Thoughts on BC Politics and More

I was surprised to learn on the latest episode of The Line Podcast that hosts Matt Gurney and Jen Gerson think Canada needs new values. Or any values. Of course Canada has values. I should know. I adopted them. A bit of background: I grew up in Connecticut and spent the first 20-plus years of my life in the United States. I’ve lived in Canada (except for a brief return to Boston) since 2003. I’ve resided in Montreal, Ottawa, and, for the past three years, Saskatoon. I became a Canadian citizen in 2012 and shortly thereafter renounced my U.S. citizenship. With that on the record, I confess that I found the notion that there are no Canadian values, or that they’re somehow “customer-service kiosk” based — ridiculous ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

Either the nation-state is a viable form of political organization, or it is not. There is no third option. It cannot be both the foundation of modern civic order and an outdated remnant to be discarded at the whim of a global managerial class. Its legitimacy must be judged not by the latest political trends, but by its historical roots and lasting importance in safeguarding human freedom, political accountability, and national sovereignty. In this regard, the critique of the nation-state by the globalist left is not just flawed; it is fundamentally invalid from the outset ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

There’s an undeniable spirit among Canadians right now: most of us (84%) feel deeply connected to a greater Canadian identity. When we think about what defines that identity, we talk about kindness, respect for diversity, and a sense of unity. We’re proud of our universal healthcare, our peaceful reputation, and the freedoms we enjoy. At the same time, nearly six in ten say the country is “off on the wrong track.” This reveals a kind of mixed emotional landscape: we’re proud to be Canadian, yet worried about where we’re headed. When my team at Abacus Data and I ask people about their day-to-day lives, the consistent refrain is that they’re struggling with a sense of uncertainty ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Research Co. survey reveals growing affinity with Pacific Northwest neighbours, skepticism about Canada’s future  ... Since 2018, Research Co. has asked British Columbians a series of questions about politics, allegiance and the future. While we do not have the same appetite for sovereignty that some young Albertans and older Quebecers usually outline, our perceptions about the inhabitants of Washington state and Oregon remain overly positive. This year, three in five British Columbians (60 per cent, up two points since August 2023) believe we have more in common with the people of Seattle and Portland than with those in Toronto or Montreal. The statement sees little fluctuation by age, with 59 per cent of those aged 18-34, 60 per cent of those aged 35-54 and 60 per cent of those aged 55 and over agreeing with it ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Whether it’s his socks, his propensity for taking selfies or his willingness to apologize for historical wrongdoing, there are a lot of things about Justin Trudeau that annoy Canadian conservatives. But the one that makes them genuinely angry is his faith in Canada’s “post-national” identity that exchanges things like historical monuments and reverence for long-dead prime ministers with a commitment to diversity and a set of shared values. And now, with an increasingly heated debate over Canada’s immigration policy and a spike in anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim acts serving as cover, those conservative pundits and politicians are going to take their best shot at it. “Under Trudeau’s post-national vision of Canada,” a recent National Post editorial said, “the common ground shared between Canadians is just that: the land we all live on, enclosed within the same border.” This is a deliberate (and disingenuous) misrepresentation of the prime minister’s approach to our national identity, but th...

That’s one question among many about Canada that I can’t answer by interrogation of the facts alone, so I’m left to guess. I expect it’s probably a bit of both “deliberately” and “by accident,” with more precise answers to be found within the Liberal government’s chronic incompetence and hubris. In any case, I try, in the National Post and the Ottawa Citizen, in Liberal-induced housing disaster cannot go on. It looks at how Canada’s dramatically worsening standard of living is compounded by the emergence of a semi-official, quasi-underground workforce that is set to reach four million people by the end of this year. And they all need roofs over their heads. It’s about how Canada is being up-zoned into a new country where it’s practically impossible to raise a family unless you’re rich. Unless and until I encounter evidence to the contrary my conclusion is as I have put it elsewhere ... CLICK HERE for the full story Terry Glavin's "Real Story" is made possible by paid sub...