Opinions
There are no guarantees in politics
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 9th, 2018
A new legislature session and a new party leader should spice things up politically. There is no doubt Premier Rachel Notley is a seasoned orator. Some would say it was her debating skills in the 2015 election that won votes of Albertans. Her competition in the legislature since then has been fairly mediocre but yesterday ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Provincial election campaign is basically underway
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 8th, 2018
Alberta’s legislature convenes today to mark the opening of the spring session. It’s also the unofficial one-year kickoff to the run up to next spring’s provincial election. That’s the real prize for Alberta’s two largest parties as well as others hoping to make inroads in to the current two-party conversation. The governing New Democrats have ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Better places for federal money than Downie-Wenjack Fund
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 6th, 2018
Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie? Awesome. Dedicating his final years on Earth towards reconciliation and addressing the legacy of Indian Residential Schools? Also awesome. The federal Liberals’ 2018 budget putting $5 million in funding towards Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund? Absolutely galling. Downie’s book, “The Secret Path,” tells the story of Chanie Wenjack who ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!National Affairs: Is orange the new red?
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 5th, 2018
Connect the dots between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s India adventure and Tuesday’s budget and what you find is what was meant to be a pre-emptive one-two punch against the NDP. Trudeau is hardly the first prime minister to use trips abroad — including to India — to shore up support in selected communities at home. ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Guest Column: Regressive Conservatism
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 3rd, 2018
No one can doubt that we live in unusual times. Those who are sane have watched the rebirth of nationalism and militarism, increased gross economic disparities within societies and between nations, and a frightening increase in general incivility. Is this really happening, they wonder? Is it possible that the last half-century of optimism and hope ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Take campaign promises with a full helping of salt
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 2nd, 2018
Provincial and federal elections are a little more than a year away so it’s the season for making promises to win votes. Voters are often swayed one way or another based on those promises but the track record of politicians following through, is not good. With that in mind it is worth considering major promises ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Finance ministers in Canada keeping close eye on U.S.
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 1st, 2018
Heaven help the political leader who has to work in the shadow of Donald Trump. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau did it earlier this week while presenting Ottawa’s new budget. Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci was at the podium on Wednesday for a provincial fiscal update, and will be back next month when the Alberta ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Step back, listen and learn
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on February 27th, 2018
Why do drive-through ATMs have braille on them? This sort of question is often thrown around as witty banter and small talk. Hah! See the state of the world? How full it is of absurdity and nonsense and poor planning. No wonder things are such a mess. Unfortunately in the quest to be clever, this ... Read More »
1 responseStanley, Cormier verdicts show much reconciliation work to be done
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on February 26th, 2018
There was a much justified outpouring of anger in the past few weeks with the acquittals of Gerald Stanley and Raymond Cormier, who were accused of killing Colton Boushie and Tina Fontaine in separate cases in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. These not guilty verdicts show that instead of relying on the criminal justice system and politicians ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Guest Column: Accountability and responsibility
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on February 26th, 2018
Each year, the Webster Dictionary adds a number of news words to its pages. This is necessary because we need language to describe our lives and the things around us. If we need new language as our world changes, does it not seem reasonable that some words may, at some point, no longer be needed? ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!National Affairs: Patrick Brown lone Red Tory in PC leadership melodrama
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on February 24th, 2018
Ontario’s bizarre Progressive Conservative melodrama has entered a new phase of absurdity. Former leader Patrick Brown is considered too disreputable to sit in the Legislature as a Conservative. But he is apparently reputable enough to be the party’s leader again. He’s also the only candidate vying for the leadership who is running as a Red ... Read More »
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