunately, that pit is unavoidable. It is part of democracy,
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney holds a press conference in West Block on May 21, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will Carney bow, bribe, and buckle to win over Danielle Smith? We know how that ends

  • Maybe, if this summer’s wildfires and other disruptions become bad enough, they will refocus public attention on climate and Mark Carney’s new government will
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 19, 2025
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
It took Alberta Premier Danielle Smith a nano-second (after her 'positive' first conversation with the new prime minister), to trash some of his new cabinet choices, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will Carney bow, bribe, and buckle to win over Danielle Smith? We know how that ends

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 19, 2025
  • Maybe, if this summer’s wildfires and other disruptions become bad enough, they will refocus public attention on climate and Mark Carney’s new government will

Will Carney bow, bribe, and buckle to win over Danielle Smith? We know how that ends

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 19, 2025
  • Maybe, if this summer’s wildfires and other disruptions become bad enough, they will refocus public attention on climate and Mark Carney’s new government will
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
It took Alberta Premier Danielle Smith a nano-second (after her 'positive' first conversation with the new prime minister), to trash some of his new cabinet choices, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

All we are saying, is give peace a chance

  • Once the Trump business is resolved, will Poilievre’s troops return to attacks on wokeism, the legacy media, and the ideologically impure, even within their
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 5, 2025
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, right, and his wife Anaida arrive at the federal leaders' debate in Montréal, Que., on April 17, 2025. How our new political era unfolds largely depends on Poilievre's strategy, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

All we are saying, is give peace a chance

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 5, 2025
  • Once the Trump business is resolved, will Poilievre’s troops return to attacks on wokeism, the legacy media, and the ideologically impure, even within their

All we are saying, is give peace a chance

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 5, 2025
  • Once the Trump business is resolved, will Poilievre’s troops return to attacks on wokeism, the legacy media, and the ideologically impure, even within their
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, right, and his wife Anaida arrive at the federal leaders' debate in Montréal, Que., on April 17, 2025. How our new political era unfolds largely depends on Poilievre's strategy, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre: we’re just not that into him

  • Pierre Poilievre’s polished daily performances continue to be, primarily, laments for the sorry state of the country, extended complaints about the 'lost Liberal decade,'
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | April 14, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, pictured March 4, 2025, on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre: we’re just not that into him

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | April 14, 2025
  • Pierre Poilievre’s polished daily performances continue to be, primarily, laments for the sorry state of the country, extended complaints about the 'lost Liberal decade,'

Poilievre: we’re just not that into him

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | April 14, 2025
  • Pierre Poilievre’s polished daily performances continue to be, primarily, laments for the sorry state of the country, extended complaints about the 'lost Liberal decade,'
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, pictured March 4, 2025, on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Bread, not circuses: dwindling appetite for politics as usual is helping Carney

  • If polls and general chatter are accurate, voters may be ready for more content, less contempt.
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 31, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured March 23, 2025, after holding a press conference outside Rideau Hall in Ottawa after dissolving Parliament and calling an election. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Bread, not circuses: dwindling appetite for politics as usual is helping Carney

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 31, 2025
  • If polls and general chatter are accurate, voters may be ready for more content, less contempt.

Bread, not circuses: dwindling appetite for politics as usual is helping Carney

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 31, 2025
  • If polls and general chatter are accurate, voters may be ready for more content, less contempt.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured March 23, 2025, after holding a press conference outside Rideau Hall in Ottawa after dissolving Parliament and calling an election. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Who’s Tory now?

  • There is a new Liberal in town, a blue-suit Liberal, and all these ordinary concerns—although climate change is hardly trivial—seem to be set aside
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 17, 2025
Newly elected party leader Mark Carney arrives for the Liberal Party caucus meeting in West Block on March 10, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Newly elected party leader Mark Carney arrives for the Liberal Party caucus meeting in West Block on March 10, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Newly elected party leader Mark Carney arrives for the Liberal Party caucus meeting in the West Block on March 10, 2025. You don’t need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. In Canada, it is blowing right, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Who’s Tory now?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 17, 2025
  • There is a new Liberal in town, a blue-suit Liberal, and all these ordinary concerns—although climate change is hardly trivial—seem to be set aside

Who’s Tory now?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 17, 2025
  • There is a new Liberal in town, a blue-suit Liberal, and all these ordinary concerns—although climate change is hardly trivial—seem to be set aside
Newly elected party leader Mark Carney arrives for the Liberal Party caucus meeting in West Block on March 10, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Newly elected party leader Mark Carney arrives for the Liberal Party caucus meeting in the West Block on March 10, 2025. You don’t need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. In Canada, it is blowing right, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump is coming: quick, build a pipeline!

  • Donald Trump is an all-purpose distraction, a threat on so many fronts, that concern about climate has been temporarily pushed aside. But people still
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 3, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Liberal leadership front-runner Mark Carney, picture in Montreal on Feb. 25, 2025. Dubbed 'Carbon-Tax Carney' by the Conservatives, Carney has rejected the consumer-based carbon tax that the Liberal government adopted, but failed to sell, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump is coming: quick, build a pipeline!

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 3, 2025
  • Donald Trump is an all-purpose distraction, a threat on so many fronts, that concern about climate has been temporarily pushed aside. But people still

Trump is coming: quick, build a pipeline!

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | March 3, 2025
  • Donald Trump is an all-purpose distraction, a threat on so many fronts, that concern about climate has been temporarily pushed aside. But people still
Mark Carney
Liberal leadership front-runner Mark Carney, picture in Montreal on Feb. 25, 2025. Dubbed 'Carbon-Tax Carney' by the Conservatives, Carney has rejected the consumer-based carbon tax that the Liberal government adopted, but failed to sell, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The battle to be Canada’s flag-bearer

  • Canadians will continue to boycott U.S. products, cancel trips down south, drop Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV subscriptions, and wait for someone to lead
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | February 17, 2025
The race to be our national flag-bearer is tightening. Mark Carney, left, comes across as a sober, able, low-key manager, but he needs to turn up the volume. Pierre Poilievre is a snappy, energetic communicator, but he needs to tone down the hatred, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia, illustration by Neena Singhal

The battle to be Canada’s flag-bearer

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | February 17, 2025
  • Canadians will continue to boycott U.S. products, cancel trips down south, drop Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV subscriptions, and wait for someone to lead

The battle to be Canada’s flag-bearer

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | February 17, 2025
  • Canadians will continue to boycott U.S. products, cancel trips down south, drop Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV subscriptions, and wait for someone to lead
The race to be our national flag-bearer is tightening. Mark Carney, left, comes across as a sober, able, low-key manager, but he needs to turn up the volume. Pierre Poilievre is a snappy, energetic communicator, but he needs to tone down the hatred, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia, illustration by Neena Singhal

Trump defends continent’s sacred right to choke on our own smoke

  • A triumphant U.S. president set out a damaging and costly scenario last week: the reversal of all attempts to stop climate change and a
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 27, 2025
Donald Trump doesn't care about climate change, but Canada does have one important card to play. We could significantly reduce the 100-per-cent tariff it imposed on Chinese-made electric vehicles, and induce China to build some of their EV cars here, to get a toehold on a huge continent market, writes Susan Riley. Image courtesy of Pixabay

Trump defends continent’s sacred right to choke on our own smoke

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 27, 2025
  • A triumphant U.S. president set out a damaging and costly scenario last week: the reversal of all attempts to stop climate change and a

Trump defends continent’s sacred right to choke on our own smoke

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 27, 2025
  • A triumphant U.S. president set out a damaging and costly scenario last week: the reversal of all attempts to stop climate change and a
Donald Trump doesn't care about climate change, but Canada does have one important card to play. We could significantly reduce the 100-per-cent tariff it imposed on Chinese-made electric vehicles, and induce China to build some of their EV cars here, to get a toehold on a huge continent market, writes Susan Riley. Image courtesy of Pixabay

The race is on! Let it be merciful

  • CHELSEA, QUE.—Here is the choice facing the federal Liberal Party in this moment of national peril—and it needs to decide, pronto. In broad strokes:
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 13, 2025
The Liberals' placeholder candidate cannot be the genial Dominic LeBlanc, newly-minted finance minister and beloved party veteran, who has taken himself out of contention so he can attend to the business of the nation, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The race is on! Let it be merciful

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 13, 2025
  • CHELSEA, QUE.—Here is the choice facing the federal Liberal Party in this moment of national peril—and it needs to decide, pronto. In broad strokes:

The race is on! Let it be merciful

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 13, 2025
  • CHELSEA, QUE.—Here is the choice facing the federal Liberal Party in this moment of national peril—and it needs to decide, pronto. In broad strokes:
The Liberals' placeholder candidate cannot be the genial Dominic LeBlanc, newly-minted finance minister and beloved party veteran, who has taken himself out of contention so he can attend to the business of the nation, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s isolation and arrogance will be his undoing

  • Did Freeland's firing expose Trudeau as a fake feminist? To some, this is an irrefutable fact, but Trudeau has also humiliated male ministers, including
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 17, 2024
Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau addresses Liberal Party supporters at a Laurier Club fundraiser at the Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Dec. 16, 2024. There is something to be said for rising above the political weather bomb that hit the Hill this week, and 'reflecting' as Trudeau apparently assured his shell-shocked caucus that he would, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s isolation and arrogance will be his undoing

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 17, 2024
  • Did Freeland's firing expose Trudeau as a fake feminist? To some, this is an irrefutable fact, but Trudeau has also humiliated male ministers, including

Trudeau’s isolation and arrogance will be his undoing

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 17, 2024
  • Did Freeland's firing expose Trudeau as a fake feminist? To some, this is an irrefutable fact, but Trudeau has also humiliated male ministers, including
Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau addresses Liberal Party supporters at a Laurier Club fundraiser at the Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Dec. 16, 2024. There is something to be said for rising above the political weather bomb that hit the Hill this week, and 'reflecting' as Trudeau apparently assured his shell-shocked caucus that he would, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Are we happy? Are we supposed to be?

  • Economic gears have been grinding in unsettling ways since the pandemic, there are no quick fixes, and the first responsibility of any government should
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 9, 2024
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, in announcing her government’s two-month GST holiday on certain goods and a $250 check for working Canadians in the spring—referred to the 'vibe-session,' a newly-coined phrase that refers to the divide between complicated economic reality and the way people are feeling. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Are we happy? Are we supposed to be?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 9, 2024
  • Economic gears have been grinding in unsettling ways since the pandemic, there are no quick fixes, and the first responsibility of any government should

Are we happy? Are we supposed to be?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 9, 2024
  • Economic gears have been grinding in unsettling ways since the pandemic, there are no quick fixes, and the first responsibility of any government should
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, in announcing her government’s two-month GST holiday on certain goods and a $250 check for working Canadians in the spring—referred to the 'vibe-session,' a newly-coined phrase that refers to the divide between complicated economic reality and the way people are feeling. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Breaking: the CBC and our link to public broadcasting?

  • If this is public broadcasting’s last chance to save itself, it needs to move fast—and the majority of Canadians who, polls say, still support
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 25, 2024
CBC
CBC
More urgent than anything is the potential loss of CBC News. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is convinced—as have all Conservative leaders before him—that CBC reporters favour Liberals, and universally betray a socially liberal bias, writes Susan Riley.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Breaking: the CBC and our link to public broadcasting?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 25, 2024
  • If this is public broadcasting’s last chance to save itself, it needs to move fast—and the majority of Canadians who, polls say, still support

Breaking: the CBC and our link to public broadcasting?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 25, 2024
  • If this is public broadcasting’s last chance to save itself, it needs to move fast—and the majority of Canadians who, polls say, still support
CBC
More urgent than anything is the potential loss of CBC News. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is convinced—as have all Conservative leaders before him—that CBC reporters favour Liberals, and universally betray a socially liberal bias, writes Susan Riley.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump, Trudeau and an ominous thunder

  • Donald Trump’s return will only make things worse. He's called climate change 'a scam,' EVs useless, and boasted that America 'has more liquid gold
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 11, 2024
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
The good news is that Donald Trump, pictured, will be gone for good in four years. It will be up to the next U.S. government to repair the devastation he leaves, or not, writes Susan Riley. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Trump, Trudeau and an ominous thunder

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 11, 2024
  • Donald Trump’s return will only make things worse. He's called climate change 'a scam,' EVs useless, and boasted that America 'has more liquid gold

Trump, Trudeau and an ominous thunder

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 11, 2024
  • Donald Trump’s return will only make things worse. He's called climate change 'a scam,' EVs useless, and boasted that America 'has more liquid gold
Donald Trump
The good news is that Donald Trump, pictured, will be gone for good in four years. It will be up to the next U.S. government to repair the devastation he leaves, or not, writes Susan Riley. Photograph courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Meanwhile, on a planet far, far away

  • The enemy without—climate change, of course—is scratching at the window, unheard and ignored. In one way or another it’s coming for us all.
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 28, 2024
David Eby, left, Donald Trump, Justin Trudeau, Kamala Harris, David Rustad, Pierre Poilievre, and Danielle Smith. Politics is a thankless business, so perhaps we shouldn’t begrudge our leaders the fun they are having with issues like foreign interference, Trump’s admiration for Hitler, Rustad’s flirtations with crazy conspiracies, writes Riley. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Flickr/British Columbia Government and The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, illustration by Neena Singhal

Meanwhile, on a planet far, far away

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 28, 2024
  • The enemy without—climate change, of course—is scratching at the window, unheard and ignored. In one way or another it’s coming for us all.

Meanwhile, on a planet far, far away

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 28, 2024
  • The enemy without—climate change, of course—is scratching at the window, unheard and ignored. In one way or another it’s coming for us all.
David Eby, left, Donald Trump, Justin Trudeau, Kamala Harris, David Rustad, Pierre Poilievre, and Danielle Smith. Politics is a thankless business, so perhaps we shouldn’t begrudge our leaders the fun they are having with issues like foreign interference, Trump’s admiration for Hitler, Rustad’s flirtations with crazy conspiracies, writes Riley. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Flickr/British Columbia Government and The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, illustration by Neena Singhal

Can we talk about Poilievre? Whether his harshness is impulsive or strategic, it’s invidious

  • Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair, who faced Poilievre in the Commons for 10 years, recalled: 'He has only one pitch: a hardball to the
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 14, 2024
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, is the latest public figure to face Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s lacerating criticism, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Can we talk about Poilievre? Whether his harshness is impulsive or strategic, it’s invidious

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 14, 2024
  • Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair, who faced Poilievre in the Commons for 10 years, recalled: 'He has only one pitch: a hardball to the

Can we talk about Poilievre? Whether his harshness is impulsive or strategic, it’s invidious

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 14, 2024
  • Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair, who faced Poilievre in the Commons for 10 years, recalled: 'He has only one pitch: a hardball to the
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, is the latest public figure to face Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s lacerating criticism, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

A diverse menu, but nothing appeals

  • The ideal prime minister would be someone with no political baggage, no embarrassing internet history, no ideological quirks, with razor-sharp debating skills, a sense
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 30, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. After years on the fringes of every consequential election in this country, perhaps the moment has finally come for 'none-of-the-above,' writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

A diverse menu, but nothing appeals

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 30, 2024
  • The ideal prime minister would be someone with no political baggage, no embarrassing internet history, no ideological quirks, with razor-sharp debating skills, a sense

A diverse menu, but nothing appeals

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 30, 2024
  • The ideal prime minister would be someone with no political baggage, no embarrassing internet history, no ideological quirks, with razor-sharp debating skills, a sense
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. After years on the fringes of every consequential election in this country, perhaps the moment has finally come for 'none-of-the-above,' writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Trade policy: where ideological purity goes to die

  • Protectionism is having a moment in the face of the off-shoring of jobs, shrinking middle-class incomes, growing inequality, and soaring corporate profits.
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 26, 2024
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is expected to follow the United States in placing a punishing tariff on affordable Chinese EVs, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trade policy: where ideological purity goes to die

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 26, 2024
  • Protectionism is having a moment in the face of the off-shoring of jobs, shrinking middle-class incomes, growing inequality, and soaring corporate profits.

Trade policy: where ideological purity goes to die

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 26, 2024
  • Protectionism is having a moment in the face of the off-shoring of jobs, shrinking middle-class incomes, growing inequality, and soaring corporate profits.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is expected to follow the United States in placing a punishing tariff on affordable Chinese EVs, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will the Harris bounce jump the border? If only

  • Kamala Harris hasn’t just revived a fretful Democratic Party, in the opening weeks of her presidential campaign, in her own country. Her arrival has
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 12, 2024
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris is like a breath of fresh air, writes Susan Riley. Photograph courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Will the Harris bounce jump the border? If only

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 12, 2024
  • Kamala Harris hasn’t just revived a fretful Democratic Party, in the opening weeks of her presidential campaign, in her own country. Her arrival has

Will the Harris bounce jump the border? If only

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 12, 2024
  • Kamala Harris hasn’t just revived a fretful Democratic Party, in the opening weeks of her presidential campaign, in her own country. Her arrival has
Kamala Harris
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris is like a breath of fresh air, writes Susan Riley. Photograph courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Pumping more oil while the house burns down: how long will the fantasy last?

  • Fossil fuels still hugely contribute to provincial coffers and the federal treasury, but too so would green energy alternatives if given a chance to
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 29, 2024
Last summer's forest fires in Alberta. With a few exceptions, our politicians are divided into two camps: the stout defenders of the oil and gas industry regardless of damage to the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions cause; or, those rhetorically committed to addressing climate change, but, maybe next decade, or in 2050. Photograph courtesy of Cpl. Marc-André Leclerc, DND Canada

Pumping more oil while the house burns down: how long will the fantasy last?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 29, 2024
  • Fossil fuels still hugely contribute to provincial coffers and the federal treasury, but too so would green energy alternatives if given a chance to

Pumping more oil while the house burns down: how long will the fantasy last?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 29, 2024
  • Fossil fuels still hugely contribute to provincial coffers and the federal treasury, but too so would green energy alternatives if given a chance to
Last summer's forest fires in Alberta. With a few exceptions, our politicians are divided into two camps: the stout defenders of the oil and gas industry regardless of damage to the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions cause; or, those rhetorically committed to addressing climate change, but, maybe next decade, or in 2050. Photograph courtesy of Cpl. Marc-André Leclerc, DND Canada

Who will be left standing in an uncertain political moment?

  • What does any leader do when the public mood is 'out with the old, in with the unthinkable'? And 'old' isn’t always a matter
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 15, 2024
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a bilateral meeting in Ottawa on March 24, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Who will be left standing in an uncertain political moment?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 15, 2024
  • What does any leader do when the public mood is 'out with the old, in with the unthinkable'? And 'old' isn’t always a matter

Who will be left standing in an uncertain political moment?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 15, 2024
  • What does any leader do when the public mood is 'out with the old, in with the unthinkable'? And 'old' isn’t always a matter
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a bilateral meeting in Ottawa on March 24, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Happy Canada Day, everyone! Or is it?

  • This July 1 has some Canadians worried about the future and despondent about the present. 
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 1, 2024
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, centre, pictured on the Hill on April 16, 2024, with some of his Conservative MPs. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Happy Canada Day, everyone! Or is it?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 1, 2024
  • This July 1 has some Canadians worried about the future and despondent about the present. 

Happy Canada Day, everyone! Or is it?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 1, 2024
  • This July 1 has some Canadians worried about the future and despondent about the present. 
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, centre, pictured on the Hill on April 16, 2024, with some of his Conservative MPs. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Colonel Mustard with the knife in the Constituency? Maybe not

  • Elizabeth May's unexpected denouement left media, opposition parties, and the dysfunctional security apparatus looking like bit players in an Inspector Clouseau farce. The whole
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 17, 2024
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May told reporters last week that 'There is no list of MPs who have shown disloyalty to Canada,' but said one former unnamed MP was a willing tool of Beijing. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Colonel Mustard with the knife in the Constituency? Maybe not

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 17, 2024
  • Elizabeth May's unexpected denouement left media, opposition parties, and the dysfunctional security apparatus looking like bit players in an Inspector Clouseau farce. The whole

Colonel Mustard with the knife in the Constituency? Maybe not

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 17, 2024
  • Elizabeth May's unexpected denouement left media, opposition parties, and the dysfunctional security apparatus looking like bit players in an Inspector Clouseau farce. The whole
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May told reporters last week that 'There is no list of MPs who have shown disloyalty to Canada,' but said one former unnamed MP was a willing tool of Beijing. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Hey, Liberals! Why be shy? Isn’t it time to refute the disinformation?

  • Any attempts to dispute the cascade of falsehoods on X, many emanating from Pierre Poilievre, have been late, fitful and lost amid the background
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 3, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on the Hill on April 16, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Hey, Liberals! Why be shy? Isn’t it time to refute the disinformation?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 3, 2024
  • Any attempts to dispute the cascade of falsehoods on X, many emanating from Pierre Poilievre, have been late, fitful and lost amid the background

Hey, Liberals! Why be shy? Isn’t it time to refute the disinformation?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 3, 2024
  • Any attempts to dispute the cascade of falsehoods on X, many emanating from Pierre Poilievre, have been late, fitful and lost amid the background
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on the Hill on April 16, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Workin’ 9 to 5, that’s no way to make a livin’

  • Sending public servants into action to save a city from decades of bad urban planning is like dispatching the military to fill sandbags, or
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 13, 2024
Public Service Alliance of Canada president Chris Aylward during PSAC's picket line in Ottawa on April 19, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Workin’ 9 to 5, that’s no way to make a livin’

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 13, 2024
  • Sending public servants into action to save a city from decades of bad urban planning is like dispatching the military to fill sandbags, or

Workin’ 9 to 5, that’s no way to make a livin’

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 13, 2024
  • Sending public servants into action to save a city from decades of bad urban planning is like dispatching the military to fill sandbags, or
Public Service Alliance of Canada president Chris Aylward during PSAC's picket line in Ottawa on April 19, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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Democracy or dynasty? It’s getting hard to tell the difference 

  • CHELSEA, QUE.—It’s a relief to know the one per cent will be well represented in the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race. Wealthy populist gadfly
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | February 5, 2018
Caroline Mulroney, right, pictured with Conservative House leader Candice Bergen on May 27, 2017, at the Conservative leadership convention in Toronto. The Hill Times file photograph

Democracy or dynasty? It’s getting hard to tell the difference 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | February 5, 2018
  • CHELSEA, QUE.—It’s a relief to know the one per cent will be well represented in the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race. Wealthy populist gadfly

Democracy or dynasty? It’s getting hard to tell the difference 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | February 5, 2018
  • CHELSEA, QUE.—It’s a relief to know the one per cent will be well represented in the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race. Wealthy populist gadfly
Caroline Mulroney, right, pictured with Conservative House leader Candice Bergen on May 27, 2017, at the Conservative leadership convention in Toronto. The Hill Times file photograph

What if Question Period featured better questions? Just asking

  • CHELSEA, QUE.—What political junkie isn’t thrilled for the return of Question Period after every seasonal break, well, until the first question, at least? Whatever
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 29, 2018
It's show time: Prime Minister fields a question during Question Period earlier this year. The House resumes sitting on Jan. 29. If you are eager to revisit the well-tilled matter of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to the Aga Khan’s island—TWO Christmases ago—you may be entertained. If you are more outraged by Trudeau’s broken promise to restore door-to-door mail delivery, than you are interested in how to fix a misfiring postal service, QP is your ticket, writes Susan Riley. PMO photograph

What if Question Period featured better questions? Just asking

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 29, 2018
  • CHELSEA, QUE.—What political junkie isn’t thrilled for the return of Question Period after every seasonal break, well, until the first question, at least? Whatever

What if Question Period featured better questions? Just asking

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 29, 2018
  • CHELSEA, QUE.—What political junkie isn’t thrilled for the return of Question Period after every seasonal break, well, until the first question, at least? Whatever
It's show time: Prime Minister fields a question during Question Period earlier this year. The House resumes sitting on Jan. 29. If you are eager to revisit the well-tilled matter of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to the Aga Khan’s island—TWO Christmases ago—you may be entertained. If you are more outraged by Trudeau’s broken promise to restore door-to-door mail delivery, than you are interested in how to fix a misfiring postal service, QP is your ticket, writes Susan Riley. PMO photograph

Let’s not panic about trade deals 

  • CHELSEA, QUE.—For too long, we have been told that free trade explains our wealth and success as a nation—and, that anything that threatens our
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 22, 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Jan. 16 when he named Olympic figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir as the Canadian Flag bearers for the upcoming 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. Introducing so-called non-trade elements—gender equality, environmental protections, labour, and Indigenous rights—into negotiations is a bold move on Mr. Trudeau’s part. He is apparently convinced that traditional trade deals that have catered to corporate interests, at the expense of everyone else, are responsible for Trump’s victory and for Brexit; that people are challenging the gospel of free trade for good reason. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Let’s not panic about trade deals 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 22, 2018
  • CHELSEA, QUE.—For too long, we have been told that free trade explains our wealth and success as a nation—and, that anything that threatens our

Let’s not panic about trade deals 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 22, 2018
  • CHELSEA, QUE.—For too long, we have been told that free trade explains our wealth and success as a nation—and, that anything that threatens our
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Jan. 16 when he named Olympic figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir as the Canadian Flag bearers for the upcoming 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. Introducing so-called non-trade elements—gender equality, environmental protections, labour, and Indigenous rights—into negotiations is a bold move on Mr. Trudeau’s part. He is apparently convinced that traditional trade deals that have catered to corporate interests, at the expense of everyone else, are responsible for Trump’s victory and for Brexit; that people are challenging the gospel of free trade for good reason. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Who is Justin Trudeau anyway? 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau might consider being more like Donald Trump if he wants to maintain his political standing in 2018 and beyond. More transparent,
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 8, 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Oct. 16, 2017, at a Diwali celebration event at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Who is Justin Trudeau anyway? 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 8, 2018
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau might consider being more like Donald Trump if he wants to maintain his political standing in 2018 and beyond. More transparent,

Who is Justin Trudeau anyway? 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | January 8, 2018
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau might consider being more like Donald Trump if he wants to maintain his political standing in 2018 and beyond. More transparent,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Oct. 16, 2017, at a Diwali celebration event at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Send the Ethics Office packing

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—It is outrageous that outgoing ethics commissioner Mary Dawson has yet to report on complaints about Justin Trudeau’s famous visit to the Aga
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 18, 2017
It is outrageous that outgoing ethics commissioner Mary Dawson has yet to report on complaints about Justin Trudeau’s famous visit to the Aga Khan’s private Caribbean Island last Christmas, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Send the Ethics Office packing

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 18, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—It is outrageous that outgoing ethics commissioner Mary Dawson has yet to report on complaints about Justin Trudeau’s famous visit to the Aga

Send the Ethics Office packing

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | December 18, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—It is outrageous that outgoing ethics commissioner Mary Dawson has yet to report on complaints about Justin Trudeau’s famous visit to the Aga
It is outrageous that outgoing ethics commissioner Mary Dawson has yet to report on complaints about Justin Trudeau’s famous visit to the Aga Khan’s private Caribbean Island last Christmas, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The nervous, joyless journey to legalize marijuana 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The adults of Canada are deeply conflicted about marijuana. By “adults,” I mean most politicians over 30 years old. By “conflicted” I mean
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 27, 2017
Liberal MP Bill Blair, left, and Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor, pictured Nov. 21 in the House foyer. Ms. Petitpas Taylor last week called for public input on how to package the distasteful product. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The nervous, joyless journey to legalize marijuana 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 27, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The adults of Canada are deeply conflicted about marijuana. By “adults,” I mean most politicians over 30 years old. By “conflicted” I mean

The nervous, joyless journey to legalize marijuana 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 27, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The adults of Canada are deeply conflicted about marijuana. By “adults,” I mean most politicians over 30 years old. By “conflicted” I mean
Liberal MP Bill Blair, left, and Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor, pictured Nov. 21 in the House foyer. Ms. Petitpas Taylor last week called for public input on how to package the distasteful product. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It’s morally satisfying to scold foreign tyrants, but does it help their victims? 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau won widespread applause in Canada for privately unbraiding Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte for his brutal human rights
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 20, 2017

It’s morally satisfying to scold foreign tyrants, but does it help their victims? 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 20, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau won widespread applause in Canada for privately unbraiding Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte for his brutal human rights

It’s morally satisfying to scold foreign tyrants, but does it help their victims? 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | November 20, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau won widespread applause in Canada for privately unbraiding Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte for his brutal human rights

Flaying, filleting, deep-frying of Morneau illustrates blood sport of politics: Riley 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The flaying, filleting and deep-frying of Finance Minister Bill Morneau is a vivid illustration of how punishing a life in politics can be.
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 23, 2017
The flaying, filleting and deep-frying of Finance Minister Bill Morneau is a vivid illustration of how punishing a life in politics can be. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Flaying, filleting, deep-frying of Morneau illustrates blood sport of politics: Riley 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 23, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The flaying, filleting and deep-frying of Finance Minister Bill Morneau is a vivid illustration of how punishing a life in politics can be.

Flaying, filleting, deep-frying of Morneau illustrates blood sport of politics: Riley 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 23, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The flaying, filleting and deep-frying of Finance Minister Bill Morneau is a vivid illustration of how punishing a life in politics can be.
The flaying, filleting and deep-frying of Finance Minister Bill Morneau is a vivid illustration of how punishing a life in politics can be. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The myths about Energy East, just to clear the air

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The decision by TransCanada to mothball its proposed Energy East pipeline some days ago risks becoming flotsam in the all-consuming whirl of daily
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 16, 2017
There are conflicting guesses about how long the oilsands will be viable. Suncor’s CEO suggests 100 years, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr, pictured, says 30 to 40. But once decarbonization takes hold (as it is, in Europe and China and California) the change could come quickly. Energy East will be remembered, if it is remembered at all, as the last twitch of a declining industry.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The myths about Energy East, just to clear the air

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 16, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The decision by TransCanada to mothball its proposed Energy East pipeline some days ago risks becoming flotsam in the all-consuming whirl of daily

The myths about Energy East, just to clear the air

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 16, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The decision by TransCanada to mothball its proposed Energy East pipeline some days ago risks becoming flotsam in the all-consuming whirl of daily
There are conflicting guesses about how long the oilsands will be viable. Suncor’s CEO suggests 100 years, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr, pictured, says 30 to 40. But once decarbonization takes hold (as it is, in Europe and China and California) the change could come quickly. Energy East will be remembered, if it is remembered at all, as the last twitch of a declining industry.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Political leaders all talk, little action on climate change, McKenna’s no different

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Almost lost amid the furor over those modest Liberal tax changes, the shock and misery of Las Vegas and the random terrorist incident
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 9, 2017
In Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, the prime minister has a capable, indefatigable and likeable minister. She is active on social media and everywhere else—jetting off to conferences, meeting with Indigenous people in the North, highlighting green technologies and extolling the wonders of Canada’s national parks and natural heritage. All to the good, but it begins to look like a smoke-screen, at odds with the government’s other pre-occupation— getting Canadian oil to China, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Political leaders all talk, little action on climate change, McKenna’s no different

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 9, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Almost lost amid the furor over those modest Liberal tax changes, the shock and misery of Las Vegas and the random terrorist incident

Political leaders all talk, little action on climate change, McKenna’s no different

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | October 9, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Almost lost amid the furor over those modest Liberal tax changes, the shock and misery of Las Vegas and the random terrorist incident
In Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, the prime minister has a capable, indefatigable and likeable minister. She is active on social media and everywhere else—jetting off to conferences, meeting with Indigenous people in the North, highlighting green technologies and extolling the wonders of Canada’s national parks and natural heritage. All to the good, but it begins to look like a smoke-screen, at odds with the government’s other pre-occupation— getting Canadian oil to China, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The danger and promise of frank talk in fraught times 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—By some accounts, politicians and public figures live in dangerous times—only one glib remark, or one youthful mistake, away from pubic disgrace, even
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 25, 2017
Ontario MPP Jagmeet Singh, right, is under fire for his religion in Quebec, while the fact that he is a strong supporter of LBGTQ rights, and a brace of other socially progressive ideas, is hardly mentioned. The Hill Times photograph Andrew Meade

The danger and promise of frank talk in fraught times 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 25, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—By some accounts, politicians and public figures live in dangerous times—only one glib remark, or one youthful mistake, away from pubic disgrace, even

The danger and promise of frank talk in fraught times 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 25, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—By some accounts, politicians and public figures live in dangerous times—only one glib remark, or one youthful mistake, away from pubic disgrace, even
Ontario MPP Jagmeet Singh, right, is under fire for his religion in Quebec, while the fact that he is a strong supporter of LBGTQ rights, and a brace of other socially progressive ideas, is hardly mentioned. The Hill Times photograph Andrew Meade

Dinner is ready, but the guest list isn’t finalized

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—At the mid-point of his mandate, Justin Trudeau must be a happy prime minister. He retains a comfortable edge in the polls, he
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 18, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured in this file photo on the Hill, is at the mid-point of his mandate, and retains a comfortable edge in the polls, but the present can be the worst predictor of the future, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Dinner is ready, but the guest list isn’t finalized

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 18, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—At the mid-point of his mandate, Justin Trudeau must be a happy prime minister. He retains a comfortable edge in the polls, he

Dinner is ready, but the guest list isn’t finalized

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 18, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—At the mid-point of his mandate, Justin Trudeau must be a happy prime minister. He retains a comfortable edge in the polls, he
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured in this file photo on the Hill, is at the mid-point of his mandate, and retains a comfortable edge in the polls, but the present can be the worst predictor of the future, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Small business tax reform a test of Trudeau’s nerve 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau’s proposal to eliminate loopholes in the small business tax is a modest step in the direction of tax fairness and Finance
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 11, 2017
Canada's federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau, pictured in a scrum on the Hill. The uber-polite Mr. Morneau isn’t cabinet’s most dynamic pitchman, true, but, as a former Bay Street executive, he knows the many legal, if morally questionable, ways that the wealthy avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Like Paul Martin and former Conservative Party finance minister, Jim Flaherty, Morneau is a former insider in a club that few can afford to join. The Hill Times file photograph

Small business tax reform a test of Trudeau’s nerve 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 11, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau’s proposal to eliminate loopholes in the small business tax is a modest step in the direction of tax fairness and Finance

Small business tax reform a test of Trudeau’s nerve 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | September 11, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau’s proposal to eliminate loopholes in the small business tax is a modest step in the direction of tax fairness and Finance
Canada's federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau, pictured in a scrum on the Hill. The uber-polite Mr. Morneau isn’t cabinet’s most dynamic pitchman, true, but, as a former Bay Street executive, he knows the many legal, if morally questionable, ways that the wealthy avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Like Paul Martin and former Conservative Party finance minister, Jim Flaherty, Morneau is a former insider in a club that few can afford to join. The Hill Times file photograph

Illegal border crossings can no longer be overlooked

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The influx of mostly-Haitian asylum seekers across the Quebec border could hardly have come at a more delicate time. In the United States,
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 28, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets Syrian refugees upon arrival in Canada in late 2015. Despite his welcoming nature toward refugees, Trudeau's government needs to get the message out that those crossing the border illegally are not guaranteed asylum in Canada, writes Susan Riley. PMO photograph by Adam Scotti

Illegal border crossings can no longer be overlooked

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 28, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The influx of mostly-Haitian asylum seekers across the Quebec border could hardly have come at a more delicate time. In the United States,

Illegal border crossings can no longer be overlooked

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 28, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—The influx of mostly-Haitian asylum seekers across the Quebec border could hardly have come at a more delicate time. In the United States,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets Syrian refugees upon arrival in Canada in late 2015. Despite his welcoming nature toward refugees, Trudeau's government needs to get the message out that those crossing the border illegally are not guaranteed asylum in Canada, writes Susan Riley. PMO photograph by Adam Scotti

Was Mulroney Trump before there was Trump? 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—When Peter C. Newman’s controversial and sensational book The Secret Mulroney Tapes: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister was released in 2005, it created
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 14, 2017
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney and U.S. President Donald Trump. The similarities with Mr. Trump are vivid and unmistakable—far more so than the superficial likenesses between the U.S. president and long-gone Conservative leadership hopeful, Kevin O’Leary, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photographs by Jake Wright

Was Mulroney Trump before there was Trump? 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 14, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—When Peter C. Newman’s controversial and sensational book The Secret Mulroney Tapes: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister was released in 2005, it created

Was Mulroney Trump before there was Trump? 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | August 14, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—When Peter C. Newman’s controversial and sensational book The Secret Mulroney Tapes: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister was released in 2005, it created
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney and U.S. President Donald Trump. The similarities with Mr. Trump are vivid and unmistakable—far more so than the superficial likenesses between the U.S. president and long-gone Conservative leadership hopeful, Kevin O’Leary, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photographs by Jake Wright

Like a rolling stone, Trudeau continues to roll over opponents 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Freed from the tendentious and often tedious rituals of Question Period, Justin Trudeau appears to be having a wonderful summer. He is everywhere:
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 31, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured July 21, 2017, with is son Hadrian, and Liberal MPs Bernadette Jordan and MP Colin Fraser in Shelburne, N.S. PMO photograph by Adam Scotti

Like a rolling stone, Trudeau continues to roll over opponents 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 31, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Freed from the tendentious and often tedious rituals of Question Period, Justin Trudeau appears to be having a wonderful summer. He is everywhere:

Like a rolling stone, Trudeau continues to roll over opponents 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | July 31, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Freed from the tendentious and often tedious rituals of Question Period, Justin Trudeau appears to be having a wonderful summer. He is everywhere:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured July 21, 2017, with is son Hadrian, and Liberal MPs Bernadette Jordan and MP Colin Fraser in Shelburne, N.S. PMO photograph by Adam Scotti

Trudeau’s second year: the cake is half-baked, but the icing is good 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Amid a cascade of half-measures, the Trudeau government wrapped up its second session last week with a decidedly mixed record. If you were
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 26, 2017
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, centre, pictured with his wife Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, second right, Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef, left, International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, second left, and Women Deliver President and CEO Katja Iversen on the Hill on June 12. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Trudeau’s second year: the cake is half-baked, but the icing is good 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 26, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Amid a cascade of half-measures, the Trudeau government wrapped up its second session last week with a decidedly mixed record. If you were

Trudeau’s second year: the cake is half-baked, but the icing is good 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 26, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Amid a cascade of half-measures, the Trudeau government wrapped up its second session last week with a decidedly mixed record. If you were
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, centre, pictured with his wife Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, second right, Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef, left, International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, second left, and Women Deliver President and CEO Katja Iversen on the Hill on June 12. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

We are not able to take your message at this moment, M. Couillard

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau was undiplomatically curt, but quite correct in dismissing Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard’s recent, mystifying proposal that we revisit the divisive and
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 12, 2017

We are not able to take your message at this moment, M. Couillard

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 12, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau was undiplomatically curt, but quite correct in dismissing Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard’s recent, mystifying proposal that we revisit the divisive and

We are not able to take your message at this moment, M. Couillard

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | June 12, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau was undiplomatically curt, but quite correct in dismissing Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard’s recent, mystifying proposal that we revisit the divisive and

Is Trudeau’s climate plan up in smoke?

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau’s signature climate strategy risks being shredded by two unforeseen developments—political upheaval in the western provinces and uncertainty about the future value
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 29, 2017
But, if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drops his support for the Kinder Morgan pipeline, he risks gravely disappointing Rachel Notley, Alberta’s NDP premier and a fast political ally of Trudeau in a province where the Liberal name was toxic for decades, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Is Trudeau’s climate plan up in smoke?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 29, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau’s signature climate strategy risks being shredded by two unforeseen developments—political upheaval in the western provinces and uncertainty about the future value

Is Trudeau’s climate plan up in smoke?

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 29, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau’s signature climate strategy risks being shredded by two unforeseen developments—political upheaval in the western provinces and uncertainty about the future value
But, if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drops his support for the Kinder Morgan pipeline, he risks gravely disappointing Rachel Notley, Alberta’s NDP premier and a fast political ally of Trudeau in a province where the Liberal name was toxic for decades, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Stuck in heckle-town, apparently forever 

  • GATINEAU, QUE.—You would think it was deliberate: the country’s federal politicians conspiring to actively discourage the sympathy and support of the people who elected
Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 15, 2017
The daily, 45-minute verbal brawl has always been contentious, of course, but it seems unwatchably stupid and shrill of late, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Shruti Shekar

Stuck in heckle-town, apparently forever 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 15, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—You would think it was deliberate: the country’s federal politicians conspiring to actively discourage the sympathy and support of the people who elected

Stuck in heckle-town, apparently forever 

Opinion | BY SUSAN RILEY | May 15, 2017
  • GATINEAU, QUE.—You would think it was deliberate: the country’s federal politicians conspiring to actively discourage the sympathy and support of the people who elected
The daily, 45-minute verbal brawl has always been contentious, of course, but it seems unwatchably stupid and shrill of late, writes Susan Riley. The Hill Times photograph by Shruti Shekar

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