Sunday, April 20, 2025

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Sunday, April 20, 2025 | Latest Paper

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Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 16, 2025
Stephen Harper
The current Conservative leader’s campaign is taking on more and more aspects of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s politics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 16, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 16, 2025
Stephen Harper
The current Conservative leader’s campaign is taking on more and more aspects of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s politics, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 9, 2025
Donald Trump
Within days of U.S. President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement, most of the world was united in its criticism of his decision to wreck everyone’s economy, including his own, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 9, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 9, 2025
Donald Trump
Within days of U.S. President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement, most of the world was united in its criticism of his decision to wreck everyone’s economy, including his own, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 2, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 26, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 19, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 12, 2025
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
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 5, 2025
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
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 26, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 19, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 12, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 5, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 29, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 15, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 6, 2025
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 18, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 11, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 4, 2024
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
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 27, 2024
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
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 20, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 13, 2024
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
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 
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 6, 2024
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 
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 30, 2024
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
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 23, 2024
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
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 16, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 9, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 9, 2024
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 9, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 2, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 2, 2024
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 2, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 25, 2024
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 25, 2024
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 25, 2024
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
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 4, 2022
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
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 27, 2022
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
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 20, 2022
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s approach all along obviously reflected the fact that his base is composed in part by social conservatives, a group that not only opposes COVID vaccines but was key to his long-shot leadership victory in 2018, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 20, 2022
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 20, 2022
Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s approach all along obviously reflected the fact that his base is composed in part by social conservatives, a group that not only opposes COVID vaccines but was key to his long-shot leadership victory in 2018, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 13, 2022
The racist froth leaking into French campaign discourse appeared to have helped Marine Le Pen, right, creep up on incumbent President Emmanuel Macron by making her extremist views appear more mainstream, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photograph courtesy of the European Parliament
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 13, 2022
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 13, 2022
The racist froth leaking into French campaign discourse appeared to have helped Marine Le Pen, right, creep up on incumbent President Emmanuel Macron by making her extremist views appear more mainstream, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photograph courtesy of the European Parliament
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 4, 2022
The choices made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland are likely to reverberate through Canada’s economy, political landscape, and international relations for years to come, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 4, 2022
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 4, 2022
The choices made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland are likely to reverberate through Canada’s economy, political landscape, and international relations for years to come, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 30, 2022
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will presumably table a nuts-and-bolts economic plan, with the exception of a down payment on a sizeable increase in defence spending, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 30, 2022
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 30, 2022
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will presumably table a nuts-and-bolts economic plan, with the exception of a down payment on a sizeable increase in defence spending, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 23, 2022
Jean Charest’s attempt to offer Conservative Party members policies aimed at winning over moderate voters is clearly a waste of energy if messaging from current leadership frontrunner Pierre Poilievre holds sway, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 23, 2022
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 23, 2022
Jean Charest’s attempt to offer Conservative Party members policies aimed at winning over moderate voters is clearly a waste of energy if messaging from current leadership frontrunner Pierre Poilievre holds sway, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 16, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, personally obsessed with regaining territory lost when the Soviet Union collapsed, has found a welcome partner in Chinese President Xi Jinping, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of the Kremlin
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 16, 2022
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 16, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, personally obsessed with regaining territory lost when the Soviet Union collapsed, has found a welcome partner in Chinese President Xi Jinping, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of the Kremlin
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 7, 2022
At a meeting on March 7 in London with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (whose government has stopped Russian oil imports), left, both British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said European countries weren’t ready for such a hit on their energy systems and economies, writes Les Whittington. Number 10 photograph by Andrew Parsons
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 7, 2022
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 7, 2022
At a meeting on March 7 in London with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (whose government has stopped Russian oil imports), left, both British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said European countries weren’t ready for such a hit on their energy systems and economies, writes Les Whittington. Number 10 photograph by Andrew Parsons
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 2, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has brandished the nuclear sword before in relation to the 2014 annexation of Crimea, is doing what has been unthinkable for 70 years, writes Les Whittington. UN photograph by Mark Garten
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 2, 2022
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 2, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has brandished the nuclear sword before in relation to the 2014 annexation of Crimea, is doing what has been unthinkable for 70 years, writes Les Whittington. UN photograph by Mark Garten