A new look
If you were looking for Views from the Beltline and thought you’d come to the wrong place, fear not dear readers, you are exactly where you wanted to be. A…
Bill Longstaff
Putin and NATO
A proposed explanation, if not a justification, for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is that NATO pushed too far east and thus posed a threat. Actually it wasn’t so much…
The “racialized” fallacy … or how to (or not to) compare ethnic groups
Dealing with bigotry in its various forms is a major issue of our times. If the subject is to be discussed intelligently and sound policies established, it needs to be…
The Ukraine war—a boon for the Prairies
War mostly bings death, destruction and suffering, but it also brings profits for some. In the case of the current war in the Ukraine, much profit will be brought to…
How much more of our money will Kenney spend on his crusades?
Our belligerent premier, Mr. Kenney, rarely misses an opportunity to pick a fight with the feds. His latest foray is a court challenge of PM Trudeau’s invoking of the Emergencies…
Ukraine—a hard power lesson for Iran … and others
In December, 1991, as the Soviet Union crumbled into dust, Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence. Thus was created something of a nuclear problem. The new country was the world’s third…
Putin’s apologists
Russia’s war-mongering president, Vladimir Putin, has many admirers in the West. Various notable European politicians have paid homage, including the leader of France’s far right National Rally party, Marine Le…
Another dazzling bust to boom for Alberta
Having lived in Alberta on and off for over 60 years, I’ve seen my share of boom and bust cycles, perhaps our most well known economic phenomenon. But this last…
The American retreat punishes the Afghan people
The Taliban are in a celebratory mood. Afghanistan has just defeated its third Western empire and they can take the credit. The Afghans humiliated the British in the 19th century,…
A tale of two magazines
Last month one of Alberta’s conservative icons passed away. Ted Byfield was 93. Byfield, a propagandist for social conservative causes and a promoter of conservative parties and politicians (including Premier…
A Happy New Year for the American military
Santa was good to the U.S. armed forces. On December 27th President Biden signed a defence bill for nearly $770-billion. This was $24-billion more than he had asked for, but…
Canada will be back … eventually
Way back in 2015, flush with election victory, newly minted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced “Many of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in…
Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy—a timely effort
As a passionate believer in democracy, I feel compelled to comment on the recent democracy summit called to order by President Biden. Cynicism about the summit is thick on the…
Does Kenney understand Alberta?
A recent survey, conducted by Maru Public Opinion and Janet Brown Opinion Research, took a reading of Canadians’ views of Alberta. The poll measured the reaction to a number of…
Facts are not futile
At a time when rabid anti-vaxxers make noise beyond their numbers and conspiracy theorists roam the Web, this may appear to be a low point for trust in science. No-nothings…
American jurisprudence—a puzzle
Two recent criminal trials in the U.S. caught international attention. I refer to the Kyle Rittenhouse case in Wisconsin and the Ahmaud Arbery case in Georgia, the first known best…
Suzuki apologizes, Kenney rants
David Suzuki recently made some rash comments about oil pipelines, specifically “There are going to be pipelines blown up if our leaders don’t pay attention to what’s going on.” Being…
Schadenfreude, Hydro-Québec and the Maine referendum
It’s called schadenfreude, the satisfaction you get from someone else’s misfortune. Some Albertans may be feeling it this week after the referendum in Maine that rejected a Hydro-Québec transmission line…
Minister Freeland and the global tax
I first took particular notice of federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland when I read her book Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else.…