Latest from Aaron Wherry
Analysis
With Trump looming, Pierre Poilievre tries to wrap himself in the flag
Donald Trump now seems to loom over everything — almost as overwhelmingly as the giant Canadian flag that loomed behind Pierre Poilievre at his “Canada First” rally last weekend.
Analysis
Foreign interference report is just the start of a conversation about Canadian democracy
Between her relatively anticlimactic conclusion there are no “traitors” in Parliament and the incredible tumult that Donald Trump has since provoked, it would not be surprising if the foreign-interference commission’s work soon fades from memory. That would obviously be a mistake.
Analysis
Trump is forcing Canadian leaders to grapple with what they can't control — and what they can
The last few weeks may have at least buried any remaining notion that Canadian leaders can exert much control over the current president of the United States. But Canadians can control what kind of country they want to build beside this new version of the United States.
Analysis
The trade war is off — but for how long?
The trade war is off. At least for now. But that is of limited solace. And even if the next deadline somehow comes and goes without the resumption of hostilities, it's not clear when Canadians will again be able to reasonably view the United States as a reliable friend or predictable ally.
Donald Trump has ruptured the Canada-U.S. relationship. To what end? And what comes next?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recalled a solid relationship with the U.S. built on history and necessity as he announced retaliatory tariffs in response to a trade war that surveys have found Americans aren't eager to pursue.
Analysis
Trudeau pulled the Liberals left. Where do they go from here?
Justin Trudeau's Liberals were viewed as being primarily focused on things like inequality, wealth redistribution, climate change and reconciliation. It would be unsurprising if the race to choose his successor saw some push to focus on things that he was accused of not paying enough attention to.
Analysis
Trudeau government tries to show it's not surprised by Trump's surprises
On the second floor of the Château Montebello’s lobby, there are framed photographs commemorating the visits of Ronald Reagan in 1981 for a G7 summit and George W. Bush for a meeting of North American leaders in 2007. Those days — and those presidents — now seem quaint.
Analysis
The carbon tax is (nearly) dead. Now what?
Fans of carbon taxes might lament. But the end of the consumer carbon tax won’t necessarily bring an end to carbon pricing in Canada. Its death might clarify that the real debate is how Canada is going to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Analysis
Could Donald Trump be a boon for Canadian patriotism?
The return of Donald Trump — and his jokes about the 51st state — will likely provide new opportunities for Canada to decide how much and how loudly it wants to differentiate itself from its neighbour. In the process, could Trump also end up recharging Canadian patriotism or nationalism?
Analysis
What will Canada's second Trudeau era leave behind?
It is impossible in the present to know what history will remember. But Justin Trudeau’s time as a maker of history is now within sight. It is not too early to start considering what Canada’s 23rd prime minister might leave behind. And there is much to consider.