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The Globe and Mail

Gary Mason

Publishing · On our record since 2005

Where this writer stands

Fiscal policy8 pieces

Higher taxes and public spendingLower taxes and tighter spending
“fiscal competency meant that you didn't spend more than you took in. It was sometimes known as fiscal conservatism – the idea being that it was a government's duty to balance the books, so as to not burden future generations with debt that wasn't of their doing.” Read the piece

Immigration5 pieces

Higher permanent intakeLower intake
“While I understand there might be backlogs in the refugee system, it also has to be nimble enough to move certain cases to the front of the queue for security concerns, among other reasons.” Read the piece

Public safety4 pieces

Prevention and restraintEnforcement and sentencing
“In this instance, I don't think the CBSA should have to meet prosecutorial standards in terms of proving someone committed a crime in order to have their claim rendered null and void.” Read the piece

Climate2 pieces

Faster fossil phase-downSlower phase-down, production first
“It's the poor and disadvantaged who will pay the biggest price for our inaction, including with their lives. And the world will have to live with the burden of knowing it had a chance to do something about it, but didn't.” Read the piece

Health2 pieces

Expand public coverageMore private delivery
“It's difficult to imagine a government acting more irresponsibly in the face of such demographic challenges. An old-age tsunami is washing over the province and the government, instead of building facilities where seniors can live their remaining years in safety and with a degree of dignity, has decided that's not a priority.” Read the piece

Trade2 pieces

Diversify away from one partnerDeeper continental integration
“This, the man who convinced a majority of the British public to vote for a decision that has set the country back years, if not decades.” Read the piece

Foreign affairs2 pieces

Alliance restraintAssertive alliances and sanctions
“In a perfect world, all Western leaders would stand up to Mr. Trump and tell him that while Iran is dangerous under its current leadership, and regime change is necessary, you can't simply upend the world order by starting a war in the Middle East, at the behest of Israel, without so much as engaging your allies.” Read the piece

Housing2 pieces

Public supply and demand controlsMarket supply and deregulation
“And while a 35-storey residential tower may not be the answer, other forms of market housing have to be part of the solution.” Read the piece

Energy2 pieces

Restrict new oil and gasExpand production and export
“In principle, we should support any effort to market our energy to Asian customers, rather than continue to sell it at a discount to the U.S.” Read the piece

Federalism1 piece

Ottawa leadsProvinces lead
“The anti-Canada, anti-Ottawa rage in the convention hall is what you get when you spend your entire time in office denouncing the rotten deal Alberta has received in Confederation.” Read the piece

Defence1 piece

Restrain spending and deploymentsHigher spending and more capability
“It is clear that Mr. Trump and the many morons with whom he's surrounded himself have no idea what they're doing.” 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.

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