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Saturday, December 9, 2023
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Michael Harris

Michael Harris is a writer, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. He was awarded a doctor of laws for his “unceasing pursuit of justice for the less fortunate among us.” His nine books include Justice Denied, Unholy Orders, Rare Ambition, Lament for an Ocean and Con Game. His work has sparked four commissions of inquiry and three of his books have been made into movies. His book on the Harper majority government, Party of One, was a No. 1 bestseller. Follow Michael Harris on Twitter at @HarrisAuthor

Poilievre continues to place Trudeau on Canada’s ‘most unwanted’ list and his strategy appears to be working

  • Pierre Poilievre’s usual modus operandi is to take a page from Donald Trump 1.0: the country is going to hell in a handbasket, and
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | December 4, 2023
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, pictured, has opened a new 'American card' front in his crusade to paint Justin Trudeau as a feckless, spoiled brat, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre continues to place Trudeau on Canada’s ‘most unwanted’ list and his strategy appears to be working

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | December 4, 2023
  • Pierre Poilievre’s usual modus operandi is to take a page from Donald Trump 1.0: the country is going to hell in a handbasket, and

Poilievre continues to place Trudeau on Canada’s ‘most unwanted’ list and his strategy appears to be working

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | December 4, 2023
  • Pierre Poilievre’s usual modus operandi is to take a page from Donald Trump 1.0: the country is going to hell in a handbasket, and
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, pictured, has opened a new 'American card' front in his crusade to paint Justin Trudeau as a feckless, spoiled brat, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s cheap shot at CP journalist has not gone unnoticed

  • By buzzwords and dog whistles, as the Trudeau government contends, Pierre Poilievre is doing his best to create a sense of grievance so powerful
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 27, 2023
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks at the Conservative caucus meeting in the West Block on Nov. 1, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s cheap shot at CP journalist has not gone unnoticed

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 27, 2023
  • By buzzwords and dog whistles, as the Trudeau government contends, Pierre Poilievre is doing his best to create a sense of grievance so powerful

Poilievre’s cheap shot at CP journalist has not gone unnoticed

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 27, 2023
  • By buzzwords and dog whistles, as the Trudeau government contends, Pierre Poilievre is doing his best to create a sense of grievance so powerful
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks at the Conservative caucus meeting in the West Block on Nov. 1, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre riding anti-Trudeau tide

  • There is an impetuous push to see the back end of the man who has led the country for eight—often turbulent—years, including through the
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 20, 2023
For weeks now, poll numbers for Justin Trudeau, left, have resembled the heart monitor of a patient on his way out. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is riding an anti-Trudeau tide that may well lead to political fortune, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

Poilievre riding anti-Trudeau tide

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 20, 2023
  • There is an impetuous push to see the back end of the man who has led the country for eight—often turbulent—years, including through the

Poilievre riding anti-Trudeau tide

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 20, 2023
  • There is an impetuous push to see the back end of the man who has led the country for eight—often turbulent—years, including through the
For weeks now, poll numbers for Justin Trudeau, left, have resembled the heart monitor of a patient on his way out. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is riding an anti-Trudeau tide that may well lead to political fortune, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and Andrew Meade

Keep dreaming for net zero by 2050—the country is not winning the battle against climate change

  • The Liberals have bludgeoned the Tories over their lack of a coherent climate change plan—and properly so. But if the cornerstone of the Liberals’ plan,
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 13, 2023
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has been told that only 45 per cent of the government’s carbon reduction plans had implementation deadlines.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Keep dreaming for net zero by 2050—the country is not winning the battle against climate change

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 13, 2023
  • The Liberals have bludgeoned the Tories over their lack of a coherent climate change plan—and properly so. But if the cornerstone of the Liberals’ plan,

Keep dreaming for net zero by 2050—the country is not winning the battle against climate change

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 13, 2023
  • The Liberals have bludgeoned the Tories over their lack of a coherent climate change plan—and properly so. But if the cornerstone of the Liberals’ plan,
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has been told that only 45 per cent of the government’s carbon reduction plans had implementation deadlines.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On Trudeau’s future, Conservatives should be careful what they wish for

  • As long as Justin Trudeau's around, the Conservatives are on the cusp of returning to power. But should the prime minister exit, it could be
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 6, 2023
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were to resign, the clear advantage the official opposition now enjoys in the polls would be at risk, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On Trudeau’s future, Conservatives should be careful what they wish for

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 6, 2023
  • As long as Justin Trudeau's around, the Conservatives are on the cusp of returning to power. But should the prime minister exit, it could be

On Trudeau’s future, Conservatives should be careful what they wish for

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | November 6, 2023
  • As long as Justin Trudeau's around, the Conservatives are on the cusp of returning to power. But should the prime minister exit, it could be
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were to resign, the clear advantage the official opposition now enjoys in the polls would be at risk, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Circles of sorrow emerge from the grim arithmetic of war

  • It’s either a just peace with a safe and viable homeland for both parties to this festering conflict, or Toni Morrison’s loud cry, with
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 30, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured in Canada in 2012, could opt for a more targeted approach to taking out Hamas that would avoid the territory becoming a killing field beyond imagination, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Circles of sorrow emerge from the grim arithmetic of war

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 30, 2023
  • It’s either a just peace with a safe and viable homeland for both parties to this festering conflict, or Toni Morrison’s loud cry, with

Circles of sorrow emerge from the grim arithmetic of war

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 30, 2023
  • It’s either a just peace with a safe and viable homeland for both parties to this festering conflict, or Toni Morrison’s loud cry, with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured in Canada in 2012, could opt for a more targeted approach to taking out Hamas that would avoid the territory becoming a killing field beyond imagination, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Showing the horrors of war is often the only way of stopping it

  • There are always two wars in every conflict: the military battle, and the fight for the world's hearts and minds. That’s why well-resourced news agencies
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 23, 2023
U.S. journalist Walter Cronkite conducts an interview in Hue, near the border of North Vietnam and South Vietnam, in 1968. Great journalists like him covered war not as proponents of one side or the other, but as the ones writing the first rough draft of history, writes Michael Harris. Wikimedia Commons photograph by National Archives and Records Administration

Showing the horrors of war is often the only way of stopping it

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 23, 2023
  • There are always two wars in every conflict: the military battle, and the fight for the world's hearts and minds. That’s why well-resourced news agencies

Showing the horrors of war is often the only way of stopping it

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 23, 2023
  • There are always two wars in every conflict: the military battle, and the fight for the world's hearts and minds. That’s why well-resourced news agencies
U.S. journalist Walter Cronkite conducts an interview in Hue, near the border of North Vietnam and South Vietnam, in 1968. Great journalists like him covered war not as proponents of one side or the other, but as the ones writing the first rough draft of history, writes Michael Harris. Wikimedia Commons photograph by National Archives and Records Administration

The negotiating table, not the battlefield, is where the bleeding stops and peace begins

  • As Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the UN said, Canada stands four-square behind Israel, but this is not the time to give up on
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 16, 2023
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said the death match between Israel and Hamas will get worse before it gets better, and that one of her key objectives is to speak to all parties in the conflict, including neighbouring countries, to find a way to de-escalate a confrontation, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The negotiating table, not the battlefield, is where the bleeding stops and peace begins

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 16, 2023
  • As Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the UN said, Canada stands four-square behind Israel, but this is not the time to give up on

The negotiating table, not the battlefield, is where the bleeding stops and peace begins

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 16, 2023
  • As Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the UN said, Canada stands four-square behind Israel, but this is not the time to give up on
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said the death match between Israel and Hamas will get worse before it gets better, and that one of her key objectives is to speak to all parties in the conflict, including neighbouring countries, to find a way to de-escalate a confrontation, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau’s dreaming if he thinks he can get New Delhi to co-operate in Nijjar investigation

  • Consider the level of co-operation that Saudi Arabia gave Turkey during that country’s investigation of Jamal Khashoggi's assassination: virtually none, unless you count destroying
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 9, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India on Feb. 23, 2023. Trudeau hasn’t told Canadians what the evidence is in this case that he says points to the involvement of the Indian government. If there is a smoking gun, why hasn’t it been acted on? Photograph courtesy of Narendra Modi's Twitter account

Trudeau’s dreaming if he thinks he can get New Delhi to co-operate in Nijjar investigation

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 9, 2023
  • Consider the level of co-operation that Saudi Arabia gave Turkey during that country’s investigation of Jamal Khashoggi's assassination: virtually none, unless you count destroying

Trudeau’s dreaming if he thinks he can get New Delhi to co-operate in Nijjar investigation

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 9, 2023
  • Consider the level of co-operation that Saudi Arabia gave Turkey during that country’s investigation of Jamal Khashoggi's assassination: virtually none, unless you count destroying
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India on Feb. 23, 2023. Trudeau hasn’t told Canadians what the evidence is in this case that he says points to the involvement of the Indian government. If there is a smoking gun, why hasn’t it been acted on? Photograph courtesy of Narendra Modi's Twitter account

If Allies back away, Ukraine is at risk of losing the war

  • But the West would lose something even bigger—its soul.
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 2, 2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has enough on his plate, without having to worry about whether some of his key backers are about to run out on him, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

If Allies back away, Ukraine is at risk of losing the war

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 2, 2023
  • But the West would lose something even bigger—its soul.

If Allies back away, Ukraine is at risk of losing the war

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | October 2, 2023
  • But the West would lose something even bigger—its soul.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has enough on his plate, without having to worry about whether some of his key backers are about to run out on him, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Challenging times ahead for Trudeau, Poilievre, and Singh

  • The prime minister has the most obvious problems, but that doesn't mean the Tory and NDP leaders don't have their work cut out for
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 25, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh face different hurdles as Parliament returns, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Challenging times ahead for Trudeau, Poilievre, and Singh

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 25, 2023
  • The prime minister has the most obvious problems, but that doesn't mean the Tory and NDP leaders don't have their work cut out for

Challenging times ahead for Trudeau, Poilievre, and Singh

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 25, 2023
  • The prime minister has the most obvious problems, but that doesn't mean the Tory and NDP leaders don't have their work cut out for
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh face different hurdles as Parliament returns, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

In Pierre Poilievre’s world, we’d all be living in ‘Leave it to Beaver’

  • Only once Poilievre eventually decides what he stands for will Canadians be able to decide if he's prime ministerial material. For now, the country
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 18, 2023
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre at the party's policy convention in Québec City on Sept. 8, 2023. His party has learned nothing from the pandemic, nothing from its support of the disastrous Freedom Convoy, and nothing from the sick excesses of Trumpian politics it seems so hell-bent to emulate, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

In Pierre Poilievre’s world, we’d all be living in ‘Leave it to Beaver’

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 18, 2023
  • Only once Poilievre eventually decides what he stands for will Canadians be able to decide if he's prime ministerial material. For now, the country

In Pierre Poilievre’s world, we’d all be living in ‘Leave it to Beaver’

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 18, 2023
  • Only once Poilievre eventually decides what he stands for will Canadians be able to decide if he's prime ministerial material. For now, the country
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre at the party's policy convention in Québec City on Sept. 8, 2023. His party has learned nothing from the pandemic, nothing from its support of the disastrous Freedom Convoy, and nothing from the sick excesses of Trumpian politics it seems so hell-bent to emulate, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Poilievre Party or Harper 2.0?

  • For now, Pierre Poilievre is out-working Justin Trudeau. If the PM still has the energy and ideas to lead the country, he needs to put
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 11, 2023
It is time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to realize that Conservative Leadership Pierre Poilievre is a politician the way that Ty Cobb and Pete Rose were baseball players: all in and playing for keeps. He won’t beat himself, you will have to beat him, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

The Poilievre Party or Harper 2.0?

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 11, 2023
  • For now, Pierre Poilievre is out-working Justin Trudeau. If the PM still has the energy and ideas to lead the country, he needs to put

The Poilievre Party or Harper 2.0?

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | September 11, 2023
  • For now, Pierre Poilievre is out-working Justin Trudeau. If the PM still has the energy and ideas to lead the country, he needs to put
It is time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to realize that Conservative Leadership Pierre Poilievre is a politician the way that Ty Cobb and Pete Rose were baseball players: all in and playing for keeps. He won’t beat himself, you will have to beat him, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Republican leaders line up to defend the indefensible

  • Every new twist and turn in the Trump melodrama, linked to the GOP’s continuing defence of the indefensible, gives the U.S. public another reason
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 28, 2023
Every new twist and turn in the melodrama that is former U.S. president Donald Trump gives Americans another reason to lose trust in their institutions.  Wikimedia Commons photograph by Gage Skidmore

Republican leaders line up to defend the indefensible

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 28, 2023
  • Every new twist and turn in the Trump melodrama, linked to the GOP’s continuing defence of the indefensible, gives the U.S. public another reason

Republican leaders line up to defend the indefensible

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 28, 2023
  • Every new twist and turn in the Trump melodrama, linked to the GOP’s continuing defence of the indefensible, gives the U.S. public another reason
Every new twist and turn in the melodrama that is former U.S. president Donald Trump gives Americans another reason to lose trust in their institutions.  Wikimedia Commons photograph by Gage Skidmore

Tories face a Jekyll-and-Hyde image problem

  • Pierre Poilievre’s makeover is the latest instalment of two-faced conservatism—red meat for the base, porridge for the general population—until they win.
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 21, 2023
The Conservative Party is hoping that money and marketing can make leader Pierre Poilievre electable in a way in which his record does not, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Tories face a Jekyll-and-Hyde image problem

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 21, 2023
  • Pierre Poilievre’s makeover is the latest instalment of two-faced conservatism—red meat for the base, porridge for the general population—until they win.

Tories face a Jekyll-and-Hyde image problem

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 21, 2023
  • Pierre Poilievre’s makeover is the latest instalment of two-faced conservatism—red meat for the base, porridge for the general population—until they win.
The Conservative Party is hoping that money and marketing can make leader Pierre Poilievre electable in a way in which his record does not, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The rule of law, not the rule of claw, is what makes a democracy

  • A lot of work needs to be done to make sure that vigilante politics doesn’t take root here. A good start would be an all-party
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 14, 2023
Justin Trudeau, left, and Jagmeet Singh must stop pussy-footing around with people who are thugs rather than protesters, and Pierre Poilievre should make clear to the forces on the extreme right of his base that violence can never be a legitimate political tool, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

The rule of law, not the rule of claw, is what makes a democracy

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 14, 2023
  • A lot of work needs to be done to make sure that vigilante politics doesn’t take root here. A good start would be an all-party

The rule of law, not the rule of claw, is what makes a democracy

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 14, 2023
  • A lot of work needs to be done to make sure that vigilante politics doesn’t take root here. A good start would be an all-party
Justin Trudeau, left, and Jagmeet Singh must stop pussy-footing around with people who are thugs rather than protesters, and Pierre Poilievre should make clear to the forces on the extreme right of his base that violence can never be a legitimate political tool, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

The demise of the American republic

  • Why should Canadians pay attention to what’s happening in the Divided States of America? There's a lot of resources here that some Americans would like to
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 7, 2023
For the first time in history, Donald Trump is not only increasing his lead in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination based on multiple criminal indictments, but he's also successfully fundraising from them. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The demise of the American republic

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 7, 2023
  • Why should Canadians pay attention to what’s happening in the Divided States of America? There's a lot of resources here that some Americans would like to

The demise of the American republic

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | August 7, 2023
  • Why should Canadians pay attention to what’s happening in the Divided States of America? There's a lot of resources here that some Americans would like to
For the first time in history, Donald Trump is not only increasing his lead in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination based on multiple criminal indictments, but he's also successfully fundraising from them. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

We desperately need to rethink how we conduct politics

  • Beyond the talking points, slanders and the incoherence of constant polling, voters don’t really know the people they are voting for because politicians never
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 31, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with reporters at Rideau Hall after he shuffled his cabinet on July 26, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We desperately need to rethink how we conduct politics

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 31, 2023
  • Beyond the talking points, slanders and the incoherence of constant polling, voters don’t really know the people they are voting for because politicians never

We desperately need to rethink how we conduct politics

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 31, 2023
  • Beyond the talking points, slanders and the incoherence of constant polling, voters don’t really know the people they are voting for because politicians never
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with reporters at Rideau Hall after he shuffled his cabinet on July 26, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A lot of Americans are tired of democracy, and Trump knows it

  • The GOP leadership is afraid of major demographic changes, and distrusts every institution that once held the country together, leaving them open to authoritarian
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 24, 2023
What no one wants to say out loud is that a significant number of U.S. voters is really what makes former president Donald Trump possible—no matter what he does, writes Michael Harris. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Gage Skidmore

A lot of Americans are tired of democracy, and Trump knows it

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 24, 2023
  • The GOP leadership is afraid of major demographic changes, and distrusts every institution that once held the country together, leaving them open to authoritarian

A lot of Americans are tired of democracy, and Trump knows it

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 24, 2023
  • The GOP leadership is afraid of major demographic changes, and distrusts every institution that once held the country together, leaving them open to authoritarian
What no one wants to say out loud is that a significant number of U.S. voters is really what makes former president Donald Trump possible—no matter what he does, writes Michael Harris. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Gage Skidmore

Ukraine counteroffensive may all be for a bargaining position at peace talks

  • In the end, the West may put a higher value on avoiding a humiliated, unstable Russia than on a reunited Ukraine.
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 17, 2023
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may end up with the dead man’s hand, despite his successes so far, writes Michael Harris. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ukraine counteroffensive may all be for a bargaining position at peace talks

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 17, 2023
  • In the end, the West may put a higher value on avoiding a humiliated, unstable Russia than on a reunited Ukraine.

Ukraine counteroffensive may all be for a bargaining position at peace talks

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 17, 2023
  • In the end, the West may put a higher value on avoiding a humiliated, unstable Russia than on a reunited Ukraine.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may end up with the dead man’s hand, despite his successes so far, writes Michael Harris. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Tech giants play game of chicken with Canada

  • Meta and Google's moves to ban Canadian news on their platforms feels more like poker than principle.
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 10, 2023
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2018. The situation in Australia gives reason to think that the web giants might blink on the Online News Act, writes Michael Harris. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Anthony Quintano

Tech giants play game of chicken with Canada

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 10, 2023
  • Meta and Google's moves to ban Canadian news on their platforms feels more like poker than principle.

Tech giants play game of chicken with Canada

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 10, 2023
  • Meta and Google's moves to ban Canadian news on their platforms feels more like poker than principle.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2018. The situation in Australia gives reason to think that the web giants might blink on the Online News Act, writes Michael Harris. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Anthony Quintano

Press freedom will last only as long as we are willing to fight for it

  • Press independence, and therefore the quality of news the public gets, is under pressure by interfering owners almost everywhere.
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 3, 2023
CTV Ottawa reporter Glen McGregor, left, and bureau chief Joyce Napier were among many journalists let go by Bell Media on June 14. Instead of cuts, Bell might have considered investing more in their trusted journalists, writes Michael Harris. Photo courtesy of Twitter, and The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Press freedom will last only as long as we are willing to fight for it

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 3, 2023
  • Press independence, and therefore the quality of news the public gets, is under pressure by interfering owners almost everywhere.

Press freedom will last only as long as we are willing to fight for it

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | July 3, 2023
  • Press independence, and therefore the quality of news the public gets, is under pressure by interfering owners almost everywhere.
CTV Ottawa reporter Glen McGregor, left, and bureau chief Joyce Napier were among many journalists let go by Bell Media on June 14. Instead of cuts, Bell might have considered investing more in their trusted journalists, writes Michael Harris. Photo courtesy of Twitter, and The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Death of a newspaperman: a tribute to Geoffrey Stevens

  • I have yet to meet anyone with a keener eye for politics or a sharper nose for news, but you'd never know it from
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 26, 2023
Geoffrey Stevens, pictured, was there to help Michael Harris navigate through some very big and complicated stories at The Globe and Mail, Harris writes. Photograph by McGill-Queen's University Press

Death of a newspaperman: a tribute to Geoffrey Stevens

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 26, 2023
  • I have yet to meet anyone with a keener eye for politics or a sharper nose for news, but you'd never know it from

Death of a newspaperman: a tribute to Geoffrey Stevens

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 26, 2023
  • I have yet to meet anyone with a keener eye for politics or a sharper nose for news, but you'd never know it from
Geoffrey Stevens, pictured, was there to help Michael Harris navigate through some very big and complicated stories at The Globe and Mail, Harris writes. Photograph by McGill-Queen's University Press

Trump hands Poilievre’s Conservatives the bully’s blueprint to power

  • Those seeking the highest office have every right to criticize and hold to the government to account, but not to carry hyperbole into a
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 19, 2023
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Donald Trump. The consequences of the former U.S. president's approach have been catastrophic for the Republican Party, but the Conservative Party of Canada seem transfixed by his 2016 victory, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photograph by Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Trump hands Poilievre’s Conservatives the bully’s blueprint to power

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 19, 2023
  • Those seeking the highest office have every right to criticize and hold to the government to account, but not to carry hyperbole into a

Trump hands Poilievre’s Conservatives the bully’s blueprint to power

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 19, 2023
  • Those seeking the highest office have every right to criticize and hold to the government to account, but not to carry hyperbole into a
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Donald Trump. The consequences of the former U.S. president's approach have been catastrophic for the Republican Party, but the Conservative Party of Canada seem transfixed by his 2016 victory, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photograph by Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Saudi Arabia’s notorious crown prince extends his influence into the world of golf

  • Mohammed bin Salman realized 'sportswashing' was a great way to improve Saudi Arabia’s image and his own. If Saudi got into the entertainment business, it
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 12, 2023
Cringeworthy: U.S. President Joe Biden, left, visits Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on July 15, 2022. The guy who said he was going to turn Saudi Arabia into a 'pariah' state greeted MBS in his palace with a fist bump. And he left Riyadh without any help in reducing high oil prices.  Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Saudi Arabia’s notorious crown prince extends his influence into the world of golf

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 12, 2023
  • Mohammed bin Salman realized 'sportswashing' was a great way to improve Saudi Arabia’s image and his own. If Saudi got into the entertainment business, it

Saudi Arabia’s notorious crown prince extends his influence into the world of golf

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 12, 2023
  • Mohammed bin Salman realized 'sportswashing' was a great way to improve Saudi Arabia’s image and his own. If Saudi got into the entertainment business, it
Cringeworthy: U.S. President Joe Biden, left, visits Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on July 15, 2022. The guy who said he was going to turn Saudi Arabia into a 'pariah' state greeted MBS in his palace with a fist bump. And he left Riyadh without any help in reducing high oil prices.  Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Slimy assault on David Johnston’s reputation and character is unforgivable

  • If David Johnston had recommended a public inquiry into alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections, the same people now slagging Johnston would be carrying
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 5, 2023
Canadians have come to expect 'National Inquirer'-style politics out of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, but more is expected of Jagmeet Singh and the NDP, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Slimy assault on David Johnston’s reputation and character is unforgivable

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 5, 2023
  • If David Johnston had recommended a public inquiry into alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections, the same people now slagging Johnston would be carrying

Slimy assault on David Johnston’s reputation and character is unforgivable

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | June 5, 2023
  • If David Johnston had recommended a public inquiry into alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections, the same people now slagging Johnston would be carrying
Canadians have come to expect 'National Inquirer'-style politics out of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, but more is expected of Jagmeet Singh and the NDP, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

On foreign interference, Poilievre wants to stir up scandal without knowing the facts

  • As Jagmeet Singh considers Pierre Poilievre's call to force a public inquiry, he must ask whether protecting democracy is the Conservatives' main motivation.
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 29, 2023
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, has called for NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to force a public inquiry into foreign interference, but Singh should think twice about the request, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

On foreign interference, Poilievre wants to stir up scandal without knowing the facts

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 29, 2023
  • As Jagmeet Singh considers Pierre Poilievre's call to force a public inquiry, he must ask whether protecting democracy is the Conservatives' main motivation.

On foreign interference, Poilievre wants to stir up scandal without knowing the facts

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 29, 2023
  • As Jagmeet Singh considers Pierre Poilievre's call to force a public inquiry, he must ask whether protecting democracy is the Conservatives' main motivation.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, has called for NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to force a public inquiry into foreign interference, but Singh should think twice about the request, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
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Poilievre thinks he can trash his way to power like Trump, but don’t be surprised if Trudeau pulls off another surprise

  • If values play a role in the next election—the values of Pierre Poilievre against Justin Trudeau's—don’t be surprised if the Less Shiny Pony pulls
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 22, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. I don’t think the prospect of losing for Trudeau will be worse than walking away from a fight with a man and a party whose politics and philosophy he so profoundly rejects, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Poilievre thinks he can trash his way to power like Trump, but don’t be surprised if Trudeau pulls off another surprise

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 22, 2023
  • If values play a role in the next election—the values of Pierre Poilievre against Justin Trudeau's—don’t be surprised if the Less Shiny Pony pulls

Poilievre thinks he can trash his way to power like Trump, but don’t be surprised if Trudeau pulls off another surprise

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 22, 2023
  • If values play a role in the next election—the values of Pierre Poilievre against Justin Trudeau's—don’t be surprised if the Less Shiny Pony pulls
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. I don’t think the prospect of losing for Trudeau will be worse than walking away from a fight with a man and a party whose politics and philosophy he so profoundly rejects, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Political lying: it’s a protected form of dishonesty that’s dangerous for democracy

  • The integrity of a vote is only as good as the information relied on to cast it. If a voter is misinformed, so too
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 15, 2023
Donald Trump seems to demonstrate the bizarre assertion that political lying is okay, mostly because it often works, writes Michael Harris. Photograph by Gage Skidmore/Commons Wikimedia

Political lying: it’s a protected form of dishonesty that’s dangerous for democracy

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 15, 2023
  • The integrity of a vote is only as good as the information relied on to cast it. If a voter is misinformed, so too

Political lying: it’s a protected form of dishonesty that’s dangerous for democracy

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 15, 2023
  • The integrity of a vote is only as good as the information relied on to cast it. If a voter is misinformed, so too
Donald Trump seems to demonstrate the bizarre assertion that political lying is okay, mostly because it often works, writes Michael Harris. Photograph by Gage Skidmore/Commons Wikimedia

Every day, Poilievre chivvies the prime minister over alleged shortcomings, often of a personal nature

  • It is obvious that the Conservative Party of Canada enters Parliament every day with one thought in mind: how to personally demonize Justin Trudeau, and
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 1, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. For Poilievre to drone on about Trudeau’s real and imagined elitist excesses is a bit rich for a guy who is reputedly worth $5-million, and who lives in a taxpayer-provided mansion with servants, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Every day, Poilievre chivvies the prime minister over alleged shortcomings, often of a personal nature

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 1, 2023
  • It is obvious that the Conservative Party of Canada enters Parliament every day with one thought in mind: how to personally demonize Justin Trudeau, and

Every day, Poilievre chivvies the prime minister over alleged shortcomings, often of a personal nature

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | May 1, 2023
  • It is obvious that the Conservative Party of Canada enters Parliament every day with one thought in mind: how to personally demonize Justin Trudeau, and
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. For Poilievre to drone on about Trudeau’s real and imagined elitist excesses is a bit rich for a guy who is reputedly worth $5-million, and who lives in a taxpayer-provided mansion with servants, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Truth loses out in Fox News settlement, and that’s apparently what having a spare $780-million in your jeans can do

  • Fox has gotten away with treating the most egregious breach of trust in media history as a mere cost of doing business.
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 24, 2023
By writing the biggest cheque in U.S. history in a defamation suit, Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham, left, Sean Hannity, and Tucker Carlson were spared their moment of truth in front of the country, writes Michael Harris. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Truth loses out in Fox News settlement, and that’s apparently what having a spare $780-million in your jeans can do

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 24, 2023
  • Fox has gotten away with treating the most egregious breach of trust in media history as a mere cost of doing business.

Truth loses out in Fox News settlement, and that’s apparently what having a spare $780-million in your jeans can do

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 24, 2023
  • Fox has gotten away with treating the most egregious breach of trust in media history as a mere cost of doing business.
By writing the biggest cheque in U.S. history in a defamation suit, Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham, left, Sean Hannity, and Tucker Carlson were spared their moment of truth in front of the country, writes Michael Harris. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Trump’s brand of politics by personal attack is creeping into our national conversation

  • The public dialogue is not so much a contest of ideas between political parties, as it has traditionally been, but a kind of cage
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 17, 2023
Freedom Convoy supporters, pictured Jan. 29, 2022 on the Hill. It's good for democracy to debate the issues. But 'Fuck Trudeau' signs, like 'Fuck Biden' signs and 'Fuck Ford' signs, put up by fanatical supporters incited by relentless personal attacks on political leaders, are not the way to conduct a democracy, writes Michael Harris.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump’s brand of politics by personal attack is creeping into our national conversation

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 17, 2023
  • The public dialogue is not so much a contest of ideas between political parties, as it has traditionally been, but a kind of cage

Trump’s brand of politics by personal attack is creeping into our national conversation

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 17, 2023
  • The public dialogue is not so much a contest of ideas between political parties, as it has traditionally been, but a kind of cage
Freedom Convoy supporters, pictured Jan. 29, 2022 on the Hill. It's good for democracy to debate the issues. But 'Fuck Trudeau' signs, like 'Fuck Biden' signs and 'Fuck Ford' signs, put up by fanatical supporters incited by relentless personal attacks on political leaders, are not the way to conduct a democracy, writes Michael Harris.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

No one ever stopped a bully by turning a blind eye

  • The closer the United States gets to the primary season and the 2024 presidential election, the easier it will be for Donald Trump and
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 10, 2023
Former U.S. president Donald Trump, pictured in this file photo, was indicted on March 30 by a Manhattan grand jury for his alleged role in hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels. He faces 34 charges of falsifying business records and was arraigned in New York City on April 3. His next in-person hearing is Dec. 4 in New York City. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

No one ever stopped a bully by turning a blind eye

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 10, 2023
  • The closer the United States gets to the primary season and the 2024 presidential election, the easier it will be for Donald Trump and

No one ever stopped a bully by turning a blind eye

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 10, 2023
  • The closer the United States gets to the primary season and the 2024 presidential election, the easier it will be for Donald Trump and
Former U.S. president Donald Trump, pictured in this file photo, was indicted on March 30 by a Manhattan grand jury for his alleged role in hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels. He faces 34 charges of falsifying business records and was arraigned in New York City on April 3. His next in-person hearing is Dec. 4 in New York City. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Note to Poilievre: politics of personal destruction can only go so far

  • The big question is whether relentless personal attacks on Justin Trudeau, aided and abetted by sympathetic media and endorsed by former prime minister Stephen
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 3, 2023
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, pictured, has a popularity problem, which is fuelling the opposition's tactic of besmirching the prime minister rather than scrutinizing the government’s record, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade.

Note to Poilievre: politics of personal destruction can only go so far

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 3, 2023
  • The big question is whether relentless personal attacks on Justin Trudeau, aided and abetted by sympathetic media and endorsed by former prime minister Stephen

Note to Poilievre: politics of personal destruction can only go so far

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | April 3, 2023
  • The big question is whether relentless personal attacks on Justin Trudeau, aided and abetted by sympathetic media and endorsed by former prime minister Stephen
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, pictured, has a popularity problem, which is fuelling the opposition's tactic of besmirching the prime minister rather than scrutinizing the government’s record, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade.

Equality before the law has been compromised in two of the world’s putative great democracies: the United States and Israel 

  • The GOP needs to wake up to the likelihood that Trump’s next photo-op might well be a mug-shot. And if they really do think that
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 27, 2023
Consider the stunning developments in U.S. politics in reaction to the multiple criminal investigations into former president, and now presidential candidate, Donald Trump, left. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu, right, became the first PM in Israeli history to be indicted while in office. Photographs courtesy of Flickr/Wikimedia Commons

Equality before the law has been compromised in two of the world’s putative great democracies: the United States and Israel 

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 27, 2023
  • The GOP needs to wake up to the likelihood that Trump’s next photo-op might well be a mug-shot. And if they really do think that

Equality before the law has been compromised in two of the world’s putative great democracies: the United States and Israel 

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 27, 2023
  • The GOP needs to wake up to the likelihood that Trump’s next photo-op might well be a mug-shot. And if they really do think that
Consider the stunning developments in U.S. politics in reaction to the multiple criminal investigations into former president, and now presidential candidate, Donald Trump, left. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu, right, became the first PM in Israeli history to be indicted while in office. Photographs courtesy of Flickr/Wikimedia Commons

This ain’t no party, but populism is destroying our federal politics

  • Something fundamental, and dangerous, has happened to the normally partisan world of politics, with all it warts. Populism has arrived like an 18-wheeler crashing into
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 20, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. Incumbent governments are not just incompetent boobs who are mucking things up and ought to be shown the door. They are now the 'enemy,' who must not only be replaced, but wiped out, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and illustration by Neena Singhal

This ain’t no party, but populism is destroying our federal politics

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 20, 2023
  • Something fundamental, and dangerous, has happened to the normally partisan world of politics, with all it warts. Populism has arrived like an 18-wheeler crashing into

This ain’t no party, but populism is destroying our federal politics

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 20, 2023
  • Something fundamental, and dangerous, has happened to the normally partisan world of politics, with all it warts. Populism has arrived like an 18-wheeler crashing into
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. Incumbent governments are not just incompetent boobs who are mucking things up and ought to be shown the door. They are now the 'enemy,' who must not only be replaced, but wiped out, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, and illustration by Neena Singhal

The most hopeful sign Trump is headed for con-man oblivion

  • Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg invited Donald Trump to testify, without a subpoena, before a grand jury. That's usually a sign that prosecutors are about
Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 13, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and then-U.S. president Donald Trump in 2019. Trump traded the NATO alliance for a relationship with Putin, the butcher of Ukraine, writes Michael Harris.   Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The most hopeful sign Trump is headed for con-man oblivion

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 13, 2023
  • Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg invited Donald Trump to testify, without a subpoena, before a grand jury. That's usually a sign that prosecutors are about

The most hopeful sign Trump is headed for con-man oblivion

Opinion | BY MICHAEL HARRIS | March 13, 2023
  • Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg invited Donald Trump to testify, without a subpoena, before a grand jury. That's usually a sign that prosecutors are about
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and then-U.S. president Donald Trump in 2019. Trump traded the NATO alliance for a relationship with Putin, the butcher of Ukraine, writes Michael Harris.   Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons