John Brewin on Politics

My lifelong friend Terry Grier died on March 13, 2023. We gathered today to say our farewells. David Grier, Ruth and Terry's eldest son, the President of Toronto Metropolitan University, Dr. Mohamed Lachemi, and I each offered reflections. What follows are mine. We are here this morning to grieve the death of Terry Grier. We are here to remember and celebrate Terry’s life, to reflect on his example and on his legacy. I’d like to begin by honouring the relationships that grounded and inspired Terry: His relationship with his parents, wonderful sister Sheila and family; With Ruth, his extraordinary partner in all things; With his three fantastic sons, their partners, his nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren; and, With his neighbourhood and his local Anglican church; With this city and this country -- places where he formed lifelong friendships through daily acts of caring and concern for the welfare of everyone. The love at the heart of Terry’s relationships isn’t sentimen

As 2023 gets underway, Canadian politics seems to be stuck in a rut. The next federal election is at least a couple of years away. The 2021 election showed virtually no change from the 2019 election. Current federal polls show the pattern continues.  Last year’s provincial elections in Ontario and Quebec saw little change in seat distribution in their legislatures, both provinces re-electing majority conservative governments. B.C. has a new premier in the NDP’s David Eby. We can expect a very similar style and substance from an Eby government in comparison to his predecessor John Horgan. Eby has taken  over a popular government, steady, practical, progressive and successful on the whole. This year, it’s possible to break out of the rut. Alberta votes May 29 and Manitoba October 3. Both elections could well result in strong NDP governments replacing right-wing conservative administrations.  Three NDP governments, instead of just one, will make a big difference on the national political