Dec 17 2020 — John Milloy — Hamilton Spectator — Politicians should be among the first Canadians to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Could you imagine if someone seriously made that suggestion? It seems unfathomable. As Susan Delacourt pointed out in a recent Toronto Star column, elected officials are on their guard to avoid “any suggestion that they’re using their positions to secure immunity before their […]
Dec 3 2020 — John Milloy — The Spectator — “Is nothing sacred?” Remember that expression? It was a favourite of 1970s sitcom fathers, railing against whatever new social norms were part of that week’s plot. You don’t hear it much anymore. The word “sacred” — the sense that there are things that must be revered and lines that shouldn’t be crossed — has fallen […]
Oct 21 2020 — John Milloy — The Spectator — In terms of Canadian politics, something extraordinary happened recently. Three MPs, from three different political parties, came together to have a positive discussion about what unites them and how they can work together. In our hyperpartisan world, this alone might be notable. But what really made this inspired was the vehicle they identified to achieve […]
Oct 5 2020 — John Milloy — The Record — In 2003 I was elected to Queen’s Park as part of a government promising fixed election dates. Ontarians would now know that each election would be held four years from the last one. I privately disagreed.
Sep 22 2020 — John Milloy — National Newswatch — They often say that one of the difficulties of discussing racism and prejudice in Canada is our reputation for being “nice.” Our supposed “niceness” acts as a veneer that covers up serious underlying issues. Not everything in our nation is covered by a nice veneer. Take Bill 21, Quebec’s so-called secularism law. The law openly […]
Jul 11 2020 — John Milloy — National Newswatch — The November 2010 Munk Debate was billed as an intellectual “thrilla in Manila.” Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a devout Christian, took on renowned atheist Christopher Hitchens on the question of religion. The evening was fairly predictable until a member of the audience asked the debaters to identify which of their opponent’s arguments they found […]
Jul 6 2020 — John Milloy — The Record — As Canada emerges from COVID-19, our public policy to-do list is very long: long-term care; precarious workers; systemic racism in policing and other institutions; jobs; and poverty — to name just a few. Justin Trudeau better step up — right? Get with the program, people. Canada is a federation in which responsibilities are divided between […]
Jun 10 2020 — John Milloy — The Record — Ontario’s next election is only two years away — is Doug Ford beatable? Although the last few weeks have been rocky, most Ontarians appear pleased with our premier. Like the citizens of Whoville on Christmas morning, we celebrate how a pandemic has caused the heart of the man — who once joyfully cancelled a minimum […]
May 23 2020 — John Milloy — National Newswatch — Is a basic income on the horizon? Advocates would say “absolutely”. It seems a day doesn’t go by without another opinion piece pointing out that the pandemic has created the ideal conditions for its adoption here in Canada. People want radical change, especially for people who are struggling. COVID-19 may render millions permanently unemployed and […]
May 16 2020 — John Milloy — National Newswatch — Are we avoiding the talk? We are desperate for things to return to “normal,” but we also know that “normal” is going to involve more people being exposed to the virus, becoming sick or even dying. So how do we proceed? How do we react to the various plans of action that governments across Canada […]
May 11 2020 — John Milloy — The Spectator — COVID-19 has shone a light on some of our society’s worst injustices. Our long-term care system is a prime example. The news cycle has been dominated by stories of overworked and underpaid staff, working in overcrowded and aging facilities that are subject to minimal inspection. “Do something” and “do it now” has been the cry […]
Apr 5 2020 — John Milloy — Hamilton Spectator — Politicians like to recall tough decisions that turned out to be visionary. Of course, no politician ever likes to speak of the reverse situation — decisions that years later appear ill-advised. In the midst of COVID-19, many in the Ford government, for example, might like to forget certain parts of Bill 47, Making Ontario Open […]
Jan 20 2020 — John Milloy — St. Catharines Standard — For many of us, the recent holiday season was a time for rest and relaxation. Not for political parties. In the political world, the countdown to New Year’s represents a fundraising bonanza. Their pitch is simple: Give before Jan. 1 and through a generous tax credit system (far better than anything enjoyed by any charity), […]
Dec 23 2019 — John Milloy — St. Catharines Standard — Ontario Liberals are in the middle of a leadership contest and, depending on who wins, Liberals could be making some fairly bold promises in the next provincial election: eliminating public funding of Catholic schools; free public transit; a citizens’ assembly on electoral reform; a basic income program; or the nomination of 30 Liberal candidates under […]
Dec 10 2019 — John Milloy — St. Catharines Standard — In our post-letter society Christmas cards seem out of fashion these days. The one glaring exception is cards from politicians. You may not give these cards much thought. But as a former MPP, I can tell you that these seasonal missives take over the lives of many politicians and represent much work and painstaking planning. […]