John Ibbitson

Wednesday January 21, 2026, John Ibbitson - "The Duel: Diefenbaker, Pearson and the Making of Modern Canada" - CIHE On Wednesday January 21, 2026 CIHE hosts John Ibbitson to discuss his national-bestselling history of the Diefenbaker–Pearson rivalry and how it forged modern Canada—rights, immigration, the flag, and...

I greatly enjoyed talking about The Duel last week on behalf of the Canadian Institute for Historical Education. The deeply knowledgeable audience gently corrected me once or twice. A rich exchange, at least for me.
cihe.ca/2026/01/21/j...

Fixing what ails Canadian publishing: The glory days never existed, but the industry’s future needs a boost A new book by Richard Stursberg argues that the industry has been weakened by the encroachment of foreign-owned firms and a national identity crisis

From me:

www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/book...

Opinion: The Conservative and Liberal responses to Venezuela reflect vastly different foreign-policy outlooks Mark Carney must still approach these matters softly as Canada faces the USMCA renegotiations

From me :

www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

2023: The Duel.
2024: A Nation’s Paper.
2025: Breaking Point.
Three good years.

John Ibbitson on X: "Martha Hall Findlay reviews Breaking Point. “Whether one agrees with their conclusions or not, Breaking Point demands serious engagement with fundamental questions about Canada’s future.” https://t.co/fLFhrPFd3R" / X Martha Hall Findlay reviews Breaking Point. “Whether one agrees with their conclusions or not, Breaking Point demands serious engagement with fundamental questions about Canada’s future.” https://t.co/fLFhrPFd3R

Martha Hall Findley reviews Breaking Point l.
“Whether one agrees with their conclusions or not, Breaking Point demands serious engagement with fundamental questions about Canada’s future.”
x.com/johnibbitson...

Canada is at a breaking point—the growing generational gap is a big reason why

An excerpt from Breaking Point is in The Hub today.
thehub.ca/2025/11/15/c...

YouTube video by The Paikin Podcast Is Canada at a Breaking Point?

🚨🎙️NEW episode: Darrell Bricker and @johnibbitson.bsky.social on "Breaking Point."
➡️Trudeau’s failures
➡️Immigration
➡️Angry young people
➡️Tensions in Quebec and the Prairies
➡️How to fix it
YouTube: youtu.be/7WJ0y7s_BZ8
Apple: apple.co/4nzNt4c
All the others: linktr.ee/thepaikinpod...

Globe editorial: Canada must be prepared to stand on its own A key part of success in negotiations with the United States depends on being ready for their failure

Junius calls on Canada to stiffen its spine.
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...

On CBC’s Sunday Magazine in a few minutes with Darrell Bricker to talk about Breaking Point.

Opinion: There are divisions in every part of the country. Is Canada at the breaking point? The question remains whether the Liberals, the Conservatives or any Canadian political party address the country’s disharmony

From Darrell Bricker and me: Canada is at a breaking point.

www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

CBC News Network speaks to the Saturday Political Panel on the week's events CBC News Network speaks to the Saturday Political Panel on the week's events

The weekend political panel, on trade and the border.
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So this just arrived. On sale October 28.

CBC's Natasha Fatah breaks down the week in politics with Saturday Political Panel Get the latest on CBCNews.ca, the CBC News App, and CBC News Network for breaking news and analysis.

In this week's political panel, we talk about Canada Post, Mark Carney's travels and the travails of Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.

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CBC News Network speaks to the Saturday Political Panel about the week in politics Get the latest on CBCNews.ca, the CBC News App, and CBC News Network for breaking news and analysis.

Here is today’s political panel on the hurt feelings of the American ambassador

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Concerning the Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace, we will need to watch very carefully what happens next in the Baltics. Canada leads a multinational NATO brigade in Latvia. These are dangerous times.

Opinion: Canada and America can’t break up –⁠ but we do need a trial separation We cannot avoid trade with the massive economy next door –⁠ but as its democracy backslides, Canada will need alternatives

From me:
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Jimmy Coutts’s diaries are for students of Canadian political history Author and journalist Ron Graham was given advanced access to the diaries, and from them has assembled this account

From me:

www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/article...

How I wish someone had taken a picture of the poker group when we first started playing together in university. Thirty-eight years later. Never missed a year. A life blessing.

When I was a kid, people called the first cool nights in August “Ex weather” because they coincided with the arrival of the Canadian National Exhibition. No more need for kids to sleep outdoors on hot, humid nights. Last night in Ottawa was classic Ex weather, with more to come.

Carney can rescue health care by loosening restrictions of the Canada Health Act The median wait time between referral by a family doctor to treatment by a specialist in 2024 reached 30 weeks.

From me:
www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/c...

CBC News Network speaks to a political panel on Trump's tariff war and more Get the latest on CBCNews.ca, the CBC News App, and CBC News Network for breaking news and analysis.

I really enjoy doing this panel Saturday at noon ET with Natasha Fatah, Rob Breakenridge and Marty Patriquin. Today’s episode was particularly lively.
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Breaking Point by Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson | Penguin Random House Canada From the authors of The Big Shift and Empty Planet, a timely and provocative exploration of the seismic forces reshaping Canada’s political, cultural, and economic landscape.

@darrellbricker and I wrote Breaking Point over six frantic months, through Freeland & Trudeau & Trump and Carney & the election. It's all in the book, but the forces threatening Canada stretch much farther back. Pub date is Oct. 28. You can pre-order now.
www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/801993...

I am honoured that Jane Philpott named The Duel as her recommended summer reading. Thank you Dr. Philpott.

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book: 'A Nation's Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada' by John Ibbitson, Tidewater Books bookmark, Canadian Maple Leaf

Today's Featured #CanLit in-store is 'A Nation's Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada' by @johnibbitson.bsky.social 💕🇨🇦📚

tidewaterbooks.ca 💕🇨🇦📚

#IndieBookstoreCA #ShopSmall #ThankYouForShopingLocal #Fallinlovewithlocal #SmallBusinessEveryDay #IndieBookstores

What an honour and pleasure it was to join ⁦‪@spaikin‬⁩ on set as part of a panel on Canada’s future. This is The Agenda’s final month. The panel airs on TVOntario at 8 and 11 pm tonight. And yes, he is the best interviewer in the country. And my friend.

John Ibbitson: The Laurentian elite strikes back Was this federal election the last gasp of the Laurentian elite?

From me:

thehub.ca/2025/05/02/j...

‘We’ve given Trump just what he wanted’: The Hub reacts to a dramatic Canadian federal election

Several takes on the election.

thehub.ca/2025/04/30/w...

John Ibbitson: The forked road Canadian voters face on election day

From me on election day:

thehub.ca/2025/04/28/j...

Opinion: The Liberals and Tories are so similar, they look like Tweedledum and Tweedledee There is a vanishingly small policy gap distinguishing the two federal parties leading the election campaign

From me:
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Opinion: The Liberals and Tories are so similar, they look like Tweedledum and Tweedledee There is a vanishingly small policy gap distinguishing the two federal parties leading the election campaign

From @JohnIbbitson.bsky.social: the two national governing parties would take much the same approach in responding to the challenges we face. For better or worse, the Grits and the Tories truly have become Tweedledum and Tweedledee. www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...