Singh writes a letter
Way back in 2004 the Liberals, led by Paul Martin, squeaked out an election win that resulted in a minority government. In order to remain in power, they needed the…
Bill Longstaff
Donald Trump is now as American as apple pie
Donald Trump is for real. His victory in 2016 was no fluke. He got more votes this time, including more support from Republicans, the party he was predicted to shatter,…
O’Toole says some good stuff
Watching the vicious political battle taking place south of the border, it is refreshing to see signs of a more civilized political culture up here. Such signs were illustrated last…
Cancelling Tommy Douglas
If I had to choose my favourite Canadian, I would without hesitation choose Tommy Douglas, the man most responsible for Medicare, one of Canadians’ two most popular institutions. I’m not…
Electing Biden isn’t enough
In 2016, Americans embarrassed themselves by electing Donald Trump as their president. Then Trump took over and has embarrassed them ever since. If they want to regain the world’s respect,…
Greens cheated in B.C. election
The election in B.C. last Saturday should have elevated the Green Party to the status of power broker. It failed. The Greens’ 15 percent of the popular vote should have…
China has a soft power shortage
Now would seem to be the moment for China’s star to shine. It has gained control of the coronavirus pandemic rapidly and effectively, and it is the only member of…
Kenney channels Notley
During the NDP’s brief sojourn as government of Alberta, it pursued a policy oft-referred to as “social license.” The idea was that if the province was to get investment in…
Bolivia back on track
When Bolivians elected Evo Morales and his Movimiento al Socialismo (Mas) party in 2005, they may have elected the best president they have ever had. The country prospered, he instituted…
Jacinda’s victory—a win for decency
It gives one a warm feeling to see a brilliant, compassionate, progressive political leader succeed in a world that often seems committed to elevating the worst of the lot. The…
Mother Mushroom, blogging and freedom of speech
As I post pearls of wisdom on my blog, including righteous criticism about this country’s follies, I rarely stop to think how fortunate I am to be able to do…
The green wave swallows Exxon
I have read so many articles about banks and investment firms high-tailing it away from oil recently, I hardly pay attention when another crops up in the news. Nonetheless, I…
U.S. democracy corrupted by U.S. constitution
In 2016, most Americans voted for Hillary Clinton. They got President Donald Trump. Republicans represent fewer citizens than Democrats, yet they have controlled the Senate for more than half of…
The pecten transitions
All those years ago when I earned my keep in the oil patch, I was fortunate to toil for Shell Canada. I was paid well, enjoyed generous benefits and excellent…
Democracy embarrassed
As a committed democrat, I would dearly love to be able to convince doubters of democracy’s superiority by pointing to its leaders. And in the past that has often been…
Scientific American chooses Biden
Sometimes you just have to take a stand. Enough is enough. Throughout its long history, the magazine Scientific American has kept to science and left politics to the politicians. No…
Where is the best whisky made? Alberta, of course
Alberta is the land of oil and gas, right? And of cowboys and rodeos. And mountains and skiing. No surprises there. But here’s a surprise. It’s also the land of…
U.S. image in the sewer
According to a 13-nation survey by the Pew Research Center, the reputation of the U.S. has hit a record low. Significantly, the survey covered key American allies and partners, including…
UCP or NDP? Depends on your age … and gender
Some surprising results in an Angus Reid survey of Albertans this week. The UCP and the NDP are tied in voter support, each at 38 percent. This is quite a…