Counterweights is a political blogazine with a Canadian focus. Through no fault of our own, our editorial and (now as well) technical offices are on Fernwood Park in Toronto, Ontario.

We take an interest in our wider North American and global environments. And we identify with our local Toronto and Ontario regional contexts at the other end of the scale. We see culture, economics, and history (and even murder and sports!) as crucial background.

The name is taken from Pierre Trudeau’s Foreword to his 1968 book, Federalism and the French Canadians: “There is thus the danger that mass media … constitute a vehicle for error … The theory of checks and balances … has always had my full support. It translates into practical terms the concept of equilibrium that is inseparable from freedom in the realm of ideas … My political action, or my theory – insomuch as I can be said to have one – can be expressed very simply: create counterweights.”

The site was launched in the summer of 2004, in response to a dockside debate in the northern woods. The current counterweights editors, led by editor-in-chief Randall White, are committed to carrying on (somewhat less frequently than in more youthful years?) until who knows just when!

EARLY AUTUMN 2017 / LATE SPRING 2018/ MID WINTER 2020/MID AUTUMN 2022/MID SUMMER 2024/LATE SPRING 2026.