http://www2.macleans.ca Canada's only national weekly current affairs magazine. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:23:06 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/09/harper-in-china-beyond-the-sea-of-troubles/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/09/harper-in-china-beyond-the-sea-of-troubles/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:03:39 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=238785 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/09/harper-in-china-beyond-the-sea-of-troubles/feed/ 0 Underneath all the hype something real is going on between Ottawa and Beijing, writes Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/09/time-out-new-art-in-beijing/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/09/time-out-new-art-in-beijing/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:24:10 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=238775 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/09/time-out-new-art-in-beijing/feed/ 0 Thursday in Beijing. The Prime Minister had pooled events for the first half of... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/08/harper-in-china-rules-of-the-game/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/08/harper-in-china-rules-of-the-game/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:54:27 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=238435 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/08/harper-in-china-rules-of-the-game/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on why we should file the trade agreement between Canada and China under "might help; can't hurt" http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/07/harper-in-china-we-come-bearing-goodwill/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/07/harper-in-china-we-come-bearing-goodwill/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:13:18 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=238159 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/07/harper-in-china-we-come-bearing-goodwill/feed/ 0 The plane carrying Stephen Harper, a handful of cabinet ministers and backbenchers, and the... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/06/alice-wongs-china-delegation/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/06/alice-wongs-china-delegation/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:45:40 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=237973 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/06/alice-wongs-china-delegation/feed/ 0 The guest list includes a fundamentalist Christian who helped bankroll past Conservative campaigns http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/01/wislawa-szymborska-we-leave-without-the-chance-to-practice/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/01/wislawa-szymborska-we-leave-without-the-chance-to-practice/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:16:26 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=237214 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/01/wislawa-szymborska-we-leave-without-the-chance-to-practice/feed/ 0 The great Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska died today in Krakow. She won the Nobel... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/01/chinas-oil-imports-from-iran-take-a-great-leap-forward/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/01/chinas-oil-imports-from-iran-take-a-great-leap-forward/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:35:47 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=237112 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/01/chinas-oil-imports-from-iran-take-a-great-leap-forward/feed/ 0 From the Wall Street Journal: BEIJING—China’s crude-oil imports from Iran last year were up... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/harper-and-pensions-long-time-comin/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/harper-and-pensions-long-time-comin/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:36:17 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=236848 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/harper-and-pensions-long-time-comin/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on how this could have been an issue in any of the last six federal elections http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/maybe-its-the-health-care-house-thats-burning-not-the-pension-house/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/maybe-its-the-health-care-house-thats-burning-not-the-pension-house/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:23:32 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=236812 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/maybe-its-the-health-care-house-thats-burning-not-the-pension-house/feed/ 0 This one’s making the rounds tonight: “Governments in large developed economies will face ‘ballooning’... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/30/todays-fodder-for-conversation/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/30/todays-fodder-for-conversation/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:37:23 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=236519 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/30/todays-fodder-for-conversation/feed/ 0 Pollster Jean-Marc Léger: “The race to succeed Jack Layton is much too long.” Jack... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/29/sarkozys-campaign-director-angela-merkel/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/29/sarkozys-campaign-director-angela-merkel/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:07:06 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=236497 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/29/sarkozys-campaign-director-angela-merkel/feed/ 0 In one of the elaborate prime-time TV interviews with selected interrogators that are a... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/29/if-only/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/29/if-only/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:11:40 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=236495 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/29/if-only/feed/ 0 I worry sometimes that the New York Times’ Tom Friedman is blowing a lot... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/28/katie-malloch-retires/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/28/katie-malloch-retires/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:50:23 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=236451 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/28/katie-malloch-retires/feed/ 0 I was at the Rex Hotel in Toronto last week for the first time... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/27/major-harper-long-time-coming/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/27/major-harper-long-time-coming/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:59:33 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=236029 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/27/major-harper-long-time-coming/feed/ 0 Everything in the Davos blueprint consists of things that were in the works during his five years of minority governments http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/26/harper-reaches-the-age-of-major-ity/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/26/harper-reaches-the-age-of-major-ity/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:49:45 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=235938 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/26/harper-reaches-the-age-of-major-ity/feed/ 0 The prime minister promised major this and major that in Davos http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/26/thats-western-university-to-you/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/26/thats-western-university-to-you/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:43:50 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=235777 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/26/thats-western-university-to-you/feed/ 0   Let’s begin with an annoying autobiographical pause: I studied at the University of... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/25/canadas-cities-well-some-of-them-against-europe-trade-deal/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/25/canadas-cities-well-some-of-them-against-europe-trade-deal/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:51:22 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=235664 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/25/canadas-cities-well-some-of-them-against-europe-trade-deal/feed/ 0 If a deal goes ahead, provincial governments and municipalities will have to open bidding on contracts to European firms http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/25/ndp-plummets-in-quebec-up-three-points/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/25/ndp-plummets-in-quebec-up-three-points/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:26:50 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=235578 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/25/ndp-plummets-in-quebec-up-three-points/feed/ 0 A cautionary tale about polling. La Presse is on fire this morning with news... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/23/major-harper-and-the-reforms/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/23/major-harper-and-the-reforms/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:16:44 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=235167 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/23/major-harper-and-the-reforms/feed/ 0 In an interview with Emmanuelle Latraverse to mark the 6th anniversary of his 2006... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/22/farewell-then-lazaridis-and-balsillie/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/22/farewell-then-lazaridis-and-balsillie/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:58:55 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=235107 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/22/farewell-then-lazaridis-and-balsillie/feed/ 0 RIM's co-CEOs are taking a big step away from the spotlight http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/22/gilles-duceppe-uh-nope/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/22/gilles-duceppe-uh-nope/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:11:01 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=235098 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/22/gilles-duceppe-uh-nope/feed/ 0 The former Bloc Québécois leader was, oddly, seen in some quarters to be the... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/20/hey-look-the-vast-left-wing-conspiracy-covers-the-vast-right-wing-conspiracy/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/20/hey-look-the-vast-left-wing-conspiracy-covers-the-vast-right-wing-conspiracy/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:03:36 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=234912 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/20/hey-look-the-vast-left-wing-conspiracy-covers-the-vast-right-wing-conspiracy/feed/ 0 We’re brimming over with fresh bitumen this week at Maclean’s, where I’ve got a... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/19/aglukkaqs-letter-to-provincial-health-ministers-slip-slidin-away/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/19/aglukkaqs-letter-to-provincial-health-ministers-slip-slidin-away/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:53:05 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=234833 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/19/aglukkaqs-letter-to-provincial-health-ministers-slip-slidin-away/feed/ 0 PostMedia’s Jason Fekete is a good reporter who writes about serious things, so I’m... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/18/harper-and-us-protectionism-memory-lane/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/18/harper-and-us-protectionism-memory-lane/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:25:02 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=234520 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/18/harper-and-us-protectionism-memory-lane/feed/ 0 There is a real difference between the prime minister Harper was criticizing in 2002 and the one he has become in 2012 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/18/keystone-the-prime-minister-and-the-president-chat/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/18/keystone-the-prime-minister-and-the-president-chat/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:32:50 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=234444 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/18/keystone-the-prime-minister-and-the-president-chat/feed/ 0 From the PMO press office: “Earlier this afternoon, Prime Minister Stephen Harper received a... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/17/political-editor/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/17/political-editor/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:40:03 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=234264 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/17/political-editor/feed/ 0 There’s been some chatter on Twitter to the effect that I’ll be the new... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/16/stephen-harpers-letter-on-the-economy/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/16/stephen-harpers-letter-on-the-economy/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:42:09 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=234030 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/16/stephen-harpers-letter-on-the-economy/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on why we should expect cuts to programs that have no constituency within the Conservative party http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/15/2012-will-undoubtedly-be-another-challenging-year/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/15/2012-will-undoubtedly-be-another-challenging-year/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:41:59 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=233978 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/15/2012-will-undoubtedly-be-another-challenging-year/feed/ 0 The Prime Minister’s Office today released this letter from Stephen Harper to the Conservative... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/14/the-liberals-controlled-flight-into-terrain/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/14/the-liberals-controlled-flight-into-terrain/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:03:58 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=233852 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/14/the-liberals-controlled-flight-into-terrain/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on the party's delusions http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/11/keystone-where-joe-olivers-letter-comes-from/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/11/keystone-where-joe-olivers-letter-comes-from/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:31:32 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=232799 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/11/keystone-where-joe-olivers-letter-comes-from/feed/ 0 Here’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper in November at the Grey Cup game in Vancouver,... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/joe-oliver-vs-the-radicals-or-among-them/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/joe-oliver-vs-the-radicals-or-among-them/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:47:44 +0000 Philippe Gohier http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=232571 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/joe-oliver-vs-the-radicals-or-among-them/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on how this battle has been brewing for a while http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/06/hey-look-the-crystal-ball-in-the-pms-head/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/06/hey-look-the-crystal-ball-in-the-pms-head/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:03:03 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=232329 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/06/hey-look-the-crystal-ball-in-the-pms-head/feed/ 0 From the print edition, my column for this week indulges what’s becoming an annual... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/04/the-harperization-of-the-republican-presidential-field/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/04/the-harperization-of-the-republican-presidential-field/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:50:02 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=231879 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/04/the-harperization-of-the-republican-presidential-field/feed/ 0 Voters eventually turned to candidates with legislative experience–or at least an MD http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/29/term-limits-for-mps-hello-i-must-be-going/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/29/term-limits-for-mps-hello-i-must-be-going/#comments Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:47:10 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=231403 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/29/term-limits-for-mps-hello-i-must-be-going/feed/ 0 Belinda Stronach has a new idea! Let’s take it seriously for a few minutes.... http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/29/hindsight/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/29/hindsight/#comments Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:32:59 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=231232 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/29/hindsight/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on 'accidentally' predicting the federal Liberals' demise http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/26/harpers-christmas-interview-with-fairchild/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/26/harpers-christmas-interview-with-fairchild/#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:02:38 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=231237 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/26/harpers-christmas-interview-with-fairchild/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on how the PM might as well have his own show on Fairchild by now http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/24/overrated-in-2011-the-list/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/24/overrated-in-2011-the-list/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:26:43 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=231234 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/24/overrated-in-2011-the-list/feed/ 0 Peter Donolo, Feist, and Mitt Romney's supposed rivals make Paul Wells's list http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/22/harpers-team-makes-a-hail-mary-2/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/22/harpers-team-makes-a-hail-mary-2/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:08:31 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230976 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/22/harpers-team-makes-a-hail-mary-2/feed/ 0 Let’s compare notes. Here’s one: Statement by the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian... http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/22/this-court-doesnt-lean/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/22/this-court-doesnt-lean/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:39:45 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230868 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/22/this-court-doesnt-lean/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on why Maurice Duplessis's old saw about the Supreme Court being like the Tower of Pisa no longer applies http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/21/what-to-do-when-the-boss-has-a-dumb-idea/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/21/what-to-do-when-the-boss-has-a-dumb-idea/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:54:00 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230830 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/21/what-to-do-when-the-boss-has-a-dumb-idea/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on self-censorship within news organizations http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/21/health-transfers-more-on-flat-tires-and-etiquette/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/21/health-transfers-more-on-flat-tires-and-etiquette/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:04:15 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230782 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/21/health-transfers-more-on-flat-tires-and-etiquette/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on how Ottawa never offers to negotiate when preparing to cut or limit transfers http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/19/harpers-flat-tire-federalism/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/19/harpers-flat-tire-federalism/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:08:40 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230538 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/19/harpers-flat-tire-federalism/feed/ 0 The PM will spend ever more money on jets and jails, while taxing less than any federal government has since the 1960s http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/19/peter-mackay-in-munich-lets-not-be-pound-foolish/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/19/peter-mackay-in-munich-lets-not-be-pound-foolish/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:20:38 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230399 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/19/peter-mackay-in-munich-lets-not-be-pound-foolish/feed/ 0 It is worth a little money to make sure the world's governments are sort-of kind-of on the same page http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/18/havel-in-ottawa-1999/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/18/havel-in-ottawa-1999/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 15:15:30 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230347 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/18/havel-in-ottawa-1999/feed/ 0 Vaclav Havel died today. Perhaps my friends at the National Post won’t mind if... http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/16/reading-christopher-hitchens-reading/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/16/reading-christopher-hitchens-reading/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:37:42 +0000 Paul Wells http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230116 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/16/reading-christopher-hitchens-reading/feed/ 0 Paul Wells on Hitchens why matters