Mitchell Anderson writes that we’re all living in Ford Nation now: Mayor Ford’s puzzling popularity in the face of one salacious scandal after another seems to be propelled by his cheapening effect on values — and how that appeals to a morally lazy electorate. Like a pair of drunks egging
Continue readingAuthor: Owen Gray
Northern Reflections: A Rogue State?
Noam Chomsky writes that the United States has become a one party nation and a rogue state: The U.S. is still a one-party state, the business party. But it only has one faction: moderate Republicans, now called New Democrats (as the U.S. Congressional coalition styles itself). There is still a
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Burning The Bridge
Conservatives are congratulating themselves. They believe that — having disposed of Senators Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau — they have achieved a great victory. But, Michael Den Tandt writes, it was no victory at all: For clues as to why, let’s examine Canadian Conservatism today from the point of view of
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: False Populists
Stephen Harper posed as a populist last weekend, claiming that he and Laureen didn’t go to Ottawa to join an elite. That line, Lawrence Martin writes, doesn’t ring true: The populist schtick isn’t an easy sell when your government has given far more tax cuts to the corporations than to
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: It’s Only The Beginning
After attending last week’s Conservative convention, Tasha Kheiridden wrote that the party was “a party under lockdown.” In fact, the public was not welcome at the event: Canadians, unfortunately, saw none of it, since reporters were banned from attending. In fact, the press was excluded from most of the convention.
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Behold The Conservative Base
On Friday, Gerry Caplan wondered whether the Conservative faithful, meeting in Calgary, would experience a dark night of the soul. They faced at least two significant questions: Which is true: when Mr. Harper said that no one in his office except Nigel Wright knew about the deal with Senator Mike
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Standing Firmly By The Wealthy
Ten anti-union resolutions were passed at the Conservative convention in Calgary. They are aimed at making Canada a “right to work” nation. It’s wise, therefore, to examine what has happened in the nation which pioneered right to work legislation. Right to work is the brain child of the Republican Party
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: When Will He Turn On Them?
Some of Stephen Harper’s most perceptive critics are on the right. This week, in the Sun newspapers, John Robson called for Stephen Harper’s resignation: Unless it is OK for the prime minister to lie repeatedly and openly on an important matter, Stephen Harper must resign or be dismissed. And this
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Quaint Notion Of Responsibility
While Rob Ford insists that he has no reason to resign, and the prime minister’s story changes everyday, Andrew Coyne writes that the concept of responsibility has become a quaint notion — a relic of the past: There was a time when public office holders were expected to take responsibility
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: It Will Be All About Integrity
Stephen Harper came to power howling about the lack of Liberal integrity. And the irony is that integrity will be Harper’s undoing. Michael Harris writes: Integrity is the great leveller — and that is bad news for Stephen Harper. It is the fatal deficit of all powermongers. The Harper government’s
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: His Luck Is Running Out
There’s a scene in It’s A Mad, Mad World where Jonathan Winters destroys a gas station and two of its attendants. As the Senate debacle unravels, the prime minister — consumed with rage — looks more and more like Jonathan Winters on a rampage. At the end of the scene,
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Abolish The Senate? You’ve Got To Be Kidding.
Mike Duffy’s speech yesterday should have reminded all Canadians why we have a Senate. Mitchell Anderson writes in The Tyee: Harper’s response to Mike Duffy’s disloyalty has been thermonuclear: essentially to set a precedent where the PMO can unseat the same senators recently appointed at a whim and without due
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Abandonment
Stephen Harper has abandoned three of his senatorial appointees — including the man he once called “my most valuable senator.” Abandonment defines the man. And in foreign affairs, Joe Clark writes, Stephen Harper has “all but abandoned the global arena.” Foreign affairs has never been the prime minister’s strong suite,
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Reverse Midas Touch
In 2008, when Stephen Harper cut public funding for political parties, the opposition rose and threatened to take down his nascent government. He prorogued Parliament and bellowed that the other parties were engaged in a conspiracy to deny Canadians the minority government of their choice. In 2011, after being found
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: It Takes One To Know One
Jim Flaherty brought forward his third omnibus budget bill this week. And, as in the past, it is full of all kinds of things which have nothing to do with the budget — like labour relations between the public service and the government. Tom Walkom writes in The Toronto Star
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: ‘Til Death
Yesterday, in the Postmedia papers, Andrew Coyne wondered why Stephen Harper would risk so much over Mike Duffy’s expenses. He ended his column by paraphrasing Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons: “it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world . . . but
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Neither Our Best Nor Our Brightest
Two days ago, Mike Duffy took aim at Stephen Harper. Yesterday, Pam Wallin framed the issue: The Government, through Senator Carignan, has truly put the cart before the horse – the sentencing before the trial – and that is why it would be both unfair and troubling if his motion
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: From Contempt To Contemptible
In 2011, Stephen Harper was found in contempt of Parliament. At the time, he defined contempt as “being outvoted.” And, having won the subsequent election, he proceeded on the assumption that “contempt” was a meaningless concept. What mattered was winning. After Mike Duffy’s speech in the Senate yesterday, Mr. Harper
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: That Big Mouth
On the day Stephen Harper returned to Question Period, planning to crow about his new trade deal, Donald Payne crashed the party. Mike Duffy’s lawyer took direct aim at the Prime Minister’s Office and at Stephen Harper himself. Andrew Coyne writes: Donald Bayne may not have succeeded, in the course
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Will Wallin And Duffy Sink The Ship?
Pam Wallin says she will challenge her suspension from the Senate. Mike Duffy has a doctor’s note to cover his absence. But several sources have reported that he is very unhappy. Over the years, Stephen Harper has cut lots of people loose — Garth Turner, Bill Casey, Bruce Carson and
Continue reading