America’s reality show election: Trump versus anarchy?
Like many journalists, some of my earliest professional experiences involved dealing with the police. As a radio reporter working the late shift in Vancouver, I learned to navigate the legalities and protocols of police reporting, and to respect the officers I dealt with both behind desks and at crime scenes. They were brave, competent human […]
Save us the ally song and dance—Canada needs action, not more faux-lidarity
OTTAWA—“Alright Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.” This iconic line from Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard sums up the Trudeau government’s flirtation with the advancement of social issues: from marching in Toronto Pride in 2016 while Black Lives Matter-Toronto protested for more inclusive spaces for queer people of colour and against police marching in Pride, […]
Though badly needed, curbing officially sanctioned racism may prove long and difficult
OTTAWA—Technology and the internet have led to deeply troubling questions about the ongoing health of politics and democracy. But a single invention, the camera phone, has opened the possibility of a singular, historic societal breakthrough by finally providing indisputable evidence of the appalling, deeply ingrained racial injustice and police brutality built into our governance systems. […]
Nearly 3,000 complaints filed against RCMP officers in 2018-19, up 13 per cent from year prior; excessive use of force one of most common complaints
Canadian residents filed 2,988 complaints about the conduct of RCMP officers in 2018-19, a 13 per cent increase from the year prior, and excessive use of force was one of the most common subjects of complaint. The complaints were filed to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC), an independent body that receives complaints about […]
Thousands gather at Parliament Hill in a show of solidarity against racism, police violence in Canada
Thousands took to the streets of downtown Ottawa on Friday for the “No Peace Until Justice” march to protest racism, police brutality, and systemic discrimination in Canada and across the world. Friday’s protest in Ottawa was one of several that took place across Canada, including demonstrations in Toronto and Winnipeg. The organizers began addressing the […]
Don’t piss on our shoes and tell us Black lives matter
OTTAWA—Burn. It. All. Down. We’ve marched. We’ve bent the knee. We’ve attended your diversity and inclusion workshops that don’t include us and are run by some random privileged white woman. We’ve been on your mostly white diversity panels and working groups. We’ve reported racism. We’ve spoken nicely to the police. We’ve gotten an education (and […]
With strong privacy rules, Canada and the EU could combat COVID-19 together
With the COVID-19 pandemic, we are facing an unprecedented challenge for our health-care systems, economic stability, and way of life. Technology and data have a significant role to play in combating this major crisis. Digital tools, from contact tracing and warning apps to telemedicine or symptom checkers, can really make a difference. They can, in […]
Gun control ends don’t justify the order-in-council means
OTTAWA—On May 1, the prime minister and cabinet announced the government would ban the sale of 11 “military-style” weapons, in 1,500 versions. The response from most Liberals was enormous satisfaction at this “swift, courageous measure.” Except from this corner. Now, as regular readers know, I support some gun control. In a 2018 column, I wrote, […]
Ballistic tracing, tougher penalties, joint operations key to slowing cross-border gun smuggling, say former top cops
Ballistic tracing, joint-force operations, and tougher penalties for smugglers are some of the ways Canada can stem the flow of illegal guns across its border with the U.S., say two former police chiefs now sitting in the Senate. The Liberal government has pledged once again to crack down on cross-border gun smuggling as part of […]
Trudeau announces immediate prohibition on 1,500 ‘military-grade assault weapons’
The Liberal government is introducing an immediate ban on 1,500 models and variants of assault-style weapons, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday. Addressing reporters on Friday in the West Block, Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) said that the government is closing the market to “military-grade” firearms, making it illegal to buy, sell, import, or use these […]
