Still behind the curve on COVID all these months later
OTTAWA—What does the fact that Canada’s prime minister lives in a nondescript old house that was once the accommodation provided to the governor general’s administrative assistant have to do with our ongoing struggle with COVID-19? The PM’s plain brick residence in the backyard of the governor general’s abode—instead of the government shelling out the cash […]
Turning guilt into political dollars
OAKVILLE, ONT.—The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party wants me to feel guilty. Indeed, the party recently sent me an email solely for the purpose of making me feel bad about myself. Bearing the subject heading, “Gerry is this right?” the email opens up in bold letters with this accounting news: “Supporter: Gerry Nicholls – Total donated […]
Ford takes the easy way out
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Maybe the official motto for Canada’s conservative political parties should be, “We Like to Take the Easy Way Out.” After all, it seems to me conservative politicians in this country prefer to avoid tough battles. Consider, for instance, how federal Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole recently performed an “if you can’t beat them join […]
The notwithstanding clause has long passed its best-before date
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—“An abject failure.” These were the words Pierre Elliott Trudeau used to describe the new Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, when asked for an assessment by reporters in November of 1982. He did not elaborate, but many experts speculate it was the inclusion of Section 33, the notwithstanding clause, which offended […]
Ford’s move to limit third-party advertising by invoking Constitution’s notwithstanding clause not surprising, but could backfire
OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decision to limit third-party political advertising by invoking the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause is not surprising. The Ontario legislature was recalled last week, less than a week after it rose for the summer, for a vote to overturn a court decision on the controversial use of third-party advertising dollars before elections. An […]
Keeping the bailiff from repossessing your car: the case for a basic income
A basic income for all Canadians, an unconditional, guaranteed income floor below which no one’s income can fall, is an idea that has been growing in refinement and acceptance since the early 1900s. It has some enthusiastic opponents, but unlike other policy ideas, the enemies of basic income come from both the right and the […]
More than a game: hockey fans in stands offer post-pandemic hope
OTTAWA—The healing and hope that sport provides was on full display over the last week. In both Montreal and Toronto, people, in small numbers, got to watch the Stanley Cup playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs in person. Elsewhere, column miles are being laid down extolling the failure of the […]
Can’t attack the message? Then attack the messenger
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Canada must be an awful place, full of horrible people. That’s certainly the takeaway you’d get, if you believed all the nasty rhetoric that’s floating around our political atmosphere these days. For instance, Alberta’s Justice Minister Kaycee Madu made headlines recently when he went on Facebook and, while defending his government’s handling of the […]
A tale of two Canadas: Atlantic premiers popular, Ford and Kenney in big trouble
Canadians are giving very different reviews of how their provincial governments have managed the COVID-19 pandemic, and pollsters say some premiers could face a “reckoning” when they go before voters again. A recent poll from Ekos Research shows voters in Quebec and Atlantic Canada are pleased with how their governments have responded to the pandemic. […]
Liberal MPs in Toronto’s hot spots ramp up outreach to support mass immunization, address hesitancy
Toronto MPs representing hot spots say the city responded well to mass vaccinations targeting neighbourhoods at highest risk of infection, and say they’ve been ramping up their outreach to aid the effort. In April, Ontario designated 114 hot-spot neighbourhoods, 53 of which are in Toronto and sit in 20 federal ridings, all Liberal save for […]
