In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, ………..If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. This is the iconic poem written by John McCrae while World War 1 raged, shortly before he too became...
Commentary
Etam: Awkward – Canada Creates a Brand New Fossil Fuel Subsidy
Upon hearing about the federal government’s decision to roll back the carbon tax on heating oil, I rolled up my sleeves. The point of writing about energy at all is to try to illuminate some aspect of an energy topic from a viewpoint inside the energy sector; to...
Chief Dan George (Geswanouth Slahoot) 1899-1981
Most people have heroes, people in history or people still living, people who inspire, evoke strong feelings of admiration, respect, love. High on my list of heroes is Geswanouth Slahoot, aka Chief Dan George. The more I learn about him, the higher his name climbs. A...
Canada’s Fractious Flag Debate of 1964
Top left is the new maple leaf flag, next to the Red Ensign, with the Union Jack on the bottom right. In the bottom left corner is the original maple leaf flag proposed by Prime Minister Lester Pearson. Next is a revised version of the same flag, and the third is a...
Featured News
Decoupling and Reshoring From China will be Hard: China Holds Most of the Cards
Several factors have merged to induce Western governments and the firms they preside over, to find substitute supply chains for China-dominant ones that they now depend on. These factors include growing public revulsion at the repressive and persecutory policies the...
Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility
In 1970 Milton Friedman, a Nobel Laureate, in his article to the New York Times (The Social Responsibility of Business Is To Increase Its Profits) proposed that an enterprise’s primary and sole responsibility was to the shareholder through the maximization of profits....
Professionals Should be Allowed to Speak Freely
The Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) serves as the regulatory body for public school teachers in Ontario. When a complaint comes in, the OCT is obligated to investigate and, if the teacher is found guilty, decide on an appropriate consequence. By investigating...
Does Canada Now Have a Two-Tiered Justice System?
The FBI raid on the home of former President Donald Trump has emphasized existing concerns that the United States now has a two-tiered justice system--one for those in power, and another for those who aren’t. But here in Canada we have a quieter version of that same...
Why University?
In this essay, I explain that young people should come to university to be educated, and not to become credentialed; the public should support universities because universities educate young people, not because they produce credentialled workers. Why should a...
Investigate Criminal Allegations Concerning Covid 19 Pandemic Response
Since 2020, the World has borne witness to the systematic degradation and elimination of the most basic rights and freedoms as guaranteed to citizens. I have prepared a detailed report (https://www.thetruefactsc19.com) which makes the case that the government’s Covid...
Turmoil at the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) should lead to Reform
The AFN claims to speak for First Nations in Canada. But serious problems started with allegations about the new National Chief RoseAnne Archibald. Earlier this year, Archibald was subjected to complaints by her staff, alleging harassment and a toxic workplace....
What Prevents Immigrants from being Successful in Canada: Credential Recognition
Canada has been a country of immigrants, with a great number and variety entering the country over the last 400 years. In recent years, however, we have seen the government of accelerate the number of immigrants by nearly 75 percent, to over 400,000 per year. One of...
Against the Scarborough Charter
Over 50 colleges and universities in Canada have now signed the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion. This is unfortunate, as the Charter is a profoundly anti-academic document. That so many institutions signed it does not bode well for higher...
Lessening Saskatchewan’s Reliance on Commodity Bonanzas
Saskatchewan is the beneficiary of elevated pricing and improved long term prospects for nearly all of the many commodities it produces: grain, oilseeds, oil, gas, potash, uranium, and even gold, copper and forestry products. While this very good news for both its...
Brian Day: The basic health question: Who owns our bodies?
Lawrie McFarlane’s July 24 commentary on the “Cambie Surgery Centre ruling” (a descriptive that ignores two cancer patients and three children who were co-plaintiffs) contained some valid commentary. The crisis we now face in our health system is there for all to see...