The link (or lack thereof) between refugees and terrorism
OTTAWA—Remember the refugee crisis of a few summers ago? We all were riveted by the pictures of hundreds of thousands of desperate Syrians, Iraqis and many others, risking their lives in overland journeys or even more perilous sea voyages, fleeing danger and violence in their homelands to start a new life in Europe. Some countries […]
“What will be your party’s No. 1 goal during this fall sitting?” by Laura Ryckewaert
Cameron Ahmad Liberal strategist “Our government’s top priority is to deliver on the commitments we made to Canadians, and to keep working hard every day to create opportunities and growth for the middle class. Canadians elected a government with an ambitious agenda and we intend to move forward on our key priorities as Parliamentarians resume […]
Morneau’s tax reform needs further thought
Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s goal of closing tax loopholes is entirely legitimate. However, it is far from clear that the actual results of the legislation would be as positive as the minister hopes. Mr. Morneau would undoubtedly be surprised to hear his initiative described as unfair, inefficient and even harmful. And yet unfair it is. By […]
Scheer misses another opportunity
TORONTO—You never achieve great things if you don’t take risks. How Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer doesn’t understand this is an enduring mystery. He never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity, per the cliché. Take (please) Conservative MP Gerry Ritz. Last week, Gerry—who (a) thinks he is funny and (b) has unfettered access to a […]
Feds need to create opportunity for all segments of population, distribute dividends of increased prosperity
TORONTO—If there was a needed reminder on the critical importance of fostering a more inclusive economy in Canada, it can be found in the latest 2016 census report from Statistics Canada. There are still too many Canadians living on low incomes, too many working Canadians whose incomes are stagnant, too many Canadians simply hanging on. […]
NAFTA facilitates growth, job creation, enhanced co-operation in chemistry industry
When it comes to trade, there is no denying that governments have to pursue the best-case scenario for their own people. Discussion around boosting the economy, creating more jobs domestically and ensuring access to goods for families, are of vital importance when approaching trading relationships, and the ongoing NAFTA negotiations. What if all of this […]
Heavy fuel oil must be banned from the Canadian Arctic
Over the last decades, Canada has taken successive actions to monitor and minimize the impact of human activities on our environment. For the Canadian Arctic, one of the key actions was the passing of the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act (AWPPA) in 1985. Another has been making it compulsory for ships weighing 300 tonnes or […]
Calm down, North Korea isn’t planning to nuke Canada
OTTAWA—A couple of related events last week were added together by the usual cast of fearmongers in yet another attempt to scare the bejeezus out of the Canadian public. First off it was North Korea’s megalomaniac President Kim Jong-un, who test-fired yet another long-range missile harmlessly into the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It flew […]
Where words matter: shaping the national story one comment at a time
OTTAWA—With the House back after the summer, the war of words on Parliament Hill continues. Thousands of pages of transcripts from Commons speeches, committee hearings, and other events attended by MPs and public officials will be compiled as usual. Out across the country, there’s no doubt a lot of people will think it’s all the […]
I have no problem with Rachael Harder as status of women critic
Andrew Scheer’s appointment of Rachael Harder as critic for Status of Women has created quite a stir in various media outlets, including The Hill Times. It couldn’t be that abortion providers and their advocates tilt opinions in these pages, could it? Because who says the criteria for a competent, thoughtful analysis of programs and legislation […]
