Let us be clear. The occupation of Ottawa cannot be justified. It was an illegal blockade, not a peaceful protest. The participants demanding more “freedom” for themselves were forcibly limiting the freedom of others. Some…
Uncategorized
Culture Shock: Saskatchewan is the New Problem Child of Confederation
During the recent occupation of Ottawa by the misnamed Freedom Convoy, Canadians were treated to the spectacle of five Conservative MPs and a Senator posing for photos with the organizers. (These would be the same…
Whose Fault? Why Invoking the Federal Emergencies Act was Necessary
Let’s be clear. Originally there were a tiny group of protesters to deal with, estimated at less than 200. As former Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau noted in a CBC interview on February 18, in…
Conservative Meltdown: The “New” Conservative Party is at War With Itself
Ever since Brian Mulroney single-handedly destroyed the venerable Progressive Conservative Party, the ‘new’ Conservative Party of Canada has been an improbable successor. Cobbled together and held in an iron grip by Stephen Harper for nearly…
Trucker Tyranny: NOT a Freedom Convoy
Let’s be clear. The Trucker’s so-called Freedom Convoy wending its way to Ottawa across the Trans Canada highway is NOT a fine example of free speech, or the defence of democracy and civil liberties. Quite…
Canada Really IS the Distinct Society: Scenes from the Australian Open
“Canada is the distinct society” (Pierre Elliott Trudeau, 1992) When Pierre Trudeau delivered his historic critique of the Charlottetown Accord at a dinner at the Maison Eggroll in Montreal, Canadians listened. As Globe and Mail…
Context matters: Putting COVID Data and Public Policy in Perspective
In the information age, much greater importance has been placed on content than ever before. Big data is all the rage. And in the era of the global pandemic, scientific evidence and facts are reported…
Disinformation Poses a Serious Threat to Liberal Democracies
We are all familiar with the absurd conspiracy theories and outrageous claims being made south of the border by anti-vaxxers and other denizens of the lunatic fringe. Only now they are not so far out…
Canadian Cabinet-making 101
As Pierre Trudeau famously said when disagreeing with those who thought Quebec was a distinct society, “on the contrary, CANADA is the distinct society.” At the time he was speaking of our justifiably famous reputation…
Alberta’s Equalization Referendum: Meaningless but Potentially Dangerous
Jason Kenney’s latest anti-Ottawa gambit, the so-called “referendum” on equalization, is as pointless as his much-mocked war room and his $3.5 million inquiry into imaginary foreign-funded anti-Alberta activities. Even the Globe and Mail called the…
