On Canada’s 150th, it’s time for progressives to rediscover our patriotism

Today marks 150 years since Canadian Confederation. For some Canadians, our 150th is a historic opportunity to celebrate our national pride. For others, celebrating Canada’s 150th conjures mixed feelings, or is anathema, due to some of the uglier aspects of our history–especially those related to the mistreatment of First Nations–or to areas in which we…

What is the right amount of tax?

–Jared Milne- Tax time has come and gone again in Canada, which can remind us of politicians’ comments on taxes. Many politicians, especially conservative ones, have talked about tax relief, offering all kinds of tax cuts and rebates for everything from fitness to children’s art programs. Oftentimes, they also guarantee that these tax cuts can…

Academia’s conservative problem

In the halls of the academy, data suggest that conservatives are both more underrepresented and more heavily discriminated against than most other traditionally underrepresented groups (though other groups certainly may face greater barriers before they get to the academy). To kick off this week’s #DiversityJC discussion, here are some thoughts on why this is a problem for…

Hopeful signs for pipelines

–Jared Milne- At first glance, pipelines to get Alberta’s oil to market seem stalled. Many people across Canada don’t think the advantages of pipelines are worth the environmental risks they’re worried about. As I’ve pointed out before, Stephen Harper deserves a lot of the blame for opposition to pipelines becoming as strong as it has.…

Endorsing integrity in government

-The Expat- The Beginning I remember Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s first day in office. It was almost a decade ago, in what seemed to be an entirely different country than the one we live in today. It was a country where foul play could literally bring down a government; Paul Martin’s Liberals had just succumbed to…

Election 2015 Discussion 3: Who should Canadians vote for?

We’ve debated the 2015 budget; we’ve debated the policies and platforms. With one week remaining in the campaign, it’s time to decide who we will be voting for. Several news outlets have already made endorsements: The Toronto Star and La Presse for the Liberals; The National Post for the Conservatives on the economy (they are…