The Conservatives sabotage NAFTA
The road to the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) began under a Conservative government and has been championed by Conservatives ever since. Surprising then that they should treat it…
Bill Longstaff
The legitimate anger of the jihadis
As the season of wallowing in warrior worship wanes, we might think upon those warriors we love to hate—the young Muslim men from around the globe migrating (or trying to…
Energy East—another reason why we need Quebec
Among the arguments that might be made to keep Quebec in Canada is simply that it’s our most progressive province. One can cite ample of evidence for this: it showed…
Oh my God! The Japanese make better whisky than the Scots!
A year of firsts for whiskey. For instance, it’s the first time in the 12-year history of the World Whisky Bible’s rankings that a Scottish malt has failed to make…
Naheed Nenshi—world’s best mayor?
Recently, Canada suffered through the pain and embarrassment of having the world’s worst mayor. Is it possible we can now rise above the humiliation with the world’s best mayor? Calgary’s…
Democracy inches along in Tunisia
The Arab spring, one of the most encouraging events from a democratic perspective in recent years, has unfortunately mostly failed. Egypt, the most important Arab country, and the country where…
MacKay makes the right noises
With all the feverish reaction from politicians and a good part of the media to the two recent “terrorist” incidents, it is encouraging to hear Justice Minister Peter McKay say…
About those Canadian values
The shooting spree by Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on Parliament Hill that resulted in the death of soldier Nathan Cirillo has resulted in a rush of rhetoric about a threat to Canadian…
Terrorist or misfit?
Canada doesn’t often capture the attention of the world’s media, but Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, with his murderous rampage on Parliament Hill Wednesday, has managed to put us on front pages around…
When Khomeini said no to nukes
When Iran claims it is not developing nuclear weapons because they are incompatible with Islam, the U.S. and its European allies suggest this is mere propaganda. According to an article…
Saudi Arabia—beheading capital of the world
Of all the atrocities committed by the Islamic State, the ones that got the most attention were the very public beheadings of two American journalists and a British aid worker.…
Will we have to bomb the Shias now?
We are all familiar with the depravity of the Islamic State. Tragically, some of their foes are also descending into the moral depths. According to a report by Amnesty International,…
Will Republicans believe their military on climate change?
The American Republican Party is a major obstacle to the United States acting responsibly on climate change. In the manner of our federal government, they do not allow science to…
UK MPs vote overwhelmingly to recognize State of Palestine
It was overwhelming. British MPs voted 274 to 12 this week in support of a motion to recognize Palestine as a state. The vote was only symbolic, as it isn’t…
Mr. Harper, listen to the Commish
She’s your commissioner, Mr. Harper, appointed under your watch. She is a former mining industry executive, the kind of credentials you respect. So when she speaks, pay attention. And she…
Calgary inches closer to a charter
In 1867, Canada’s founding fathers created two levels of constitutional government—provincial and federal. The municipal level didn’t make the cut. This was excusable at the time. Over 80 per cent…
Pity the Americans—running an empire ain’t easy
Running an empire is tough. There are always tribesmen out on the fringes who fail to appreciate that you are bringing them civilization. In their lack of gratitude, they act…
CEO pay—how much is too much?
The American Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO) has compiled a list of CEO compensation in 19 developed countries and the results are of considerable interest to Canadians. It turns out that…