A master class in leadership and courage!

 ABOVE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pictured on Twitter as he appeals to Ukrainian citizens.  Watching Ukrainians fight the Russians all alone pulls at our heartstrings. And witnessing the death, destruction, and dislocation of millions of Ukrainians adds to a feeling of misery and helplessness. Moreover, we fear the worst is still

The truckers roll into town rudderless

 As the nation’s capital, the city of Ottawa and its citizens are accustomed to their share of protests. As the seat of our federal government, stakeholders are continuously in town to address and bring publicity to their causes. So much so, that local residents are almost indifferent. Not that they

Why are most Premiers coddling the unvaccinated?

 Let me say from the out-start that I have a great deal of respect for those who enter the political arena. The vast majority of politicos mean well and have the interest of our country at heart. They also have, for the most part, a thankless job. It’s not a

Rethinking Democracy

 When the Soviet Union imploded and the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, those were heady days for democracy. While not eliminating all forms of authoritarian regimes, we in the West, thought we had created fresh, irreversible momentum for building liberal, progressive societies. Of offering people a better quality of life,

Speaker Anthony Rota: Back to keeping order

 On the first day of the new 44th Parliament, Ontario MP Anthony Rota was re-elected Speaker of the House of Commons. His selection, however, was no surprise. During his first mandate in the Chair, Rota was seen as a fair and likeable ‘referee’. He carried out his responsibilities with credibility,

A ‘No Surprise’ Throne Speech

 This week, the 44th Parliament finally began. On Monday, as the first order of business, Ontario MP Anthony Rota was re-elected Speaker of the House of Commons. This was not a surprise, as he was generally seen as an effective and fair ‘referee’ during his first mandate. He carried out

A note to Minister Joly

 The new Minister of Foreign Affairs is a young, dynamic MP from Quebec, Melanie Joly. She recently served as the Libéral Party’s election co-chair, and her appointment to the prestigious new portfolio surprised many observers. This general reaction will probably ensure low expectations, which is to her considerable advantage. Being

The federal cabinet gets a good shake

 Finally, after an unusually long wait, on Tuesday, white smoke emerged from the Parliamentary ‘Sistine chapel’. Behold, we have a new cabinet! Before evaluating the starting line-up, a few thoughts about the cabinet-making process. First, it’s a lonely and difficult task. The PM can consult far and wide about whom

Federally, what’s in store for Ottawa?

 Photo of Yasir Naqvi via @YasirNaqviCDN  Following the federal election, the Liberals still rule Ottawa. Only one, lonely Tory MP survived. So, what’s in store for Ottawa? I put this question to the new Liberal kid on the block, Yasir Naqvi, who won his  first federal run in Ottawa Centre.

Election 2021: Some final thoughts

 This is Sergio Marchi’s final article in the weekly series on the federal election.   Former Prime Minister John Turner was fond of saying on election night that, “The people are always right!” Well, rightly or wrongly, Canadians have spoken. They chose to extend Trudeau’s minority reign. However, in their

Election 2021

 As a candidate in five separate elections, all winning ones, the Hon. Sergio Marchi knows a thing or two about political campaigns. During the 2021 federal election, he contributed a series of articles that analyzed the emerging issues and events. We have assembled them together to make them easier to review. Click on the image

Election 2021: It’s now over to voters

 This is Sergio Marchi’s sixth article, in a weekly series of election analysis. He will provide one more wrap-up piece, reviewing the decision made by Canadians and how the leaders managed the 35 day campaign. Finally, the time has arrived for Canadians to speak — with their votes. But before they do,

Election 2021: Race deadlocked!

 Image Source: Global News This is Sergio Marchi’s fifth article, in a series of weekly election analysis and reflections. One week to go. That’s all the time left for political leaders to make their closing pitches for votes. At the start of week four, Nanos Research had the Liberals back

Election 2021: Tight two-way race

 This is Sergio Marchi’s fourth article, in a series of weekly election analysis and reflections. Week three of the campaign began with the Libérals’ stark realization that they had fallen behind the Tories. The substantial lead they enjoyed going into the election quickly evaporated over a 14-day period. They watched

Election 2021: O’Toole grabs the lead!

 This is the third article by the Hon. Sergio Marchi on the federal election. His pieces appear weekly. Campaigns do matter. Trudeau enjoyed a solid lead going into the election but two weeks on, he now quickly finds himself on the defensive. At the conclusion of my last article, I

Election 2021: Opening salvos

 This is the second column from Sergio Marchi, as he analyzes the current federal election. His articles will appear weekly. The first week of the election is in, and everyone is still standing. Predictably, in the opening days, a consistent public refrain emerged. Namely, ‘why an election now’? This question

Let the games begin

 The Hon. Sergio Marchi was a successful politician, municipally and federally. He was a candidate in five separate elections, all winning ones, so he knows a thing or two about campaigns. During this federal election, Marchi will contribute a series of articles, analyzing the emerging issues and events that will

The Catholic Church is badly adrift

 The news that US Catholic Bishops are considering denying President Biden holy communion, over his public stand on abortion, really hit a nerve with me. It takes a lot of gall, given the many missteps committed by the Church, for them to pursue such a frivolous campaign. The Catholic Church

Enhancing political and civic leadership

 Earlier this month, the Ottawa Pearson Centre, a leading Canadian think tank, sponsored the Change Conference; Planning for the Unpredictable. It was a timely initiative, given the ravages of the pandemic, and it brought together a cross section of participants, including federal political leaders. The discussion focused on ideas for

Washington’s changing of the guard

 As Washington — and the world — prepare to welcome President-Elect Biden, expectations are sky high. Every new president brings fresh hope and promise. But following four years of what many would regard as the most dysfunctional administration in history, the level of anticipation may be unprecedented. We must all

Five modest measures to reset the dial and elevate Canadian politics

 By Sergio Marchi When he was elected Prime Minister in 2015, Justin Trudeau promised that he would do politics “differently”. Yet, except for a period of time when federal-provincial cooperation was central to fighting Covid-19, it has largely been business as usual. Don’t get me wrong. Canada enjoys a strong