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National Post · The Globe and Mail · Calgary Herald · Ottawa Citizen · Montreal Gazette · Edmonton Journal

Ben Woodfinden

Publishing · On our record since 2018

Where this writer stands

Housing4 pieces

Public supply and demand controlsMarket supply and deregulation
“The city also, importantly, changed zoning by-laws, which are the most obvious but often difficult problems to address. The zoning by-law, passed unanimously on Jan. 28, replaced a rulebook that had been in place for 18 years.” Read the piece

Trade3 pieces

Diversify away from one partnerDeeper continental integration
“We must reduce our dependence and exposure to the United States no matter who is in the White House next, or after that.” Read the piece

Public safety3 pieces

Prevention and restraintEnforcement and sentencing
“Canada's cities will become ungovernable if this ruling stands” Read the piece

Energy2 pieces

Restrict new oil and gasExpand production and export
“We can control whether we build a pipeline to tidewater, unlock critical minerals or invest seriously in the capacity to defend our own territory.” Read the piece

Fiscal policy1 piece

Higher taxes and public spendingLower taxes and tighter spending
“He argues that excessive government intervention drives up costs through bureaucracy and red tape, making housing unaffordable and inflating everyday necessities while preventing entrepreneurs from creating jobs that lift people out of poverty.” Read the piece

Immigration1 piece

Higher permanent intakeLower intake
“the policy response, from municipal councils blocking new supply to a federal government that ran historically loose immigration without building the housing to match, has only reinforced the dynamic.” Read the piece

Federalism1 piece

Ottawa leadsProvinces lead
“The notwithstanding clause was the condition upon which the provinces agreed to the Charter.” Read the piece

Defence1 piece

Restrain spending and deploymentsHigher spending and more capability
“Poilievre set out four broad pillars to build resiliency and leverage: abundant energy, unblocking resources and housing, rebuilding the military, and digital sovereignty.” Read the piece

Only opinion columns and editorials are scored. Each piece is read twice by a language model, which records the author's own stance on a policy topic only where the piece argues one, with a quote that must appear in the piece. An author's position on a topic is the average of their pieces, weighted by the model's confidence. News reporting is listed but never scored.

Recent work