Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott gives a rather sly wink as he takes a phone call from a grandma who claims she works a phone sex line to make ends meet. Abbott then argues that the virtues of his carbon tax cut will help this woman. I cannot possibly see Stephen Harper allowing himself to be even remotely close to having an unscripted moment like this filmed.
On Tuesday,the Canadian Journal of History published an essay by Yves Frenette, one of Canada’s top historians, which is sharply critical of the way the Harper government has “used” or, so far as the critics go, “abused” Canada’s history. Frenette’s essay is a good summing-up of the kind of critique which has been showing up over the last three or four years whenever academics gather at conferences, at their blogs, and in other fora.
Note to reader: Those links won’t click themselves. I encourage you to check them out.
As a political journalist (and history grad), I’m much more interested in why governments turn to history to help sustain their current political objectives. I wrote about this in a column destined for our papers on Wednesday and I wrote about this last month when Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird spoke about the history of Canada’s foreign policy. Mind you, I’m limited to just 625 words for each of these columns so I can’t get into some of the same great detail that Paul Wells touches on his book The Longer I’m Prime Minister … that helps answer this question about why the Harper gang is interested in Canadian history: Continue reading Why is history important to Harper?
This is the latest ad from the Ontario PC Party, which has built its campaign around what it calls its “Million Jobs Plan”. In short, Hudak believes that if Ontarians can leave the PCs in charge in government for the next eight years, the province will end up with 1 million more net new jobs. Western University economist Mike Moffatt has put that promise in context and, in his judgement, believes that that is an “ambitious — but not impossible — target.”
But in this new ad, Hudak is not talking about the million jobs he will create in 8 years. In this ad, he is standing in the legislature at Queen’s Park and and says: “There are 1 million people out of work.” Now I’m assuming that, as this is being released in the midst of an Ontario general election and he made that comment in the Ontario legislature, we ought to interpret what he said as there are 1 million Ontarians out of work. But that’s just not true. Continue reading The wonky math in Tim Hudak's new "I Want To Work" ad
In this new ad released Saturday, the Ontario Liberals try to scare the bejesus out of any soft leftie who might be thinking of voting for Andrea Horwath that Kathleen Wynne is the only who can save us from Mike Harris, er, Tim Hudak!
Meanwhile, Continue reading Ontario campaign ad wars: Mike Harris versus Barack Obama vs "The Kid"
Last week, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said that any Liberal candidate who is not already a sitting MP must be pro-choice. This week, Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, sent Trudeau the following letter, a copy of which was distributed to the Parliamentary Press Gallery:
Mr. Justin Trudeau, MP
Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
House of Commons, OttawaMay 14, 2014
Dear Mr. Trudeau,I am deeply concerned about your decision that citizens who, in conscience, seek to assure the protection of the most vulnerable among us are not acceptable as candidates in your party. Continue reading Cardinal to Trudeau: Be "the king's good servant, but God's first"
Here’s the latest ad to hit the Ontario election campaign trail. It’s from the Liberals and that’s the voice of Liberal leader and premier Kathleen Wynne jumping on Andrea Horwath for failing to support the Liberal budget.
If you haven’t yet seen it, Continue reading In new ad, Kathleen Wynne asks: Is Andrea Horwath for real?
It won’t make it to TV screens until later this month but this TV ad posted online today by the federal Liberals and spun by a “senior Liberal” as an attempt at “contrasting Trudeau” with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and not as a response to Conservative ads and frequent Conservative member’s statements in the House of Commons in which Trudeau is derided as “in over his head.” Continue reading Coming soon to your TV: A new ad from Justin Trudeau and the Liberals
This is terribly unsettling news. Atleo is a principled, courageous leader who recognized that the single best way to make the lives of First Nations people better was through education. Improving education systems and outcomes takes time — generations even — but Atleo was a victim to attacks from other First Nations politicians looking to score quick points. Here is the statement Atleo delivered this afternoon at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa:
STATEMENT FROM ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS NATIONAL CHIEF SHAWN A-IN-CHUT ATLEO
(Ottawa, ON) – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo made the below statement in Ottawa, ON today.
“I have stated clear priority on the recognition of Treaty, of Indigenous rights and title, on the safety and security of our most vulnerable, and I have also made my priority on education for our kids plainly clear. Continue reading For the record: Statement from Shawn Atleo resigning as AFN National Chief
This morning, Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she’d vote against the just-tabled budget of the minority Liberal government at Queen’s Park. That, of course, would precipitate an election.
Well, Premier Kathleen Wynne didn’t even wait for the vote and visited the Lieutenant Governor this afternoon to have the election called. It’ll be a long campaign – nearly 7 weeks — but Ontarions will get to choose their next premier on June 12. Continue reading Ontario election set for June 12. Take our poll!
Here’s the top bit of a very interesting column by my friend John Ivison of the National Post:
Rumours about Beverley McLachlin, the Chief Justice, are being shared with journalists, alleging she lobbied against the appointment of Marc Nadon to the court (an appointment later overturned as unconstitutional). It is also being suggested she has told people the Harper government has caused more damage to the court as an institution than any government in Canadian history.
The chatter suggests there is a clear strain between the offices of the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice. Continue reading A "strain" between the country's top judge and top politician