Canada has only ever been an extra on the global stage

Canada has only ever been an extra on the global stageMost Canadians are blissfully unaware of how poorly Canada really performs as a serious global contender In 2023, Vaclav Smil, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba, quietly assembled a 33-page PowerPoint deck entitled “Oh, Canada … Facts (and Only Facts) Every Canadian Should Know.” One such fact: Canada has plunged from being number…

Alberta’s pension plan proposal has a BREXIT-like stink to it

Alberta’s pension plan proposal has a BREXIT-like stink to itThe stench of misinformation surrounding the Alberta pension plan proposal recalls BREXIT’s deceptive tactics Few things in this world are more tempting to a politician than $334 billion. And it seems that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is going for gold with Alberta’s plan to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), which we’ll call ALBXIT.…

The unravelling of Justin Trudeau’s tarnished legacy

The unravelling of Justin Trudeau’s tarnished legacyShould Justin Trudeau stay or should he go? Somewhere, there exists a grainy, low-quality video fragment of a conversation between Sophie Gregoire and Justin Trudeau. I can’t pinpoint the video’s age, but I suspect it harks back to Trudeau’s pre-prime ministerial days. Perhaps it dates back to the charity announcement when he vowed to fight…

Canada’s billions to automakers yield few returns

Canada’s billions to automakers yield few returnsCanada’s costly habit of corporate welfare handouts comes under scrutiny In 2005, the Canadian government under Paul Martin announced a $200 million taxpayer-funded investment in General Motors, promising it would boost the auto industry, stimulate economic growth, and generate numerous new jobs. However, nearly two decades later, records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF)…

To boost productivity, we require investments, not subsidies

To boost productivity, we require investments, not subsidiesCanada’s low productivity rate due to a lack of business investment is leading to a fall in our living standards The Trudeau government has been crowing about how Canada has had “the strongest economic growth in the G7” coming out of the pandemic, which is true. But it neglected to mention that this growth was…

There are better tools to make housing more affordable

There are better tools to make housing more affordableWe need to see housing as a home, not just an investment Federal government ministers have just gathered for their annual late summer cabinet retreat, knowing that housing affordability is a top priority for Canadians. This is because, for a growing number of people in Canada, the housing market is broken. At its core, Canada’s…

Trudeau’s visit to Belleville a reflection of modern political realities

Trudeau’s visit to Belleville a reflection of modern political realitiesBelleville protest a symptom of people becoming fed up with their leaders and governments Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Belleville, Ont. last week. He was to meet with Mayor Neil Ellis, head to a farmers’ market and mark the seventh anniversary of the federal Child Care Benefit. Pretty innocuous stuff, all things considered. Yet, this…

Canada’s energy goals need a reality check

Canada’s energy goals need a reality checkAnd Vaclav Smil has a proposal to extricate Canada from its decarbonization dilemma The ideological extremes of any situation rarely produce anything of tangible value. This notion is glaringly visible in the contemporary energy landscape of Canada, which is beleaguered by cacophonic extremes from the political left and right. The fringes are abundant with futile…

Property rights in Canada are a constitutional necessity

Property rights in Canada are a constitutional necessityQuebec Man’s land slashed in half due to the 2013 railway tragedy and the compulsory expropriation of his land Kurt Lucas of Frontenac, Quebec, did not realize a railroad tragedy in 2013 would one day lead to his 125-acre property, which has been in his wife’s family since the 1970s, being cut in half. Lucas…
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