Neil Macdonald

“The plain Canadian fact is that relative to other Western democracies, the U.S. in particular, there isn't much difference between our two main political parties.”

“I once found myself in Paris, Texas, possibly the most curious juxtaposition of place names in America.”

“Trump eventually slurs anyone who inconveniences him, and the plain, measurable fact is that a large majority of Jewish American voters continue to vote Democrat.”

“As stupid as it might sound, older people everywhere would probably be better off if they'd abandoned prudence and borrowed more. That is obviously not what the central bankers or our political leaders want. But that's the situation they've created.”

“I am deeply sympathetic to Indigenous treatment at the hands of white society.”

“Any reporter who's ever covered the Middle East can tell you about the Arab leader photo op. It is one of the most curious acts of solipsism ever invented. The beloved leader-for-life, a king or a president, always a man, appears on some hideous filigreed-and-gilded couch or chair, chatting with an important visitor.”

“Quietly, without much public fuss or discussion, a new ruling class has risen in the richer nations. These men and women are unelected and tend to shun the publicity hogged by the politicians with whom they co-exist. They are the world's central bankers.”

“When I was a kid, and the Hockey Night in Canada theme issued from our black-and-white Sylvania TV, I disappeared to the basement to listen to 45s and read the encyclopedias that my parents kept buying from travelling salesmen.”

“The modern election campaign is created by power in order to convince the realm that all is well, and, further, that its inhabitants are being presented with new information and a clear choice.”

“Like Donald Trump, Trudeau is in high office because of how the system groups and allocates votes. No wonder the Liberals broke their 2015 promise to reform the system and bring in proportional representation.”

“During my years in the United States, I met a lot of evangelicals; they comprise a quarter of the American population, and are utterly unlike most Christians you'll encounter in this country.”

“There's a reason the United States opposes the very existence of the International Criminal Court, at least where American war crimes are concerned.”

“The Fed has been acting in rare concert with central banks worldwide to encourage borrowing and spending - and risk. And because all the new money being unleashed has to flow somewhere, it's been flowing, among other places, into the equity markets.”

“I've seen Jordanian television lead its newscast with three identical, consecutive scenes, all on the same royal couch. It's hilarious, and most Western reporters cackle sarcastically when they first see it. I certainly did.”

“It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that is. What battle? It's your own body. Is it a win or lose thing?”

“The fact is, American law encourages whistleblowers and, often, they go down in history as courageous people of principle who made their country better.”

“If you speak to his friends like Adam Sandler, David Spade or Tim Meadows - the people he came up with at 'SNL' - they would all agree that Norm was the purest amongst them. He was the comic's comic.”

“It is no exaggeration to say many evangelicals consider Trump an anointed figure; a clearly venal man somehow chosen by their God to rescue America from venality.”

“Politicians pose and grip and grin, and mouth blandishments, and, like the beloved Arab leaders, are careful to say nothing. The prime photo op directive, it seems, is to say absolutely nothing.”

“Canada has treated abortion as just another medical procedure since 1988, when the Supreme Court struck down the old criminal law. Most Canadians seem to think that's fine.”