Menu
From 2014 to 2020, Erin wrote a series of blogs on issues impacting Canada and his riding of Durham. He also chronicled the changing geopolitical landscape during this time and the creeping influence of social media on politics and society. We invite you to explore these blogs that were often published in local, and occasionally national, papers. From 2020 onward, Erin focused on the Blue Skies podcast and eventually his Blue Skies Substack page, so you can explore his ongoing examination of issues on those sites.
Over the last few months, Canadians have been transfixed by the SNC Lavalin scandal. What began as a headline in the Globe & Mail alongside flat denials by the Prime Minister, led to the resignation of two top Liberal cabinet ministers. The self-styled “feminist” Prime Minister was forced to toss two of his best MPs […]
It may seem like politics is dominated by negativity, theatrics and highly partisan bickering, but that is not really the case. While there are certainly flashes of all these elements in modern political life, the reality is the public rarely gets to see much of the positive work done. The day-to-day legislative and case work […]
Earlier this month, I had the first meeting of the new 2019 Durham Youth Advisory Board and it reminded me that it would be good to share more about this program and the optimism I have from interacting with young people in Durham and across Canada. This is the second year that I have had […]
In my last two columns I explored how social media is changing the consumption of news and the tenure of political discourse. Social media platforms are built upon users communicating with people who generally already share their views, so most communications simply reinforce opinions. The algorithms powering the platforms create our user experience based on […]
In my first column, I raised the impact of social media on news and public discourse, by exploring the decline of the traditional forms of media and the rise of social media as a source for news alongside the inherent problems with a social media echo chamber effect. People follow or connect with people on […]
In the last few years, we have heard a constant discussion about the increasing polarization of politics. I hear this concern from time to time in the coffee shops of Durham and can see why people have that view. Politics seems to be more personal and divisive than it was in the past. While some […]
Parliament wrapped up its fall sitting last week and that provides a good opportunity for reflection on the last few months. There were positive stories and negative stories on the federal political scene, but of course your political alignment will often determine whether you view something as good or bad. I will review some of […]
This week I attended the swearing in of new municipal councils in Oshawa and Scugog and the motto of the City of Oshawa struck a chord following the difficult news of the last week. Labour and Prosper. Such a fitting description for Oshawa and our entire region. Durham is known for its hard-working and skilled […]
I drive back and forth from Ottawa to Durham very regularly. When the weather is pleasant, and traffic light, I will often use cruise control to take my foot off the gas and relax a little. However as everyone knows, when you approach construction, traffic or hazards, you need to turn off cruise control and […]
Remembrance Day is a very important time of year and has become part of the fabric of our nation. This year marks one hundred years since the Armistice that ended the First World War. It was the sacrifice of that war and the remarkable transformation of a young Canada that forged the elements of the […]
