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Thursday, April 3, 2025

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Les Whittington

Trump has flipped the election narrative, but it’s a long way to April 28

  • The knock-on effects of tariffs could be well on the way to erasing the Liberals’ advantage in the Trump survival showdown.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump is like having a pet rattlesnake—as the whole world has learned the hard way, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Trump has flipped the election narrative, but it’s a long way to April 28

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
  • The knock-on effects of tariffs could be well on the way to erasing the Liberals’ advantage in the Trump survival showdown.

Trump has flipped the election narrative, but it’s a long way to April 28

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
  • The knock-on effects of tariffs could be well on the way to erasing the Liberals’ advantage in the Trump survival showdown.
Donald Trump
Dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump is like having a pet rattlesnake—as the whole world has learned the hard way, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Trump’s most despised adversary has an election

  • It’s beyond troubling that Canada is always being singled out for its supposedly nasty negotiating stance, and alleged unfair trading relationship with Americans.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to soon give up on his promise to wreck the economy of the land he now deems his country's worst enemy, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Trump’s most despised adversary has an election

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
  • It’s beyond troubling that Canada is always being singled out for its supposedly nasty negotiating stance, and alleged unfair trading relationship with Americans.

Trump’s most despised adversary has an election

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
  • It’s beyond troubling that Canada is always being singled out for its supposedly nasty negotiating stance, and alleged unfair trading relationship with Americans.
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to soon give up on his promise to wreck the economy of the land he now deems his country's worst enemy, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

The real message from the Ford-initiated meeting in D.C.? Canada has no chance of dodging Trump’s trade war for now

  • As relieved as the Canadian contingent was to be engaged in an adult conversation, the March 13 discussion yielded nothing in the way of immediate
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the March 13 meeting with the U.S. commerce secretary was ‘productive,’ but he could be grasping at straws, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The real message from the Ford-initiated meeting in D.C.? Canada has no chance of dodging Trump’s trade war for now

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
  • As relieved as the Canadian contingent was to be engaged in an adult conversation, the March 13 discussion yielded nothing in the way of immediate

The real message from the Ford-initiated meeting in D.C.? Canada has no chance of dodging Trump’s trade war for now

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
  • As relieved as the Canadian contingent was to be engaged in an adult conversation, the March 13 discussion yielded nothing in the way of immediate
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the March 13 meeting with the U.S. commerce secretary was ‘productive,’ but he could be grasping at straws, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives left searching for a message as Carney demonstrates his political potential

  • The Tories’ advantage has blown up in their faces as Canadians have begun to take another look at their political options.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
It hasn’t gone unnoticed that having a prime minister like Liberal Leader Mark Carney with economic skills, global awareness, and experience working with world leaders at the highest level on make-or-break issues might not be such a bad idea, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives left searching for a message as Carney demonstrates his political potential

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
  • The Tories’ advantage has blown up in their faces as Canadians have begun to take another look at their political options.

Conservatives left searching for a message as Carney demonstrates his political potential

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
  • The Tories’ advantage has blown up in their faces as Canadians have begun to take another look at their political options.
Mark Carney
It hasn’t gone unnoticed that having a prime minister like Liberal Leader Mark Carney with economic skills, global awareness, and experience working with world leaders at the highest level on make-or-break issues might not be such a bad idea, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Oval Office blow-up confirmed where Trump really stands

  • It’s becoming undeniable to all concerned that the world we have known has suddenly evaporated.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 5, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Feb. 28 clash at the White House drove home what everyone has been struggling to process about Trump, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/TheWhiteHouse

Oval Office blow-up confirmed where Trump really stands

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 5, 2025
  • It’s becoming undeniable to all concerned that the world we have known has suddenly evaporated.

Oval Office blow-up confirmed where Trump really stands

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 5, 2025
  • It’s becoming undeniable to all concerned that the world we have known has suddenly evaporated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Feb. 28 clash at the White House drove home what everyone has been struggling to process about Trump, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/TheWhiteHouse

Ottawa looks to new partnerships in Europe as Trump’s threats against Canada materialize

  • Canada’s and Europe’s leaders are trying to rewrite the framework of power to open the way for an end to Russia’s murderous attack on
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 26, 2025
For Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, the Feb. 24 call to action in Kyiv on behalf of Ukraine may be remembered as his best moment in nearly a decade in power, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Ottawa looks to new partnerships in Europe as Trump’s threats against Canada materialize

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 26, 2025
  • Canada’s and Europe’s leaders are trying to rewrite the framework of power to open the way for an end to Russia’s murderous attack on

Ottawa looks to new partnerships in Europe as Trump’s threats against Canada materialize

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 26, 2025
  • Canada’s and Europe’s leaders are trying to rewrite the framework of power to open the way for an end to Russia’s murderous attack on
For Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, the Feb. 24 call to action in Kyiv on behalf of Ukraine may be remembered as his best moment in nearly a decade in power, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Canadians face a new reality as the U.S. abandons 75 years of rules-based, liberal world order

  • U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive fixation with this country and his constant denigration of Canadians and our right to exist as a nation are
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
After a month of nearly daily threats of economically devastating tariffs, Canadians are beginning to accept the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump actually does want to erase the Canada-U.S. border, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Canadians face a new reality as the U.S. abandons 75 years of rules-based, liberal world order

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
  • U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive fixation with this country and his constant denigration of Canadians and our right to exist as a nation are

Canadians face a new reality as the U.S. abandons 75 years of rules-based, liberal world order

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
  • U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive fixation with this country and his constant denigration of Canadians and our right to exist as a nation are
Donald Trump
After a month of nearly daily threats of economically devastating tariffs, Canadians are beginning to accept the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump actually does want to erase the Canada-U.S. border, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Carving a new future in the wake of Trump’s betrayal

  • President Donald Trump’s decision to turn on his northern neighbour has forced Canadians to take stock of their heritage, and thrown open the door
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
In Canada, U.S. President Donald Trump’s flailing about in his new king-of-the-world act has sparked a political upheaval unlike anything seen in decades, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Carving a new future in the wake of Trump’s betrayal

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
  • President Donald Trump’s decision to turn on his northern neighbour has forced Canadians to take stock of their heritage, and thrown open the door

Carving a new future in the wake of Trump’s betrayal

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
  • President Donald Trump’s decision to turn on his northern neighbour has forced Canadians to take stock of their heritage, and thrown open the door
Donald Trump
In Canada, U.S. President Donald Trump’s flailing about in his new king-of-the-world act has sparked a political upheaval unlike anything seen in decades, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Trump forcing Canadians to look more closely at what our country is all about

  • Canadians need to grab this moment to redefine our internal and external relations.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
Anita Anand
Anita Anand
The work by Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand to overhaul the country’s internal trade blockages is the most obvious way to bolster the economy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump forcing Canadians to look more closely at what our country is all about

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
  • Canadians need to grab this moment to redefine our internal and external relations.

Trump forcing Canadians to look more closely at what our country is all about

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
  • Canadians need to grab this moment to redefine our internal and external relations.
Anita Anand
The work by Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand to overhaul the country’s internal trade blockages is the most obvious way to bolster the economy, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

President’s threat to rules-based world order is no joke

  • As Trump continues his shakedown of Canada, it is becoming apparent that his talk about using 'economic force' to annex this country needs to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
By re-electing Donald Trump, Americans have opened the way to the end of a world order centred on rules-based trade and democratic alliances that western countries have promoted and benefitted from throughout the postwar era, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Gage Skidmore

President’s threat to rules-based world order is no joke

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
  • As Trump continues his shakedown of Canada, it is becoming apparent that his talk about using 'economic force' to annex this country needs to

President’s threat to rules-based world order is no joke

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
  • As Trump continues his shakedown of Canada, it is becoming apparent that his talk about using 'economic force' to annex this country needs to
Donald Trump
By re-electing Donald Trump, Americans have opened the way to the end of a world order centred on rules-based trade and democratic alliances that western countries have promoted and benefitted from throughout the postwar era, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Gage Skidmore

Two-nation partnership that was a beacon of trust in a fractious world goes down Trump’s drain

  • Trump’s expansionist approach may turn out to be highly counterproductive.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s expressed willingness to use force to erase the borders of sovereign countries signals an end to the fundamental principle of international order, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Two-nation partnership that was a beacon of trust in a fractious world goes down Trump’s drain

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
  • Trump’s expansionist approach may turn out to be highly counterproductive.

Two-nation partnership that was a beacon of trust in a fractious world goes down Trump’s drain

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
  • Trump’s expansionist approach may turn out to be highly counterproductive.
Donald Trump
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s expressed willingness to use force to erase the borders of sovereign countries signals an end to the fundamental principle of international order, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Staring down the barrel of 2025

  • The current uncertainty and lack of a well-anchored, unifying voice will put Canada at a severe disadvantage in the onrushing showdown with Donald Trump.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Like any bully, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump needs someone to pick on for the sake of his audience, and for that role he seems to have chosen Canada. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Staring down the barrel of 2025

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
  • The current uncertainty and lack of a well-anchored, unifying voice will put Canada at a severe disadvantage in the onrushing showdown with Donald Trump.

Staring down the barrel of 2025

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
  • The current uncertainty and lack of a well-anchored, unifying voice will put Canada at a severe disadvantage in the onrushing showdown with Donald Trump.
Donald Trump
Like any bully, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump needs someone to pick on for the sake of his audience, and for that role he seems to have chosen Canada. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Freeland’s chaos-inducing resignation brings ever more uncertainty in the face of Canada’s trade emergency

  • Chrystia Freeland’s dramatic move has thrown the ruling Liberals into disarray, and raised new questions about the stability of Trudeau’s minority government.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from cabinet will make stability and a unified front against Donald Trump that much harder to achieve. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Freeland’s chaos-inducing resignation brings ever more uncertainty in the face of Canada’s trade emergency

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
  • Chrystia Freeland’s dramatic move has thrown the ruling Liberals into disarray, and raised new questions about the stability of Trudeau’s minority government.

Freeland’s chaos-inducing resignation brings ever more uncertainty in the face of Canada’s trade emergency

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
  • Chrystia Freeland’s dramatic move has thrown the ruling Liberals into disarray, and raised new questions about the stability of Trudeau’s minority government.
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from cabinet will make stability and a unified front against Donald Trump that much harder to achieve. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

With one post, Trump has scrambled Canada’s political agenda

  • If nothing else, it has given Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a national mission that resonates with most Canadians.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
Donald Trump.
Donald Trump.
A recent interview confirmed U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is serious about putting a tariffs-for-income-tax-cuts trade-off at the centre of his economic agenda, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of NBC News

With one post, Trump has scrambled Canada’s political agenda

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
  • If nothing else, it has given Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a national mission that resonates with most Canadians.

With one post, Trump has scrambled Canada’s political agenda

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
  • If nothing else, it has given Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a national mission that resonates with most Canadians.
Donald Trump.
A recent interview confirmed U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is serious about putting a tariffs-for-income-tax-cuts trade-off at the centre of his economic agenda, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of NBC News

Don’t expect any breaks from Tariff Man

  • Whatever Donald Trump says about his reasons for slapping tariffs on Canadian imports, it’s safe to assume it's only part of the story.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Canada is just another villain in what U.S. president-elect Donald Trump imagines is a worldwide plot to take advantage of American open trade policies, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Don’t expect any breaks from Tariff Man

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
  • Whatever Donald Trump says about his reasons for slapping tariffs on Canadian imports, it’s safe to assume it's only part of the story.

Don’t expect any breaks from Tariff Man

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
  • Whatever Donald Trump says about his reasons for slapping tariffs on Canadian imports, it’s safe to assume it's only part of the story.
Donald Trump
Canada is just another villain in what U.S. president-elect Donald Trump imagines is a worldwide plot to take advantage of American open trade policies, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Andrea Hanks

Playing the Mexico card

  • Any radical demands will have to take a back seat now that Trump has lumped Canada and Mexico together in his vow to impose
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 27, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, needs Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, centre, as a partner in any trade discussions involving U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and his well-known divide-and-conquer tactics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade, and photographs by Eneas De Troya, and Gage Skidmore

Playing the Mexico card

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 27, 2024
  • Any radical demands will have to take a back seat now that Trump has lumped Canada and Mexico together in his vow to impose

Playing the Mexico card

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 27, 2024
  • Any radical demands will have to take a back seat now that Trump has lumped Canada and Mexico together in his vow to impose
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, needs Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, centre, as a partner in any trade discussions involving U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and his well-known divide-and-conquer tactics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade, and photographs by Eneas De Troya, and Gage Skidmore

A lesson for Canadians in Americans’ economic disconnect

  • As voters look for relief from the high cost of living, misguided nostalgia can play a major role in a campaign.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 20, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump won because people in the U.S. believe he will be better than the Democrats at improving the country’s economic conditions, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CSPAN

A lesson for Canadians in Americans’ economic disconnect

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 20, 2024
  • As voters look for relief from the high cost of living, misguided nostalgia can play a major role in a campaign.

A lesson for Canadians in Americans’ economic disconnect

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 20, 2024
  • As voters look for relief from the high cost of living, misguided nostalgia can play a major role in a campaign.
President-elect Donald Trump won because people in the U.S. believe he will be better than the Democrats at improving the country’s economic conditions, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CSPAN

The world changed on Nov. 5

  • For Canadians, the potential impact of another Trump administration could be nothing less than a turning point in the country’s modern history.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump
We shouldn’t make the same mistake a lot of American voters apparently made of thinking that president-elect Donald Trump doesn’t mean what he says, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Tia Dufour

The world changed on Nov. 5

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
  • For Canadians, the potential impact of another Trump administration could be nothing less than a turning point in the country’s modern history.

The world changed on Nov. 5

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
  • For Canadians, the potential impact of another Trump administration could be nothing less than a turning point in the country’s modern history.
Donald J. Trump
We shouldn’t make the same mistake a lot of American voters apparently made of thinking that president-elect Donald Trump doesn’t mean what he says, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Tia Dufour

Information blackout still shrouds investigation of shocking murder of Ontario resto owner

  • Fourteen months later, Owen Sound citizens continue to deal with a troubling lack of information about a murder that cast a cloud of anxiety
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 6, 2024
The handling of the information in the Sharif Rahman case by the police has raised questions about secrecy and the need to maintain an open justice system. Pexels photograph by Nikita Sh 

Information blackout still shrouds investigation of shocking murder of Ontario resto owner

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 6, 2024
  • Fourteen months later, Owen Sound citizens continue to deal with a troubling lack of information about a murder that cast a cloud of anxiety

Information blackout still shrouds investigation of shocking murder of Ontario resto owner

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 6, 2024
  • Fourteen months later, Owen Sound citizens continue to deal with a troubling lack of information about a murder that cast a cloud of anxiety
The handling of the information in the Sharif Rahman case by the police has raised questions about secrecy and the need to maintain an open justice system. Pexels photograph by Nikita Sh 

Sanewashing, denial, and hate-mongering: the new normal in the U.S.

  • About half the voting populace seems ready to cast a presidential ballot for a criminal who has trod on every notion of decency in
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump
No modern mainstream politician has been so explicit in their bigoted rhetoric as former and prospective U.S. president Donald Trump, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Sanewashing, denial, and hate-mongering: the new normal in the U.S.

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
  • About half the voting populace seems ready to cast a presidential ballot for a criminal who has trod on every notion of decency in

Sanewashing, denial, and hate-mongering: the new normal in the U.S.

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
  • About half the voting populace seems ready to cast a presidential ballot for a criminal who has trod on every notion of decency in
Donald J. Trump
No modern mainstream politician has been so explicit in their bigoted rhetoric as former and prospective U.S. president Donald Trump, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

The authenticity game

  • It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that talking a good populist game is more politically advantageous than any agenda devoted to actually improving peoples’
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2024
Politicians like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have an advantage when voters care more about the perception of a official as honest rather than likable, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The authenticity game

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2024
  • It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that talking a good populist game is more politically advantageous than any agenda devoted to actually improving peoples’

The authenticity game

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2024
  • It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that talking a good populist game is more politically advantageous than any agenda devoted to actually improving peoples’
Politicians like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have an advantage when voters care more about the perception of a official as honest rather than likable, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Real estate nation: Canada’s biggest business sector scores low in the all-important area of economic productivity

  • Investment in housing takes away from money in other sectors, undercutting the country’s ability to devote funds to the kinds of spending crucial to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 16, 2024
The overemphasis on housing is an important factor in what is perhaps Canada’s most pressing economic problem: declining economic productivity, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Real estate nation: Canada’s biggest business sector scores low in the all-important area of economic productivity

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 16, 2024
  • Investment in housing takes away from money in other sectors, undercutting the country’s ability to devote funds to the kinds of spending crucial to

Real estate nation: Canada’s biggest business sector scores low in the all-important area of economic productivity

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 16, 2024
  • Investment in housing takes away from money in other sectors, undercutting the country’s ability to devote funds to the kinds of spending crucial to
The overemphasis on housing is an important factor in what is perhaps Canada’s most pressing economic problem: declining economic productivity, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Pack your bags’: this Parliament is headed for the exit

  • The debate now is not whether the Liberals would lose an election held tomorrow, but whether they would be wiped out à la Conservatives
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 9, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
The chances of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal minority surviving very much longer have gone from iffy to something approaching zero, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Pack your bags’: this Parliament is headed for the exit

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 9, 2024
  • The debate now is not whether the Liberals would lose an election held tomorrow, but whether they would be wiped out à la Conservatives

‘Pack your bags’: this Parliament is headed for the exit

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 9, 2024
  • The debate now is not whether the Liberals would lose an election held tomorrow, but whether they would be wiped out à la Conservatives
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
The chances of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal minority surviving very much longer have gone from iffy to something approaching zero, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Fixing the housing affordability crisis? It’s the density, stupid

  • In Ontario, the Ford government’s long-brewing housing plan fails to adequately address the single most important issue: density.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 2, 2024
Semi-detached single family homes in Ottawa’s Greenboro neighbourhood
Semi-detached single family homes in Ottawa’s Greenboro neighbourhood
It will take a great deal more concentrated effort on the part of the federal government, the provinces, and municipalities to reverse the urban sprawl trend, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Fixing the housing affordability crisis? It’s the density, stupid

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 2, 2024
  • In Ontario, the Ford government’s long-brewing housing plan fails to adequately address the single most important issue: density.

Fixing the housing affordability crisis? It’s the density, stupid

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 2, 2024
  • In Ontario, the Ford government’s long-brewing housing plan fails to adequately address the single most important issue: density.
Semi-detached single family homes in Ottawa’s Greenboro neighbourhood
It will take a great deal more concentrated effort on the part of the federal government, the provinces, and municipalities to reverse the urban sprawl trend, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are Canadians really buying into with Poilievre?

  • Over the past two years, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has joyously capitalized on the rhetorical viciousness that has oozed out of the internet to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 25, 2024
Pierre Poilievre
Pierre Poilievre
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has reduced the immensely complicated business of government to a few dozen words in several simplistic slogans that sound almost like a parody of a political con artist, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are Canadians really buying into with Poilievre?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 25, 2024
  • Over the past two years, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has joyously capitalized on the rhetorical viciousness that has oozed out of the internet to

What are Canadians really buying into with Poilievre?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 25, 2024
  • Over the past two years, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has joyously capitalized on the rhetorical viciousness that has oozed out of the internet to
Pierre Poilievre
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has reduced the immensely complicated business of government to a few dozen words in several simplistic slogans that sound almost like a parody of a political con artist, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s advice to Liberals puts low-carbon future above all

  • Mark Carney made it clear he will be doubling down on the need for the government and Canadians to move heaven and earth to
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 18, 2024
New Liberal Party adviser Mark Carney is calling for more government action, not less, to tackle climate change, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Carney’s advice to Liberals puts low-carbon future above all

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 18, 2024
  • Mark Carney made it clear he will be doubling down on the need for the government and Canadians to move heaven and earth to

Carney’s advice to Liberals puts low-carbon future above all

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 18, 2024
  • Mark Carney made it clear he will be doubling down on the need for the government and Canadians to move heaven and earth to
New Liberal Party adviser Mark Carney is calling for more government action, not less, to tackle climate change, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Trudeau is up against a worldwide phenomenon

  • The federal byelection on June 24 will be an important marker as Canadians watch how all this plays out for their democracy and their
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 19, 2024
A recent survey suggests the angry mood of voters is the most notable feature as half the world’s population holds elections in 2024, writes Les Whittington. Unsplash photograph by Yogendra Singh

Trudeau is up against a worldwide phenomenon

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 19, 2024
  • The federal byelection on June 24 will be an important marker as Canadians watch how all this plays out for their democracy and their

Trudeau is up against a worldwide phenomenon

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 19, 2024
  • The federal byelection on June 24 will be an important marker as Canadians watch how all this plays out for their democracy and their
A recent survey suggests the angry mood of voters is the most notable feature as half the world’s population holds elections in 2024, writes Les Whittington. Unsplash photograph by Yogendra Singh
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The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems ready to push his self-appointed war with the West into even more dangerous realms, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name

The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems ready to push his self-appointed war with the West into even more dangerous realms, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
There’s no compelling reason for this country to have the British monarch, now King Charles III, as head of state; however, there’s no easy way to get rid of this antiquated situation, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at
There’s no compelling reason for this country to have the British monarch, now King Charles III, as head of state; however, there’s no easy way to get rid of this antiquated situation, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida greet the audience after he becomes the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on Sept. 10. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled
Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida greet the audience after he becomes the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on Sept. 10. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
The United People of Canada supporters gather outside their location in the former St. Brigid’s church in Ottawa’s Lowertown neighbourhood on Aug. 25, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a
The United People of Canada supporters gather outside their location in the former St. Brigid’s church in Ottawa’s Lowertown neighbourhood on Aug. 25, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland addresses Laurier Club members at the Canadian War Museum on June 13. The improvement in wealth inequality has attracted little media attention, and a lot of the people helped by the federal government’s anti-poverty efforts are not among those with a high voting tendency, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland addresses Laurier Club members at the Canadian War Museum on June 13. The improvement in wealth inequality has attracted little media attention, and a lot of the people helped by the federal government’s anti-poverty efforts are not among those with a high voting tendency, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre hasn’t said much yet about economic policy, but you can bet his plan to make Canada ‘the freest nation on earth’ will include freedom for the rich to pay fewer income taxes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre hasn’t said much yet about economic policy, but you can bet his plan to make Canada ‘the freest nation on earth’ will include freedom for the rich to pay fewer income taxes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
By refusing to lift the effective wage freeze Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed on nurses, he is hastening the decline in the health-care system and without doubt setting the stage for further privatization in the province, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/CityNews

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll
Doug Ford
By refusing to lift the effective wage freeze Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed on nurses, he is hastening the decline in the health-care system and without doubt setting the stage for further privatization in the province, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/CityNews

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, pictured during the party's first leadership debate held at the Canada Strong and Free Network's conference in Ottawa on May 5. It gets more obvious every week that Poilievre, a sort of Trump stand-in, is riding a wave of angry anti-establishment sentiment with a lot more momentum than anyone expected, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, pictured during the party's first leadership debate held at the Canada Strong and Free Network's conference in Ottawa on May 5. It gets more obvious every week that Poilievre, a sort of Trump stand-in, is riding a wave of angry anti-establishment sentiment with a lot more momentum than anyone expected, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
The art installation Broken, by Dennis Josef Meseg, is pictured in Bonn, Germany. In 2021 alone, 173 women and girls were violently killed in Canada, with the vast majority of the accused being male, research shows. Unsplash photograph by Mika Baumeister

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call
The art installation Broken, by Dennis Josef Meseg, is pictured in Bonn, Germany. In 2021 alone, 173 women and girls were violently killed in Canada, with the vast majority of the accused being male, research shows. Unsplash photograph by Mika Baumeister

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
RCMP Supt. Darren Campbell testified before the Mass Casualty Commission on July 25. It’s hard to imagine how any other single individual could have come to the attention of the various police forces in the region more than the Nova Scotia shooter during his decades-long run of lawless behaviour before the 2020 shooting, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of the Mass Casualty Commission

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of
RCMP Supt. Darren Campbell testified before the Mass Casualty Commission on July 25. It’s hard to imagine how any other single individual could have come to the attention of the various police forces in the region more than the Nova Scotia shooter during his decades-long run of lawless behaviour before the 2020 shooting, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of the Mass Casualty Commission

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly sits alongside her Chinese, America, Brazilian, and German counterparts at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia on July 8. The relatively young G20 was designed to bring together leading wealthy and developing nations to tackle world problems, but it has instead laid bare the acceptance in some capitals of Putin’s bloodletting, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Ron Przysucha courtesy of Flickr/the U.S. Department of State

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly sits alongside her Chinese, America, Brazilian, and German counterparts at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia on July 8. The relatively young G20 was designed to bring together leading wealthy and developing nations to tackle world problems, but it has instead laid bare the acceptance in some capitals of Putin’s bloodletting, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Ron Przysucha courtesy of Flickr/the U.S. Department of State

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
Outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his resignation statement outside 10 Downing Street on July 7. Johnson helped give rise to Brexit, sold it to Britons in 2016, and got the keys to 10 Downing Street to finally make the separation with the EU happen. Which he did. But, after only three years, he is giving up as prime minister, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Tim Hammond courtesy of No 10 Downing Street's Flickr

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United
Outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his resignation statement outside 10 Downing Street on July 7. Johnson helped give rise to Brexit, sold it to Britons in 2016, and got the keys to 10 Downing Street to finally make the separation with the EU happen. Which he did. But, after only three years, he is giving up as prime minister, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Tim Hammond courtesy of No 10 Downing Street's Flickr

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
The general thinking has been that choosing chief trucker convoy apologist Pierre Poilievre as Conservative leader would be a huge gift for the Liberals. But that may prove fanciful, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from
The general thinking has been that choosing chief trucker convoy apologist Pierre Poilievre as Conservative leader would be a huge gift for the Liberals. But that may prove fanciful, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
One way to view Doug Ford’s victory can be as support for a pragmatic focus on cost-of-living issues as opposed to aspirational calls to create a fairer and/or greener society, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Twitter/fordnation

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may
One way to view Doug Ford’s victory can be as support for a pragmatic focus on cost-of-living issues as opposed to aspirational calls to create a fairer and/or greener society, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Twitter/fordnation

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
Pierre Poilievre has tapped into baseless suspicion of the central bank to beef up his popular campaign for Conservative leader, but it’s clear he correctly sees the affordability crisis as a potent political force with the potential to scramble the outlook for all federal and provincial parties over the next few years, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada
Pierre Poilievre has tapped into baseless suspicion of the central bank to beef up his popular campaign for Conservative leader, but it’s clear he correctly sees the affordability crisis as a potent political force with the potential to scramble the outlook for all federal and provincial parties over the next few years, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford still depicts himself as being for the little guy, but most of his government’s actual policies are geared to his upscale supporters and business backers, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford still depicts himself as being for the little guy, but most of his government’s actual policies are geared to his upscale supporters and business backers, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Heading backwards in Ontario

  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
Doug Ford
Doug Ford
If anything, Ontario Premier Doug Ford seems to have shown that, although people are worried about impending climate disasters, they’re not too fussy about accountability when it comes to what governments are actually doing, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Heading backwards in Ontario

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,

Heading backwards in Ontario

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,
Doug Ford
If anything, Ontario Premier Doug Ford seems to have shown that, although people are worried about impending climate disasters, they’re not too fussy about accountability when it comes to what governments are actually doing, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How COVID won the political battle

  • OTTAWA—Anyone watching the first Conservative leadership debate on May 5 may have thought they were watching a satire or some kind of theatre-of-the-absurd take-off
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 11, 2022
MP Leslyn Lewis participates in a Conservative leadership debate in Ottawa on May 5. Would-be leaders of the official opposition are consumed with the outpouring of anti-government grievance in February related to the pandemic, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How COVID won the political battle

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 11, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Anyone watching the first Conservative leadership debate on May 5 may have thought they were watching a satire or some kind of theatre-of-the-absurd take-off

How COVID won the political battle

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 11, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Anyone watching the first Conservative leadership debate on May 5 may have thought they were watching a satire or some kind of theatre-of-the-absurd take-off
MP Leslyn Lewis participates in a Conservative leadership debate in Ottawa on May 5. Would-be leaders of the official opposition are consumed with the outpouring of anti-government grievance in February related to the pandemic, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Beneath all the vague talk, the causes of populist chaos are clear enough

  • OTTAWA—The idea of motorcyclists rolling into town and sort of taking over is a unique North American postwar cultural phenomenon. The whole outlaw biker
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 4, 2022
Inflamed by reams of conspiratorial misinformation, the thinking behind events like the weekend Rolling Thunder protest in Ottawa plays out as a rejection of today’s cosmopolitan, tolerant, and multicultural Canada, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Beneath all the vague talk, the causes of populist chaos are clear enough

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The idea of motorcyclists rolling into town and sort of taking over is a unique North American postwar cultural phenomenon. The whole outlaw biker

Beneath all the vague talk, the causes of populist chaos are clear enough

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The idea of motorcyclists rolling into town and sort of taking over is a unique North American postwar cultural phenomenon. The whole outlaw biker
Inflamed by reams of conspiratorial misinformation, the thinking behind events like the weekend Rolling Thunder protest in Ottawa plays out as a rejection of today’s cosmopolitan, tolerant, and multicultural Canada, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and the destruction of global institutions

  • OTTAWA—Paul Martin was instrumental in the creation of the Group of 20 international leaders’ summits, starting with meetings of finance ministers from the 20
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 27, 2022
Curtains for the G20? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pictured speaking with Australian PM Scott Morrison during the G20 meeting in Rome, Italy, in October 2021. The G20 and its goal of enhanced financial and economic co-operation is fading fast in the current context, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of PMO

Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and the destruction of global institutions

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Paul Martin was instrumental in the creation of the Group of 20 international leaders’ summits, starting with meetings of finance ministers from the 20

Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and the destruction of global institutions

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Paul Martin was instrumental in the creation of the Group of 20 international leaders’ summits, starting with meetings of finance ministers from the 20
Curtains for the G20? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pictured speaking with Australian PM Scott Morrison during the G20 meeting in Rome, Italy, in October 2021. The G20 and its goal of enhanced financial and economic co-operation is fading fast in the current context, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of PMO

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