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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.
In previous columns I have commented on the economy in Durham and the diversity of our economy. This diversity is part of our strength because we don’t rely on a single industry or resource as some parts of the country do. If one area of the economy is slowing or having challenges, we hope that […]
This week brought long-awaited positive news for the economy in Durham and for Green House Gas (GHG) emission-free electricity in Ontario. The province has confirmed that the refurbishment of Darlington Nuclear will proceed. Darlington produces about 20 per cent of Ontario’s electricity, has won international awards for safety and reliability and is one of the […]
My final column of 2015 understandably leads to a retrospective look at the past year and the remarkable period of change it represented for my family and I. Thinking about the year also brought to mind one of my favourite John F. Kennedy quotes that I think perfectly illustrates the fact that change is actually […]
There has been much talk in the election and the time since then about Trudeau’s desire to emulate the “Sunny Ways” approach of Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier. Laurier’s Sunny Ways philosophy is often attributed to his approach to the challenges of linguistic and religious difference for a young Canada. The most famous quote is from a minority religious […]
The first major issue facing the Trudeau government has been their promise to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of this year. I have heard from many people in the riding and nationally on this issue, so it deserves the consideration of my latest column. Ironically, it also led me to praise […]
This is my first blog since the federal election where I had the honour of being re-elected as the Member of Parliament for Durham on a night that saw our Conservative government go down to defeat. I head into the 42nd Parliament as the MP for my hometowns and I am humbled and excited by […]
The spring sitting of the House of Commons has wrapped up and it is worth looking back at what was accomplished. The 41st Parliament was one of the most productive in the history of Canada. We passed 117 Government Bills, 40 Private Members’ Bills, 4 Private Bills, and 30 Private Member’s Motions. In fact, this […]
We are a week or so from the Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games where Canada will welcome the best athletes from the Americas to push themselves in sporting competitions that celebrate excellence achieved through hard work and perseverance. The Games allow countries to come together and to celebrate achievements by able-bodied and disabled […]
Public life is full of rewarding experiences and meeting interesting Canadians is the best part of my role as the MP for Durham and now as Minister of Veterans Affairs as well. A few weeks ago, I had the distinct honour of accompanying 67 World War II veterans and their caregivers to the Netherlands to […]
