At a recent conference sponsored by the venerable Institute of Public Administration in Canada (IPAC), participants in the lead panel discussed “Politics: A Return to Civility, What Would it Take?” Strikingly, there was no dissent…
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Politicians Like Poilievre, Smith and Ford are the Cause of Antidemocratic Behaviour
When Justice Paul Rouleau tabled his long anticipated report on the federal government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre was in a tight spot. Not only did Rouleau confirm that the…
The Real Problem With a Special Ambassador on Combatting Islamophobia
The current controversy over the appointment of Almira Elghawaby as a Special Ambassador to Combat Islamophobia is focusing on all the wrong issues. There is certainly a problem, but it is not with the individual…
Can Pierre Poilievre Tell Fact from Fiction?
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre rarely questions facts and figures presented by the Liberal government in support of its legislation or other policy initiatives. Instead, he much prefers to question what they are NOT saying, implying…
Danielle Smith: Not a Laughing Matter
Journalists have had a field day mocking Alberta premier Danielle Smith’s farcical statement “It’s not like Ottawa is a national government. The way our country works is that we are a federation of sovereign, independent…
Is Canada Becoming a Banana Republic?
When Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland testified before the Public Order Emergency Commission in late November, she emphasized the economic concerns that she and her officials had confronted during the illegal border blockades and occupation of…
Premiers Hold Health Care Hostage for Political Gain
When federal health minister Jean-Yves Duclos met with his provincial counterparts in Vancouver on November 7th, he had every reason to assume there would be a productive discussion about the various means by which the…
Ford’s Use of Notwithstanding Clause is Dangerously Antidemocratic
So, Doug Ford was forced by the unions and negative public opinion polls to repeal his most recent legislation overriding Charter rights, just days after introducing it. Some may conclude he has seen the error…
POPULISM is NEVER a GOOD THING
The dramatic increase in the number of populist leaders in western democracies should give all mainstream politicians pause, regardless of their political persuasion. The need for them to join forces and counter this insidious takeover…
What We Already Know About the Liberals’ Decision to Invoke the Emergencies Act
The public inquiry into the first-ever use of the federal Emergencies Act by the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau is only beginning its six-week saga. Some 65 witnesses are scheduled to testify before it is…
