http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/t_ford Most recent (7 days) columns en-gb Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:44:05 CDT Every year about this time, some of the world's wealthiest business people and their political chums go to Davos in the Swiss Alps to look down on the rest of us. But this year was different. The participants were subdued. They were worried about political chaos in Europe and sluggish growth in... Mon, 6 Feb 2012 09:49:17 CST The Harper government faces its biggest challenge in drafting the forthcoming federal budget. The problem is that three of the biggest drivers of the economy -- consumer spending, business investment and government activities -- have difficulties. In good times, consumers account for more than Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:35:10 CST OTTAWA -- There's just a chance progress will be made this week in solving what former prime minister Paul Martin calls the "biggest moral and social issue of our time." Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Shawn Atleo, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, federal and First Nations Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:03:25 CST OTTAWA -- It's a small sign, but it may not be a good one. At the official meetings of the European Union this month, the host nation, Denmark, will be serving not bottled, but tap water. The bottled water will be replaced by "good pure Danish tap water," Denmark's European affairs minister Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:13:01 CST OTTAWA -- Hang around Parliament long enough and you come to the vivid conclusion that the institution is falling apart. Let me count the ways. In days of yore, the early parliamentarians felt it was critical to scrutinize the king's demands for funds. Last year, Parliament approved the Mon, 9 Jan 2012 09:37:18 CST Part way through a roots tour of the Prairies last summer with my daughter and granddaughter I blurted out: "I think I really like the Prairies." "Of course you do," said my daughter, who lives in Ottawa. "You talk about them all the time. Why don't you come right out and say you love Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:41:48 CST A lot of discussion these days about Muslim women, but the problem is few of us get a chance to sit down and talk with some of them. I have met quite a few simply because I work as a volunteer in one of Winnipeg's largest affordable-housing societies. The women were all different, but none of Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:57:18 CST There was a time when the holiday season was mostly about religion. Now, it's mostly an economic indicator tracking retail sales. And I say to heck with it. World stock markets did a happy dance last Monday when it was announced that U.S. retail sales jumped 16 per cent from last year's tally, Mon, 5 Dec 2011 10:41:41 CST The First Nations elders are feeling their age; some are frail. Yet they are a bulwark against the death of some of their communities. They do this by helping to educate First Nations youngsters. The horrid residential schools were designed, one government official said, "to take the Indian out Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:16:23 CST When we were kids, some of us would yell, "Sticks and stones will break our bones, but names will never hurt us." But names did hurt. And they still do. Prime Minister Stephen Harper usually doesn't engage in name calling. But once in a while he stands tall on the rampart of goodness and hurls Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:03:35 CST