Liberal concept of intervention at play in Libya, comments Janice Stein in the Globe and Mail
March 12, 2011
Within the span of a month, Libya has gone from sovereign state to international plaything. The borders and barriers that keep a country separate and inviolable suddenly began to dissolve in Moammar Gadhafi’s realm, and now it’s respectable, even moral, for leaders of other countries to call for intervention, no-fly zones and a forced change […]
David Rayside comments on women in politics
March 8, 2011
Getting elected is the first step for women trying to achieve equality in Canadian political houses but true change will only happen if more women are seated around the cabinet table, says Ontario’s New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath. Twenty-one years ago, Ontario led by example, Horwath said Monday at an NDP event marking the 100th […]
Mubarak still holds some support, comments Janice Stein
February 4, 2011
The White House is reportedly discussing a plan with Egyptian officials that would see Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resign and immediately hand power to an interim government backed by the country’s military. The interim government would then work toward preparing the country for free and fair elections, to be held later this year. As looting […]
Clifford Orwin describes the easy part of revolution in the Globe and Mail
February 2, 2011
The world has every reason to be mesmerized by the events unfolding in Tunisia, Egypt and who knows where next. Every reason but one: the expectation that this ferment will yield working democracies. Talk is cheap, and the 24-hour news stations must glut themselves on it. Think of their chatter as the fast food of […]
Clifford Orwin critiques President Obama's Tucson speech in the Globe and Mail
January 14, 2011
Whatever others may make of him, Barack Obama continues to see himself as a statesman standing above party and partisanship, one who, unlike his opponents, is actuated by a lofty civic vision. This vision was on display in Tucson on Wednesday evening. Mr. Obama rose above tacky surroundings to deliver the best speech of his […]
Distinguished guests debate religion at the Keith Davey Forum
January 14, 2011
“This is a pressing question of how we can live together,” said Professor Simone Chambers the Keith Davey Forum on Public Affairs commenced. The relationship between faith and politics was the topic of much debate during the annual forum which took place November 4th at the Isabel Bader Theatre.
Peter Solomon comments in feature on international lawyer Bob Amsterdam
January 8, 2011
Bob Amsterdam steps from a train and heads for a small cottage in rural England that houses the offices of a local taxi company, where he hires a car — not for him, but for his bag. It’s a cold night and American guests are coming for Thanksgiving dinner. But before the turkey and the […]
Renan Levine outlines "worst-case scenario" for Israeli natural gas discovery
December 31, 2010
A massive offshore natural gas reserve is poised to give Israel energy security, freeing the desert nation from the threat of boycotts and reshaping the political dynamics of the Middle East. Estimated to contain 16 trillion cubic feet of gas – equivalent to more than a quarter of Canada’s proven reserves and enough to meet […]
Meet the Rookies City Councillors, the Political Science Alumni Society's inaugural event
December 16, 2010
The event was organized to promote partnership and collaboration, not just at City Hall, but in communities across the City. Twelve of the fourteen newly elected city councillors were in attendance on their first official day on the job, December 1st, 2010. The event provided the University community, local advocates and “City Builders” a change […]
Ron Deibert weighs in on Wikileaks in the New York Times
December 10, 2010
The venomous furor surrounding WikiLeaks, including charges of “terrorism” and calls for the assassination of Julian Assange, has to rank as one of the biggest temper tantrums in recent years. Granted, it must be frustrating for U.S. government officials and others to see thousands of secret cables splashed across the globe. But stamping feet and […]