A Buffoon’s Progress
Lawrence Martin writes, in today's Globe and Mail, that:If you were picking the most valuable player on Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s front bench, you wouldn’t be far off in pointing…
Owen Gray
We Need More George Baileys
Robert Kuttner writes, in today's Huffington Post, that the Occupy Wall Street protests are a sign of what is to come:For three years, we have been wondering, where is the…
The Costs of Inequality
Alex Himelfarb writes that, like our neighbours to the south, Canadians are falling into The Inequality Trap. And he warns that accepting that trap as a fact will have horrendous…
The Price Of Moral Clarity
Historians will not be kind to Michael Ignatieff. They will point to the collapse of the Liberal Party under his leadership -- although, in truth, it was a long time…
Living In An Insular Universe
Republicans despise Paul Krugman. -- which is really not surprising. The official position of the Republican Party on any issue is denial. They are truly living in the Twilight Zone.…
A Country For Old Men
On Tuesday, at the Museum of Civilization, David Frum argued in favour of the proposition that Pierre Trudeau was "Canada's most disastrous prime minister:"Pierre Trudeau was a spending fool. He…
The Contempt Continues
After last spring's election, the optimists among us hoped that -- with a secure majority -- we would see a kinder, gentler government. Those optimists hoped for more mutual respect…
Marching Backward
When it comes to foreign policy, Canada has traveled a great distance since Stephen Harper became Prime Minister. Lester Pearson would not recognize his country.There was no greater supporter of…
Not Seeing The Trees For The Forest
Paul Krugman's analysis of the European Debt Crisis, in this morning's New York Times should be required reading -- not just for the movers and shakers in Europe, but for…
Black Is White
Janice Kennedy has accurately described what has happened to Canada during the Harper years. She writes that "a good country is being turned into a sad joke." Reviewing Stephen Harper's…
The Righteous Are In Charge
Someday, historians will cite what Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said this week as the Harper Government's Mission Statement. Nicholson declared that, "We're not governing on the basis of the latest…
The Rich Have Declared That The Poor Are The Enemy
When President Obama proposed higher taxes on the very wealthy this week, Republicans were apoplectic. Once again, they screamed, "Class Warfare." A look at the numbers exposes that lie. Paul…
The New Normal
Lawrence Martin has an interesting rejoinder to Stephen Harper's claim that -- economically speaking -- Canada is at the head of the G8 pack. If you look at Canada's economic…
A Just Society?
The phrase was Pierre Trudeau's, and it caught on. Canadians like to think of themselves as citizens of a Just Society. Certainly, they believe, things are better here than in…
The Triumph of Incompetence
Lawrence Martin weighs in this morning on the subject of Bob Dechert and the company he keeps. John Baird's parliamentary secretary, writes Martin,showed such poor judgment in entering into that…
And So It Begins
As The House of Commons opens its doors after the summer recess, John Ibbitson writes in this morning's Globe and Mail that:Nothing on the fall agenda should surprise anyone. Most…
The Stupid Party
The late Irving Kristol -- the godfather of Neo Conservatism -- once referred to the Republican Party as "The Stupid Party." In today's New York Times, Maureen Dowd uses the…
Top Down
The central tenet of trickle down economics is that the benefits of strong support for those at the top of the system will eventually drip down to those at the…
The Death Of "Compassionate Conservatism"
When George W. Bush was elected president in 2000, he proclaimed that he was a "compassionate conservative." This week, during the second Republican candidates debate, it became clear that the…
The Cost of Everything and the Value of Nothing
What is truly remarkable about the politics of the early 21st century is how the difference between a cost and an investment has been undermined. This week, the Institute on…