Posts Tagged ‘ Canadian politics ’

Justin Trudeau is making a mistake on Senate reform ..??

Feb 13th, 2013 | By | Category: In Brief

[UPDATED FEBRUARY 14, 16]. According to a Canadian Press report by the estimable Joan Bryden yesterday, Justin Trudeau has now come out as an opponent of any major democratic reform of the unreformed Senate of Canada. (The CP report appeared in at least two places on the net : ”Forget Senate reform and just appoint […]



Who cares about Senator Brazeau in all this snow, snow, snow, snow, snow?

Feb 8th, 2013 | By | Category: In Brief

GANATSEKWYAGON, ON. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY8, 2013. 3 PM ET. I have now shovelled twice, and it’s still coming down. I hope the forecast that it will end early this evening is right. But even if it is, I’m guessing I‘ll be out shovelling probably two more times, at least. I can in any case appreciate the […]



Debating conditions for “negotiations on Quebec’s secession from Canada” like rearranging deck chairs on Titanic

Jan 29th, 2013 | By | Category: Canadian Provinces

As the end of the first month of 2013 looms, in the middle of yet another vaguely puzzling Canadian winter, a few less than crucial events have raised the oh-so-boring question of “Quebec independence” yet again. (Last night’s TV news videos of a flooded Sherbrooke Street in Montreal were more interesting than the NDP’s Sherbrooke […]



Joyce Murray not next Liberal Party of Canada leader .. but she may be most interesting candidate?

Jan 24th, 2013 | By | Category: Ottawa Scene

Without actually wanting to add to my colleague Frank Bunting’s recent over-effusive references to the work of Thomas Walkom at the Toronto Star, I have been drawn in spite of myself to yesterday’s further ruminations by the same authority,”Do Canada’s, or Ontario’s, Liberals matter any more: Thomas Walkom.” At least on the surface of things, […]



World in 2012 from our corner north of Great Lakes could have been worse??

Dec 23rd, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

Without any doubt, we would say here, the biggest news of 2012 in the larger universe to which Canada belongs (though quite independently of course!) was the re-election of Barack Obama as president of the USA. And we did at least follow this big story, like everyone else. As early as January 13, 2012 we […]



Pauline Marois in Paris .. and the three new wise men from Quebec in Ottawa and Quebec City

Oct 15th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

Judging by the poll on the Globe and Mail site today, not very many Canadians outside Quebec are concerned that “France has re-instated its non-interference, non-indifference policy toward Quebec nationalism.” There may nonetheless be a few who are wondering what this report elsewhere on the Globe and Mail site means: “Premier Pauline Marois got what […]



The unbearable lightness of being Justin Trudeau .. just what Canada after Stephen Harper wants?

Sep 28th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

We still don’t know for dead certain that Justin Pierre James Trudeau will be throwing his hair into the ring. But eminent Ottawa journalists have reported “Mr. Trudeau is expected to announce next week [Tuesday, some especially bold scribes are saying] that he is a candidate for leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.” And, […]



Why does so much of English Canada still yearn for comforts of British empire, even in autumn of 2012?

Sep 25th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

For some Canadians – if opinion polls are to be believed, even for at least a bare majority, coast to coast to coast – the news that “Canada and Britain to run combined embassies” or “Canada, Britain to sign deal to ‘link up’ embassies abroad” or “Canada and Britain to join diplomatic forces” or “Canada, […]



Almost autumn leaves .. common house returns to Ottawa .. this is Canadian democracy? .. zzzzzzzz etc

Sep 18th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

OTTAWA. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012. Retired senior citizens in desperate need of afternoon naps were well served by the CPAC TV presentation of Question Period, in the just-back-from-summer-vacation Canadian House of Commons yesterday afternoon. The favourite word of New Democrat MPs this season is apparently “reckless,” as in the Harper government’s “reckless cost cutting,” etc, […]



Iran parliamentarians think it is the British queen who has closed Canada’s embassy in Tehran!

Sep 12th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

There have been various explanations of the Harper government’s decision last Friday to suspend Canada’s diplomatic relations with Iran. See, eg: “By cutting ties with Iran, we just shot ourself in the foot” ; “Burman: What has prompted Canada’s move against Iran?” ; and “Canada’s last Iran ambassador: Cutting off Tehran looks like a mistake.” […]