Among other things, Premier Dalton McGuinty’s recent prorogation of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario has re-surfaced growing concerns about just how governors general of Canada and lieutenant governors of the provinces are chosen nowadays. As the Canadian Press has explained : “Former governor general Michaelle Jean came under intense scrutiny for twice agreeing to controversial […]

Even with only five more days to go, it’s hard not to agree with Abigael Evans of Colorado, who is “tired of Bronco Bama and Mitt Romney.”Â  (And then, we read in the same coverage : “At the Al Smith dinner earlier this month, even President Barack Obama joked that ‘sometimes it feels like this […]

Judging by the poll on the Globe and Mail site today, not very many Canadians outside Quebec are concerned that “France has re-instated its non-interference, non-indifference policy toward Quebec nationalism.” There may nonetheless be a few who are wondering what this report elsewhere on the Globe and Mail site means: “Premier Pauline Marois got what […]

As a kind of coda, footnote, or l’envoi to various recent postings on this site (including the October 4 tribute to the late great Charles Roach), we’d just like to offer a quick thumbs up to a provocative passage in Chantal Hébert’s October 5 column in the Toronto Star, “Here’s how the Liberals can make […]

We still don’t know for dead certain that Justin Pierre James Trudeau will be throwing his hair into the ring. But eminent Ottawa journalists have reported “Mr. Trudeau is expected to announce next week [Tuesday, some especially bold scribes are saying] that he is a candidate for leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.” And, […]

There have been various explanations of the Harper government’s decision last Friday to suspend Canada’s diplomatic relations with Iran. See, eg: “By cutting ties with Iran, we just shot ourself in the foot” ; “Burman: What has prompted Canada’s move against Iran?” ; and “Canada’s last Iran ambassador: Cutting off Tehran looks like a mistake.” […]

According to Greg Mitchell’s Pressing Issues report this past Friday, August 31, 3012 : “Jon Stewart’s opening segment on rare Friday night edition of ‘The Daily Show’ was single best shot at RNC [ie the Republican National Convention] on any cable or network show this week.  Yes, covered Clint – ‘The Old Man and the […]

[UPDATED AUGUST 28]. Just over a week from now, the people/peuple of la belle province (which is, of course, not a province like the others, because of its beauty and many other things) will be choosing their next provincial government. It still seems wrong to jump to any big conclusions just yet – especially perhaps […]

Having spent a few weeks, a few months ago, visiting various parts of Europe with a few thousand mostly congenial Germans, we can appreciate the superficial motivations behind German Chancellor (ie Prime Minister) Angela Merkel’s visit with our Canadian PM Harper and others in Ottawa and vicinity today and tomorrow. (See “Euro crisis ‘elephant in […]

Can anyone really be surprised that Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois is attacking the continuing strange status of the British monarchy in the Canada of 2012? Or, as the Globe and Mail has explained: “With the Quebec election campaign in full swing, the royals have become for the PQ a symbol of the federal Conservative […]