Andrew Coyne

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Andrew Coyne.

The democratic world will have to get along without America. It may even have to defend itself from it

The democratic world will have to get along without America. It may even have to defend itself from it

I wonder if we have underestimated the gravity of the situation the democratic world faces. Even now, as the United...

When the plane hits some turbulence, you’re maybe going to want a pilot to fly it
Reduce our dependence on the U.S.? Sure, but it’s a lot harder than it sounds
In a trade war with a madman, hold fast, hit hard and imitate the hedgehog
No traitors in the House, but foreign interference, and the Liberals’ non-response to it, is still a serious concern

No traitors in the House, but foreign interference, and the Liberals’ non-response to it, is still a serious concern

There is a technique of political argumentation that might be called opportunistic benchmarking. Broadly speaking it involves measuring yourself against...

The point is not to be different from the States. It’s to be better than them

The point is not to be different from the States. It’s to be better than them

Why Canada? Why the current configuration of nation-states on the continent of North America, and not some other? Why not...

Kevin O’Leary explains: not annexation, just an economic union that amounts to the same thing
The great pretender: Looking back at Trudeau, we see our initial judgment of him when he first entered politics was correct
With the country under attack, Trudeau leaves it to drift – for months

With the country under attack, Trudeau leaves it to drift – for months

“I will always be motivated by what is in the best interests of Canadians,” Justin Trudeau declared, in announcing his...

The coming chaos in federal politics and how we got here
Proroguing Parliament to avoid a confidence vote was an iffy idea in 2008. It’s a terrible one in 2025.
The problem isn’t Trudeau; it’s that prime ministers have too much power

The problem isn’t Trudeau; it’s that prime ministers have too much power

One way of looking at the crisis to which the Prime Minister has led his party, the government and the...

Freeland departs, after a heroic effort to hold the deficit to $62-billion

Freeland departs, after a heroic effort to hold the deficit to $62-billion

In fairness to the Prime Minister, who knew that if you spent three months undermining your own Finance Minister, refusing...

With Trudeau and his Finance Minister at war, it’s clear: this government is done

With Trudeau and his Finance Minister at war, it’s clear: this government is done

When Chrystia Freeland rises in the House Monday to deliver the Fall Economic Statement – if she does – the...

Suppose they had a postal strike and nobody noticed
Poilievre fumbles the Trump crisis: a missed opportunity to show himself as a prime minister-in-waiting

Poilievre fumbles the Trump crisis: a missed opportunity to show himself as a prime minister-in-waiting

That was quite the meeting at Mar-a-Lago. As our Steven Chase reports, they started in the Library Bar, beneath the...

Singapore’s traffic is no worse than Halifax’s. Toronto’s could be, too

Singapore’s traffic is no worse than Halifax’s. Toronto’s could be, too

Every day the traffic problem in Toronto seems to get a little worse. Because it is getting worse – measurably...

This is how Canada should deal with Donald Trump, irrational actor

This is how Canada should deal with Donald Trump, irrational actor

The president-elect of the United States, in a late-night social-media outburst, has declared he would impose a 25-per-cent tariff on...

Canada is far from ready for the chaos coming our way
The U.S. election shows that sometimes the people get it wrong
Trump’s election is a crisis like no other, not only for the U.S. but the world

Trump’s election is a crisis like no other, not only for the U.S. but the world

Nothing mattered, in the end. Not the probable dementia, the unfathomable ignorance, the emotional incontinence; not, certainly, the shambling, hate-filled...

The U.S. is about to be thrown into chaos. The only real question is for how long
Liberal MPs lack the means – but mostly the courage – to take down their Leader

Liberal MPs lack the means – but mostly the courage – to take down their Leader

It was, by all accounts, a “robust” discussion at Wednesday’s Liberal caucus meeting. And not only robust, but “frank” and...

Use primary-care reform as the opportunity to inject more competition into Canada’s health care system
Our democracy is under attack. Do our leaders know it?

Our democracy is under attack. Do our leaders know it?

What’s it going to take? Just how badly must our national security be compromised before our political leaders start to...

This is not a diplomatic spat: it’s state terrorism, and Canada is right to call it out

This is not a diplomatic spat: it’s state terrorism, and Canada is right to call it out

To dispense with the obvious: No, Monday’s extraordinary statement by the RCMP – that agents of the government of India...

MPs are right to take a stand: the government must give Parliament the documents it demands

MPs are right to take a stand: the government must give Parliament the documents it demands

Two different forums of accountability, two very different outcomes. Over at the Foreign Interference Commission, chaired by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue...

A disastrous campaign has cost Trump almost none of his support

A disastrous campaign has cost Trump almost none of his support

A commonplace of politics holds that “campaigns matter.” Whatever the polls may portend beforehand, they can change in the course...

Nice little news network you got there. Pity if anything should happen to it …

Nice little news network you got there. Pity if anything should happen to it …

So apparently the boycott is off: Pierre Poilievre has announced he has lifted last week’s fatwa on Conservative MPs speaking...

The unity crisis that awaits us on the other side of the next election

The unity crisis that awaits us on the other side of the next election

In the election of 1958, the Conservatives under John Diefenbaker swept the country, winning 208 out of a total of...

Is Mark Carney’s new job to provide cover for the mother of all U-turns?
The chaos of party nomination races is no longer a joke – it’s a threat to national security
The conservative defeat of carbon pricing is the defeat of economics – and of conservatism

The conservative defeat of carbon pricing is the defeat of economics – and of conservatism

They are writing the obituaries already for the carbon tax. With the federal NDP signalling it may drop its support...

Justin Trudeau partakes in that great Canadian tradition: refusing to quit as PM

Justin Trudeau partakes in that great Canadian tradition: refusing to quit as PM

I suppose it could have been worse for the Liberals. For example, their candidates in Monday’s by-elections might have ended...

After the deal: the NDP is exposed and the Liberals are stuck

After the deal: the NDP is exposed and the Liberals are stuck

So. Farewell then, supply and confidence agreement, maker of governments, binder of parties, precedent-setting pseudo-coalition. Or, if you prefer, anti-democratic...

In semi-defence of the Temporary Foreign Workers program

In semi-defence of the Temporary Foreign Workers program

By now the consensus is ironclad. It stretches from the far right to the near left, from barstool philosophers to...

If Pierre Poilievre weren’t so unpleasant, he might get more of a hearing for his agenda. If he has one

If Pierre Poilievre weren’t so unpleasant, he might get more of a hearing for his agenda. If he has one

With the Conservatives maintaining a roughly 15-point lead in the polls, some in the party are busy measuring – well...

Conservatives should have no difficulty voting for Harris

Conservatives should have no difficulty voting for Harris

Among the roster of speakers at this year’s Democratic National Convention are several representatives of a demographic group not traditionally...

If you find yourself saying ‘Of course I’m opposed to violence, but’ – maybe just stop there

If you find yourself saying ‘Of course I’m opposed to violence, but’ – maybe just stop there

The worst of sins in modern politics – perhaps the only one remaining – is hypocrisy. Journalists love it, as...

The (re)education of Jordan Peterson

The (re)education of Jordan Peterson

Polarizing psychologist Jordan Peterson now says he will attend the social media training he was ordered to undergo by his...

To fix social media, force the platforms to open themselves up to each other

To fix social media, force the platforms to open themselves up to each other

Would we miss social media if it were gone? Is the world a better place for the smartphone having been...

Other countries have taken a clear stand on Venezuela. Why hasn’t Canada?

Other countries have taken a clear stand on Venezuela. Why hasn’t Canada?

There have been few more blatant examples of election theft than the one Nicolás Maduro and his United Socialist Party...

Please stop helping us: the newspaper bailout is a comprehensive policy failure

Please stop helping us: the newspaper bailout is a comprehensive policy failure

It has been five years since the temporary, one-time federal bailout of the newspaper industry was supposed to have put...

A smarter Trump turns out to be a weaker force

A smarter Trump turns out to be a weaker force

Ever since Donald Trump arrived on the American political scene, in all his venomous ignorance, it has been the pastime...

Are we supposed to just sit and wait for Canada’s inevitable constitutional crisis?

Are we supposed to just sit and wait for Canada’s inevitable constitutional crisis?

One way or another, we are headed for a constitutional crisis: the only question is when, and on whose terms...

The Liberal ship is adrift. If the captain will not change course, will the crew?

The Liberal ship is adrift. If the captain will not change course, will the crew?

One begins to long for the decisiveness and efficiency of the American political system. One day the president, behind in...

Do not remain calm. A second Trump presidency really will be that bad

Do not remain calm. A second Trump presidency really will be that bad

No, it is not going to be okay. With a second Donald Trump presidency seeming more and more likely –...

Canada’s plan to meet its NATO targets is better late than never. Or is it?

Canada’s plan to meet its NATO targets is better late than never. Or is it?

Canada at NATO: A farce in three acts. Act One: As NATO leaders convened at last week’s summit in Washington...

Joe Biden won’t concede, but neither will his critics. Something has to give

Joe Biden won’t concede, but neither will his critics. Something has to give

“But those behind cried ‘Forward!’ And those before cried ‘Back!’ ” - Macaulay Joe Biden is not going. Hasn’t he...

First-past-the-post is not the defence against extremists we think it is

First-past-the-post is not the defence against extremists we think it is

The headlines were pretty much unanimous after last week’s election in Britain. “Keir Starmer is new UK Prime Minister after...

Why does Justin Trudeau insist on staying on as Liberal Leader? To save democracy, of course

Why does Justin Trudeau insist on staying on as Liberal Leader? To save democracy, of course

Still reeling from the Toronto-St. Paul’s by-election disaster, Justin Trudeau was asked why he should not take this as his...

The Supreme Court has just removed the last bar to Trump’s dictatorship

The Supreme Court has just removed the last bar to Trump’s dictatorship

The past week has made it materially more likely that America will soon be living under a dictatorship. Because of...

In a country where immigrants are the majority, anti-immigration politics are obsolete

In a country where immigrants are the majority, anti-immigration politics are obsolete

Among the less commented-on results of the Toronto-St. Paul’s by-election was the performance of the People’s Party of Canada, the...

Dumping Trudeau won’t save the Liberals

Dumping Trudeau won’t save the Liberals

Toronto-St. Paul’s isn’t really “one of the safest Liberal ridings in the country.” Safe it certainly is, having voted Liberal...

Canada is heading for humiliation at the coming NATO summit

Canada is heading for humiliation at the coming NATO summit

Every government minister has a role to play. As Minister of National Defence, Bill Blair’s role seems to be to...

Unnamed traitors in Parliament, but thank goodness everyone’s reputation is intact

Unnamed traitors in Parliament, but thank goodness everyone’s reputation is intact

Two weeks in, we must conclude that Operation Save Our Reputations has been a resounding success. No sooner had the...

Poilievre wriggles out of the Liberal trap, with a commitment to much broader tax reform

Poilievre wriggles out of the Liberal trap, with a commitment to much broader tax reform

We would appear, as Woody Allen once said, to stand at a crossroads: “One path leads to despair and utter...

This country can always find plenty of reasons to do nothing about national security

This country can always find plenty of reasons to do nothing about national security

You must understand: there is nothing anyone can do. I know, I know. It is shocking to learn that a...

What else do you call it when people conspire against their own country?

What else do you call it when people conspire against their own country?

Of all the responses to the bombshell report of the Prime Minister’s national security advisory committee, in which it is...

We need to know the names of the traitor MPs, but don’t count on any of the parties to give them up

We need to know the names of the traitor MPs, but don’t count on any of the parties to give them up

At some point in the next few weeks, some member of Parliament is going to have to rise in the...