I am a Canadian writer and blogger, and a former Member of Parliament. I use this site to share my ideas about politics, social justice, rhetoric, books, and memoir. You will see on the sidebar that I write two Blogs which I invite you to follow. I have written or edited nine Books, and you will find Journalism by me and about me posted on the site as well. I hope that you will read some of my work, and let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you in the Comments section below.
I also post here about things that I have written recently, or that have caught my eye. I refresh this page regularly.
Mark Carney’s speech on the end of the rules-based order
Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney delivered a speech in Switzerland this week that has received immense publicity. He told an audience at the World Economic Forum that the rules-based international order is dead. To survive, middle powers, including Canada, must cooperate in a shifting set of coalitions based on common values and interests. I have posted a transcript and a video link to my Great Canadian Speeches blog.
Best Reads of 2025: My Year in Books
Here are some of my favourite books from 2025, as posted to my Pulpit and Politics blog. In a chaotic and troubled world, reading books, remains one of life’s great pleasures. It is also a way to stay more deeply informed than is possible by reading newspapers or following on air news, and infinitely preferable to doom scrolling on social media. Take a look.
Parliamentary review of my “Communist” book
The Canadian Association of former Parliamentarians has reviewed my book, A Communist for the RCMP in the Summer 2025 of their publication Beyond the Hill. The piece includes portions of an interview in which I say that the RCMP Security Service undertook surveillance on several CCF-NDP leaders, including J.S. Woodsworth, Tommy Douglas, David Lewis and others. That was a clear case of over-reach.
NATO leaders, including Canada, have agreed to spend 5.0% of Gross Domestic Product on the military. Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will more than double its military spending. As I write on my Pulpit and Politics blog, that will fuel the arms race and crowd out spending on much-need social programs.
Literary Review of Canada article on Communist for the RCMP
The LRC has a review in their April 2025 edition of my book A Communist for the RCMP. The writer is David Shribman, a veteran U.S. journalist who was executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He teaches in the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University he contributes to The Globe and Mail. The review is titled, Serge Protector? The RCMP informant who saw red. It took me a few moments to get it, but eventually I did.
Quotable Quote
“Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.” – Hannah Arendt
Dennis Gruending 