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Saturday, November 12, 2022
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Les Whittington

Even with COVID receding, economic decision-making not getting any easier

  • As Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem has said, governments knew how to turn off the economy to try to slow the spread of
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 9, 2022
In the short run, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s government is for the most part facing a lose-lose proposition, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Even with COVID receding, economic decision-making not getting any easier

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 9, 2022
  • As Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem has said, governments knew how to turn off the economy to try to slow the spread of

Even with COVID receding, economic decision-making not getting any easier

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 9, 2022
  • As Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem has said, governments knew how to turn off the economy to try to slow the spread of
In the short run, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s government is for the most part facing a lose-lose proposition, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Paranoid populism arrives in force

  • OTTAWA—Danielle Smith doesn’t just want to change the rules around government vaccine mandates to suit the anti-vaxxers who put her in power in Alberta.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 2, 2022
The open question is how much damage Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s anger-based paranoid populism will bring to Canadian society and governance, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Paranoid populism arrives in force

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Danielle Smith doesn’t just want to change the rules around government vaccine mandates to suit the anti-vaxxers who put her in power in Alberta.

Paranoid populism arrives in force

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | November 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Danielle Smith doesn’t just want to change the rules around government vaccine mandates to suit the anti-vaxxers who put her in power in Alberta.
The open question is how much damage Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s anger-based paranoid populism will bring to Canadian society and governance, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

An ominous signal to Putin from the Republicans’ Russia apologists

  • OTTAWA—Of all the horrific developments in the Russian invasion of Ukraine—a seemingly endless list—one of the most appalling is the unwillingness of Republicans in
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 26, 2022
Some experts believe former U.S. president Donald Trump, left, opened the door for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expanded war against Ukraine by weakening by weakening U.S. democracy and turning Ukraine’s future into a divisive political issue, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

An ominous signal to Putin from the Republicans’ Russia apologists

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 26, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Of all the horrific developments in the Russian invasion of Ukraine—a seemingly endless list—one of the most appalling is the unwillingness of Republicans in

An ominous signal to Putin from the Republicans’ Russia apologists

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 26, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Of all the horrific developments in the Russian invasion of Ukraine—a seemingly endless list—one of the most appalling is the unwillingness of Republicans in
Some experts believe former U.S. president Donald Trump, left, opened the door for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expanded war against Ukraine by weakening by weakening U.S. democracy and turning Ukraine’s future into a divisive political issue, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Convoy grifters get another boost with an equivalent voice before Rouleau

  • OTTAWA—Without intending any disrespect for Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Paul Rouleau, one has to wonder when he opened the Emergencies Act inquiry with
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 19, 2022
Convoy organizer Tamara Lich, centre, arrives for the Public Emergency Order Commission public hearing with lawyers Eva Chipiuk, left, and Keith Wilson at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa on Oct. 13. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Convoy grifters get another boost with an equivalent voice before Rouleau

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 19, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Without intending any disrespect for Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Paul Rouleau, one has to wonder when he opened the Emergencies Act inquiry with

Convoy grifters get another boost with an equivalent voice before Rouleau

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 19, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Without intending any disrespect for Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Paul Rouleau, one has to wonder when he opened the Emergencies Act inquiry with
Convoy organizer Tamara Lich, centre, arrives for the Public Emergency Order Commission public hearing with lawyers Eva Chipiuk, left, and Keith Wilson at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa on Oct. 13. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The sporting life and the cost of bad decisions

  • OTTAWA—The positive cultural value available from Canadian sport appeared to be on the upswing in 2019 when the CBC belatedly relieved us from having
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 12, 2022
Andrea Skinner’s resignation as Hockey Canada’s interim board chair isn’t likely to put the issue of payouts for player sexual misconduct to rest, as MPs are probably going to want to get to the bottom of it all, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of ParlVu

The sporting life and the cost of bad decisions

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The positive cultural value available from Canadian sport appeared to be on the upswing in 2019 when the CBC belatedly relieved us from having

The sporting life and the cost of bad decisions

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The positive cultural value available from Canadian sport appeared to be on the upswing in 2019 when the CBC belatedly relieved us from having
Andrea Skinner’s resignation as Hockey Canada’s interim board chair isn’t likely to put the issue of payouts for player sexual misconduct to rest, as MPs are probably going to want to get to the bottom of it all, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of ParlVu

Backing blithely into the storm

  • OTTAWA—In a season of confusion, denial, and self-defeating causes, the man who will be leading Quebec again has been a standout. Last week, while
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 5, 2022
Quebec Premier François Legault, left, Alberta United Conservative Party leadership front-runner Danielle Smith, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are championing self-defeating causes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and file photograph

Backing blithely into the storm

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 5, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In a season of confusion, denial, and self-defeating causes, the man who will be leading Quebec again has been a standout. Last week, while

Backing blithely into the storm

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | October 5, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In a season of confusion, denial, and self-defeating causes, the man who will be leading Quebec again has been a standout. Last week, while
Quebec Premier François Legault, left, Alberta United Conservative Party leadership front-runner Danielle Smith, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are championing self-defeating causes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and file photograph

The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems ready to push his self-appointed war with the West into even more dangerous realms, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name

The West should prepare for the worst from Putin

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 26, 2022
  • The Russian president is not up against significant pressure from his key allies to temper his deluded attempt to destroy Ukraine in the name
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems ready to push his self-appointed war with the West into even more dangerous realms, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
There’s no compelling reason for this country to have the British monarch, now King Charles III, as head of state; however, there’s no easy way to get rid of this antiquated situation, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at

Canadians’ support for the monarchy now likely to decline, but don’t expect major changes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 21, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The main thing I remember about Queen Elizabeth II was how normal, unaffected, and selfless she seemed. At least that’s how she appeared at
There’s no compelling reason for this country to have the British monarch, now King Charles III, as head of state; however, there’s no easy way to get rid of this antiquated situation, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida greet the audience after he becomes the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on Sept. 10. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled

Poilievre rides a wave of anti-Liberal, convoy anger into Stornoway. Now what?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Pierre Poilievre got a lot of applause during his victory speech on the night of Sept. 10, but the strongest ovation from the assembled
Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida greet the audience after he becomes the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on Sept. 10. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
The United People of Canada supporters gather outside their location in the former St. Brigid’s church in Ottawa’s Lowertown neighbourhood on Aug. 25, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a

Canada’s leaders should be confronting, not encouraging, the rage movement and its anti-progressive haters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | September 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—It’s hard not to laugh at the guy in the tin foil crown, cargo shorts, and dishwashing gloves holding forth in front of a
The United People of Canada supporters gather outside their location in the former St. Brigid’s church in Ottawa’s Lowertown neighbourhood on Aug. 25, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland addresses Laurier Club members at the Canadian War Museum on June 13. The improvement in wealth inequality has attracted little media attention, and a lot of the people helped by the federal government’s anti-poverty efforts are not among those with a high voting tendency, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open

Feds made a bit of progress on the wealth inequality index, but did anyone notice?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 31, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They say no good deed goes unpunished. That certainly applies to the Trudeau government’s billions of dollars in spending meant to keep storefronts open
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland addresses Laurier Club members at the Canadian War Museum on June 13. The improvement in wealth inequality has attracted little media attention, and a lot of the people helped by the federal government’s anti-poverty efforts are not among those with a high voting tendency, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre hasn’t said much yet about economic policy, but you can bet his plan to make Canada ‘the freest nation on earth’ will include freedom for the rich to pay fewer income taxes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous

What are people buying into with Poilievre?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 24, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In 2008, when then-prime minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology to former students of the residential schools program, Pierre Poilievre said the Indigenous
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre hasn’t said much yet about economic policy, but you can bet his plan to make Canada ‘the freest nation on earth’ will include freedom for the rich to pay fewer income taxes, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
By refusing to lift the effective wage freeze Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed on nurses, he is hastening the decline in the health-care system and without doubt setting the stage for further privatization in the province, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/CityNews

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll

Ford helps undermine Ontario’s public health system, then eyes more privatization

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Swallowing a bee while discussing the possible privatization of Ontario health care, Doug Ford reflexively thought he might have to undergo emergency treatment. “I’ll
By refusing to lift the effective wage freeze Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed on nurses, he is hastening the decline in the health-care system and without doubt setting the stage for further privatization in the province, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/CityNews

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, pictured during the party's first leadership debate held at the Canada Strong and Free Network's conference in Ottawa on May 5. It gets more obvious every week that Poilievre, a sort of Trump stand-in, is riding a wave of angry anti-establishment sentiment with a lot more momentum than anyone expected, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town

Trump’s Canadian proxy catches a wave

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 10, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In the last Conservative debate on Aug. 3, Jean Charest looked like a guy who took the wrong bus to a part of town
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, pictured during the party's first leadership debate held at the Canada Strong and Free Network's conference in Ottawa on May 5. It gets more obvious every week that Poilievre, a sort of Trump stand-in, is riding a wave of angry anti-establishment sentiment with a lot more momentum than anyone expected, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
The art installation Broken, by Dennis Josef Meseg, is pictured in Bonn, Germany. In 2021 alone, 173 women and girls were violently killed in Canada, with the vast majority of the accused being male, research shows. Unsplash photograph by Mika Baumeister

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call

Feds, Ontario must heed recommendations from inquiry into preventable murders of Ottawa Valley women

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | August 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Parliamentarians can expect to hear urgent requests this fall to finally do something about the shocking state of violence against women in Canada—a call
The art installation Broken, by Dennis Josef Meseg, is pictured in Bonn, Germany. In 2021 alone, 173 women and girls were violently killed in Canada, with the vast majority of the accused being male, research shows. Unsplash photograph by Mika Baumeister

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
RCMP Supt. Darren Campbell testified before the Mass Casualty Commission on July 25. It’s hard to imagine how any other single individual could have come to the attention of the various police forces in the region more than the Nova Scotia shooter during his decades-long run of lawless behaviour before the 2020 shooting, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of the Mass Casualty Commission

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of

How years of giving a rich, white man the benefit of doubt enabled a sociopathic murderer

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—In recent weeks, the Mass Casualty Commission examining the killing of 22 people on April 18-19, 2020, in Nova Scotia has released details of
RCMP Supt. Darren Campbell testified before the Mass Casualty Commission on July 25. It’s hard to imagine how any other single individual could have come to the attention of the various police forces in the region more than the Nova Scotia shooter during his decades-long run of lawless behaviour before the 2020 shooting, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of the Mass Casualty Commission

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly sits alongside her Chinese, America, Brazilian, and German counterparts at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia on July 8. The relatively young G20 was designed to bring together leading wealthy and developing nations to tackle world problems, but it has instead laid bare the acceptance in some capitals of Putin’s bloodletting, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Ron Przysucha courtesy of Flickr/the U.S. Department of State

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,

What good is the G20 if it can’t even oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—No doubt there are millions of people who, like me, wake up every morning thinking: the Russians are actually conducting a war of outright,
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly sits alongside her Chinese, America, Brazilian, and German counterparts at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia on July 8. The relatively young G20 was designed to bring together leading wealthy and developing nations to tackle world problems, but it has instead laid bare the acceptance in some capitals of Putin’s bloodletting, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Ron Przysucha courtesy of Flickr/the U.S. Department of State

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
Outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his resignation statement outside 10 Downing Street on July 7. Johnson helped give rise to Brexit, sold it to Britons in 2016, and got the keys to 10 Downing Street to finally make the separation with the EU happen. Which he did. But, after only three years, he is giving up as prime minister, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Tim Hammond courtesy of No 10 Downing Street's Flickr

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United

The joke wears thin: Boris quits

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—They used to argue in Britain over whether Boris Johnson really favoured Brexit or whether he jumped into the 2016 referendum on the United
Outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his resignation statement outside 10 Downing Street on July 7. Johnson helped give rise to Brexit, sold it to Britons in 2016, and got the keys to 10 Downing Street to finally make the separation with the EU happen. Which he did. But, after only three years, he is giving up as prime minister, writes Les Whittington. Photograph by Tim Hammond courtesy of No 10 Downing Street's Flickr

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
The general thinking has been that choosing chief trucker convoy apologist Pierre Poilievre as Conservative leader would be a huge gift for the Liberals. But that may prove fanciful, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from

The politics of the post-COVID era could lead anywhere

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | July 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s re-election told us a lot about the emerging post-COVID political landscape. Ford held onto his right-wing support and benefitted from
The general thinking has been that choosing chief trucker convoy apologist Pierre Poilievre as Conservative leader would be a huge gift for the Liberals. But that may prove fanciful, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
One way to view Doug Ford’s victory can be as support for a pragmatic focus on cost-of-living issues as opposed to aspirational calls to create a fairer and/or greener society, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Twitter/fordnation

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may

What, if anything, does Ford’s victory in Ontario actually tell us?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 6, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The outpouring of analysis on the re-election of Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative majority in Ontario makes interesting reading, but it may
One way to view Doug Ford’s victory can be as support for a pragmatic focus on cost-of-living issues as opposed to aspirational calls to create a fairer and/or greener society, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Twitter/fordnation

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
Pierre Poilievre has tapped into baseless suspicion of the central bank to beef up his popular campaign for Conservative leader, but it’s clear he correctly sees the affordability crisis as a potent political force with the potential to scramble the outlook for all federal and provincial parties over the next few years, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada

The economy leaves COVID behind as a make-or-break political issue

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | June 1, 2022
  • OTTAWA—We knew how to stop the economy to slow Canadians’ interactions during the pandemic, but restarting it is a lot harder, Bank of Canada
Pierre Poilievre has tapped into baseless suspicion of the central bank to beef up his popular campaign for Conservative leader, but it’s clear he correctly sees the affordability crisis as a potent political force with the potential to scramble the outlook for all federal and provincial parties over the next few years, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
Ontario Premier Doug Ford still depicts himself as being for the little guy, but most of his government’s actual policies are geared to his upscale supporters and business backers, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford

Lost in the COVID haze: Ford’s record in Ontario seems largely forgotten by voters

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Whatever is in those mandate letters, it must be really politically embarrassing or damaging. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Premier Doug Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford still depicts himself as being for the little guy, but most of his government’s actual policies are geared to his upscale supporters and business backers, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Heading backwards in Ontario

  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
If anything, Ontario Premier Doug Ford seems to have shown that, although people are worried about impending climate disasters, they’re not too fussy about accountability when it comes to what governments are actually doing, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Heading backwards in Ontario

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,

Heading backwards in Ontario

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Call him the Highwayman. Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have staked his party’s re-election on the perception that the province’s commuters want more,
If anything, Ontario Premier Doug Ford seems to have shown that, although people are worried about impending climate disasters, they’re not too fussy about accountability when it comes to what governments are actually doing, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How COVID won the political battle

  • OTTAWA—Anyone watching the first Conservative leadership debate on May 5 may have thought they were watching a satire or some kind of theatre-of-the-absurd take-off
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 11, 2022
MP Leslyn Lewis participates in a Conservative leadership debate in Ottawa on May 5. Would-be leaders of the official opposition are consumed with the outpouring of anti-government grievance in February related to the pandemic, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How COVID won the political battle

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 11, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Anyone watching the first Conservative leadership debate on May 5 may have thought they were watching a satire or some kind of theatre-of-the-absurd take-off

How COVID won the political battle

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 11, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Anyone watching the first Conservative leadership debate on May 5 may have thought they were watching a satire or some kind of theatre-of-the-absurd take-off
MP Leslyn Lewis participates in a Conservative leadership debate in Ottawa on May 5. Would-be leaders of the official opposition are consumed with the outpouring of anti-government grievance in February related to the pandemic, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Beneath all the vague talk, the causes of populist chaos are clear enough

  • OTTAWA—The idea of motorcyclists rolling into town and sort of taking over is a unique North American postwar cultural phenomenon. The whole outlaw biker
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 4, 2022
Inflamed by reams of conspiratorial misinformation, the thinking behind events like the weekend Rolling Thunder protest in Ottawa plays out as a rejection of today’s cosmopolitan, tolerant, and multicultural Canada, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Beneath all the vague talk, the causes of populist chaos are clear enough

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The idea of motorcyclists rolling into town and sort of taking over is a unique North American postwar cultural phenomenon. The whole outlaw biker

Beneath all the vague talk, the causes of populist chaos are clear enough

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | May 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The idea of motorcyclists rolling into town and sort of taking over is a unique North American postwar cultural phenomenon. The whole outlaw biker
Inflamed by reams of conspiratorial misinformation, the thinking behind events like the weekend Rolling Thunder protest in Ottawa plays out as a rejection of today’s cosmopolitan, tolerant, and multicultural Canada, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and the destruction of global institutions

  • OTTAWA—Paul Martin was instrumental in the creation of the Group of 20 international leaders’ summits, starting with meetings of finance ministers from the 20
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 27, 2022
Curtains for the G20? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pictured speaking with Australian PM Scott Morrison during the G20 meeting in Rome, Italy, in October 2021. The G20 and its goal of enhanced financial and economic co-operation is fading fast in the current context, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of PMO

Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and the destruction of global institutions

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Paul Martin was instrumental in the creation of the Group of 20 international leaders’ summits, starting with meetings of finance ministers from the 20

Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and the destruction of global institutions

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Paul Martin was instrumental in the creation of the Group of 20 international leaders’ summits, starting with meetings of finance ministers from the 20
Curtains for the G20? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pictured speaking with Australian PM Scott Morrison during the G20 meeting in Rome, Italy, in October 2021. The G20 and its goal of enhanced financial and economic co-operation is fading fast in the current context, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of PMO

Ford gambling on Ontarians’ health in pre-election dice roll

  • OTTAWA—Whatever you can say about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s handling of the pandemic, it clearly didn’t have anything to do with equal treatment of
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 20, 2022
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s approach all along obviously reflected the fact that his base is composed in part by social conservatives, a group that not only opposes COVID vaccines but was key to his long-shot leadership victory in 2018, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ford gambling on Ontarians’ health in pre-election dice roll

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Whatever you can say about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s handling of the pandemic, it clearly didn’t have anything to do with equal treatment of

Ford gambling on Ontarians’ health in pre-election dice roll

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Whatever you can say about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s handling of the pandemic, it clearly didn’t have anything to do with equal treatment of
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s approach all along obviously reflected the fact that his base is composed in part by social conservatives, a group that not only opposes COVID vaccines but was key to his long-shot leadership victory in 2018, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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Waking up to the threat of disinformation

  • OTTAWA—French President Emmanuel Macron is fighting to hold off hard-right candidate Marine Le Pen as voters ready for a second round of voting April
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 13, 2022
The racist froth leaking into French campaign discourse appeared to have helped Marine Le Pen, right, creep up on incumbent President Emmanuel Macron by making her extremist views appear more mainstream, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photograph courtesy of the European Parliament

Waking up to the threat of disinformation

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—French President Emmanuel Macron is fighting to hold off hard-right candidate Marine Le Pen as voters ready for a second round of voting April

Waking up to the threat of disinformation

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 13, 2022
  • OTTAWA—French President Emmanuel Macron is fighting to hold off hard-right candidate Marine Le Pen as voters ready for a second round of voting April
The racist froth leaking into French campaign discourse appeared to have helped Marine Le Pen, right, creep up on incumbent President Emmanuel Macron by making her extremist views appear more mainstream, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photograph courtesy of the European Parliament

Guesswork, hopes, and risks: budget-making in the post-COVID haze

  • OTTAWA—Subject to election cycles, political trends, and economic shifts, budgets can range from the historic to pre-election giveaways to do-nothing holding patterns. But the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 4, 2022
The choices made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland are likely to reverberate through Canada’s economy, political landscape, and international relations for years to come, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Guesswork, hopes, and risks: budget-making in the post-COVID haze

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Subject to election cycles, political trends, and economic shifts, budgets can range from the historic to pre-election giveaways to do-nothing holding patterns. But the

Guesswork, hopes, and risks: budget-making in the post-COVID haze

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | April 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Subject to election cycles, political trends, and economic shifts, budgets can range from the historic to pre-election giveaways to do-nothing holding patterns. But the
The choices made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland are likely to reverberate through Canada’s economy, political landscape, and international relations for years to come, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Western leaders will continue to be put to the test by the impact of the Ukraine attack

  • OTTAWA—This spring’s budget will be the fourth consecutive budget or economic statement delivered by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland with a post-COVID recovery focus. After
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 30, 2022
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will presumably table a nuts-and-bolts economic plan, with the exception of a down payment on a sizeable increase in defence spending, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Western leaders will continue to be put to the test by the impact of the Ukraine attack

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 30, 2022
  • OTTAWA—This spring’s budget will be the fourth consecutive budget or economic statement delivered by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland with a post-COVID recovery focus. After

Western leaders will continue to be put to the test by the impact of the Ukraine attack

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 30, 2022
  • OTTAWA—This spring’s budget will be the fourth consecutive budget or economic statement delivered by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland with a post-COVID recovery focus. After
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will presumably table a nuts-and-bolts economic plan, with the exception of a down payment on a sizeable increase in defence spending, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Yesterday’s man takes a shot at remaking Canada’s future

  • OTTAWA—One thing is for sure: you can take Jean Charest at his word when he says he’s not afraid of an uphill struggle. I
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 23, 2022
Jean Charest’s attempt to offer Conservative Party members policies aimed at winning over moderate voters is clearly a waste of energy if messaging from current leadership frontrunner Pierre Poilievre holds sway, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Yesterday’s man takes a shot at remaking Canada’s future

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 23, 2022
  • OTTAWA—One thing is for sure: you can take Jean Charest at his word when he says he’s not afraid of an uphill struggle. I

Yesterday’s man takes a shot at remaking Canada’s future

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 23, 2022
  • OTTAWA—One thing is for sure: you can take Jean Charest at his word when he says he’s not afraid of an uphill struggle. I
Jean Charest’s attempt to offer Conservative Party members policies aimed at winning over moderate voters is clearly a waste of energy if messaging from current leadership frontrunner Pierre Poilievre holds sway, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How long will China support Putin as he risks a world war?

  • OTTAWA—Exactly how much China’s Xi Jinping knew in advance about Russian ruler Vladimir Putin’s plan to invade Ukraine has been a matter of dispute.
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 16, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, personally obsessed with regaining territory lost when the Soviet Union collapsed, has found a welcome partner in Chinese President Xi Jinping, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of the Kremlin

How long will China support Putin as he risks a world war?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 16, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Exactly how much China’s Xi Jinping knew in advance about Russian ruler Vladimir Putin’s plan to invade Ukraine has been a matter of dispute.

How long will China support Putin as he risks a world war?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 16, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Exactly how much China’s Xi Jinping knew in advance about Russian ruler Vladimir Putin’s plan to invade Ukraine has been a matter of dispute.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, personally obsessed with regaining territory lost when the Soviet Union collapsed, has found a welcome partner in Chinese President Xi Jinping, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of the Kremlin

The West equivocates as Ukrainians die

  • OTTAWA—Clearly, no one knew what to make of Vladimir Putin as he pursued his barbaric assault on neighbouring Ukraine last week. His strange meeting
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 7, 2022
At a meeting on March 7 in London with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (whose government has stopped Russian oil imports), left, both British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said European countries weren’t ready for such a hit on their energy systems and economies, writes Les Whittington. Number 10 photograph by Andrew Parsons

The West equivocates as Ukrainians die

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Clearly, no one knew what to make of Vladimir Putin as he pursued his barbaric assault on neighbouring Ukraine last week. His strange meeting

The West equivocates as Ukrainians die

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 7, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Clearly, no one knew what to make of Vladimir Putin as he pursued his barbaric assault on neighbouring Ukraine last week. His strange meeting
At a meeting on March 7 in London with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (whose government has stopped Russian oil imports), left, both British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said European countries weren’t ready for such a hit on their energy systems and economies, writes Les Whittington. Number 10 photograph by Andrew Parsons

The 70-year nightmare materializes: a madman with nukes

  • OTTAWA—This will be the end of Vladimir Putin. It’s just a question of how long it takes and how many thousands (millions?) of people
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 2, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has brandished the nuclear sword before in relation to the 2014 annexation of Crimea, is doing what has been unthinkable for 70 years, writes Les Whittington. UN photograph by Mark Garten

The 70-year nightmare materializes: a madman with nukes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—This will be the end of Vladimir Putin. It’s just a question of how long it takes and how many thousands (millions?) of people

The 70-year nightmare materializes: a madman with nukes

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | March 2, 2022
  • OTTAWA—This will be the end of Vladimir Putin. It’s just a question of how long it takes and how many thousands (millions?) of people
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has brandished the nuclear sword before in relation to the 2014 annexation of Crimea, is doing what has been unthinkable for 70 years, writes Les Whittington. UN photograph by Mark Garten

Ginned up by the truck mob, Conservatives go full Republican

  • OTTAWA—Donald Trump amazed the political world by transforming the venerable Republican Party into a full-scale personal cult in the United States. But, even so,
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 23, 2022
A Freedom Convoy supporter drinks a beer and dances in front of the Senate of Canada building on Feb. 17, as the convoy’s occupation of downtown Ottawa entered the third week. Conservatives called the illegal occupiers of Ottawa “patriots” and offered to support their cause even while saying they should go home, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ginned up by the truck mob, Conservatives go full Republican

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 23, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Donald Trump amazed the political world by transforming the venerable Republican Party into a full-scale personal cult in the United States. But, even so,

Ginned up by the truck mob, Conservatives go full Republican

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 23, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Donald Trump amazed the political world by transforming the venerable Republican Party into a full-scale personal cult in the United States. But, even so,
A Freedom Convoy supporter drinks a beer and dances in front of the Senate of Canada building on Feb. 17, as the convoy’s occupation of downtown Ottawa entered the third week. Conservatives called the illegal occupiers of Ottawa “patriots” and offered to support their cause even while saying they should go home, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How many leaders will COVID blowback claim?

  • OTTAWA—Eventually we’ll find out how and why the Ottawa police managed to inspire an outpouring of illegal vehicle blockades and anti-government marches around the
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 16, 2022
Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly, left, unfortunately was clearly the wrong person at the wrong time, polls show a loss of support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a result of all this, and the unpredictable chain of events initiated by some alt-right, Trump-loving populists in Western Canada a month ago could also upend the leadership hopes of Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Twitter, The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

How many leaders will COVID blowback claim?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 16, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Eventually we’ll find out how and why the Ottawa police managed to inspire an outpouring of illegal vehicle blockades and anti-government marches around the

How many leaders will COVID blowback claim?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 16, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Eventually we’ll find out how and why the Ottawa police managed to inspire an outpouring of illegal vehicle blockades and anti-government marches around the
Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly, left, unfortunately was clearly the wrong person at the wrong time, polls show a loss of support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a result of all this, and the unpredictable chain of events initiated by some alt-right, Trump-loving populists in Western Canada a month ago could also upend the leadership hopes of Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, writes Les Whittington. Photograph courtesy of Twitter, The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

Will trucker-enabling Conservatives bet the house on a Republican-style, COVID-driven culture war?

  • OTTAWA—Local police established a very problematic precedent in allowing an angry, rebellious crowd to take control of the nation’s capital for more than a
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 9, 2022
A Freedom Convoy supporter waves a flag at the intersection of Kent and Slater streets on Feb. 5. For the Conservatives to throw their lot in with the extremists behind the nihilistic mob is obviously risky, as one assumes the majority of Canadians will probably return to their centrist political orientation once they get their frustrations over COVID out of their systems, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will trucker-enabling Conservatives bet the house on a Republican-style, COVID-driven culture war?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 9, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Local police established a very problematic precedent in allowing an angry, rebellious crowd to take control of the nation’s capital for more than a

Will trucker-enabling Conservatives bet the house on a Republican-style, COVID-driven culture war?

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | February 9, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Local police established a very problematic precedent in allowing an angry, rebellious crowd to take control of the nation’s capital for more than a
A Freedom Convoy supporter waves a flag at the intersection of Kent and Slater streets on Feb. 5. For the Conservatives to throw their lot in with the extremists behind the nihilistic mob is obviously risky, as one assumes the majority of Canadians will probably return to their centrist political orientation once they get their frustrations over COVID out of their systems, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump comes to Ottawa

  • OTTAWA—The crowd of agitators, dissidents, right-wing extremists, and conspiracy dupes in Ottawa didn’t actually take over the Capitol (building) on the weekend as they
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 31, 2022
Trucker convoy protesters are pictured in downtown Ottawa on Jan. 30. Misguided, down-the-rabbit-hole thinking is being seen on a wider basis in the Ottawa trucker demonstration, including calls by convoy organizers to use some kind of far-fetched legal process to remove Trudeau from office, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Trump comes to Ottawa

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 31, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The crowd of agitators, dissidents, right-wing extremists, and conspiracy dupes in Ottawa didn’t actually take over the Capitol (building) on the weekend as they

Trump comes to Ottawa

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 31, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The crowd of agitators, dissidents, right-wing extremists, and conspiracy dupes in Ottawa didn’t actually take over the Capitol (building) on the weekend as they
Trucker convoy protesters are pictured in downtown Ottawa on Jan. 30. Misguided, down-the-rabbit-hole thinking is being seen on a wider basis in the Ottawa trucker demonstration, including calls by convoy organizers to use some kind of far-fetched legal process to remove Trudeau from office, writes Les Whittington. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

COVID’s very real demands taking a toll on purveyors of populist flimflam

  • OTTAWA—Boris Johnson’s troubles have ballooned to the point of creating a moment of truth for the British prime minister. By the weekend, his ability
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 26, 2022
The uproar over ‘partygate’ has reminded Britons of Boris Johnson’s childish, ineffective approach to the enduring economic disruptions of Brexit and led U.K. observers to say that people should have known all along that it would come to this when they put a self-promoting flimflammer in charge of the nation, writes Les Whittington. No. 10 Downing Street photograph by Simon Dawson

COVID’s very real demands taking a toll on purveyors of populist flimflam

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 26, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Boris Johnson’s troubles have ballooned to the point of creating a moment of truth for the British prime minister. By the weekend, his ability

COVID’s very real demands taking a toll on purveyors of populist flimflam

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 26, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Boris Johnson’s troubles have ballooned to the point of creating a moment of truth for the British prime minister. By the weekend, his ability
The uproar over ‘partygate’ has reminded Britons of Boris Johnson’s childish, ineffective approach to the enduring economic disruptions of Brexit and led U.K. observers to say that people should have known all along that it would come to this when they put a self-promoting flimflammer in charge of the nation, writes Les Whittington. No. 10 Downing Street photograph by Simon Dawson

Shifting trade away from the U.S. never more urgent

  • OTTAWA—Reducing Canada’s economic dependence on the United States by diversifying trade away from the U.S. to what the federal government now calls “overseas” markets
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 18, 2022
It’s obvious that Canada is seen as easy pickings for a Biden administration that is just Trump-without-the-nasty-talk when it comes to the domestic politics of protectionism, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Adam Schultz

Shifting trade away from the U.S. never more urgent

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Reducing Canada’s economic dependence on the United States by diversifying trade away from the U.S. to what the federal government now calls “overseas” markets

Shifting trade away from the U.S. never more urgent

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Reducing Canada’s economic dependence on the United States by diversifying trade away from the U.S. to what the federal government now calls “overseas” markets
It’s obvious that Canada is seen as easy pickings for a Biden administration that is just Trump-without-the-nasty-talk when it comes to the domestic politics of protectionism, writes Les Whittington. White House photograph by Adam Schultz

What insurrection? The appalling U.S. Capitol riot may have only added to Trump’s momentum

  • OTTAWA—A year later, it’s clear that the Jan. 6 insurrection by Donald Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol wasn’t so much an aberration as
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 12, 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden is hemmed in by the scorched-earth mentality of Senate Republicans and Trump’s ongoing rage circus, writes Les Whittington. Flickr photograph by Brett Davis

What insurrection? The appalling U.S. Capitol riot may have only added to Trump’s momentum

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—A year later, it’s clear that the Jan. 6 insurrection by Donald Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol wasn’t so much an aberration as

What insurrection? The appalling U.S. Capitol riot may have only added to Trump’s momentum

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | January 12, 2022
  • OTTAWA—A year later, it’s clear that the Jan. 6 insurrection by Donald Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol wasn’t so much an aberration as
U.S. President Joe Biden is hemmed in by the scorched-earth mentality of Senate Republicans and Trump’s ongoing rage circus, writes Les Whittington. Flickr photograph by Brett Davis

Inquiry into Nova Scotia mass killing plods along in private

  • OTTAWA—In the you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up department, consider that the hard-won public inquiry into the murder of 22 people by a lone gunman in Nova Scotia in
Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 15, 2021
RCMP vehicles are pictured responding to the mass shooting that began in Portapique, N.S., on April 18, 2020. Victims’ families and the public are demanding to know the details of the RCMP’s cascading ineptitude on the night of the murders, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News

Inquiry into Nova Scotia mass killing plods along in private

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 15, 2021
  • OTTAWA—In the you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up department, consider that the hard-won public inquiry into the murder of 22 people by a lone gunman in Nova Scotia in

Inquiry into Nova Scotia mass killing plods along in private

Opinion | BY LES WHITTINGTON | December 15, 2021
  • OTTAWA—In the you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up department, consider that the hard-won public inquiry into the murder of 22 people by a lone gunman in Nova Scotia in
RCMP vehicles are pictured responding to the mass shooting that began in Portapique, N.S., on April 18, 2020. Victims’ families and the public are demanding to know the details of the RCMP’s cascading ineptitude on the night of the murders, writes Les Whittington. Screenshot courtesy of CBC News