Aug 16 2023 — National Observer — Approaching his two-year anniversary on the job, Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault is hoping he’s found a new ally in the fight against climate change: China. An upcoming trip to Beijing will test that theory. In an exclusive English media interview with Canada’s National Observer, Guilbeault described the trip to China he’ll be […]
Aug 3 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — With his party down as much as 10 points in the polls and his big cabinet shuffle looking like a damp squib, Justin Trudeau didn’t step to the podium in Hamilton on Monday trying to hand his political opponents a gift. But when he told reporters: “I’ll be blunt … housing isn’t a primary federal […]
Jul 26 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — Farmers aren’t usually caught off guard when it comes time to harvest the crops they’ve dutifully planted and fertilized. But some of the prominent conservative pundits who have spent years farming rage against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seem genuinely surprised by the latest ugly outburst against him in Belleville, Ont., last week, one that included […]
Jul 24 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — At some point, enough has to be enough. New Democrats have tended to show more patience with underperforming leaders than either Liberals or Conservatives — witness Andrea Horwath’s string of underwhelming election results as leader of the Ontario provincial party — but even the most stalwart loyalist has to be wondering if Jagmeet Singh’s time […]
Jul 20 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — If you want to know why Pierre Poilievre ditched his trademark suit and glasses for a more Miami Vice-inspired vibe, look no further than his dismal polling numbers with Canadian women. Yes, he enjoys a commanding lead over Justin Trudeau’s Liberals among young men, Albertans and those without a post-secondary education. But when it comes […]
Jul 19 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — First, they didn’t reduce their greenhouse gas emissions because they didn’t believe climate change was real. Then, they didn’t do it because they didn’t think climate change was their fault. And now, to hear the oil and gas industry and its proxies tell the story, they just can’t reduce their emissions quickly enough. They’d like […]
Jul 18 2023 — National Observer — It’s just after 7 a.m. at the Masset harbour when a bright red pickup slowly makes its way to the dock where three Haida guardians are chatting. In the driver’s seat is a father, beaming with pride, as his 16-year-old son climbs out of the passenger seat, ready for a bit of work on the […]
Jul 17 2023 — Cloe Logan — National Observer — One of Canada’s most tangible climate targets is to shut down coal-fired power plants by 2030. Getting off coal, the federal government acknowledges, “is one of the single most important climate steps the world can take.” However, how meaningful is that step if a coal-fired plant is transitioned to run on another fossil fuel? Earlier […]
Jul 17 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — After nearly eight years in power, one thing has become abundantly clear about Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government: it can’t communicate to save its increasingly vulnerable political life. From the carbon tax to COVID-19, its otherwise good policies are consistently undermined by a total inability to explain them to Canadians. And for some reason, it seems […]
Jul 13 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — After a week of literal record-breaking heat, you might think the government of Alberta would at least pretend to take climate change more seriously. But as the mandate letters for Premier Danielle Smith’s minister of environment and minister of energy show, her government remains all hat and no cattle when it comes to the issue. […]
Jul 11 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — It’s been clear for some time now that when faced with a choice between democracy and power, Republicans in the United States will almost always opt for the latter. It’s why their elected officials at the state level continue to aggressively gerrymander congressional districts in order to favour their candidates, why their elected senators hold […]
Jul 10 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — If you asked elected officials for a list of reasons why they ran for public office, publicly begging a famous musician probably isn’t high on the list. And yet, there was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doing just that the other day, tweeting at Taylor Swift about her 2024 Eras tour and its lack of Canadian […]
Jul 6 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — For months now, conservative pundits and politicians have heralded the so-called “Alberta model” as the best way to address Canada’s ongoing opioid crisis and its devastating impact on families and communities across the country. Safe supply, they argued, had simply made the problem worse; Alberta’s decision to prioritize recovery over harm reduction was a better […]
Jul 5 2023 — Max Fawcett — National Observer — Image makeovers are a familiar staple of political campaigns, and few people need one more desperately than Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre. In an effort to improve his likability with Canadians, Poilievre has ditched his signature glasses in favour of a more casual look. The internet, of course, had a field day with […]
Jun 30 2023 — Sandy Garossino — National Observer — Here’s just a little context to how thuggishly Meta (Facebook) and Google are conducting themselves in Canada. In response to new Canadian legislation designed to divert roughly $300 million a year into supporting journalism, both companies have announced bans on search and sharing of Canadian news on their sites. What the hell kind of people […]