Time for the right to really unite

Of all the silly ideas to have emerged from the wreckage that has been Canada’s conservative movement for the last 50 years, none has been more damaging for the prospects of conservatism, or more vacuous, than the idea of bifurcation, a notion that has now also taken root in American politics, manifesting itself in the conflict between conservative Republicans and their "Tea Party" allies on the one hand, and so-called moderate Republicans on the other.

Balancing workers’ rights and union privileges

Canadian law with regard to unions and workers’ rights is sharply different from that of other western nations. Forcing workers to join a union as a condition of their employment is prohibited by law in most, and those individuals who exercise their right not to join a union are either exempted from paying dues altogether, or they - along with all members of the union - are entitled to a reduction in their dues if the money is spent on activities from which they derive no work-related benefit, or on causes with which they disagree.

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.