Rob Brown

Earlier this month, Paul Martin Jr. was transformed from heir apparent to ruler of Canada’s Liberal party. His swearing in was a Christmas present for some, and a “bah, humbug” for others. In becoming prime minister, Martin made some ambitious yet appropriate promises. For example, he’ll pay more attention to the West, First Nations people […] Read more

PRIME minister Jean Chrétien stuck his foot in his mouth again when talking recently about agricultural subsidies. His comment was that farmers are better off without programs like the Crowsnest Pass grain transportation subsidy. Though the prime minister apparently doesn’t realize it, Western Canada has been devastated by the loss of the Crow Benefit. It […] Read more

THE partial lifting on the beef ban into the United States is a help to Canadian cattle producers. But the trade problems caused by the discovery of a single cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy remain. Cattle producers and others will continue to lose millions, if not billions, of dollars unless the underlying trade problems are […] Read more

In the world of international travel and commerce, disease can move almost as fast as money. That applies to people and to animals. It appears Canada’s problems with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, better known as SARS, are finally under control, more or less. This “imported” disease has led to 245 probable cases and 34 deaths. […] Read more

IF YOU think the Canada-United States softwood lumber dispute is about softwood lumber, you need to revise your thinking. Immediately. And thoroughly. This is really a United States attack on Canadian sovereignty – Canada’s right to make its own laws, consistent with Canada’s national interests. Here’s how it happens. 1. The Americans invent a trade […] Read more

CALLS to maintain and improve publicly funded Canadian health care have recently received two much-needed boosts: one from the Senate committee, headed by Michael Kirby, and the second, the Royal Commission report of former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow. He observes, “Canadians consider equal and timely access to medically necessary health care services on the basis […] Read more