Despite whatever neurosis may be at play (and there's a lot), at the heart of any politician is a profound desire to serve their community and country.

I was no exception. Although the increasing coarseness of our public life has greatly diminished the respect with which we hold our...

While in Hanoi last week, I attended mass at Saint Joseph's (Hanoi), a beautiful neo-gothic Cathedral built by the French in 1886. I was reminded that for the better part of 2,000 years, the Vietnamese people have been fighting to free themselves from occupying foreign powers. Less than 40 years...

British Columbia's Opposition Leader, Adrian Dix, isn't surprised the budget tabled by the B.C. Liberal government plagiarized major features of NDP policy. What genuinely astonishes Dix is the unconcealed cynicism of the B.C. Liberals. "The public deserves better than a government that sees the budget as an exercise...

Free trade within Canada remains an illusion. It doesn't exist. Which makes Ottawa's self-righteous homilies
to the European Union on the evils of trade protectionism an even more unqualified hypocrisy.

In its report, "Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness", the Canadian Chamber...

Let's face it: nine people on a stage can't have a "debate." Saturday's federal leadership gathering wasn't one, either. But it was slightly more entertaining than the first two.

Six of these candidates should step aside and call it a day. They have no prospect of winning and they've...

Much of the Catholic world was stunned by the news that Pope Benedict XVI will resign the papacy at the end of this month. Benedict's timing cannot be coincidental.

The declaration came a few days before the start of Lent. That is the forty days...

In December, the non-profit organization Samara reported that Canadians' satisfaction with democracy is at an all-time low -- 55% -- down 20 points in just eight years.That same research found only 27% of Canadians think Ottawa deals with the issues they care about satisfactorily. As the Samara report's...

Former Paul Martin cabinet minister Jean Lapierre called the Liberal leadership interviews in Winnipeg on Saturday an "Épreuve de patience." Roughly translated: An ordeal and a test of patience.

Some observers may find that characterization rather charitable.

Like the U.S. primary debates, it would have been far better,...

Some are making impassioned pleas for cooperation among "progressives" to "beat Stephen Harper". Those that throw out the term "progressive" are loath to describe its meaning in a Canadian context.

Progressives are generally considered to represent the left or far left. They typically view business as a necessary evil....

In a country like ours, freedom of the press can sometimes conflict with other fundamental tenets of our society such as fairness and respect for due process. Journalists push those boundaries, and often do so in the high-minded name of the "public interest." However, rights -- even Charter rights --...

Last year, MP Dominic LeBlanc observed that the campaign to select the next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada shouldn't be about raising one's profile, but a test of vision and ideas among leading politicians. He was right about that.

Nine people have officially registered as...

Many of us believe that, at the core, people are driven to run for public office because of a thirst for power, prestige, and misguided vanity bordering on self-delusion. The German philosopher, Max Weber, once wrote for these politicians: "The sin against the lofty spirit of his vocation begins where...

Justin Trudeau launched his campaign this week and did it as well as anyone I've seen in a long time. The cosmetics were slick, attractive, and even powerful. The broad themes were solid, and the delivery persuasive. He did it to packed houses in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

Today, Justin Trudeau launches his campaign to become the next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. As he does, there is concern that the hyperventilation surrounding Trudeau's candidacy and his status as a bona fide celebrity and political rock star is sucking all life out of this "wide open"...

As the launch of the Liberal Party of Canada's leadership race gets ready for takeoff with the anticipated official entry of Justin Trudeau next week, the rumour mill is running wild.

Greg Weston, the CBC's National Affairs Specialist, reported on Thursday that some "influential" Liberals are attempting...

There might be perfectly legitimate reasons why Ottawa may decide to block the proposed acquisition of Nexen Inc. of Calgary by CNOOC Limited, the state owned energy giant from China.

But the notion that "foreigners are taking over Canada's natural resources" is not one of them.

Chief Electoral Officer, Marc Mayrand, had some tough talk for the Economic Club of Canada in Ottawa today. He said that we must "maintain trust and engagement in Canadian elections."

Indeed we must. Mayrand and his colleagues -- all dedicated public servants -- are obviously intent on...

A couple of weeks ago in this space, I wrote about the case of Barbara George, former Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

George was a decorated law enforcement officer with an unblemished 30-year track record of accomplishment and professionalism. Then in 2007, the House...

It's difficult to find someone in Vancouver's business community who relishes the prospect of an NDP government. Yet that's precisely what they are bracing for when British Columbia goes to the polls next May.

It has been 16 months since Christy Clark won the leadership of the B.C. Liberals and...

If there's one thing that all Liberals can agree on it is that we need more support from more people, not less. So why is it that some in the Liberal Party of Canada are using the disturbing and polarizing language of ageism?

In numerous published articles and interviews,...