August 2017 – Ted Campbell's Point of View … an old soldier's thoughts on shoes and ships and sealing wax and many other things. I self describe as a classical liberal ~ which means, in 21st century Canada, that I’m a Conservative. I believe in four fundamental rights for each and every individual: Life, Liberty and Property, as described by John Locke in 17th century England, and Privacy, as defined by Brandeis and Warren in 19th century America. Your comments are welcome, but my views (and obvious biases) are pretty well established after 75+ years.

A sacred duty?

The Toronto Star argues, in an editorial, that “There is no commitment in this country like the one made by Canadian soldiers going to war. They accept the very concrete possibility of being killed, maimed, and psychologically damaged in the service of the nation. They don’t choose when and where they’ll fight, but rather do […]

On size does not fit all

There is a thoughtful essay on the Brooking Institution’s website by Spanish politician and diplomat Javier Solana entitled “The flip side of Euro-Atlantic integration,’ which will allow me to return to one of my favourite themes: Europe needs a multi-tiered socio-economic and political superstructure because, as the Brexit proves, one size does not fit all, which […]

Reaching out (2)

There is an important blog post in The Spectator by Paul Goodman, editor of ConservativeHome, which I hope Andrew Scheer and the Conservative Party of Canada braintrust will take to heart. It is headlined: “How the Conservatives can win back young voters.” It’s something the Conservative party of Canada must do. In the last election Justin […]

Reaching out

I was so glad to see this picture on social media … … and this one, too … … because it means that Andrew Scheer is reaching out, past the Conservatives’ middle aged and senior citizen, white, male firm base. It reminds us of Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney a few years ago … showing […]

Head in the sand

The Toronto Star reports, in an article by Lee Berthiaume of the Canadian Press, that “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has thrown cold water on suggestions the Liberal government wants to sign onto continental ballistic missile defence.” I understand why missile defence is, still, a toxic policy for many Canadians, as I explained, back about a […]

More on NAFTA~

So, according to media reports, the US is playing hardball on NAFTA and President Trump suggests (according to CBC News) that, no matter what, “he thinks the U.S. will “end up probably terminating” the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico “at some point” … [because] … “Personally, I don’t think we can make […]

Everyman’s Strategic Survey: the threat of political Islam

OK, yet again, as it is day-after-day-after-day, my newsfeed contains a story about another immigrant in another country (Belgium, this time) attacking someone “with a knife shouting Allahu Akbar (God is great), in a case authorities are treating as a terrorist attack.” It’s not an isolated incident … it happened, again, in London, too. It is […]

Is this the best that could happen?

There is a provocative (hopeful?) article in The Independent headlined: “Art of the Deal co-author predicts Donald Trump is about to resign.” The article says that “The co-author of Donald Trump’s memoir The Art of the Deal has predicted the US President is going to resign by autumn if not sooner … [and] … Tony Schwartz, who claims to […]

Free trade, again

There is a very useful article in The Times, by Matt Ridely, which is headlined: [The] “Best hope for free trade is to have principles.” These notions, free (at least freer) trade and principles, are two subjects with which I have dealt again and again, but I offer no apologies for mixing the two and […]

Thank you for your service, too

It is appropriate to thank Minister Judy Foote for her service to Newfoundland and Labrador and to Canada and to wish her and her family all the best in the future. I probably disagree with Ms Foote on a wide range of issues but I admire and respect her for her willingness to enter the […]