He expresses a vision that reaches back over 1,000 years, to a Russia that was an empire and proud of it
Let’s make a stipulation up front: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is unjustified. There’s no ambiguity on that score. Russia is the bad actor in this situation. Still, it’s always useful to understand the other guy. Understanding doesn’t imply approval and insight is never a bad thing to have. Putin is typically described…
Misleading Canadians about what we can do to help our allies and the world
Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said recently that Canada isn’t the solution to the energy security crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He’s wrong and he’s misleading Canadians about what we can do to help our allies and the world. Guilbeault is a former Greenpeace activist vehemently opposed to Canadian oil and gas. Here is…
A post-pandemic world clamouring for raw energy mean Russian oil is here to stay
When U.S. President Joe Biden took to the podium in the first hours of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he spoke of a blitz of sanctions designed to isolate and cripple the Russian economy, and ultimately stall the Russian war machine. Noticeably absent from the long list of deterrents – which even included personalized financial…
U.S. President Joe Biden gave his first state of the union address on Mar. 1. How did he perform overall? Let’s get the obvious analysis out of the way. There were many things in Biden’s address that I disagreed with. His political agenda is left-leaning and focused on increasing the size and involvement of the…
We need to stop the self-immolation of our energy sector before the next crisis strikes
How to end the conflict created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine is top of mind. Most of the world, including Canada, wants this nasty war resolved in Ukraine’s favour. To do this, steps need to be taken to limit Russian aggression, short of the direct military engagement that could lead to an all-out multinational,…
Crucial to our national security interests and those of our allies
Six years ago, I asked energy companies and others to fund research on why, in addition to being valuable economic commodities, oil and natural gas might be integral to Canada’s and our allies’ security interests. My theory was that Canadians who usually think only superficially about fossil fuels might be more sympathetic to their development…
The unintended consequences of our policy decisions
The tragedy unfolding in Ukraine brings several immediate thoughts to mind. In a dangerous world, being able to look after yourself is highly advantageous We talk a lot about how war has become obsolete, how a rules-based international order can substitute for a robust defence capability, and how attachment to the nation-state is increasingly passé.…
Manipulative fantasy crises and villains fail to gain traction when met with healthy public skepticism
The world has been shocked by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression in neighbouring Ukraine and we all watch in horror as millions of people are made to suffer. What lessons does this situation reveal about our humanity? We’re capable of responding to people in need with empathy. The media coverage of the Ukraine crisis has…
Unfortunately, Canada is in no position to help because of decades of poor energy policy
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine didn’t cause the energy crisis in Europe. Rather, the energy crisis enabled the invasion – and it’s been decades in the making. So what are we going to do about it? Energy policy must be strategic. Unless Western nations address our energy security, we may be destined to see this kind…
Could be another challenging year for our farmers, and consumers
Humanity just got dealt another blow with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Just thinking of the human cost is unbearable. And the agri-food sector has already been impacted by the conflict in more ways than one. Ukraine is Europe’s breadbasket, so this conflict will affect global commodity markets in a meaningful way. Wheat and corn futures…
Let’s make a stipulation up front: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is unjustified. There’s no ambiguity on that score. Russia is the bad actor in this situation. Still, it’s always useful to understand the other guy. Understanding doesn’t imply approval and insight is never a bad thing to have. Putin is typically described…
