It’s time for a Conservative eye exam because the Tories can’t read the room
OTTAWA—Congratulations Conservatives, you played yourselves. On May 12, Ekos Research released its latest polling results that captured political support amid the coronavirus pandemic. And boy, were they revealing. The landscape has changed dramatically over the last few months since the federal election in October, when the Liberals were handed a minority in Parliament. Now they’re […]
Big ideas needed in CPC’s snoozefest of a leadership race
OTTAWA—A key date has been passed in the Conservative Party’s leadership race. Friday, May 15 was the last day for people to join the party to vote in the contest. Peter MacKay’s team claims to have out-done his competitors in signing people up. While it is hard to verify the accuracy of the campaign’s assertion, […]
Governments must be guided by a common set of principles in response to the coronavirus
In these unprecedented times, governments must act rapidly to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Because the decisions of policymakers have particularly significant impacts on communities, it is critical that their decisions be guided by a common set of principles. The actions being taken by governments around the world are being immediately felt and will have long-term […]
Boost of federal support needed for better cross-Canada internet connectivity
At the end of April, the House of Commons held its first-ever and historical virtual Parliament through the all-Member of Parliament Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic. The session used video conferencing, just like thousands of Canadians have been doing over the past few weeks to connect with family and friends, to access online education […]
Beyond COVID-19: an unchartable political course for months, maybe years
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who came to power touting “sunny ways,” is now presiding over Canada in what can only be called the Year of Tragedy. The death of a member of the Snowbirds team engaged in a cross-country flight program to cheer up Canadians during COVID-19 is only the latest. There’s the pandemic itself, […]
All Senators are equal in rights, privileges, and duties
The equality of Senators, a foundational institutional principle, is being tested by the leadership of two main groups in the Senate, the Independent Senators Group (ISG) and the Conservatives. When I joined the Senate to contribute to a constitutionally valid modernization of the Upper House of our Parliament, I was not sure how independence would […]
Can the intelligence community save democracy?
Among the questions that loomed after September 11, 2001, was how intelligence agencies would handle the power they’d acquired through a confluence of unprecedented public license, massive funding, and new technology. As the internet fuelled a post-9/11 revolution in covert capabilities, that explosion in resources funded a multinational empire of contractors, freelancers, and off-the-books operatives. […]
Canadians deserved better than deceptive details about chopper crash
OTTAWA—On April 29, an RCAF Cyclone helicopter crashed in the Mediterranean Sea while returning to the HMCS Fredericton from a training mission. Word of this tragedy was first reported by Greek news outlets and it was soon circulating on Canadian social media platforms. Most mainstream media reporters were leery that this story could in fact […]
The 1980 referendum campaign: a shining Canadian moment
OTTAWA—Forty years ago today, I was standing in the Verdun Auditorium in south-centre Montreal, when a woman said to me in French, “This is proof we can be good Québécois and Canadians at the same time.” It was a key message of the tumultuous six weeks that led to the historic victory of the “No” […]
It’s time to flip the switch on virtual sittings
After a few weeks of study, the Procedure and House Affairs Committee put out report on May 15 about the potential peaks and pitfalls of having the House of Commons sit virtually. As was to be expected, there was hardly raving consensus on the way forward. The committee’s 51-page report came appended with two dissenting […]
