A newfound appreciation for Rob Ford
February 1, 2012 | 5 Comments
Ottawa’s former mayor, Larry O’Brien, got into a bit of trouble. How ’bout we let him tell the story: Anyone who knows me understands that being politically incorrect (PI) has been a special strength all my life. Unfortunately being so blessed is not good for my relations with the chattering class and other such [...]
The human cost of manufacturing our iPhones
January 26, 2012 | 9 Comments
Canada has fared relatively well during the current economic crisis. There are many reasons why, as many as why the U.S. has suffered so much. One factor shielding Canada is also something that people lament: a lack of a substantial manufacturing base. This extends to an innovation or productivity gap. So while Canada has definitely [...]
The Blog of Foreign Affairs
January 25, 2012 | No Comments
This week, I have launched a new blog at The League of Ordinary Gentlemen called the 49th. Basically, it’s a Canadian political/cultural blog written for an American audience. I’ll be taking on subjects and linking to writers that I think will be of interest to our neighbours to the south. I’ll also be taking on [...]
So is dual citizenship really dangerous?
January 19, 2012 | 5 Comments
The more I think about it, the more the issue of citizenship seems to beg greater discussion than the rhetoric thrown around when political parties want to attack their competitors. (Thanks to everyone for their thoughtful comments on the previous post.) And the debate is unavoidable, since globalization continues to advance it. So Andrew Coyne [...]
More than one nationality is dangerous
January 17, 2012 | 5 Comments
The question of citizenship in political office has re-emerged. NDP MP Thomas Mulcair also holds French citizenship, which he secured through his wife, who was born in France. Perhaps this is just the Sun newspaper chain agitating the issue in a slow news period, as protest is minimal. Nevertheless, the question of dual citizenship pops [...]
A question for conservatives and classical liberals
January 14, 2012 | 9 Comments
Many of the Canadians I’ve talked to who define themselves as conservatives and classical liberals have, at one time or another, have made clear to me that while they’re not fans of big government spending programs, they do support at least some government support for disadvantaged groups of citizens. This is also one of the [...]
We’re Here, We’re Queer, We Don’t Want Anymore Bears!
December 13, 2011 | No Comments
A bear found its way into a dumpster in downtown Vancouver today, so naturally… No word on whether or not it was a Trash-Co waste disposal unit.
Won’t Somebody Please Think of the Chickens!
December 9, 2011 | No Comments
Sigh. If it isn’t one supply management crisis, it’s another. We’ve got to save the Wheat Board because, well, because. And we need a chicken board to keep the marauding Colonel Sanders at bay, lest our very way of life be destroyed. I’d like to propose a blogging marketing board. How about the government force people to [...]
Attawapiskat: Hardly A Day of Reckoning
December 6, 2011 | No Comments
Shawn Atleo, Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said the Attawapiskat crisis marks a “moment of reckoning” in Canada’s policies regarding First Nations. I would like to believe him. But, recent history suggests otherwise. After all, the E. coli crisis in the northern Kashechewan reserve in 2005 was large enough to warrant a [...]
Canada’s morale deficit
November 30, 2011 | 2 Comments
The other day, a run with a friend took me by the Lester B. Pearson building, a bunker-like structure that houses hundreds of Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade staff. The building overlooks the Ottawa River, the Parliament Buildings, the National Gallery. It was late afternoon, so the sunset had coloured the entire sky pink [...]