Oct 21 2018 — Andrew McDougall — The Conversation — Now that the threat of the NAFTA-pocalypse has lifted for Canada, the Monday morning quarter-backing is well under way on whether the new United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement is better or worse than trade pact that preceded it. But beyond the negative headlines, the USMCA probably leaves Canada stronger than it was going into the negotiations […]

Oct 21 2018 — Robin V. Sears — Toronto Star — When I was very young, allowed to stay up at my grandfather’s campaign headquarters because it was election night, the most astonishing sight was two grizzled old loggers swaggering in some time after polls closed. They would brag to everyone’s nervous amusement about how many times they had voted that day. With British Columbia’s archaic […]

Oct 21 2018 — Penny Collenette — Toronto Star — Cabinet leaks of confidential information have always led to explosive headlines. This week was no exception. The question is whether leaks have become an accepted practice and if so, what are the consequences? At issue is a criminal charge against the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, Mark Norman. His lawyer, Marie Henein, has reportedly made […]

Oct 21 2018 — Jaime Watt — Toronto Star — In politics, there are two factors — over which you have no control — that determine your fate: timing and luck. In running for office, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seems to have taken his father’s advice that “the essential ingredient of politics is timing” to heart.

Oct 20 2018 — Don Lenihan — National Newswatch — According to the latest UN report on climate change, the world has 12 years to avoid catastrophe. Unfortunately, according to Behavioural Economics, humans aren’t hardwired to think long-term. Basically, our brains aren’t very good at assessing the risks. The irony would be comical if the stakes weren’t so high. So, how bad is it? The […]

Oct 20 2018 — Andrew Coyne — National Post — Monday may in time come to be seen as the day electoral reform came to Canada. A year from now the country that, alone among those still using “first past the post” system of casting and counting votes, does so at every level of government, could have very different systems in place in several jurisdictions, […]

Oct 19 2018 — John Ivison — National Post — The Economist this week warns policy makers to “start preparing for the next recession” while they still can. The release of the government of Canada’s annual financial report for the 2017-18 fiscal year, however suggests the Trudeau Liberals have no notion of foregoing that most enjoyable of all entitlements: spending other people’s money.

Oct 19 2018 — Chantal Hébert — Toronto Star — In the wake of the election earlier this month of a Coalition Avenir Québec government, Parliament Hill insiders and Quebec watchers have been scrambling to figure out how the new dynamics will play out in next year’s federal vote. It is testimony to the uncertainty that attends the arrival of an unknown untested quantity in […]

Oct 19 2018 — Andrew MacDougall — Maclean's — What are the chances the next election turns on whether a decorated Vice-Admiral was unjustly banged up by the Trudeau government for leaking a story about the cabinet discussion surrounding a $668 million sole-source contract for a military supply ship? Slim to none, in all probability. That’s because, despite the ship’s hefty price tag, it’s […]

Oct 19 2018 — Michael Coren — CBC — Pope Francis has the most extraordinary ability to say the wrong things, often at the most sensitive times. Last Friday, he accepted the resignation of the archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl — a controversial figure accused of doing too little to prevent, and perhaps even deliberately covering, up hideous sexual abuse cases. Beyond simply […]

Oct 19 2018 — Mark Goldberg — National Newswatch — Isn’t some kind of broadband better than nothing? The CRTC thinks so. And I agree. When the Commission released its plans for its $750M Broadband Development Fund earlier this fall, it decided that it would accept applications to provide broadband service at download speeds of 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) and 5 Mbps up, despite […]

Oct 18 2018 — Susan Delacourt — Toronto Star — There is something undeniably satisfying about blocking a troublesome person on Twitter. One click, and the noise is over. But that simple act, if carried out by a government official, could end up being unconstitutional in Canada if a newly launched court challenge is successful against Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.

Oct 18 2018 — John Ivison — National Post — A column last week made the mistake of saying that Leo Gerard, the Canadian-born international president of the United Steelworkers union attended a ceremony in the Oval Office last March with Donald Trump, where the president signed off on steel and aluminum tariffs. In fact, the pictures of Gerard shaking hands with Trump, and receiving […]

Oct 18 2018 — Don Martin — CTV Power Play — Amid euphoric media coverage of the first Canadian to buy legal pot, the more interesting and ignored angle would be the last person charged with possession of cannabis in this country. It was probably some lippy kid living on a city street who was busted in tandem with another minor offence. But the record for […]

Oct 18 2018 — Daphne Bramham — By the time my neighbour, Dave, goes to vote on Saturday, he’ll have spent more than five hours poring over the candidates’ lists for Vancouver mayor, council, school and park boards. He’s read their policies and the parties’ platforms as well as what’s been published in the newspapers. He’s talked to friends both on the […]