Closing politics and public life to those who are religious leaves us with a less tolerant society that brings fundamental freedoms into question
Disagreement is normal, if not necessary, in a healthy democracy. Being intolerant and disrespectful toward those with whom we disagree, however, is fatal to that democracy. Historically, Canadians have had the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (and the Bill of Rights before it) for protection. That’s especially important for racial, religious, political or sexual minorities,…
A coalition partner could have been exactly what the prime minister needed to show Canadians that he needs a majority to do his job properly
After the Oct. 21 federal election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would continue his progressive agenda despite his Liberals losing 20 seats and falling 13 seats short of a majority in Parliament. A coalition government was widely expected, with the NDP opening the door to talks. However, a strong left-wing, progressive presence in…
It would be a gross violation of religious freedom if we allowed beliefs to become a test for fitness for office. Yet Andrew Scheer faced a barrage of criticism
Canada’s public square is an increasingly closed space, at least for voices of faith. This is dangerous – and not just for the faithful. The 2019 federal election campaign and its aftermath make clear that there are new boundaries to what can and can’t be said publicly. Moreover, the boundaries now cover what can and…
The prospect of a profligate Liberal minority government dependent on the even more financially destructive policies of the NDP is enough to send even more investors scurrying to the exits
The Oct. 21 federal election results confirm that most Canadians have lost all fear of deficit spending, no matter how large. That’s a serious problem for the nation. During the 2015 federal election campaign, the Conservatives led by Stephen Harper proudly announced a no-deficit budget after years of working to rebalance spending and revenues following…
The government has an impressive team, a strong record of legislation and has raised our international standing
Aided by corrosive social media, omnipresent angry groups and the need for climate tempering, the countdown to the federal election has been divisive and grouchy. While many viewed at least one of the leadership debates, I sense Canadians understand that there’s much more at stake than individual party leader street credentials in this election. Some…
The brutish mother of all federal elections is (mercifully) nearing its conclusion. But a few twists and turns are still possible, as the leader of the third party recently showed us. The Tories are ahead of the Liberals in most opinion polls, albeit by a narrow margin of one to two per cent. The former…
How the NDP can still be competitive in oil-and-gas rich provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan when it is devoutly anti-energy is beyond me
My dad, Anthony “Tony” Diotte was a locomotive engineer at Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., a long-time executive for his United Transportation Union local as well as a staunch supporter of the NDP until his death in 1994. But I can guarantee you my father would not vote for the federal NDP today.…
Canadians have witnessed major scandals, offensive remarks, daily mud-slinging and policy proposals with big, shiny numbers that are wasteful enough to make adults cry
The federal election has just passed the halfway mark and many Canadians can’t wait until it’s over. This isn’t related to the usual malaise and frustration we see and hear during election season. Rather, it has everything to do with the fact this has been the most ridiculous political campaign in Canadian history. Where to…
The Greens offer the most comprehensive plan. But it, like all the other platforms, is significantly shortly on details about costs
During this federal election campaign, my youngest grandchild turned three months old and I had my 79th birthday. What can I hope for our futures? I cast my first vote for John Diefenbaker’s Progressive Conservatives before most of today’s voters were born and steadily migrated through the ideological spectrum. I worked in Pierre Trudeau’s Liberal…
Maybe Trudeau should have dressed up as a clown at that party in 2001. It would have suited him better
Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s defining accomplishment as prime minister was the creation of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Regardless of the politics surrounding the creation of the document, it embodies Canadian democracy in the highest form. The senior Trudeau’s intention was to create a “just society” – a term that was his trademark during the…
Disagreement is normal, if not necessary, in a healthy democracy. Being intolerant and disrespectful toward those with whom we disagree, however, is fatal to that democracy. Historically, Canadians have had the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (and the Bill of Rights before it) for protection. That’s especially important for racial, religious, political or sexual minorities,…
