On the dangers of nationalism and national symbols
A Canadian flag is strapped to the grill of a semi-trailer truck during protests against COVID-19 measures in Ottawa, February 2022. Photo by GoToVan/Flickr. With the recent dispersal of the…
Canadian Politics
The Throne Speech: Short-term objectives, privatization, boondoggles, grudges, and attacks on public health care and education
In the Westminster Parliamentary system, the Throne Speech is supposed to set out the government’s direction, goals and policy for a new session of the legislature. The one read by…
Looks like Albertans will get their wish and become the focus of Canada’s attention – it may be an unpleasant experience for some
As the folk wisdom goes, be careful what you wish for, you might just get it. Albertans, who have a habit of complaining bitterly when they are not at the…
Hot takes: Putin outmanoeuvres the West; Trudeau outmanoeuvres the Opposition, and Alberta outmanoeuvres … shoes!
Well, this has been an interesting Alberta Family Day – and it’s not even over yet. In international politics, Russia recognized the independence of two breakaway Russian-speaking provinces of eastern…
With a murky legal strategy but a clear political one, Jason Kenney vows to challenge use of Emergencies Act in court
Using his favourite medium, Facebook, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced yesterday his government plans to go to court to challenge “the unjustified use of the Emergencies Act” by Ottawa. The…
What the Emergencies Act reveals about civilian policing in Ottawa
Police officers in Ottawa during the Freedom Convoy occupation. Photo by Franklin McKay/Shutterstock. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to deal with the fascist “trucker” convoy…
Jason Nixon’s UCP nomination challenger Tim Hoven got his campaign off to a pretty good start last night
It looks like Tim Hoven’s campaign to challenge Jason Nixon for the United Conservative Party nomination in Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre got off to a pretty good start last night at…
What were members of Canada’s special forces doing at the Freedom Convoy occupation?
Commandos from Canada’s Joint Task Force 2 conduct a night raid in Afghanistan. Image courtesy Simon & Schuster. Reports that members of Canada’s elite special operations force are supporting the…
Ottawa has invoked the Emergencies Act – do you know where your trucks are?
The Canadian government has invoked the Emergencies Act. Do you know where your trucks are? If you don’t, and you run a trucking company, you might want to check. Some…
Small group of Edmonton counter-protesters manages to hold up noisy pro-convoy parade for close to an hour
A small group of counter-demonstrators in Edmonton yesterday managed to blockade a parade of “Freedom Convoy” supporters on their way to the city’s downtown for the better part of an…
Economic shock of border blockade grows; Canadian Conservatives change their tune … a little
The economic attack on Canada by the operators of trucks now blockading three major border crossings to the United States and occupying Ottawa is certainly causing more damage to the…
Alberta bid to recover $1.3-billion loss from KXL shutdown is politically motivated and unlikely to succeed
A brief statement by Energy Minister Sonya Savage yesterday says Alberta’s United Conservative Party Government intends to use a legacy provision of the now-kaput North American Free Trade Agreement to…
Trucker convoy targeted O’Toole
Trucks blocking the intersection at University Avenue and Bloor Street, February 5. Photo by Michael Swan/Flickr. On February 2, after a majority of Conservative MPs ousted Erin O’Toole as Party…
Kenny pulls plug on vaccine passport, as expected, but still manages to gobsmack news conference watchers
There were exactly zero policy surprises at Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s afternoon COVID-19 news conference yesterday. As predicted by everyone everywhere, Mr. Kenney pulled the plug immediately on the province’s…
‘It’s time for this lawlessness to end’ – Rachel Notley rips Jason Kenney’s inaction on illegal border blockade
The 10-day blockade of the main border crossing between Alberta and the United States had damaged the provincial economy to the tune of about half a billion dollars by yesterday.…
This Says It All
The clearest, most concise statement about the alt-right protests and demonstrations comes from Mark Carney, former governor of both the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada. This protest…
Right-wing U.S. paw prints are all over Ottawa occupation and other convoy disruptions
Where are Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and his United Conservative Party now that evidence is accumulating the disruptive and threatening “Freedom Convoy” occupation of Ottawa is being funded and supported…
$9.8M lawsuit targets Ottawa occupation leaders; GoFundMe cuts off $10M fund; Tamara Lich quits Maverick Party board
Ottawa lawyer Paul Champ filed a statement of claim in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice yesterday seeking $4.8 million damages for “private nuisance” and $5 million in punitive damages…
Conservatives Eat Their Own
So the alt-right segment of the Conservative Party dumped Erin O’Toole, its latest leader, for being too moderate. Too much like a human, methinks, and that made him vulnerable. The…
Why the left shouldn’t underestimate Pierre Poilievre
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre comments on the finance committee’s WE Charity affair study, November 16, 2020. Still image courtesy CPAC/YouTube. Erin O’Toole is out as Conservative leader. After a disappointing…