An overextension of government powers shot an arrow through the heart of our democracy
The Freedom Convoy has dominated the domestic and international news cycle for nearly three weeks. The protest is in the process of coming to a stunning conclusion, based on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act on Monday. Things were gradually winding down in recent days. Protesters were removed from the Ambassador…
If supply chains are the backbone of our economy, the border is its spinal cord
In recent days, many Canadians have watched in disbelief as protesters easily blocked many access points between the United States and Canada. For six painful days, the blockades included the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., a key trade conduit between the two countries, forcing trucks to be rerouted towards Sarnia. Other border crossings were disrupted…
Time to condemn the actions of neo-fascist protesters
The trucker convoy to Ottawa has placed Canada under the international spotlight. I wonder what the world is thinking. We hear people shouting “freedom,” but I sincerely question whether they know the meaning of the word. I’ve talked to friends and family who’ve lived in countries where people aren’t free, and we’re scratching our heads.…
If you attack, slander, dismiss or silence your enemy: You. Will. Lose
Anyone who serves the public learns how to manage upset customers. When someone says you hurt them, do not argue. Listen. Apologize. When people are angry, upset, or heartbroken, you must stay silent. Offer support. There is no other rational response. Of course, listening has limits. Threats, yelling, or swearing must end the conversation, with…
The system of government we thought we had has proven to be illusory
If there is a historical precedent for the truckers’ revolt in Canada and the populist protests in so many other parts of the world, I would like to know what it is. It surely sets the record for convoy size, and it is historic for Canada. But there is much more going on here, something…
The government answer to any problem is to hammer Canadians with higher taxes
By Franco Terrazzano and Kris Sims Canadian Taxpayers Federation As we head into the third year of revolving government lockdowns, Canadians have every right to be furious. But we shouldn’t let politicians divide us. And we shouldn’t be duped into believing that we are going to tax our way out of a pandemic. “We’re looking…
It's more about a grab for power than about public health
“The unvaxxed, I really feel like pissing them off,” said French President Emanuel Macron a few days ago. “And so we’re going to keep on doing that, to the very end. That’s the strategy.” In an interview in September, an outraged Justin Trudeau accused unvaccinated Canadians of being “extremists” who are “often misogynistic and racist.”…
If a huge majority of Americans can't denounce what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. has big problems
Imagine a country where football players kneeling on the sideline peacefully protesting inequalities in their country are labelled “unpatriotic,” “treasonous” and “sons of bitches” by the president of the country, while citizens who violently storm the nation’s Capitol and break into the House Chamber in an attempt to stop the certification of a presidential election…
Organizational cultures are ripe for change when the familiar starts to seem odd
Imagine having never seen a handshake. You would know nothing of the different levels of importance and intimacy, when it should be done, what’s happening during the shake and even whether you can learn something from the shake itself. Trying to learn about it all at once would be akin to learning a new language.…
Declaring an environmental emergency without debate is manipulatively undemocratic
Calgary recently swore in its first female mayor, Jyoti Gondek, and she has already delivered a troubling message. A week earlier, less than 24 hours after winning the mayoral race, she gave her first post-election talk-radio interview to 630 CHED’s Ryan Jespersen, mostly involving a series of softball questions. He asked her the obligatory woke…