The Conversation

Nov 18 2022 — The Conversation — Chinese president Xi Jinping has given Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a well-publicized dressing-down, accusing him of leaking to the media the contents of a meeting between the two leaders about alleged Chinese interference in the 2019 federal election. The confrontation has grabbed attention around the world and sparked debate about the ways diplomatic conversations […]

Nov 18 2022 — David Webster — The Conversation — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping after taking part in the closing session at the G20 Leaders Summit in Bali, Indonesia on Nov. 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick David Webster, Western University Chinese president Xi Jinping has given Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a well-publicized dressing-down, accusing him of leaking […]

Nov 6 2022 — Bruce Campbell — The Conversation — The United Nations climate change conference, COP27, has begun in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. In the lead-up to the conference, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report revealed “a litany of broken climate promises” by governments and corporations. “It is a file of shame, cataloguing the empty pledges that […]

Oct 7 2022 — Lisa Young — The Conversation — Danielle Smith rode a wave of Alberta populism to win the United Conservative Party leadership on the sixth ballot. When she is sworn in as premier, she will be a new and potentially disruptive force in Canadian politics. “No longer will Alberta ask permission from Ottawa to be prosperous and free,” Smith said in her […]

Oct 7 2022 — Lisa Young — The Conversation — Danielle Smith celebrates after being chosen as the new leader of the United Conservative Party and next Alberta premier in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Lisa Young, University of Calgary Danielle Smith rode a wave of Alberta populism to win the United Conservative Party leadership on the sixth ballot. When […]

Oct 5 2022 — Robert Ascah — The Conversation — With a new Alberta premier taking office in October and a general election required by the end of May 2023, fiscal policy may become a wedge issue between Alberta’s United Conservative Party and the NDP. A key issue for analysts who study Alberta’s finances is the erratic behaviour of the province’s revenue stream, which is […]

Oct 5 2022 — Robert Ascah — The Conversation — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Minister of Finance Jason Nixon, then Minister of Environment and Parks, chat before the throne speech is delivered in Edmonton in May 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson Robert (Bob) L. Ascah, University of Alberta With a new Alberta premier taking office in October and a general election required by the […]

Sep 21 2022 — Bruce Campbell — The Conversation — Major railways in Canada, alone among private sector corporations, have their own police forces with full investigative and jurisdictional powers over accidents on, or near, their property. These unique powers — a historic anomaly dating back to the 19th century when railways were being built across North America — have, until recently, escaped public scrutiny. […]

Sep 1 2022 — Sam Routley — The Conversation — Pierre Poilievre’s appeal to young voters, something of a novelty for Canadian Conservative politicians, raises questions about both his popularity and the ability of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) to capitalize on the trend over the long term. Why has Poilievre, unlike his recent predecessors, been successful at gaining support among younger voters, and […]

Sep 1 2022 — Sam Routley — The Conversation — Federal Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre poses for photographs with supporters at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in April 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Sam Routley, Western University Pierre Poilievre’s appeal to young voters, something of a novelty for Canadian Conservative politicians, raises questions about both his popularity and the ability of the […]

Aug 24 2022 — Ian Bron — The Conversation — Canada has had whistleblowing laws since 2007, when the federal government’s Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA) came into force. All provinces have followed suit, most adopting modified versions of the PSDPA. But there is no evidence that any of these laws work. A recent study by the International Bar Association’s legal policy and research […]

Aug 24 2022 — Ian Bron — The Conversation — Canadian laws protecting whistleblowers are generally pushed through in the aftermath of a crisis, but rarely turn out to be effective. (Shutterstock) Ian Bron, Carleton University Canada has had whistleblowing laws since 2007, when the federal government’s Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA) came into force. All provinces have followed suit, most adopting modified versions […]

Aug 23 2022 — The Conversation — This November, the Québec Court of Appeal will hear an appeal of Hak v. Attorney General of Québec on the constitutionality of Bill 21, which prohibits public service workers from wearing religious symbols. The trial decision upheld the law in most respects, except for its impact on the management of the province’s minority-language school boards. […]

Aug 23 2022 — Kerri Anne Froc — The Conversation — Lapel pins are seen as part of a campaign in opposition to Québec’s Bill 21 during a news conference in Montréal in September 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson Kerri Anne Froc, University of New Brunswick This November, the Québec Court of Appeal will hear an appeal of Hak v. Attorney General of Québec on the […]

Jul 26 2022 — Lori Campbell — The Conversation — Pope Francis came this week to Maskwasic in central Alberta — where many Indigenous people, including survivors of residential schools and their descendants, had gathered — to deliver an expected apology in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action No. 58: