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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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, […]

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, […]

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.” […]

[UPDATED AUGUST 28]. Just over a week from now, the people/peuple of la belle province (which is, of course, not a province like the others, because of its beauty and many other things) will be choosing their next provincial government. It still seems wrong to jump to any big conclusions just yet – especially perhaps […]

This past Friday the Victoria Times Colonist published a piece by Murray Brewster of the Canadian Press, entitled “Royal branding of Canadian Forces to be extended … Suggestions for smaller branches forwarded for approval to Queen.” As Mr. Brewster has explained: “Restoring the ‘Royal’ prefix to the navy and air force has … become a […]