Where is the outrage about the RCMP’s witch-hunt?
At one time I instinctively assumed that government agencies were apolitical, servants of the people, not the servants of any particular philosophy or party. That, it increasingly seems, was the…
Bill Longstaff
ISIS and the grand imam—not so different
That ISIS is a scourge of major proportions is agreed on across the globe. Driven by some religious mania, they persecute other religions, behead infidels, burn enemies alive—all with sickening…
Of course Netanyahu "rules in Washington"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to address the U.S. Congress next month has created quite a stir. President Obama, apparently not informed of the visit beforehand, is fuming. At…
Did he really say that?
How does he get this stuff out of his mouth? Pope Francis, I mean. In a recent audience in St. Peter’s Square, he declared that couples who choose not to…
French hold most favourable views of Jews and Muslims
How the French view their minority populations after the violent events earlier this month will probably take a while to sort out. But a poll conducted last year suggested they…
Why are Americans so frightened?
If you were asked what the American people’s top policy priority was, what would you answer? The economy perhaps? Immigration? Global warming? You would be wrong. According to the Pew…
A sales tax for Alberta?
Alberta Premier Jim Prentice recently committed heresy. Faced with plummeting oil prices and the possibility of a $500-million deficit, the premier actually encouraged discussion about adopting a sales tax. “I…
So what did Raif Badawi say?
The world is now aware of Saudi Arabia’s satanic punishment of blogger Raif Badawi—ten years in prison and a 1,000 lashes for saying things unacceptable to the country’s powerful religious…
The pope’s diminished freedom of speech
Did the pope just display an iota of sympathy for the zealots who massacred Charlie Hebdo staff? In response to a question about the attack, he replied, “One cannot provoke,…
AI—will they keep us as pets?
It isn’t as if we don’t have enough BIG things to worry about—global warming, resource depletion, nuclear war, for starters—now renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and brilliant entrepreneur and inventor Elon…
The House of Saud—they may be terrorists, but they’re our terrorists
During the Cold War, the West made allies out of some brutal dictatorial regimes. A challenge on this often met with the cynical answer, “they may be bastards, but they’re…
Harper’s histrionics
Terrorist attacks are theatre. And what theatre they have been presenting lately. The 9/11 spectacle of planes flying into tall buildings was the most spectacular event ever seen on television.…
Americans OK with torture
The Pew Research Centre recently released the results of a survey of Americans about the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on CIA interrogation practices, a report which revealed the agency has…
Bravo to Baird and Harper on the Cuba file
The United States has finally come to its senses and is normalizing relations with Cuba. It’s taken over half a century but—to borrow the old cliché—better late than never. And…
Americans lovin’ their guns more than ever
Following the slaughter of twenty children in Newtown, Connecticut two years ago this month, many Americans hoped their countrymen and women would finally turn against the gun nuts and demand…
America and the torture chronicles
So the U.S. has finally and formally confessed its sins. Good for the Americans. All nations sin, the better ones own up. That the CIA ran a torture regime isn’t…
Human Rights 365
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”…
Preston Manning—a real conservative?
As someone on the left I have occasionally wondered how we got lumbered with responsibility for defending the environment. Surely, I would muse, this is the province of conservatives. Conservative,…
A coalition of the willing for Syrian refugees?
The United States has resumed its war in Iraq, once again building a “coalition of the willing.” Our government has, unfortunately, decide to join this one. Our participation is unwise…
Pipelines in every direction
Our new premier, Jim Prentice, claims he is committed to making Alberta an environmental leader. That’s on Sundays, just after church. The rest of the week his commitments lie elsewhere.…