A key challenge in the 21st century is building an environmentally sustainable economy and society, where monetary and ecological goals are in harmony. With global climate change, natural landscapes at risk from resource extraction, and dependence on fossil fuels, the need to move towards sustainability is pressing. This transition is...

Justin Trudeau's election as Liberal leader has breathed new life into a Liberal Party that was demoralized by a third place finish in 2011. Of course, a newly elected leader usually enjoys a honeymoon period, and politics ultimately consists of good and bad news cycles. Justin Trudeau himself was cautious...

"I come here more as an imposter than a role model, I've not accepted my share of the burden, and that's going to change starting right now."

The above quote is from Frank McKenna, as he addressed the Let's Get Frank About Homelessness dinner in Fredericton, a fundraising initiative...

Leadership races are an important time for a party to define -- or re-define -- itself. I have had a chance to talk to two of the contenders for the federal Liberal leadership, former MP Martha Hall-Findlay and Ottawa lawyer David Bertschi. It was great to hear that...

Last Wednesday I gave a talk in Taymouth, the first in a speakers series on charting a sustainable course for economic development in New Brunswick.

Taymouth is a community about a half-hour drive north of Fredericton, during the Question and Answer session of my talk, I saw people...

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, it is a traumatic time both for the child and their family. In New Brunswick, it is especially difficult as children with cancer have to seek treatment out of province -- the IWK Children's Hospital in Halifax has many New Brunswick children among...

Entrepreneurship and innovation are important elements in promoting job creation and economic prosperity. Social responsibility -- environmental conservation for example -- is also important to social well-being. These values -- entrepreneurship and social responsibility -- are not in conflict with each other, but rather mutually beneficial and complementary.

This...

Almost one year ago exactly, New Brunswick's Auditor General released a report which presented a dire picture of social housing in the province. The report cited problems of aging housing stock and lack of funding for needed maintenance and upkeep.

The report also cited concerns about decreased funding...

The (relatively new) leader of the British Labour Party, Ed Miliband, is turning out to be a very capable leader, and not just because his party is leading in opinion polls due to Conservative Prime Minister Cameron's harsh austerity measures.

Miliband -- in policy and communications -- has balanced...

In the space of a few years, the international perception of Canada has changed dramatically. Under the Harper Conservatives, Canada has become a country identified with the unilateralism of George W. Bush (even though America has moved beyond Bush), a climate change pariah that has withdrawn from Kyoto and is...

At the time of the writing of this column, Stephen Harper remains unwilling to meet with Attawapiskat chief Theresa Spence, who is on a hunger strike to bring attention to the neglect of -- and at times downright contempt for -- the rights of First Nations communities. She has...

For much of the 20th century, federal politics in Canada was dominated by two "catch-all" brokerage parties -- the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals. The former could be considered slightly to the centre-right and the latter to the centre-left. Though on debates such as placement of nuclear missiles on...

The debate over hydraulic fracturing for shale gas (fracking) is often presented as one of conservation versus economic growth -- in particular by proponents of the process, who claim that fracking is the only answer -- the "magic bullet" -- for job creation and economic growth in the province (even...

"We hold few things in life more dear than our children. Our lives are consumed with efforts to make a good home and provide our children with every opportunity in life. As a society, we value our investments in children and youth."

This passage is from Connecting the Dots,...

As a small city -- some would say even a large town -- Fredericton offers unique advantages of shorter commutes, close proximity to nature and the countryside, relatively low housing costs, and a historic downtown that gives a unique charm to the city.

At the same time as having...

The 2012 campaign seemed to lack a lot of the excitement of 2008. The latter was Obama's first run for president, a campaign of "hope" and "change" -- both sorely needed with the Bush presidency unravelling, two seemingly endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the budget surpluses of the Clinton...

Dalton McGuinty's sudden and unexpected resignation comes at a particularly turbulent time in Ontario politics. There is a minority Legislature, sagging poll numbers placing the governing party third behind the Tories and NDP, and a wave of inquiries and corruption allegations. In addition, there is brewing labour unrest with...

The Harper Conservatives have turned their backs on facts-based policy -- on research, data, and reality -- in favour of ideology to a degree not seen in decades in federal Canadian policy-making. There are seemingly countless examples of policies that are unreasonable -- downright illogical -- often followed by attempts...

In Ontario and Prince Edward Island, there are Liberal governments in power. In Ontario, McGuinty won the last election -- when his political fortunes were considered to be sinking -- in large part on a strong progressive environmental platform, emphasizing green energy and green jobs, mass transit, and a...

There are different opinions on who gave the best speech at the Democratic convention, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, or Bill Clinton. In addition to these speakers, there were other great speeches from San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, civil rights leader...