A Crossroad
Dan Gardner, in today's The Ottawa Citizen, writes that "what we saw last week was much more profound than politics:"Jack Layton was energetic and engaged. He was fully alive. Even…
Owen Gray
Canada’s Rumsfeld
When Sheila Fraser uncovered the Sponsorship Scandal, Paul Martin appointed John Gomery to look into the matter. When Ms. Fraser uncovered the Muskoka Slush Fund, Stephen Harper promoted Tony Clement.…
The Alternative
No one delivers a speech the way Stephen Lewis does. His diction is crisp and clear and his passion is absolutely authentic. But a Lewis speech is more than just…
Pure Dumb Luck
Stephen Harper, party insiders tell us, likes to think that he is the smartest guy in the room. But Lawrence Martin makes a good case for believing that Harper's "triumph"…
Layton’s Legacy
Much will be written in the days to come about Jack Layton's legacy. Lawrence Martin writes that Jack Layton was "the left's great hope. The great hope is gone and…
Jack Layton
There was something about Jack Layton's optimism which caused you to believe he would beat cancer. After all, he had done it once before. His passion for life and for…
Doomed To Fail
In today's Globe and Mail, Eddie Greenspan and Anthony Doob take on the Harper government's new legislation, which proposes harsher rules for growing and selling marijuana. It enumerates things nicely..…
It Can’t Happen Here?
Richard Florida has written a great deal about what he calls the new "Creative Class." And his research has uncovered the fact that certain centres -- like Toronto and Vancouver…
It’s 1955 Again
Jane Taber writes in this morning's Globe and Mail that the Harper government "is working to recast the Canadian identity, undoing 40 years of a Liberal narrative and instead creating…
Doctor or Politician?
Dr. Kellie Leitch is not the first doctor to dabble in politics. The recently retired Keith Martin tried to blend the two professions. But the Harper government's refusal to acknowledge…
First Thing We Do Is Get Rid Of The Auditors
Life for Tony Clement would be so much easier if people didn't keep records. The problem is that, even though he went to extraordinary lengths to bury those records, they've…
He Likes To See Fear In Their Eyes
When Wickileaks dumped those American diplomatic cables onto the Internet, we learned that Stephen Harper "likes to see fear in eyes" of his employees. How disconcerting it must be, then,…
Foolishly Falling In Line
I'm sure key members of the Harper government read Lawrence Martin's stuff. I'm also sure they are not impressed. The trouble is that Martin sees through these folks -- and…
This Fish Is Beginning To Stink
During the election campaign, the government explained that the lack of a paper trail for the G8 funding in Tony Clement's riding was the consequence of necessary speed. Things needed…
Putting a Myth To Bed
A particularly potent myth has been circulating for about a decade. It is that the world's economic problems began with the fall of the World Trade Center. But, as Jennifer…
Inherit The Wind
Forty two years ago, I was preparing to teach my first classes. I had spent the summer at the University of North Carolina, studying John Dewey, Jerome Bruner, Carl Rogers…
The Second Great Contraction
The American economist, Kenneth Rogoff suggested this week that we stop referring to our present economic woes as The Great Recession, and instead label the present situation The Second Great…
It’s Always Been About Jobs
Many people criticize Paul Krugman for being too shrill. But, after all, the policy elites have chosen not to take his advice; and, as economies around the world continue to…
The Witch Hunt Has Begun
When historians look back at the Harper Government -- remember, that is its chosen moniker -- I suspect they will point to this summer's hunt for "War Criminals" as a…