The world must awaken to the reality of Russian nuclear blackmail and terrorism
After the U.S. forces killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri last week, one of my friends texted me, “Putin is now the most dangerous terrorist on the planet.” It is difficult to disagree. While nearly 3,000 people had perished in the deadly 9/11 terrorist attacks, the number of civilian casualties in the Russian war of aggression…
Free nations must devote more resources to defence. Denialism and appeasement deliver death and destruction
On Nov. 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. East Germans streamed from communist East Berlin into democratic West Berlin. At the 1991 royal review of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC), Queen Elizabeth II announced “the end of the Cold War.” Amid talk of a peace dividend in 1995, the ROC, vital to Britain’s home defence,…
Chickpeas are nutritional powerhouses for consumers who don’t necessarily opt for animal proteins
Since the start of the pandemic, we have heard about shortages countless times. Most sections of the grocery store have been hit by tightening supplies for one reason or another. But the latest headlines we are seeing are about chickpeas. Many analysts are expecting chickpea inventories to drop significantly in months to come. For westerners,…
Elite influence is no myth
Do you believe “Big events (wars, recessions, elections) are controlled by small groups secretly working against the rest of us”? Abacus surveyed 1,500 Canadians on that question, and 44 per cent agreed. However, the pollster characterized those who “believe dangerous contrarian theories” and “mistrust what media report and what governments say” as “a poison affecting…
Russia’s war in Ukraine has recast the entire Arctic security architecture
Russia’s 2014 war of aggression against Ukraine – renewed in 2022 – is having worldwide ramifications, and the Arctic region is now experiencing fundamental changes to its overall security structures and infrastructure. Arctic institutions and organizations are being transformed because of Russia’s actions. These changes will continue to reverberate across the entire international system for…
A plotter, a spy with an overactive libido and a three-time attempted invader all called themselves Fenians
Historian David A. Wilson’s new book is Canadian Spy Story: Irish Revolutionaries and the Secret Police. It recounts a mid-19th-century episode where Irish revolutionaries – known as Fenians – tried to use Canada as a pawn in their struggle for Irish independence. Last week’s column looked at the Fenian attempts to invade Canada and hold…
Ukraine can prevail, but it needs the tools to do so
It has been almost four months since Russia re-invaded Ukraine with the explicit aim of erasing Ukraine from the map as an independent country and Ukrainians as a people from our collective memory. Russian dictator – and now war criminal – Vladimir Putin failed thanks to the bravery and immense sacrifices of Ukrainians fighting for…
Increasing Canadian LNG would improve energy security and also help reduce world emissions
The growing global shortage of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is expected to bring a sustained period of higher prices and extreme market volatility, according to analysts with Norway-based consultancy Rystad Energy. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and the subsequent decision by European countries to seek other natural gas suppliers – is exacerbating an already tight…
There were five failed armed Fenian incursions into Canada between 1866 and 1871
University of Toronto historian David A. Wilson has an interesting new book called Canadian Spy Story: Irish Revolutionaries and the Secret Police. It’s a detailed examination of a mid-19th-century episode that had the potential to turn Canadian history upside down. And Wilson makes a credible case that the danger wasn’t entirely farfetched. Following the conclusion…
Being recognized as divinely anointed didn’t guarantee acquiescence, but it was still a huge asset
Dominic Lieven is a British historian who has written extensively on European, particularly Russian, history. His latest book, In the Shadow of the Gods, is about emperors and empires. It examines their historical scope and the characteristics that contributed to dynastic success or failure. At over 400 densely written pages (excluding notes), the book is…