Big Steve Is Watching You
One wonders if the Harper caucus has any backbone at all. We know that Big Steve has spent taxpayer money keeping an eye on his own MPs: Opposition parties accused…
Owen Gray
You Can’t Believe A Word
Andrew Coyne has an interesting take on the National Research Council’s new mandate. The NRC was originally established to do the kind of research which business could not and should…
"We Don’t Make Mistakes. Bureaucrats Do."
When Marc Garneau — Canada’s first astronaut — was not invited to a ceremony celebrating the Canadarm’s contribution to space exploration, the Harper government blamed that oversight on the officials…
Canadian Class Warfare
Linda McQuaig writes that, until the temporary foreign workers program blew up in its face, the Harper government was able to keep one of its key initiatives — class warfare…
Pontification From The Pompous
Conrad Black — that great defender of the Common Man — argued in Saturday’s National Post that public service unions are a public plague. He was defending the Harper government’s…
The Resource Curse
In a recent interview with The Globe and Mail, Al Gore referred to something he called The Resource Curse: The so-called resource curse is most often understood in the context…
The Smallest Man In Canada
Michael Harris writes that Stephen Harper is the Wizard of Wrath: Just as in the movie, our Wizard is playing the bully with the big stick to the very end.…
He’s Worried
Carol Goar wrote in theToronto Star that Stephen Harper is “at risk of sneering himself into irrelevance.” Boston has its suspected terrorists. So does Canada. And Canadians are troubled: comments…
Scientists In Chains
Melissa Mancini, over at the Huffington Post, has documented Stephen Harper’s war on science. Consider the record: Environment Canada put out 71 news releases in 2012, compared with 110 in…
One May Smile And Smile
Tom Walkom writes that no one should be taken in by the cosmetic changes to the Temporary Workers program, which Jason Kinney announced two days ago: The backpedaling Monday by…
Not Here. Not Now
The Parliamentary Budget Office has released its report on last month’s Federal Budget. Kevin Page should be proud of the work his office has done. As was the case with…
Twisted Priorities
The Harper government is a nasty piece of work. Its twisted priorities now permeate the Canadian economy. Those priorities are best illustrated by the temporary foreign workers program. Originally established…
Making The Mighty Nervous
Stephen Harper has greeted the new leader of the Liberal Party with mockery. It is the same response he had for both Stephane Dion and Michael Ignatieff. But don’t be…
Signifying Nothing
Michael Harris writes that the Canadian Bar Association does not support Bill S7, the Harper government’s recently passed anti terrorism legislation: The CBA makes the point that the legislation does…
A Dark Future
Stephen Harper — that fountain of sweetness and light — has stepped up his attack on Justin Trudeau. He tries to paint Trudeau as weak because Mr. Trudeau wants to…
Government By Distraction
Bill S7 is a deeply flawed piece of legislation. Its provisions for “preventative detention” and forcing people to answer questions are unlikely to pass a Supreme Court challenge. But the…
Harper’s Time Has Passed
The Liberals have answered the first of the Conservative attack ads against Justin Trudeau. That ad blew up in their faces. As Michael Harris wrote earlier this week: In a…
Gum On Their Noses
The international community knows by now that the Harper Government — remember, the moniker is now on official documents — is full of navel gazers. And navel gazers aren’t concerned…
Permanently Unemployed
Paul Krugman writes in The New York Times that America is creating a new social class — the permanently unemployed: Now, some unemployment is inevitable in an ever-changing economy. Modern…
It’s About Fair Trade, Not Free Trade
Canada’s three major parties now endorse Free Trade. Tom Walkom writes: Free trade is now orthodoxy in Canada. It used to be debated fiercely. It no longer is. Stephen Harper’s…