Marking the 150th anniversary of the first post-Confederation Parliament
In a country that far too often comes up short in honouring its history and those who participate on the front lines of public service—particularly past prime ministers—House Speaker Geoff Regan deserves special praise. Earlier this week, after months of hard work by he and his staff dating back more than a year, Mr. Regan […]
Why China Won’t Budge on North Korea
Over the next few days, U.S. President Donald Trump will be visiting the leaders of Japan, South Korea, and China, and the same topic will dominate all three conversations: North Korea. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in will be looking for reassurance that the United States will protect them from […]
Overseas military deployment and terrorism: a mixed bag
I suppose that in many ways none of this should be unexpected. Its obviousness does not make it right, however. There are lots of things that we do not question that are nevertheless the wrong way of looking at things. I am referring here to the belief that we are at ‘war with terrorism’. The […]
Manufacturing needs stronger, more ambitious political leadership
TORONTO—In his recent fiscal update, Finance Minister Bill Morneau boasted that the government’s plan for the middle class was working. But one important sector of the economy long hailed as a key source of middle-class jobs—manufacturing—is still behind where it was in 2005. Without an innovative and growing manufacturing sector, with the new kinds of […]
The Great October Revolution in Russia and what might have been
LONDON, U.K.—China Miéville, a novelist I much admire, has published a history of the ‘October Revolution’ to mark its 100th anniversary (which is actually on Nov. 7, since the Russians were still using the Julian calendar in 1917). It had an unusual effect on me. It made me question whether I was right about the utter […]
Renewing the Fisheries Act: getting Canada’s oldest environmental law right
The bright fly tied precisely onto the end of the line whips forward in an elegant loop landing in the cold flowing river. After hours of making the line dance and flow, a bite and reel of excitement. Feels like a 20-pounder. This is going to make a good fish story. And this is what […]
Next door and polluted: how proposed toxic law reforms present opportunity to address environmental injustice in Canada
In recent weeks, the dire situation of people living in close quarters with multiple refineries and petrochemical plants has led the front pages and nightly newscasts of The Toronto Star, National Observer and Global TV. If you’ve been following the investigative news series “The Price of Oil,” reporting on communities impacted by oil and gas operations, […]
It’s the federal government’s moment of truth on the environment
As the Trudeau government approaches the middle of its mandate, the prime minister faces a choice: Will he deliver on his promise to restore rigour and credibility to Canada’s process for making decisions about industrial projects like mines, dams and pipelines? Or will he back down from his campaign commitments and opt instead for a […]
It’s never too late to do the right thing on niqab, Quebec
We are fortunate to live in a country that guarantees us the freedom to be ourselves—the right to be different. We have developed a unique system of government that is based on compromise and co-existence. More than many societies, we respect differences between people whether they are based on gender, race, religion, language, disability, or appearance, for example. Yet sometimes […]
Feds must approve recommended changes to Canadian Environmental Protection Act
The federal government must approve the recommended changes to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Canada relies on a patchwork of air and water policies, which jeopardizes people’s health. More than 20,000 Canadians die prematurely every year because of exposure to environmental hazards and the total cost of pollution in Canada is more than $100-billion a year. […]
