A whiff of totalitarianism

It's painful to witness the travails of a son trying desperately to measure up to the reputation of a famous father, especially when the son's effort misses the mark so badly, which is what happened recently when Justin Trudeau suggested that he might support Quebec independence if Canada were ever to succumb to Stephen Harper's "hidden agenda" to do away with same-sex marriage and abortion.

Freedom of religion starts at home

The announcement that, if re-elected, a Harper-led Conservative Government will create an office dedicated to the monitoring and promotion of religious freedom around the world has been applauded by people of faith in Canada – particularly Christians – who have seen, not just the rights, but the very lives of their co-religionists come under increasing threat in recent years. It’s a welcome initiative, but it also begs the question: what about defending religious freedom right here at home?

Want to cut federal spending in Canada? Follow the Constitution

The Conservative government of Stephen Harper is committed to cutting federal spending in an effort to balance the budget, and it has announced that it will be conducting a comprehensive, government-wide program review to determine where those cuts can or should be made. This is a welcome initiative that's long overdue. Unfortunately, this review threatens to ignore one of the greatest sources of waste and inefficiency: duplication between federal and provincial departments and programs.

More stupid thinking on human rights in Canada

The passage by Canada’s House of Common of C-389, a bill to extend special criminal code and human rights protections to people with “gender issues”, i.e. men who think they are really women trapped men’s bodies and vice-versa, demonstrates how incredibly stupid the thinking in Canada on human rights has become. I’m sorry if some people find that offensive, but I just cannot think of a more accurate way to put it.

Who’s really to blame for the Ann Coulter affair at University of Ottawa?

Now that the storm surrounding Ann Coulter’s visit to University of Ottawa has subsided, it’s worth while asking who is really to blame for the behaviour of those students who sought to prevent her from speaking. Most observers point an accusing finger at university VP Francois Houle, claiming that his letter to Ms. Coulter suggesting that she risked prosecution for promoting hatred was a green light for protesters. I think that’s too easy an explanation.