What kind of country fines its citizens for expressing an opinion about biology? What kind of government inserts itself into everyday language and declares certain words mandatory? Canada is moving closer to that line. This month alone, two human rights tribunal decisions made national news. In Quebec, a Montreal salon was ordered to pay damages after its online booking system offered “men’s” and “women’s” haircut categories. In British Columbia, a former school trustee was o

In the private sector, there is a simple rule. If you do not return your customer’s call, someone else will. In public office, that rule should be even stricter. Taxpayers are not customers by choice. They fund the operation whether they like it or not. The least they deserve is a response. A Winnipeg resident recently wrote to Mayor Scott Gillingham and every member of council with a series of direct questions about zoning authority and municipal oversight. The questions wer

Every December, newsrooms do what they always do. We debate the biggest story of the year. The arguments come fast. The Grey Cup was a success. The Manitoba PC leadership race produced a winner who actually had fewer votes than the other guy. City hall approved historic property tax increases. Protest permits kept flowing no matter how extreme the cause. An NDP MLA mocked a controversial speaker assignment instead of engaging it. All of those mattered. None of them stood abov

Winnipeg is going to court. Anyone paying attention knew this was coming. Mayor Scott Gillingham and a majority of council chose to ignore a clear recommendation from the Manitoba Municipal Board on the Granite Curling Club land. They overruled provincial oversight, dismissed a condition designed to protect a long-standing community institution, and pushed through a zoning by-law anyway. The predictable result is now in front of the courts, with taxpayers once again footing t

Canada faces a troubling moment when the federal government claims to be fighting hate, yet directs its energy toward policing faith instead of confronting the violence already happening on our streets. Bill C-9 was supposed to deal with genuine threats. It was meant to ban public displays of swastikas and terrorist insignia, and create stronger penalties for intimidation. Most of that is already covered by existing law, which tells you this bill is more political show than r

Inside the Manitoba Legislature, every MLA can be addressed as the Honourable Member for their constituency. It is a long-standing parliamentary courtesy meant to signify integrity, seriousness, and respect for their role. Only cabinet ministers, the Premier, and sometimes the Speaker carry the title The Honourable for life, but all members are expected to uphold the standard that title implies when they take their seats. Yet what Manitobans saw again this week looked nothing

The Premier of Manitoba used his time and government resources this week to film a video promoting a liquor trailer in a Costco parking lot. Not a major investment announcement. Not progress on fast-tracking mining approvals. Not support for Manitoba producers. A liquor trailer. While families struggle with one of the highest inflation jumps in the country, the Premier was busy filming a parking lot promo. Statistics Canada reported Manitoba’s inflation rose 3 percent in Octo

Recently in the Winnipeg Sun, guest columnist Lawrence Pinsky KC described a scene that should never occur in a Canadian city. At...

It was the firefighters’ union that went to social media to tell residents what City Hall would not. They informed the public that in the...

Originally published in the Winnipeg Sun . Mark Carney’s statement in support of recognizing a Palestinian state was not leadership—it...

Let’s stop pretending we’re still in the game. The latest Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies makes one thing crystal...

Doug Ford was blunt. Ontario’s hotels are packed with asylum seekers receiving full taxpayer-funded support—housing, meals, healthcare,...

There’s a limit. A point where people say enough is enough. In Winnipeg, that moment may finally be here. An online petition demanding...