Aug 3 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — In the early days of the pandemic, Jason Kenney compared COVID-19 to an “influenza”. Now, it seems, Alberta’s official policy will be to treat it as one. Effective immediately, those who are close contacts of someone testing positive for COVID-19 won’t have to isolate while contact tracers will no longer tell people if they’ve been […]
Jul 27 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — Jason Kenney may have appointed a new minister of culture earlier this month, but culture wars are clearly still the purview of the premier. His latest skirmish involves a broadside against the “Toronto” Globe and Mail for a column it published criticizing Canada’s love affair with the pickup truck. “I’m happy to say that ~40% […]
Jul 26 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — If you’ve ever pulled an all-nighter, the latest attempt by the public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns to get its long-overdue report in by July 30 surely looks familiar. You probably didn’t get four extensions and an extra million dollars for your work back in the day. But it’s hard to miss the stink of […]
Jul 23 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — For years now, the oil and gas industry has touted natural gas as a so-called “bridge” to a low-carbon future. Not surprisingly, it was one they intended to help build and use to transition their businesses away from fossil fuels at a leisurely pace. But if a flurry of recent announcements is any indication, that […]
Jul 20 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — Here we go again. With COVID-19 case counts suddenly spiking in the United States, Great Britain and Europe, the pandemic we all hoped was behind us is once again showing just how resilient it can be. And this time, the culprit for its return is clear: the combination of a new variant and millions of […]
Jul 14 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Newswatch — If you want to know why the federal Conservative Party is polling at generational lows right now, its instinctive reaction to government spending and support is a good place to start. For millions of Canadians, that spending has been a lifeline that has kept them from financial distress or outright ruin. But for many leading […]
Jul 9 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — By all rights, this should be the Green Party of Canada’s moment to shine. After winning three seats in the last federal election, including its first one outside of Vancouver Island, the party had the opportunity to pick a new leader who would take it further towards the political mainstream. And what better timing for […]
Jul 8 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — When the history of the COVID-19 pandemic is finally written, there will be plenty for future generations to learn about, from the remarkable success of our scientists to the equally remarkable failures of some elected officials. But one question will almost certainly rise above the rest: Why were so many people so opposed to wearing […]
Jul 6 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — For months now, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole has been talking about the need to “secure the future” for Canada. But if a pair of recent polls are even close to being right, he might want to start thinking about how he can secure his own political party’s future. After a June Abacus poll showed the […]
Jul 2 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — The small town of Lytton, British Columbia, has always been one of the hottest places in Canada. But this week, with the temperature hitting a high of 49.6 C, it’s one of the hottest in the world — and it’s giving the rest of the country a preview of what our climate future might look […]
Jun 29 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — If Erin O’Toole wants an explanation for his pitifully low personal approval numbers, he should look in the mirror. After all, in the wake of the discovery of 751 unmarked graves on the site of a former residential school in Saskatchewan and renewed calls for justice and reconciliation across the country, the Conservative leader went […]
Jun 25 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — Jason Kenney has bet his political future on delivering the “best summer ever” for Albertans, and so far he’s getting a lot of help from global commodity markets. After years of being stuck in various stages of doldrums, oil prices are on fire — and show no signs of relenting any time soon. With COVID […]
Jun 23 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — After two years, four extensions and $1 million in extra funding, the Kenney government’s public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns is finally getting somewhere. In a June 18 news release (a Friday afternoon, no less), the so-called “Allan Inquiry” announced formal legal notices had been sent to 40 organizations describing the inquiry’s view of their […]
Jun 18 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — Oil and gas have traditionally been Alberta’s primary exports, but bad political ideas are a close second. This year is set to produce a bumper crop of them, with a referendum on the federal equalization program scheduled for October and the ongoing silliness of the province’s “Fair Deal Panel” threatening to put things like an […]
Jun 16 2021 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — Whether it’s losing the fight against the federal carbon tax or having their legislation overturned, conservative provincial governments are getting their butts kicked in Canada’s courts lately. But Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have landed on a new strategy: overruling them.