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Douglas Roche

The nuclear threat is real

  • Canadian policy on nuclear disarmament can be summed up in one word: ambiguity. It’s not a pretty word, nor is it a pretty sight
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | May 25, 2023
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured May 9, 2023. Even though the prime minister has said publicly that Canada would remain engaged in nuclear disarmament discussions 'in all multilateral fora,' it appears that Joly did not get the message, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The nuclear threat is real

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | May 25, 2023
  • Canadian policy on nuclear disarmament can be summed up in one word: ambiguity. It’s not a pretty word, nor is it a pretty sight

The nuclear threat is real

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | May 25, 2023
  • Canadian policy on nuclear disarmament can be summed up in one word: ambiguity. It’s not a pretty word, nor is it a pretty sight
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured May 9, 2023. Even though the prime minister has said publicly that Canada would remain engaged in nuclear disarmament discussions 'in all multilateral fora,' it appears that Joly did not get the message, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau is right to resist defence lobby’s call for more military spending

  • NATO doesn’t do holistic peace. Always demanding more money for arms, it intimidates its own members.
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 20, 2023
It's not easy for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to challenge the military-industrial complex, which drives U.S. policy, which in turn, drives NATO. He deserves credit, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau is right to resist defence lobby’s call for more military spending

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 20, 2023
  • NATO doesn’t do holistic peace. Always demanding more money for arms, it intimidates its own members.

Trudeau is right to resist defence lobby’s call for more military spending

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 20, 2023
  • NATO doesn’t do holistic peace. Always demanding more money for arms, it intimidates its own members.
It's not easy for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to challenge the military-industrial complex, which drives U.S. policy, which in turn, drives NATO. He deserves credit, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Pope Francis focuses his remaining energies on Ukraine battlefield

  • Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time.
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 13, 2023
On March 13, Pope Francis will observe the 10th anniversary of his election to the papacy. In that decade, he has reached outward to a fractured world and inward to a fractured church. Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time. Photograph courtesy Flickr/Commons Wikimedia

Pope Francis focuses his remaining energies on Ukraine battlefield

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 13, 2023
  • Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time.

Pope Francis focuses his remaining energies on Ukraine battlefield

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 13, 2023
  • Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time.
On March 13, Pope Francis will observe the 10th anniversary of his election to the papacy. In that decade, he has reached outward to a fractured world and inward to a fractured church. Seldom in the modern history of the Catholic Church has a pope been plunged into both external and internal crises at the same time. Photograph courtesy Flickr/Commons Wikimedia

Canada quiet as Ukraine war inches Doomsday Clock closer to midnight

  • With the risk of nuclear weapons being used in the war, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says the globe has entered ‘a time
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 30, 2023
Mélanie Joly
Mélanie Joly
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly speaks with reporters in June 2022. A Global Affairs response to the extreme warning Doomsday Clock tightening to 90 seconds to midnight is just business-as-usual for Canada, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada quiet as Ukraine war inches Doomsday Clock closer to midnight

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 30, 2023
  • With the risk of nuclear weapons being used in the war, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says the globe has entered ‘a time

Canada quiet as Ukraine war inches Doomsday Clock closer to midnight

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 30, 2023
  • With the risk of nuclear weapons being used in the war, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says the globe has entered ‘a time
Mélanie Joly
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly speaks with reporters in June 2022. A Global Affairs response to the extreme warning Doomsday Clock tightening to 90 seconds to midnight is just business-as-usual for Canada, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ purchase of F-35s indicates Canada has given up on peace-building as best route to global security

  • It’s now clear for all to see that militarism has taken over Canada’s foreign policy.
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 16, 2023
Defence Minister Anita Anand announced on Jan. 9 that the government had finalized its deal to replace the Air Force's again fleet of CF-18 fighter jets with 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets. It's estimated to cost $19-billion, but will cost about $70-billion for the entire lifecycle of the jets. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ purchase of F-35s indicates Canada has given up on peace-building as best route to global security

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 16, 2023
  • It’s now clear for all to see that militarism has taken over Canada’s foreign policy.

Feds’ purchase of F-35s indicates Canada has given up on peace-building as best route to global security

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 16, 2023
  • It’s now clear for all to see that militarism has taken over Canada’s foreign policy.
Defence Minister Anita Anand announced on Jan. 9 that the government had finalized its deal to replace the Air Force's again fleet of CF-18 fighter jets with 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets. It's estimated to cost $19-billion, but will cost about $70-billion for the entire lifecycle of the jets. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A path to peace in a time of polycrisis

  • The age of common security, or at least the recognition that no one nation can achieve security at the expense of neighbours, has arrived.
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 15, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Defence Minister Anita Anand, right, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, left, and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland leave a media availability in West Block on Jan. 26, 2022. Changing our attitude to reject militarism would enable Canada to adopt a more holistic approach in pursuing a just peace, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A path to peace in a time of polycrisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 15, 2022
  • The age of common security, or at least the recognition that no one nation can achieve security at the expense of neighbours, has arrived.

A path to peace in a time of polycrisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | December 15, 2022
  • The age of common security, or at least the recognition that no one nation can achieve security at the expense of neighbours, has arrived.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Defence Minister Anita Anand, right, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, left, and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland leave a media availability in West Block on Jan. 26, 2022. Changing our attitude to reject militarism would enable Canada to adopt a more holistic approach in pursuing a just peace, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Peace movement in Canada has a new leader, it’s Cesar Jaramillo

  • Cesar Jaramillo has reached a critical point in his career. His effectiveness as a peace advocate will be judged by how well he finesses
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 31, 2022
Cesar Jaramillo, a 45-year-old political refugee from Colombia, last week guided a high-powered policy conference on new ways to build global security out of the Ukraine war. Photograph courtesy of Douglas Roche

Peace movement in Canada has a new leader, it’s Cesar Jaramillo

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 31, 2022
  • Cesar Jaramillo has reached a critical point in his career. His effectiveness as a peace advocate will be judged by how well he finesses

Peace movement in Canada has a new leader, it’s Cesar Jaramillo

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 31, 2022
  • Cesar Jaramillo has reached a critical point in his career. His effectiveness as a peace advocate will be judged by how well he finesses
Cesar Jaramillo, a 45-year-old political refugee from Colombia, last week guided a high-powered policy conference on new ways to build global security out of the Ukraine war. Photograph courtesy of Douglas Roche

The world doesn’t want another Cuban Missile Crisis

  • EDMONTON—The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 12, 2022
The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago this month, in which, for 13 days, humanity stood on the brink of World War III. The crisis passed because U.S. president John F. Kennedy, left, and Soviet Union president Nikita Khrushchev, right, engaged in crisis diplomacy and negotiated a solution to the problem of the Soviets installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The world doesn’t want another Cuban Missile Crisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 12, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago

The world doesn’t want another Cuban Missile Crisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 12, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago
The possibility of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has led to comparisons with the Cuban Missile Crisis 60 years ago this month, in which, for 13 days, humanity stood on the brink of World War III. The crisis passed because U.S. president John F. Kennedy, left, and Soviet Union president Nikita Khrushchev, right, engaged in crisis diplomacy and negotiated a solution to the problem of the Soviets installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canada needs to give more support to UN’s new Agenda for Peace

  • EDMONTON—If good speeches at the UN—which fill the air this week at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate—could save the world, we’d all
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 22, 2022
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is currently preparing a paper, 'A New Agenda for Peace,' which will be published next year as part of the run-up to the UN Summit for the Future in 2024. Give the man credit for at least trying to build an agenda that prevents future wars, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Canada needs to give more support to UN’s new Agenda for Peace

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 22, 2022
  • EDMONTON—If good speeches at the UN—which fill the air this week at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate—could save the world, we’d all

Canada needs to give more support to UN’s new Agenda for Peace

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 22, 2022
  • EDMONTON—If good speeches at the UN—which fill the air this week at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual debate—could save the world, we’d all
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is currently preparing a paper, 'A New Agenda for Peace,' which will be published next year as part of the run-up to the UN Summit for the Future in 2024. Give the man credit for at least trying to build an agenda that prevents future wars, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

The ugly truth about nuclear disarmament

  • EDMONTON—”The ugly truth, no matter how we wrap it, is that all nine nuclear weapon states have no intention to disarm; quite the contrary,
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 5, 2022
The Western states blamed Russia and Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine for the failed Non-Proliferation Treaty conference. Yet to leave the matter squarely on the doorstep of Russia would be a gross distortion. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The ugly truth about nuclear disarmament

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 5, 2022
  • EDMONTON—”The ugly truth, no matter how we wrap it, is that all nine nuclear weapon states have no intention to disarm; quite the contrary,

The ugly truth about nuclear disarmament

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 5, 2022
  • EDMONTON—”The ugly truth, no matter how we wrap it, is that all nine nuclear weapon states have no intention to disarm; quite the contrary,
The Western states blamed Russia and Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine for the failed Non-Proliferation Treaty conference. Yet to leave the matter squarely on the doorstep of Russia would be a gross distortion. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Influx of women into nuclear disarmament gives us hope, unless they work for a NATO country

  • EDMONTON—At 10 a.m. on Aug. 4, the fourth day of the month-long Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton stepped to the
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | August 10, 2022
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, Defence Minister Anita Anand, and Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton. Despite the enormous danger to the world from the aggressive nuclear modernization programs of the nuclear powers, who intend to spend billions of dollars to retain their nuclear arsenals for the rest of this century, the Canadian government still refuses to support comprehensive, time-bound negotiations for the elimination of nuclear weapons, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and courtesy Flickr, and Commons Wikimedia

Influx of women into nuclear disarmament gives us hope, unless they work for a NATO country

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | August 10, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At 10 a.m. on Aug. 4, the fourth day of the month-long Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton stepped to the

Influx of women into nuclear disarmament gives us hope, unless they work for a NATO country

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | August 10, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At 10 a.m. on Aug. 4, the fourth day of the month-long Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton stepped to the
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, left, Defence Minister Anita Anand, and Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton. Despite the enormous danger to the world from the aggressive nuclear modernization programs of the nuclear powers, who intend to spend billions of dollars to retain their nuclear arsenals for the rest of this century, the Canadian government still refuses to support comprehensive, time-bound negotiations for the elimination of nuclear weapons, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and courtesy Flickr, and Commons Wikimedia

World’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty is on the verge of collapse

  • EDMONTON—Joe Biden is ineffectual. Vladimir Putin is demented. Donald Trump is ubiquitous. Antonio Guterres is invisible. Jens Stoltenberg reigns. Political leadership in the world
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 18, 2022
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured May 30, in Ottawa. Does anybody care that the world’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty—the one designed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons around the world—is on the verge of collapse, writes Douglas Roche.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

World’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty is on the verge of collapse

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 18, 2022
  • EDMONTON—Joe Biden is ineffectual. Vladimir Putin is demented. Donald Trump is ubiquitous. Antonio Guterres is invisible. Jens Stoltenberg reigns. Political leadership in the world

World’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty is on the verge of collapse

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 18, 2022
  • EDMONTON—Joe Biden is ineffectual. Vladimir Putin is demented. Donald Trump is ubiquitous. Antonio Guterres is invisible. Jens Stoltenberg reigns. Political leadership in the world
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured May 30, in Ottawa. Does anybody care that the world’s only surviving multilateral nuclear weapons treaty—the one designed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons around the world—is on the verge of collapse, writes Douglas Roche.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s absence at nuclear prohibition treaty meeting a disappointment

  • EDMONTON—Sadness best describes my feelings about Canada not showing up at the first meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 27, 2022
Canadian Senator Marilou McPhedran, and two interns, Rooj Ali, left, and Sarah Rohleder, protested against the absence of Canada at the first meeting of the states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna June 21-23. The Hill Times photograph by Douglas Roche

Canada’s absence at nuclear prohibition treaty meeting a disappointment

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 27, 2022
  • EDMONTON—Sadness best describes my feelings about Canada not showing up at the first meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of

Canada’s absence at nuclear prohibition treaty meeting a disappointment

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 27, 2022
  • EDMONTON—Sadness best describes my feelings about Canada not showing up at the first meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of
Canadian Senator Marilou McPhedran, and two interns, Rooj Ali, left, and Sarah Rohleder, protested against the absence of Canada at the first meeting of the states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna June 21-23. The Hill Times photograph by Douglas Roche

The United Nations can help us get through these dark days

  • EDMONTON—The Russian war in Ukraine is bogged down and no one knows how it will end. The West is dispirited, frantically pouring billions of
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 9, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured May 9, 2022, at the 2022 Victory Parade in Red Square, Moscow, to mark the 77th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. On March 2, 2022, the UN General Assembly, by a vote of 141-5-35, adopted a resolution demanding the Russian Federation immediately end its invasion of Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces. The vote condemning Russian aggression clearly showed Russia's isolation from the rest of the international community. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The United Nations can help us get through these dark days

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 9, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The Russian war in Ukraine is bogged down and no one knows how it will end. The West is dispirited, frantically pouring billions of

The United Nations can help us get through these dark days

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 9, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The Russian war in Ukraine is bogged down and no one knows how it will end. The West is dispirited, frantically pouring billions of
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured May 9, 2022, at the 2022 Victory Parade in Red Square, Moscow, to mark the 77th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. On March 2, 2022, the UN General Assembly, by a vote of 141-5-35, adopted a resolution demanding the Russian Federation immediately end its invasion of Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces. The vote condemning Russian aggression clearly showed Russia's isolation from the rest of the international community. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

UN faces biggest crisis in its history due to political impotence of Secretary General Guterres

  • EDMONTON—At 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, 1962, the eighth day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, acting secretary-general U Thant sent an urgent message to
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 25, 2022
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, pictured, should step up his leadership on the crisis in the Ukraine war, writes Doug Roche. ‘It takes a strong leader to overcome the intimidation tactics of Washington and Moscow. Guterres is not that leader. However, the moral power of the entire UN is of greater consequence than the characteristics of any secretary general.’ Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

UN faces biggest crisis in its history due to political impotence of Secretary General Guterres

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 25, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, 1962, the eighth day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, acting secretary-general U Thant sent an urgent message to

UN faces biggest crisis in its history due to political impotence of Secretary General Guterres

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 25, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, 1962, the eighth day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, acting secretary-general U Thant sent an urgent message to
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, pictured, should step up his leadership on the crisis in the Ukraine war, writes Doug Roche. ‘It takes a strong leader to overcome the intimidation tactics of Washington and Moscow. Guterres is not that leader. However, the moral power of the entire UN is of greater consequence than the characteristics of any secretary general.’ Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Canada’s middle power diplomacy is far from ‘errant nonsense’

  • EDMONTON—In calling Mélanie Joly “a disgrace,” because she stood up for the vigorous exercise of Canadian diplomacy, Andrew Caddell has attacked not only the
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 30, 2022
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has said Canada is not a nuclear power, but a middle power that is good at convening, fostering diplomacy, and influencing other countries to act in the interest of peace. The Hill Times Photograph by Sam Garcia

Canada’s middle power diplomacy is far from ‘errant nonsense’

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 30, 2022
  • EDMONTON—In calling Mélanie Joly “a disgrace,” because she stood up for the vigorous exercise of Canadian diplomacy, Andrew Caddell has attacked not only the

Canada’s middle power diplomacy is far from ‘errant nonsense’

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 30, 2022
  • EDMONTON—In calling Mélanie Joly “a disgrace,” because she stood up for the vigorous exercise of Canadian diplomacy, Andrew Caddell has attacked not only the
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has said Canada is not a nuclear power, but a middle power that is good at convening, fostering diplomacy, and influencing other countries to act in the interest of peace. The Hill Times Photograph by Sam Garcia

War in Ukraine has placed the West at a crossroads: pursue war or peace?

  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 18, 2022
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, at Ādaži Military Base together with the President of Latvia Egils Levits, left, Canada's Minister of Defence Anita Anand and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 8, 2022. Stoltenberg is calling for 'major investments' from NATO partners as it draws up plans for a significantly larger long-term deployment of Western forces in Eastern Europe. Photograph courtesy of NATO/Flickr

War in Ukraine has placed the West at a crossroads: pursue war or peace?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 18, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister

War in Ukraine has placed the West at a crossroads: pursue war or peace?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 18, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, at Ādaži Military Base together with the President of Latvia Egils Levits, left, Canada's Minister of Defence Anita Anand and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 8, 2022. Stoltenberg is calling for 'major investments' from NATO partners as it draws up plans for a significantly larger long-term deployment of Western forces in Eastern Europe. Photograph courtesy of NATO/Flickr

Ukraine has brought us to another crossroads for humanity

  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 17, 2022
Defence Minister Anita Anand, pictured Feb. 22, 2022, at a press conference on the Hill. It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Anand, reeling from the demands of the Ukraine war, is openly campaigning for more money and will present 'aggressive options' to cabinet, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ukraine has brought us to another crossroads for humanity

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 17, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister

Ukraine has brought us to another crossroads for humanity

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 17, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Defence Minister
Defence Minister Anita Anand, pictured Feb. 22, 2022, at a press conference on the Hill. It’s a safe bet Canada’s defence spending will get a huge boost in the federal budget soon to be presented to Parliament. Anand, reeling from the demands of the Ukraine war, is openly campaigning for more money and will present 'aggressive options' to cabinet, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be outlawed now

  • EDMONTON—It’s no longer postponable. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 7, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured Jan. 10, 2022. Far from closing down the little that remains of nuclear disarmament agreements because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this seminal moment in the history of the 21st century must be seized, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be outlawed now

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 7, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s no longer postponable. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be

Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be outlawed now

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | March 7, 2022
  • EDMONTON—It’s no longer postponable. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown, in a demented and terrifying way, why the possession of nuclear weapons must be
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured Jan. 10, 2022. Far from closing down the little that remains of nuclear disarmament agreements because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this seminal moment in the history of the 21st century must be seized, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Magnitude of Ukraine crisis cannot be overstated, and the international system is marked by chaos

  • EDMONTON—At first, I didn’t want to write about the possibility of the Ukraine crisis escalating into nuclear warfare. I have written for many years
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 28, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured. The Russian president is displaying all the hallmarks of unleashed grievance. You don’t have to be a psychiatrist to see a tormented mind giving orders for full attack if he is thwarted from taking over Ukraine, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Magnitude of Ukraine crisis cannot be overstated, and the international system is marked by chaos

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 28, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At first, I didn’t want to write about the possibility of the Ukraine crisis escalating into nuclear warfare. I have written for many years

Magnitude of Ukraine crisis cannot be overstated, and the international system is marked by chaos

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 28, 2022
  • EDMONTON—At first, I didn’t want to write about the possibility of the Ukraine crisis escalating into nuclear warfare. I have written for many years
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured. The Russian president is displaying all the hallmarks of unleashed grievance. You don’t have to be a psychiatrist to see a tormented mind giving orders for full attack if he is thwarted from taking over Ukraine, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ottawa Declaration hits sensitive nerve inside federal government

  • EDMONTON—The Ottawa Declaration, a new document calling on Canada to begin the process of joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 11, 2022
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured Feb. 8, 2022, on the Hill. The Prohibition Treaty is already having an effect on world politics. Recently, the five major nuclear weapons states—the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and China—issued a joint statement reaffirming that 'a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,' writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ottawa Declaration hits sensitive nerve inside federal government

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 11, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The Ottawa Declaration, a new document calling on Canada to begin the process of joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and

Ottawa Declaration hits sensitive nerve inside federal government

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 11, 2022
  • EDMONTON—The Ottawa Declaration, a new document calling on Canada to begin the process of joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured Feb. 8, 2022, on the Hill. The Prohibition Treaty is already having an effect on world politics. Recently, the five major nuclear weapons states—the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and China—issued a joint statement reaffirming that 'a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,' writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

World cooperation is more necessary now than ever before, and Parliament needs to come together

  • EDMONTON—World problems centring around COVID-19, climate change, nuclear weapons, and inequalities pose immense challenges to political systems everywhere. The well-being of all humanity is
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 22, 2021
Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, left, Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, NDP MP Heather McPherson, and Green MP Elizabeth May all signed Doug Roche's statement of principle. He sent the statement to five Members of Parliament from five different parties, and noted that if they signed, there would be no implication they were speaking for their party, just exercising their right as a Member of Parliament to express views. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Sam Garcia and courtesy of Flickr

World cooperation is more necessary now than ever before, and Parliament needs to come together

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 22, 2021
  • EDMONTON—World problems centring around COVID-19, climate change, nuclear weapons, and inequalities pose immense challenges to political systems everywhere. The well-being of all humanity is

World cooperation is more necessary now than ever before, and Parliament needs to come together

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | November 22, 2021
  • EDMONTON—World problems centring around COVID-19, climate change, nuclear weapons, and inequalities pose immense challenges to political systems everywhere. The well-being of all humanity is
Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, left, Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, NDP MP Heather McPherson, and Green MP Elizabeth May all signed Doug Roche's statement of principle. He sent the statement to five Members of Parliament from five different parties, and noted that if they signed, there would be no implication they were speaking for their party, just exercising their right as a Member of Parliament to express views. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Sam Garcia and courtesy of Flickr

Is the political machinery of government killing idealism?

  • EDMONTON—Foreign Minister Marc Garneau began his speech to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 27 in a way no other foreign minister had ever
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 4, 2021
Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau, left, and Bob Rae. Can Garneau actually break through the stranglehold his own government has put on key security issues well identified by the UN? Why has Rae, the much-acclaimed Canadian ambassador to the UN who entered the post with bold statements of justice for the tragic numbers of refugees in the world and dramatic action for climate change, toned down his vision, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Is the political machinery of government killing idealism?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 4, 2021
  • EDMONTON—Foreign Minister Marc Garneau began his speech to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 27 in a way no other foreign minister had ever

Is the political machinery of government killing idealism?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 4, 2021
  • EDMONTON—Foreign Minister Marc Garneau began his speech to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 27 in a way no other foreign minister had ever
Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau, left, and Bob Rae. Can Garneau actually break through the stranglehold his own government has put on key security issues well identified by the UN? Why has Rae, the much-acclaimed Canadian ambassador to the UN who entered the post with bold statements of justice for the tragic numbers of refugees in the world and dramatic action for climate change, toned down his vision, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

20 years since 9/11, what have we learned?

  • EDMONTON—On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, when I stepped out of the shower at 7 a.m. Mountain time, my wife told me to look at
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 2, 2021
Members of the 6 Mobile Strike Force Kandak move into position during an exercise in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2013. Canadian troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 2014. Canadian Armed Forces photograph courtesy of Sgt. James Funk

20 years since 9/11, what have we learned?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 2, 2021
  • EDMONTON—On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, when I stepped out of the shower at 7 a.m. Mountain time, my wife told me to look at

20 years since 9/11, what have we learned?

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 2, 2021
  • EDMONTON—On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, when I stepped out of the shower at 7 a.m. Mountain time, my wife told me to look at
Members of the 6 Mobile Strike Force Kandak move into position during an exercise in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2013. Canadian troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 2014. Canadian Armed Forces photograph courtesy of Sgt. James Funk

As countries adapt to a post COVID-19 world, innovative responses to crisis of common survival will be essential

  • EDMONTON—What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 22, 2021
What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the Elders, an independent group of former global leaders using their experience to press today’s governments to smarten up on peace, justice, and human rights. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikimedia and Flickr

As countries adapt to a post COVID-19 world, innovative responses to crisis of common survival will be essential

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 22, 2021
  • EDMONTON—What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the

As countries adapt to a post COVID-19 world, innovative responses to crisis of common survival will be essential

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 22, 2021
  • EDMONTON—What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the
What do Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, Ban Ki-moon, Juan Manuel Santos, and Zeid Raad Hussein have in common? They are all members of the Elders, an independent group of former global leaders using their experience to press today’s governments to smarten up on peace, justice, and human rights. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikimedia and Flickr

NDP MP McPherson out-classes Alberta Conservatives every day in Commons

  • EDMONTON—You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 18, 2021
You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, pictured, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other way around, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

NDP MP McPherson out-classes Alberta Conservatives every day in Commons

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 18, 2021
  • EDMONTON—You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other

NDP MP McPherson out-classes Alberta Conservatives every day in Commons

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 18, 2021
  • EDMONTON—You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other
You might think that Alberta’s 33 Conservative MPs would overwhelm the NDP’s Heather McPherson, pictured, the only non-Conservative Alberta MP, but it’s quite the other way around, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

View of Canada’s approach to defence spending needs a wider lens

  • John Ivison, a columnist for the National Post, is dangerously wrong when he asserts that Canada “should increase, not reduce” military spending in next
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 16, 2021
It is Chrystia Freeland who is responsible for giving credence to the idea that Canada’s defence spending must increase, thanks to a 2017 speech in Parliament, when she was foreign minister, where she praised 'military power in defence of our principles and our alliances,’ writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

View of Canada’s approach to defence spending needs a wider lens

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 16, 2021
  • John Ivison, a columnist for the National Post, is dangerously wrong when he asserts that Canada “should increase, not reduce” military spending in next

View of Canada’s approach to defence spending needs a wider lens

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 16, 2021
  • John Ivison, a columnist for the National Post, is dangerously wrong when he asserts that Canada “should increase, not reduce” military spending in next
It is Chrystia Freeland who is responsible for giving credence to the idea that Canada’s defence spending must increase, thanks to a 2017 speech in Parliament, when she was foreign minister, where she praised 'military power in defence of our principles and our alliances,’ writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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Canadians want nuclear disarmament and our government should act

  • A strong majority across Canada want the government to join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, despite pressure it may face
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 7, 2021
Austria’s Alexander Kmentt says that Canada, by attending the first meeting of the states party to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons next year as an observer could signal that nuclear weapons are not ‘a sustainable security policy in the long run,’ writes Douglas Roche. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Friends of Europe

Canadians want nuclear disarmament and our government should act

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 7, 2021
  • A strong majority across Canada want the government to join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, despite pressure it may face

Canadians want nuclear disarmament and our government should act

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 7, 2021
  • A strong majority across Canada want the government to join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, despite pressure it may face
Austria’s Alexander Kmentt says that Canada, by attending the first meeting of the states party to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons next year as an observer could signal that nuclear weapons are not ‘a sustainable security policy in the long run,’ writes Douglas Roche. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Friends of Europe

Government clams up on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Treaty which comes into force on Jan. 22

  • EDMONTON—With NATO breathing down its neck, the Government of Canada has clammed up on what it will say about the Treaty on the Prohibition
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 18, 2021
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the treaty as 'historic,' adding that it 'form an important component of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime,' and set a new global norm against nuclear weapons. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Government clams up on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Treaty which comes into force on Jan. 22

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 18, 2021
  • EDMONTON—With NATO breathing down its neck, the Government of Canada has clammed up on what it will say about the Treaty on the Prohibition

Government clams up on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Treaty which comes into force on Jan. 22

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | January 18, 2021
  • EDMONTON—With NATO breathing down its neck, the Government of Canada has clammed up on what it will say about the Treaty on the Prohibition
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the treaty as 'historic,' adding that it 'form an important component of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime,' and set a new global norm against nuclear weapons. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

In subtle diplomatic move, Canada ceases its opposition to nuclear weapons prohibition treaty

  • EDMONTON—In a subtle diplomatic move, the Government of Canada has ceased its opposition and now “acknowledges” the reason for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 30, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Oct. 23, 2020, at a press conference on the Hill. In a subtle diplomatic move, the Government of Canada has ceased its opposition and now 'acknowledges' the reason for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which will enter into force on Jan. 22, 2021, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

In subtle diplomatic move, Canada ceases its opposition to nuclear weapons prohibition treaty

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 30, 2020
  • EDMONTON—In a subtle diplomatic move, the Government of Canada has ceased its opposition and now “acknowledges” the reason for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear

In subtle diplomatic move, Canada ceases its opposition to nuclear weapons prohibition treaty

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 30, 2020
  • EDMONTON—In a subtle diplomatic move, the Government of Canada has ceased its opposition and now “acknowledges” the reason for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Oct. 23, 2020, at a press conference on the Hill. In a subtle diplomatic move, the Government of Canada has ceased its opposition and now 'acknowledges' the reason for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which will enter into force on Jan. 22, 2021, writes Doug Roche. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Bob Rae has arrived on the scene

  • EDMONTON—When Canada lost its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council the second successive time last June, I thought a foreign policy
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 1, 2020
Bob Rae recently briefed the cabinet and presumably repeated to ministers what he said in his report: Canada’s response cannot be limited to amounts budgeted well before the pandemic, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Bob Rae has arrived on the scene

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 1, 2020
  • EDMONTON—When Canada lost its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council the second successive time last June, I thought a foreign policy

Bob Rae has arrived on the scene

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | October 1, 2020
  • EDMONTON—When Canada lost its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council the second successive time last June, I thought a foreign policy
Bob Rae recently briefed the cabinet and presumably repeated to ministers what he said in his report: Canada’s response cannot be limited to amounts budgeted well before the pandemic, writes Douglas Roche. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Canada can’t hide behind NATO in refusal to sign treaty on nuclear weapons prohibition

  • EDMONTON—Lloyd Axworthy, Jean-Jacques Blais, Jean Chrétien, Bill Graham, John McCallum, John Manley, and John Turner. These seven names hardly need an introduction to readers
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 21, 2020
Lloyd Axworthy, Jean Chrétien, Bill Graham, John McCallum, John Manley, and John Turner all signed an open letter, released on Sept. 21, that features 53 former high officials of NATO countries expressing support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It is an astonishing rebuke of NATO’s moribund policies on nuclear weapons, and the most serious challenge to NATO’s nuclear orthodoxy in the organization’s 71-year history. Even two former NATO secretaries-general, Javier Solana and Willy Claes, as well as former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, joined in this protest. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Hill Times file photographs

Canada can’t hide behind NATO in refusal to sign treaty on nuclear weapons prohibition

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 21, 2020
  • EDMONTON—Lloyd Axworthy, Jean-Jacques Blais, Jean Chrétien, Bill Graham, John McCallum, John Manley, and John Turner. These seven names hardly need an introduction to readers

Canada can’t hide behind NATO in refusal to sign treaty on nuclear weapons prohibition

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | September 21, 2020
  • EDMONTON—Lloyd Axworthy, Jean-Jacques Blais, Jean Chrétien, Bill Graham, John McCallum, John Manley, and John Turner. These seven names hardly need an introduction to readers
Lloyd Axworthy, Jean Chrétien, Bill Graham, John McCallum, John Manley, and John Turner all signed an open letter, released on Sept. 21, that features 53 former high officials of NATO countries expressing support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It is an astonishing rebuke of NATO’s moribund policies on nuclear weapons, and the most serious challenge to NATO’s nuclear orthodoxy in the organization’s 71-year history. Even two former NATO secretaries-general, Javier Solana and Willy Claes, as well as former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, joined in this protest. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Hill Times file photographs

On 75th anniversary of Hiroshima, today’s debate should be about continued illegal, immoral possession of nuclear weapons

  • EDMONTON—Did the United States commit a war crime in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945? And a second war crime in
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 29, 2020
The U.S. detonated two nuclear bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on Aug. 6 and 9, 1945, respectively, killing between 129,000 and 226,000 people. We should stop talking about past culpability and concentrate on present responsibility. The debate is a diversion we cannot afford, writes Doug Roche. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

On 75th anniversary of Hiroshima, today’s debate should be about continued illegal, immoral possession of nuclear weapons

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 29, 2020
  • EDMONTON—Did the United States commit a war crime in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945? And a second war crime in

On 75th anniversary of Hiroshima, today’s debate should be about continued illegal, immoral possession of nuclear weapons

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 29, 2020
  • EDMONTON—Did the United States commit a war crime in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945? And a second war crime in
The U.S. detonated two nuclear bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on Aug. 6 and 9, 1945, respectively, killing between 129,000 and 226,000 people. We should stop talking about past culpability and concentrate on present responsibility. The debate is a diversion we cannot afford, writes Doug Roche. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

Rae’s appointment as UN envoy a long-awaited, sorely needed move

  • Better late than never. When Justin Trudeau was elected prime minister in 2015, I wrote to him, suggesting Bob Rae be named Canada’s ambassador
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 8, 2020
Former senator Douglas Roche says that had Bob Rae, pictured in the National Press Theatre in 2018, been named Canada’s ambassador to the UN, as he suggested back in 2015, Canada would have had a successful bid for a seat on the UN Security Council. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Rae’s appointment as UN envoy a long-awaited, sorely needed move

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 8, 2020
  • Better late than never. When Justin Trudeau was elected prime minister in 2015, I wrote to him, suggesting Bob Rae be named Canada’s ambassador

Rae’s appointment as UN envoy a long-awaited, sorely needed move

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | July 8, 2020
  • Better late than never. When Justin Trudeau was elected prime minister in 2015, I wrote to him, suggesting Bob Rae be named Canada’s ambassador
Former senator Douglas Roche says that had Bob Rae, pictured in the National Press Theatre in 2018, been named Canada’s ambassador to the UN, as he suggested back in 2015, Canada would have had a successful bid for a seat on the UN Security Council. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It isn’t fun losing UN Security Council seat, but there’s a lot to be learned from it

  • EDMONTON—The jugs of maple syrup weren’t enough. Canada tried to sweet-talk its way onto the UN Security Council, but getting elected to the UN’s highest
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 22, 2020
Justin Trudeau, who quickly manifested a sense of entitlement and had the bad advice of a political coterie around him, had no real knowledge of how the UN works when his government put Canada's name forward for 2021-2022 UN Security Council. The prime minister was seen as an international star, but he unsuccessfully challenged Norway, which had announced its candidacy in 2007, and Ireland, which announced its candidacy in 2005, and are two staunch supporters of the wide range of UN programs. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It isn’t fun losing UN Security Council seat, but there’s a lot to be learned from it

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 22, 2020
  • EDMONTON—The jugs of maple syrup weren’t enough. Canada tried to sweet-talk its way onto the UN Security Council, but getting elected to the UN’s highest

It isn’t fun losing UN Security Council seat, but there’s a lot to be learned from it

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 22, 2020
  • EDMONTON—The jugs of maple syrup weren’t enough. Canada tried to sweet-talk its way onto the UN Security Council, but getting elected to the UN’s highest
Justin Trudeau, who quickly manifested a sense of entitlement and had the bad advice of a political coterie around him, had no real knowledge of how the UN works when his government put Canada's name forward for 2021-2022 UN Security Council. The prime minister was seen as an international star, but he unsuccessfully challenged Norway, which had announced its candidacy in 2007, and Ireland, which announced its candidacy in 2005, and are two staunch supporters of the wide range of UN programs. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

World leaders shine in UN meeting on COVID-19 crisis

  • EDMONTON—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave a brilliant demonstration on May 28 of Canada’s convening power to boost global cooperation when he co-chaired a high-level UN
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 1, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau co-chaired a UN meeting on May 28 on 'Financing for Development in Era of COVID-19 and Beyond.' Photograph by Evan Schneider, courtesy of the United Nations

World leaders shine in UN meeting on COVID-19 crisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 1, 2020
  • EDMONTON—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave a brilliant demonstration on May 28 of Canada’s convening power to boost global cooperation when he co-chaired a high-level UN

World leaders shine in UN meeting on COVID-19 crisis

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | June 1, 2020
  • EDMONTON—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave a brilliant demonstration on May 28 of Canada’s convening power to boost global cooperation when he co-chaired a high-level UN
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau co-chaired a UN meeting on May 28 on 'Financing for Development in Era of COVID-19 and Beyond.' Photograph by Evan Schneider, courtesy of the United Nations

Warring parties must lay down weapons to fight bigger battle against COVID-19

  • EDMONTON—“The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.” In one short sentence, UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened the door to a new understanding
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 6, 2020
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, pictured Jan. 20, 2018, recently said, 'The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war,' and in one short sentence, opened the door to a new understanding of what constitutes human security. Photograph of the Kremlin

Warring parties must lay down weapons to fight bigger battle against COVID-19

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 6, 2020
  • EDMONTON—“The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.” In one short sentence, UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened the door to a new understanding

Warring parties must lay down weapons to fight bigger battle against COVID-19

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | April 6, 2020
  • EDMONTON—“The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.” In one short sentence, UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened the door to a new understanding
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, pictured Jan. 20, 2018, recently said, 'The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war,' and in one short sentence, opened the door to a new understanding of what constitutes human security. Photograph of the Kremlin

Nuclear disarmament rep’s visit a good time to flex Canadian foreign policy muscle

  • EDMONTON—In a world that seems every week to be further jettisoning international law on global security as ugly national populism rises, is there any
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 19, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau secured the support of Senegalese President Macky Sall in Canada’s bid for a UN Security Council seat on his recent trip to the country, but Canada’s backing of UN efforts towards nuclear disarmament would be a more worthy endeavour, writes Douglas Roche. Twitter photograph by Adam Scotti

Nuclear disarmament rep’s visit a good time to flex Canadian foreign policy muscle

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 19, 2020
  • EDMONTON—In a world that seems every week to be further jettisoning international law on global security as ugly national populism rises, is there any

Nuclear disarmament rep’s visit a good time to flex Canadian foreign policy muscle

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 19, 2020
  • EDMONTON—In a world that seems every week to be further jettisoning international law on global security as ugly national populism rises, is there any
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau secured the support of Senegalese President Macky Sall in Canada’s bid for a UN Security Council seat on his recent trip to the country, but Canada’s backing of UN efforts towards nuclear disarmament would be a more worthy endeavour, writes Douglas Roche. Twitter photograph by Adam Scotti

Look to the United Nations to find solace in Trump’s wind of madness

  • The failed attempt to convict U.S. President Donald Trump in the impeachment trial has thrown me, just one person, off balance. I’m usually pretty
Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 12, 2020
U.S. President Donald Trump shows a newspaper headline during a Feb. 6 address at the White House, after being acquitted in the U.S. Senate Impeachment Trial. Douglas Roche writes that even though it was Trump on trial, much more was in the spotlight. White House photograph by D. Myles Cullen

Look to the United Nations to find solace in Trump’s wind of madness

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 12, 2020
  • The failed attempt to convict U.S. President Donald Trump in the impeachment trial has thrown me, just one person, off balance. I’m usually pretty

Look to the United Nations to find solace in Trump’s wind of madness

Opinion | BY DOUGLAS ROCHE | February 12, 2020
  • The failed attempt to convict U.S. President Donald Trump in the impeachment trial has thrown me, just one person, off balance. I’m usually pretty
U.S. President Donald Trump shows a newspaper headline during a Feb. 6 address at the White House, after being acquitted in the U.S. Senate Impeachment Trial. Douglas Roche writes that even though it was Trump on trial, much more was in the spotlight. White House photograph by D. Myles Cullen