Freedom Convoy left downtown Ottawa scarred, but it’s time to heal
As much of a nightmare as this month-long siege was for those of us who lived through it, calling any of its participants ‘fringe’ was and still is a false characterization.
PM’s regrets welcome, but would have been better a year ago
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly expressed regret on Feb. 17 for denouncing all Freedom Convoy protesters last year as a “fringe minority” who held “unacceptable views.” He told reporters that he spoke too generally, and conceded that many protesters just wanted to be heard, especially after two years of pandemic restrictions. He also acknowledged that […]
Policy-making in a crisis: preparing for the unexpected
Governments need to invest more in foresight capacity, scenario planning, advanced analytics and in early warning systems rather than relying on static forecasts. Consider black-swan events and how they might present, no matter how unlikely. Hope is not a plan, but preparedness can beget one.
Rouleau lays much of the blame for Ottawa’s occupation where it belongs—with Doug Ford
He reminds everyone that, under Canada’s federal system, restoring order in an Ontario city in the midst of near-riotous conditions is the remit of the Ontario government.
Clear vision needed to find Lucki successor
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki raised a few eyebrows when she announced her imminent retirement on Feb. 15. In a note to staff, she wrote that her last day on the job will be March 17. “I’m so proud of the steps we’ve taken to modernize—to increase accountability, address systemic racism, ensure a safe and equitable […]
Economic justification for invoking emergency powers raises concerns about future use, says civil liberties advocate
Finance Canada officials told the Public Order Emergency Commission they were highly concerned the Freedom Convoy blockade of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., would hurt Canada’s reputation with its largest trading partner.
‘Better communication, coordination, and possibly regulation needed’ for aerial objects, says former defence minister
David Pratt says he believes NORAD had no option but to take down the objects to prevent them from posing a danger, but Janice Stein says nations need to notify each other when they launch weather balloons which should have electronic signatures. ‘This is called governance.’
Rouleau report a ‘big win’ for Liberals, leaves NDP on ‘easy street,’ say politicos
Responding to urgent threats in a federal system requires governments at all levels ‘to rise above politics and collaborate for the common good,’ wrote Justice Paul Rouleau. ‘Unfortunately, in January and February 2022, this did not always happen.’
Withdrawing Bill C-21 amendments puts pressure on Liberals from urban-rural divide, says pollster
The Liberals pulled back controversial amendments to Bill C-21, which critics argued would restrict access to hunting rifles. But gun control activist Heidi Rathjen says ‘disinformation has won over the facts’ on the bill.
Liberal about-turn on Bill C-21 marks failure of historically significant gun control reform
The amendments would have prohibited many semi-automatic weapons capable of carrying large amounts of ammunition by introducing a new ‘evergreen’ firearm classification system.
