Editorials - April 10, 2026
A way with words
Just when we thought that Donald Trump couldn’t get more unpresidential, the world woke up Easter Sunday to an expletive-laced social media post that threatened Iran. The post ended oddly with “Praise be to Allah”. Was this sarcasm or thinly-veiled racism?
No sitting president would ever be allowed by the American people to act so boorishly, so why does Trump get a pass? Could anyone imagine what the Republicans would have done had Barack Obama tweeted anything so profane? They would have lost their minds, called for his impeachment and likely his own cabinet would have invoked the 25th Amendment (which allows a transfer of power if the president becomes incapacitated).
To dial up the crazy factor, the First Family observed the tradition of hosting an Easter egg hunt on the White House lawn, but Trump saw fit to regale all the children waiting for chocolate with tales of his war with Iran and praised the U.S. military while a fluffy bunny mascot looked on.
No matter what Trump’s legacy is, from dismantling the East Wing of the White House to build a gold-plated ballroom, a giant arch in tribute to himself, economic isolationism or finally instigating an all-out war in the Middle East, it is certain that he won’t be remembered as a wise statesman with eloquent oratory skills. – DS
Efficiency or corruption?
With his fixation on Toronto - likely due to his time as a Toronto City Councillor or the fact that it’s his home - Premier Doug Ford has used his power to stick his finger in every pie Toronto has. First, he slashed the size of city council. Then came the Strong Mayor Powers, conservation authority amalgamation and taking over school boards. The latter three have since bled into the rest of the province with local mayors now having to navigate powers they never asked for and work to understand amalgamations they never supported.
Inch by inch, Ford is putting the provincial government’s stamp on everything from local governance to planning to education all, largely, against the will of those being stamped. Now the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is moving forward with the slashing of Niagara Region Council seats from 32 to 13 and Simcoe County Council from 32 to 17, both with regional chairs. Minister Rob Flack says that under the government’s new Better Regional Governance Act of 2026, Ford and his party will have the power to appoint regional chairs in Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Waterloo and York, as well as the warden of Simcoe County. Furthermore, these chairs will be given Strong Chair Powers, similar to those handed out to Ontario’s mayors.
Councillors getting the axe have expressed their disappointment and called it “anti-democratic”, giving an unelected, hand-picked chair more power than elected councillors. NDP leader Marit Styles has said it’s a “path to corruption” with no democratic accountability. And, much like the Strong Mayor Powers or conservation authority decision, they may start in larger city centres with councils and staffs perceived to be bloated and clunky, this approach will surely filter down to the smaller governments of Ontario. Mayors and Reeves of municipalities in rural Ontario likely paid little mind to Strong Mayor Powers until they were dropped in their laps, uninvited and unwelcome. This may be next; one day you’re a Huron County Councillor, the next you’re not.
With municipal elections around the corner this fall, overreach like this from Ford could again undermine local democracy - a feeling with which Huron County residents, unfortunately, are all too familiar. – SL
What a time to be alive
The Artemis II mission has made history as the vessel that has made its way the farthest from earth of any ship, all while Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency is aboard. The national pride embedded in this achievement is palpable as Canadians see one of their own doing something that no one has ever done before. It’s also been rewarding as Canadians that, in every scene you see from within that ship, the Canadian flag is hung right alongside the American one. It’s a stark reminder of a relationship that used to be so strong, but has been strained recently due to the actions of a few.
Furthermore, the technology available to the crew has made it an experience unlike any other for us down here on Earth, seeing stunning images from space in a quality we’ve never seen before, alongside video and communication from the astronauts that makes us feel as though we’re along for the ride.
Unfortunately, as Earthly events dominate the news and the fear of widespread violence and all-out warfare consume many of us down here, the majesty of what it happening over 407,000 kilometres from here is being lost on some when, in another era with another news cycle, this voyage would be all we could see and all we could talk about.
As the Artemis II crew continues its journey, we should watch with wonder and awe. It is truly an amazing feat we get to witness – SL