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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.
As I write this column, the House of Commons prepares to adjourn for the Christmas holidays. Parliament Hill is beautifully lit up with Christmas lights and is a visual reminder of the joy that comes at this time of year and it helps to ease the sad memory of what took place here in October. […]
This week a friend I respect a great deal sent me an opinion piece on politics and asked for my perspective on it. I have been urging her to consider running for office, but reading this essay I can understand why so many exceptionally qualified people like her are increasingly taking a pass. The essay […]
This year the beginning of December will be marked with more than just the normal excitement associated with the annual Santa Claus parade and Christmas cheer. On December 1st our new town councils and the Region of Durham council assumed office following the municipal election in the fall. In Scugog, the municipal election led to […]
I meet many Canadians who are cynical about politics. So many people become so disillusioned that they no longer vote and that troubles me as both a parliamentarian and an ardent promoter of our parliamentary democracy. There are many reasons for this cynicism, but I have found that the largest contributor to this malaise is […]
Last week, Finance Minister Joe Oliver released the fall economic update and it provided an overview of Canada’s finances and the projections for the coming years. Canada is in a strong position. We are on track to have a balanced budget next year with a small surplus. As promised, we are using some of the […]
Remembrance Day has always been very important to Canadians, but this year it is clearly touching the hearts of Canadians more than ever before. This year will mark the Royal Canadian Legion’s largest Poppy Campaign ever. There have already been 1 million more poppies distributed this year when compared to last. 2014 also marks some […]
After a sad couple of weeks after the tragic events that took place in Ottawa (see my blogs that I wrote about these events here and here), I am happy to write about some good news for families in Durham. Our government made a pledge several years ago that once the country had weathered the global recession […]
I want to thank the dozens of people from Durham who reached out to our office after the horrible events in Ottawa last week. Dozens more reached out from across Canada and around the world. All of these kind thoughts and prayers meant a lot to me, my family and my team. These gestures lifted […]
I am composing this blog from inside the Reading Room in Centre Block on Parliament Hill. This is the room where our government has its national caucus every Wednesday morning. We have been in lockdown in this room since tragedy struck Ottawa just after 10AM this morning. It is now almost 4PM and my mind […]
Last week I had the distinct honour of welcoming Prime Minister Harper and Laureen Harper to Durham for a special announcement. The Prime Minister wanted to do this announcement at the Abilities Centre in Whitby for two important reasons. First, because the Centre is an inclusive place that promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices […]
