In early December, 2008, then Prime Minister Stephen Harper asked Governor General Michaelle Jean to prorogue parliament, only a few months after a general election had been held that returned his Conservatives to power with…
Posts By Brooke Jeffrey
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Putting the “WE” Contract in Context
There are many things that can be said about the Trudeau government’s handling of a proposed contract to the well-known “WE” charity. Clearly it was an ill-advised move. And clearly the apparent failure to follow…
The Two Michaels: Blame China and Trump, not Trudeau
Recent media reports have trumpeted a legal opinion by well-known criminal lawyer Brian Greenspan, who argues that Justice Minister David Lametti has the legal power to circumvent the extradition hearings of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou…
COVID-19 and Government Surveillance: What Price Privacy?
“As we move forward with restarting the economy, we must keep working together to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. This new mobile app wlll put the privacy of Canadians first, and act…
COVID-19’s Window of Opportunity: Real Change Now
When two columnists in the Globe and Mail – on the same day – call for more government intervention in the economy and additional programs for the welfare state, you know some sort of seismic…
Covid-19 in Quebec: Legault Marches to his own Drummer
On May 4, Quebec Premier Francois Legault rolled the dice. Outside of Montreal both manufacturing and construction projects were given the green light to resume operations, retail stores with street-front entrances and childcare facilities were…
COVID-19 and the Conservatives’ Dilemma
Canada’s conservative politicians, and the federal Conservative Party in particular, are seemingly confronted with a serious philosophical dilemma during this time of big government, big spending and big deficits. If they stick with their well-established…
Federalism and COVID-19 : The Conservatives want a National Plan?
“Other countries have released national frameworks. So why hasn’t Canada? Does the federal government have a plan to start revising health restrictions in an orderly fashion when this crisis passes?” This question, believe it or…
Jason Kenney and COVID-19: A Proud Canadian?
For one brief shining moment it appeared that Alberta premier Jason Kenney had turned over a new leaf. After a political career characterized by hyperpartisan attacks on numerous opponents, Kenney recently surprised many observers when…
COVID-19 and Democratic Accountability: Time for a Virtual Parliament
If the current pandemic can be said to have any positive result, it is surely that everyone now realizes the important role government plays in the daily lives of citizens. With the possible exception of…
