He was right, so is she

Almost a week ago I said that I agreed with former ambassador to China David Mulroney's view that making Jean Chrétien a sort of "ordinary" ambassador (one with a limited, special mission ~ our permanent ambassadors are, officially, according to the Congress of Vienna (1815) ambassadeurs extraordinaire et plénipotentiaire) would be a mistake because, as … Continue reading He was right, so is she →

This time is different*

Michael J Mazarr, who is a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation and who was a professor and associate dean of academics at the U.S. National War College, and also was a special assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, near the very top of the Pentagon, has written a short … Continue reading This time is different* →

BZ to Prime Minister Trudeau

Yes, you read that headline write ... I, one of Justin Trudeau's fiercest critics, say "credit where credit is due" and I assert that it is due here, now because CTV News reports that "Canadian naval forces based on Vancouver Island will soon be joining the Japanese navy and the U.S. Seventh Fleet to enforce international … Continue reading BZ to Prime Minister Trudeau →

A full-course meal

Colin Robertson, a former Canadian diplomat (1977-2010) and, currently, Vice President and Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, says, in an opinion piece in the Globe and Mail, that "Tweets and soundbites," both much loved by Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland, "are the fast food of communicating policy. Like news releases, they are frequent but mostly … Continue reading A full-course meal →

Can Canada have a real foreign policy or just more diaspora politics?

Konrad Yakabuski, writing in the Globe and Mail over two weeks ago, said "Canadians have grown accustomed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s moments of inattention, when the words that come out of his mouth don’t quite match the occasion ... [even so] ... During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Ottawa visit last month, however, Mr. Trudeau … Continue reading Can Canada have a real foreign policy or just more diaspora politics? →

Canada is still excluded

Back in 2018, the Canadian International Council noted that "While multiple Canadian governments have asserted it is in our national interest to be active in the Asia Pacific, Canada’s recent military and security record shows a lacklustre—and even dwindling—presence ... [and] ... Beyond a few “enhanced engagement” documents and Canada’s so-called “Year of the Asia Pacific” … Continue reading Canada is still excluded →

I hope …

Warren Kinsella used to run Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's campaign "war room" back in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was not, I think, one of the Manley Liberals, but his Liberal roots are strong and deep and he is extraordinarily critical of Justin Trudeau, as is former Liberal Pary of Canada president (1998-2003) Stephen Ledrew. … Continue reading I hope … →