By Richard Forbes. Featured image via Sean Kilpatrick, CP. "For a decade, middle class struggles were simply swept under the rug," Finance minister Bill Morneau says to parliament, prompting jeers from the opposition. "But the good news is that Canadians—on their own accord—worked hard and persevered. We have always been resilient and innovative, able to adapt—and … Continue reading A source of endless confusion, the Liberals should drop their “middle class” rhetoric before it backfires
O’Leary is far from the only Canadian who can’t speak French – and that’s a problem
By Chelsea Craig & Richard Forbes. Featured image via John Mahoney, Montreal Gazette. "Mes amis Quebecois, le français c'est important pour moi," Kevin O'Leary read clumsily from a memo to the Montreal audience; the presumed front-runner in a race of fourteen candidates vying for the federal Conservative party leadership, O'Leary was responding to those who had … Continue reading O’Leary is far from the only Canadian who can’t speak French – and that’s a problem
From one disappointed reformer to another: why you shouldn’t give up on Trudeau
By Richard Forbes. Make no mistake, I was positively livid when Democratic Institutions minister Karina Gould announced the Liberals were backing away from their electoral reform pledge. While not a central plank of the Liberals' campaign platform, electoral reform had offered a tantalizing prospect of 'real change' - hopes which were dashed that morning by Gould's … Continue reading From one disappointed reformer to another: why you shouldn’t give up on Trudeau
Signing a health agreement with Ottawa: which province is next?
By Richard Forbes. It was supposed to have been healthcare's "fix for a generation" or so the prime minister, then Paul Martin, had said. Nothing could have characterized the Martin government better than the loose jaw-jaw, full of indecision, contradiction and publicity, which bore his Health Accord in the fall of 2004 - the product … Continue reading Signing a health agreement with Ottawa: which province is next?
Terror for a post-truth world
Tragedy struck Sainte-Foy, Québec City this past Sunday. A masked gunman entered a busy local mosque, the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec, and opened fire on a night prayer. As a result of his violent act of terror, six were killed and nineteen were injured. Soon after, we learnt that the accused, Alexandre Bissonnette, was a … Continue reading Terror for a post-truth world
Kevin O’Leary’s path to victory and what it means for Canada
By Richard Forbes. Featured image via Jonathan Hayward, CP. If you're reading this you've survived the first twenty four hours of a Trump administration and in that respect congratulations are in order. God help us. Yesterday felt very much like a funeral for American democracy: people put on brave faces, the mood was somber, priests … Continue reading Kevin O’Leary’s path to victory and what it means for Canada
Courting anglophones is a desperate new low for the PQ
Quebec has seen enough turmoil over the separatist 'dream.' With over three quarters of the province now finding it wrongheaded, why can’t we let sleeping dogs lie?
How to fix a broken NDP
By Richard Forbes. Despite rumours that he might face a coup d'état, interim party leader Tom Mulcair left the NDP's Montreal caucus meeting yesterday assuring the press that he had the 'unanimous' support of his caucus to remain as leader until the new party leader is chosen next year. He also set out to reset … Continue reading How to fix a broken NDP
Safety first: Fixing the NEB’s public trust deficit
By Steve Santerre. Featured image via Paul Chiasson. The National Energy Board’s (NEB) plan of holding a week-long environmental assessment hearing in Montreal on the subject of building a 4,500-kilometre pipeline stretching from Alberta to New Brunswick came to a forceful halt on Tuesday. The NEB suspended hearings indefinitely because of the “violent disruption on … Continue reading Safety first: Fixing the NEB’s public trust deficit
Canada should turn its attention to Greenland. No, really.
By Richard Forbes. Featured image via Gerald Zinnecker. Probably the last thing you would have thought of this morning was 'how are things in Greenland?' and you're forgiven, dear reader for your indifference, but listen up: our country would be deeply remiss to continue to ignore the island's politics and its potential. If you don't believe … Continue reading Canada should turn its attention to Greenland. No, really.
The Ribbon 