Scoping the BC election

Lloyd Mackey

It was a late night in the Mackey household in Ottawa yesterday (May 14/15). Somehow, the folk in our home province couldn't schedule the British Columbia election results to suit their eastern Canadian ex-pats.But not to complain. The B. C. election results were arguably instructive to folk in … [Read more...]

Remembering Bev Shea

George Beverly Shea

George Beverly (Bev) Shea, who always prefaced Billy Grahams sermons with a simple gospel song, passed away last week at the age of 104.Shea, more than anyone on the Billy Graham team, had strong and continuing links to Ottawa and its environs. He was born in 1909 in Winchester, a 30 minute … [Read more...]

Some Seismic Shifts in Ottawa

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau

As promised last week, I would like to use OttawaWatch, the next few weeks, to look at some ideas that might be radically conflict-resolving and that might take a few years or even decades to implement.This past weekend As a result of the political activities of the past weekend we have a new … [Read more...]

Wilberforce revisited – a conflict resolution study

William Wilberforce

The faith-political approach of British politician William Wilberforce –- who fought the British slave trade in the early 1800s -– might have a 21st century counterpart in Langley MP Mark Warawa.Vancouver Sun Ottawa reporter Peter O'Neil figured that out when he wrote a March 28 story which … [Read more...]

OttawaWatch: Somebody’s place in Ottawa

Canadian Parliament Buildings Ottawa

From my perch, here in Ottawa, one can catch a glimpse of something new emerging in the field of faith-political interfacing. Its working name is "My Place-Chez Moi."It may well be Ottawa's best-kept secret and not because its encouragers are trying to keep it under wraps. Rather, it is because … [Read more...]

OttawaWatch: Van Loan, Mulcair and Christmas

Canadian Parliament at Christmas

"We are going to fight hard in all of these by-elections. It’s the only way I know how to do politics. I don’t concede anything to an adversary – ever." *  *  *Those were NDP leader Thomas Mulcair’s words, as quoted in a Canadian Press story by Murray Brewster on October 21. They … [Read more...]

OttawaWatch: An unlikely gold mine

Diane Finley

Human Resources Minister Diane Finley calls it a “gold mine.” Some opposition critics believe it to be little more than “budget cuts in disguise.”The “it” refers to what Heather Scoffield, writing for Canadian Press on November 9, reported as Finley’s “call for concepts”. That … [Read more...]

OttawaWatch: An E-book project

Lloyd Mackey in front of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa

For some months, I have been weighing the idea of developing an e-book.The genesis of the idea came with the realization that there are now 360 OttawaWatch columns. The first was written in November, 2004, just a few weeks short of eight years ago. The columns have appeared weekly, with one … [Read more...]

Those other robocalls

Frank Valeriote and those other robocalls

Perhaps the most important part of today’s OttawaWatch appears in the latter part of the column. I would encourage readers – even more than usual – to read all the way through. The “robobcalls” subject has been of considerable interest around the Press Gallery in recent months. It has … [Read more...]

Mark Carney and David Black

mark carney

Much has been made, in recent days, of the Canadian Auto Workers’ (CAW) invitation to Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, to address the influential union’s annual gathering.Not the least of the exclamations of surprise was the report that Carney had received a standing ovation from the … [Read more...]

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