Liberal ridings in Ontario and Atlantic Canada received the largest share of military spending outside the Ottawa region last year, according to Department of National Defence economists. Access To Information data show 15 of the top 20 ridings voted Liberal: "This is not to be construed as an economic analysis." READ MORE
The Department of Labour has rejected an appeal from CFL players for workplace health and safety protection under the Canada Labour Code, according to Access To Information records. Players sought the “minimum rights and protections that apply in every workplace across Canada.” READ MORE
Cabinet for the second time in two years is enacting new regulations targeting unfair trade by Asian steelmakers. Canada has run a trade deficit in steel since 1996: "We cannot compete with the government of the People’s Republic of China." READ MORE
A drug gang member who pleaded guilty to trafficking is not personally responsible for GST on cocaine sales, the Federal Court of Appeal has ruled. Judges cited a Québec law that narrowly defines commercial partnerships for tax purposes: "Tax laws should not be interpreted in the name of vague public policy." READ MORE
Poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock's tradition each and every Sunday: "Andrew Scheer vows to deliver what recent prime ministers could not: Build the Trans-Mountain pipeline, fix Canada-United States relationship..." READ MORE
If the government can’t effectively regulate short line railways, it can’t regulate the subtleties of parenting. Still they try. For twenty years advocates have sought repeal of section 43 of the Criminal Code that sanctions “reasonable” spanking to correct youngsters’ behaviour. It was written in 1892 by a Catholic justice minister with nine children, and survived numerous court challenges and parliamentary hearings. Québec author Marie-Aimée Cliche examines the practice: “Once it was accepted that the aim of parenting was to bring children up in the way they should, without spoiling or terrorizing them, what was the appropriate method to achieve this objective?” READ MORE
The federal Commissioner of Elections yesterday collapsed a first-ever fake news investigation. The office confirmed foreign “individuals” planted a false story to discredit New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh, but could not find out who was responsible or why: "Individuals outside Canada played a key role." READ MORE
I think people are hungering for intelligent representation that doesn’t pander, that isn’t all spin and attack ads. I think the direction of U.S. politics is dispiriting; there is a “me-first-ism” to partisanship. And now it contaminates Canadian politics, too. I fear there are people who would love to see a two-party system in Canada. Any party system where a legislator must vote the interests of party, not of constituents and country, is unhealthy.
