A COVID-busting fiscal plan should put nature first
When Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland delivers her fall economic statement—widely anticipated in the coming days—most expect a first-time glimpse of Canada’s long-term plan to battle back the pandemic gloom. Many hope the outlook will echo the COVID-focused message from a special summit of the UN General Assembly a few weeks back: one antidote to the […]
de Adder’s Take: 11-09-2020
Time for House, Senate to get down to serious issues facing country
As the federal government guides the country through this global pandemic, probably the most serious challenge facing Canada since the Second World War, our MPs and Senators should be rising to this historic challenge and turning their minds to the serious legislative and policy work needed to get through it while protecting as many lives […]
For O’Toole, a carbon tax should always be a bad idea
OAKVILLE, ONT.—There are some things in politics that should never ever happen. The mayor of New York City should never declare himself to be a Boston Red Sox fan, the premier of Quebec should never join the Monarchist League, and the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada should never support new taxes. Okay , […]
Revenge served cold to one-term-wonder Trump
OTTAWA—Revenge is a dish best served cold. Deceased Congressional leaders John McCain and John Lewis may have delivered that dish in spades from their graves. Days into the American presidential vote count, Arizona and Georgia are among the key states, holding the balance of power in the critical road to 270 electoral college votes needed […]
To address climate change and biodiversity loss, support Indigenous-led conservation
The United Nations issued two major reports recently about the state of biodiversity—the plants, animals, and natural systems we all depend on. The reports highlighted positive examples of conservation leadership from countries around the world. When it came to Canada, most of the solutions the UN cited are led by Indigenous Peoples. From Indigenous Guardians […]
Changes to fiscal policy not enough to stimulate economic recovery of this magnitude today, says letter writer
It has been interesting to see the debates on who is right on what will help Canada’s recovery, and as the owner of an innovative Canadian SME I am perplexed. Of course, tax breaks, grants and targeted liquidity would benefit my company’s business, just as they would any other small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). But let’s […]
Integrated national security efforts that include more stringent security screening should weed out violent white supremacists in Canadian military
OTTAWA—While Islamist extremists falsely claim to be the vanguards of Islam, violent white supremacists similarly claim to be patriots. But their allegiance and participation in violent white supremacist organizations are antithetical to upholding their oath, the Constitution, and defending democracy at home and abroad—all the reasons they should not serve in the Canadian military. On […]
A less attractive Northwest Passage is good for Canada
OTTAWA—Back in 1998, when I was the commander of the Canadian Forces Northern Area, I became concerned with the impact of global warming and the disappearance of the ice in the Canadian Archipelago. Although there were no apparent military threats to the Canadian Arctic at the time, there was nevertheless a concern with increasing risks […]
O’Toole’s big challenge will be to walk his talk
TORONTO—Are Conservative parties now populist parties, shedding their traditional role as the advocates of balanced budgets, low taxes, light regulation, and free trade? It seems they want to sound like parties of the working class, even if they fail to deliver once in office. Trumpism crystalized this shift—and also showed it could work as a […]
