Will the gathering at Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods Park be an isolated incident or a sign of things to come?
It was hard not to be caught off guard by the stark images of last Saturday’s massive gathering at Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods Park. The crowd reportedly reached about 10,000 people. Most of the park visitors appeared to be in their 20s and 30s. Encouraged by the sunshine and an overwhelming desire to be with people,…
Former U.S. president Barack Obama has decided to start criticizing Donald Trump. But he’s just trying to protect his legacy
Should former politicians speak out against current officeholders? This question has nothing to do with a former politician’s democratic right to support or oppose someone or something. Rather, it’s part of a larger debate related to the ex-officeholder’s decision to jump back into the political process, and whether he or she should just resist temptation…
The positive cases in the White House have far more to do with America’s battle against the virus than Trump’s choices
Governments around the world have dealt with the pandemic not only in terms of policy, but also personal health and well-being. A smattering of cabinet ministers, backbenchers and diplomats have tested positive for COVID-19. This includes Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Iranian Vice-President Masoumeh Ebtekar, Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, Israeli Health Minister Yaakov…
Huge financial losses, massive layoffs and stringent safety protocols for the few remaining passengers sets a dark tone
Many Canadians look forward to travelling when the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end (whenever that may be). Unfortunately, flying the friendly skies is quickly becoming far less friendly. Air Canada temporarily suspended all flights to the U.S. on April 26. Passengers are required to wear masks for the entirety of any trip, and flight…
Life has to continue, even though it may end up being a different life than Canadians once had
The slow, gradual process of reopening the Canadian economy has finally begun. Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island announced last week that the economic lockdown in their respective provinces would be relaxed. None of the timelines are fixed, local businesses won’t open up at once, and everything could theoretically change if an unexpected uptick…
Oil prices have taken a catastrophic drop. Unemployment numbers are through the roof. Bankruptcies are raising their ugly heads
Monday was the equivalent of a major financial nightmare for the U.S. economy. Oil futures for West Texas crude went below zero for the first time in history and finished at US-$37.63 a barrel. Don’t rub your eyes too hard. That’s a minus, not a plus, next to the dollar figure. What does this mean?…
On Easter Sunday, appropriately enough, the British PM spoke of his harrowing experience battling COVID-19
There are moments in our world that defy logic and understanding. Quirks of fate that make little to no sense. Positive and negative experiences that often seem out of place in societies based on relative order and precision. That’s why United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s recovery from COVID-19 should be viewed as nothing short…
Politicians and commentators have an important role during COVID-19: deliver simple, effective messaging
During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical and health experts have provided us with important statistics, charts and analysis on a near-daily basis. At the same time, politicians and governments have introduced everything from wage subsidies to warnings about social distancing. Some information has been easy to understand. But most of it has been difficult for average…
An estimated 500 million people contracted the Spanish flu, and the death toll was between 17 million and 50 million
As our world deals with the coronavirus pandemic, a couple of interesting personal stories came out of Europe on March 29. The Guardian reported that Hilda Churchill, a 108-year-old woman in Salford, England, became (quite likely) the oldest British person to die from COVID-19 symptoms. And Turkey’s Anadolu Agency and Fox News reported that a…
Ignorant, selfish actions by some Canadians put fellow citizens in harm’s way. It must stop now, even if the measures are drastic
“We’ve all seen the pictures online of the people who seem to think they’re invincible. Well, you’re not. Enough is enough. Go home and stay home. This is what we all need to be doing. And we’re going to make sure this happens, whether by educating people more on the risks or by enforcing the…
The coronavirus won’t be here forever but we need to take preventive measures now to minimize it’s impact in Canada
It seems like only yesterday we were discussing the Wet’suwet’en solidarity blockades, Teck Resources’ withdrawal from a $20-billion oil sands project and the Ontario teachers’ strike. These issues (and others) have mostly been placed on the back burner due to the coronavirus, or COVID-19. This global pandemic started back in late December 2019. Chinese health…
How one endorsement could change the federal Conservative leadership race, pushing MacKay into the background
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney endorsed former Veterans Affairs minister Erin O’Toole in the federal Conservative leadership election on March 5. Quite a few political observers were surprised by his decision. Some wondered why Kenney did it so early, since a new leader won’t be chosen until June 27. Others were puzzled why he backed O’Toole,…
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has had a terrible few weeks, from the Wet’suwet’en solidarity blockades to the collapse of Teck Resources’ $20 billion Frontier mine project. Most world leaders would immediately focus their energies on their domestic economies if faced with such dire financial circumstances. Not Trudeau. The PM remains obsessed with the single-minded goal…
This is one of those moments when a leader needs to show their mettle in bringing a difficult crisis to a natural conclusion. Justin Trudeau failed
Canada has been involved in a political crisis for nearly three weeks. Nationwide protests by radical activists siding with the Wet’suwet’en tribe’s hereditary chiefs against the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline in northern B.C. are ongoing. Some politicians were blocked from entering provincial legislatures or, in the case of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland,…
It’s hard to believe that Christie Blatchford is no longer with us. Christie – or Blatch, as many were fond of calling her – was an omnipresent figure in Canadian journalism for 47 years. She often defied convention and marched to the beat of her own drum. She was a beacon of light who wrote…