Sierra Rayne

NHL hockey in the 1980s: A unique era of exceptionalism

In recent days, we have seen the resurfacing of a seminal moment in Canadian hockey history (and indeed, Canadian history): the 25th anniversary for the trading of National Hockey League (NHL) superstar Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in August 1988 by Peter Pocklington.

The Truth About Putin’s Russia

Dissatisfaction with Obama's weak performance on the geopolitical stage and the economy, and his increasing regulation and oversight of the personal and professional components in American lives, have, sadly, led some apparent conservatives to express various forms of admiration for Vladimir Putin's Russia.

Thomas Friedman’s First Law of Petropolitics is Nonsense

In 2006, Thomas L. Friedman of the New York Times wrote a highly influential and widely cited article in Foreign Policy magazine entitled "The First Law of Petropolitics."

Canada’s Substandard Tertiary Education System

In late 2012, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, (OECD) released a report looking at the educational systems of its member states. The results are not promising for tertiary education in Canada.

Time to get tough with Mexico

Mexico is a failing narco-state and an economic parasite, and the United States and Canada are unfortunately hitched to the wagon. The weak foreign policies and welcoming trade agreements towards Mexico by its two democratic and wealthy northern neighbors have not been productive.

Canada’s incoherent foreign policy towards Cuba

Following the Cuban revolution in 1959 which brought the brutal communist dictator Fidel Castro to power, Canada and Mexico were the only two countries in the hemisphere not to break relations with Cuba. Canada's foreign policy is generally incoherent and often works at cross-purposes to that of our strongest ally, the United States, but with Cuba it achieves new lows.

Fiddling while Rome burns: Saskatchewan’s pre-occupation with distracted driving

Saskatchewan has a massive crime problem, and it's been this way for many years. And yet, you wouldn't realize it from looking at government policies, apparent law enforcement priorities, and stories in the mainstream media.

The National Round Table on Nonsense

As the life span of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) ends, hopefully we will not see a future reincarnation of a similarly wasteful enterprise at Canadian taxpayer's expense.

The Conservative Case Against the Long-Form Census

The mandatory long-form census is -- and needs to continue to be -- a cause for action among libertarians and conservatives, particularly in the United States and Canada. Strong arguments based on the resistance to Big Brother phenomena and social engineering efforts, and the support for other freedom-loving principles, mitigate against a mandatory long-form census. The fight for the long-form census has typically come from the liberals, but even some conservatives are taking the bait. Regardless of who supports or opposes the long-form census and why, the strongest conservative case against these census forms generally rests with their lack of scientific rigor.

Gun Laws and Gun Crime

Gun control advocates have long promoted a wide range of policies and laws intended to restrict the "right of the people to keep and bear arms."