Of Liberals, Peterson and Free Trade

A fine good morning to all our readers, on this blustery mid-June day, at least as the weather is here in Ontario. I have an article published this morning in Crisis magazine on the recent Ontario election, the trouncing of the Liberals under Kathleen Wynne, and what Doug Ford may be able to accomplish with the mess he has inherited. I’m not sure who would want to take over the province at this point, worse than inheriting the house of your hoarding aunt, filled with mildewing newspapers, two-fee-deep in cat droppings, a veritable Augean stable, and Mr. Ford is not exactly Hercules. Then again, God could provide a flood of sorts, metaphorical or otherwise, which would at least allow us to start over.

Concerning the piece today on Dr. Jordan Peterson, our readers should be aware that this is the considered opinion of a professor, who wishes to remain anonymous. There is much that is good about Peterson that we should not discount. His stance against political correctness and the pronoun police, his advocacy of scientific truth in terms of fundamental and inalterable differences in sex, and his insistence on striving for excellence, are all much-needed antidotes to our anodyne culture.

Yet we should be aware, and take caution, that he is no Christian, and I am concerned that so many Catholics, it seems primarily young-ish males, receive a large dose of their intellectual formation from bingeing on his YouTube lectures and discussions, without dipping so much as their big toe into the wisdom of the Catechism, the Summa, Aristotle, Plato, John Paul II, Ratzinger, or a host of other intellectual lights, who can provide a far fuller and more wholesome formation, if not always as titillating and entertaining. Discipline is the only real way to learn, as the very root of the word implies. What is more, as John Paul wrote, we attain truth by the two wings of faith and reason, and are crippled if either is missing. So take the article in the spirit in which it is written.

Krystia Freeland, the Minister put in charge of working out the ‘free-trade’ deal with the United States under the auspices of NAFTA, is now claiming that President Trump’s threatened tariffs are ‘illegal’. There is really no such thing as ‘free’ trade, for everything costs something. And does anyone really think Trump spends sleepless nights on his acre-sized bed, caring what Ms. Freeland or Mr. Trudeau think? The thing about law is that it must be enforceable with ‘vis et metu’, as Saint Thomas puts it, with ‘force and fear’, and on what possible basis would Trump fear Trudeau, and Canada for that matter? Ideologues, politicians and academics live in a world largely disconnected from what we on the ground call ‘reality’, which is a hard taskmaster. Eventually, even for those most disengaged, it catches up with all of us, as it is catching up with Canada, and its economy, sinking in debt and protectionism. We will see how this all unfolds, but be prepared, dear reader, that the gravy train may be coming to the end of its ride.

Carney’s Amoral Majority

After five defections – euphemistically described as ‘crossing the floor’ – and three by-elections, Mark Carney and his Liberals how have their coveted majority. One wonders what bowls of pottage were offered in back-room deals. In the archaic monarchical system that is the Dominion of Canada, this majority allows the newly-minted Prime Minister to rule[…]Continue reading→

Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress

This was the title given to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, by Pope Benedict XVI, when he canonized her on October 28th, 2012, along with six others, in Saint Peter’ Square (she had been beatified by Pope John Paul II back in 1980). With Saint Joseph as our protector, along with the Canadian martyrs, we seem to[…]Continue reading→

A Closed, Unsustainable, Descending Loop

As a follow-up to my thoughts on Payette’s payout, here be a stark image of where are here in Canada. As the graph shows in, well, graphic terms, since 2025, the public sector has contributed to 95.5% of economic growth. The private sector – which funds the public sector, or is supposed to – has[…]Continue reading→

A Tale of Two Benedicts

A grace-filled Holy Week to all our readers! As we await and prepare for the Resurrection about to dawn upon us, we might keep in mind two Benedicts: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, requiescat in pace, elected on this day in 2005; and today’s commemoration of the mystic pilgrim, Benedict Joseph Labre, who died on this[…]Continue reading→

My Name is Bernadette

April 16th is a propitious day, for besides the anniversary of Father de Valk’s death, who founded Catholic Insight in its print form decades ago, and the commemoration of the ‘two Benedicts’, mentioned in accompanying posts, today we also recall Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared numerous times at[…]Continue reading→

Presidential Pardon of Weronika Krawczyk

As a good news, follow-up to our story from Poland, of the persecution of Weronika Krawczyk for her pro-life views, we heard that she has been granted a presidential pardon. One might still wonder why one needs a presidential pardon for simply holding the long-held belief that the child within the womb is a child,[…]Continue reading→

Saint Lydwina of Schiedam and Suffering Joyfully

Saint Lydwina of Schiedam (1380 – 1433) was one of the countless and glorious ‘victim souls’ in the history of the Church, those whose lives are filled with suffering, often of an unimaginable intensity, but who suffer joyfully. She was a fifteen-year old Dutch girl, out skating one day, when she fell and broke one[…]Continue reading→

The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus

As we enter into Eastertide, we recall on this 13th of April Pope Saint Martin I (+655), one of the noblest, if most tragic, of the successors of Saint Peter. Born in Umbria, Italy, he was of noble lineage, with great intelligence combined with charity and love of the poor and the Church. While still[…]Continue reading→

Pope Leo and a Rosary for Peace

Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics across the world to join him in a Rosary for peace today, at 18:00 Rome time (6 pm), which would be noon from where I write (EST). If you are able, whether at that time or another, and in whatever way you pray, to join in intercession with the[…]Continue reading→

Payette’s Payout

I was glancing through some headlines, and noticed a mention of Julie Payette – engineer and astronaut and sometime the Queen’s representative in Canada – which brought back vague memories. She was appointed Governor-General by Justin Trudeau in 2017. Ms. Payette resigned in 2021, amidst claims that she created a ‘toxic work environment’, with allegations[…]Continue reading→