Articles on Jean Chretien

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Prime Minister Stephen Harper addresses members of the Chinese community, Head Tax survivors and their families on Parliament Hill in June 2006 after his apology over the racist Head Tax once imposed on Chinese immigrants. (CP PHOTO/Fred Chartrand)

How not to say you’re sorry: Why governments keep getting apologies wrong

The best way to apologize involves making victims the primary focus, not the apologizing state. Apologies that prioritize rehumanizing victims prove more effective at rehumanizing apologizers too.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre gestures after speaking at a campaign event in Toronto on April 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Trump’s trade war represents a big opportunity for Canadian Conservatives

Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada has sparked a rise in Canadian patriotism. Canadian conservatives can harness that patriotism by reconnecting with their historical roots of anti-Americanism.
Mark Carney speaks to media at Rideau Hall after asking the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and call an election for April 28, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Can Mark Carney truly connect with Canadian voters? Canada will now find out

When it comes to economics, Mark Carney is among the most knowledgeable in the country. But can he now connect with everyday Canadians on the campaign trail?
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly speaks with reporters in the foyer of the House of Commons in May 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Canada needs a focused and flexible foreign policy after years of inconsistency

Canada must readjust its foreign policy to adapt to changing global conditions, and ground that policy in its history. It must be orderly, flexible and in the country’s long-term interests.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping after taking part in the closing session at the G20 Leaders Summit in Bali, Indonesia on Nov. 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Why did Xi scold Trudeau? Maybe because Canada spent years helping China erode human rights

Xi Jinping thought he could chastise Justin Trudeau because this is the lesson the Jean Chrétien and Stephen Harper governments had conveyed: Don’t take us seriously when we talk about rights.
Justin Trudeau boards his campaign plane in Toronto on Aug. 17. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Rhetoric Check: Historically, how important is the 2021 Canadian election?

Is Justin Trudeau correct about the importance of this election? Nobody has a crystal ball to foresee what the government will do in the future. But it’s certainly important to Trudeau’s legacy.
The Liberals have made a major election promise: If re-elected, they'lll ban military-style assault rifles in Canada. (Shutterstock)

A short history of the AR‑15 in Canada

Some Canadian gun advocates claim military-style assault weapons like the AR-15 have never been used to commit crimes in Canada. That’s inaccurate.
Meng Wanzhou, CFO of the Chinese tech giant Huawei, is shown arriving at a parole office in Vancouver on Dec. 12. Her arrest at the request of the U.S. officials has strained Canada-Chinese relations. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Role reversal: China cites human rights in spat with Canada

China is influential, but would not have succeeded in changing the UN human rights system without quiet consent from countries who wished to trade with it, including Canada.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to reporters in Toronto on Sept. 10, 2018. He’s vowing to invoke the seldom used notwithstanding clause in his fight to slash the size of Toronto city council. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov.

The history of the notwithstanding clause

The notwithstanding clause in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms has seldom been used. But it’s not totally gathering dust, and now Ontario Premier Doug Ford is threatening to wield it.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China in December 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Canada drops charade of progressive trade with China

Canada’s “progressive trade agenda” with China might have died in the Great Hall of the People earlier this month. But there’s now an opportunity for a serious reconsideration of the relationship.

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