So, a few years ago Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking at New York University, talked about tribes and tribalism and the perils of both. It wasn't a bad speech ... the points about belonging versus exclusivity and exclusion are still good. But the prime minister may have ignored the tribe to which he belongs ... … Continue reading Tribes
It’s time for Canada to step up
Just a few days ago British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, in the House of Commons that ""We made clear that if China continued down this path we would introduce a new route for those with British National (Overseas) status to enter the UK, granting them limited leave to remain with the ability to live … Continue reading It’s time for Canada to step up
Dominion Day
Yes, yes, yes, I know it's"Canada Day," officially, since 1982, as part of our (unchanged since 1931) independence ... but I still think "dominion" is a very good word to describe those sovereign states that share a common constitutional monarch. It was "Dominion Day" for most of my life, thus far, and it will always … Continue reading Dominion Day
What’s wrong with Wexit? Everything*
Journalist and sometimes politician Stephen Taylor, writing in the National Post, says, and I agree with him, fully, that "The existence of the Wexit movement is a national tragedy ... [because] ... The Wexit movement is the latest uproar of Canadian regional populism. Canada’s bifurcation of haves and have-nots, contented and aggrieved, elites and non-elites … Continue reading What’s wrong with Wexit? Everything*
Some thoughts on taxes
My first and, I believe, the most important thing to understand about taxes is: there is only one taxpayer; it is you and me and individuals like us. Corporations do not pay taxes ~ they pass every single penny of the taxes assessed to them on to us, their customers. You and I and your … Continue reading Some thoughts on taxes
Military reserves
For those interested, and every thinking Canadian should have some, albeit limited interest in the subject, there is an interesting thread over on Army.ca which deals with the problems (there are a lot of them) in making Canada's reserve Army (the militia if you're old enough) into an effective force. I'm going to go with … Continue reading Military reserves
Is the worst over?
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde is a very smart person and, on Friday, according to a report by Reuters, she said that Europe "is “probably past” the worst of the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but the recovery will be uneven ... [and] ... Speaking as fears of a second wave shook investors … Continue reading Is the worst over?
A new front in Cold War 2.0
I remarked, albeit only in passing, on the media's role in the campaign to persuade Canada that it should do a prisoner exchange: Meng Wanzhou for the “Two Michals,” Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. My comment was that the Globe and Mail's front page was devoted ~ item after item ~ to that issue. It … Continue reading A new front in Cold War 2.0
No one gives a damn: broken systems, broken veterans
Almost two years ago the Supreme Court of Canada drove a final nail into the coffin of an attempt by wounded veterans to hold the government to a "social covenant" which, they argued, had been established during the First World War. The highest court in the land, Murray Brewster wrote (first link) "was asked to … Continue reading No one gives a damn: broken systems, broken veterans
The Argentina of the North
Almost three weeks ago, I quoted Professor Jack Mintz who said "Creditors eventually will want Canadian governments to have sustainable fiscal plans. If not, they will downgrade our debt, leading to higher interest rates. This has already happened to Alberta, which has the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio of all the provinces but also the second highest … Continue reading The Argentina of the North
