Connor MacDonald

Rising 3L student @mcgill

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

@tc1415 Interestingly, a failure to define reasonable doubt amounts to a reviewable error in Canadian law. Not enough to just say "sure" (R v Lifchus).

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

@ClarenceMaximus Worth pointing out that in all the Anglo commonwealth jurisdictions (UK, Can, Aus) contempt is obviously an inherent power of the judiciary, and this is not even slightly controversial. I don't see why the US would be different.

[William Baude @WilliamBaude]

Intensely socratic classrooms without electronic devices (and in-class, curved exams), while also learning how (and when) to usefully layer AI on top of one's own abilities and skills.

[Catholic Canuck 🇻🇦🍁 @CatholicCanuck9]

In honour of the 4th of July, let’s remember one of the Continental Army’s less successful adventures: the Battle of Quebec, 1775.

When Anglos and French alike bore arms together to defend Quebec City and keep Canada free from revolution.

Montgomery fell. Arnold was wounded. Quebec held.

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

@OrinKerr FWIW the conduct of recruitment is subject to bar oversight in Canada, for ex:

https://t.co/rioeiYYIEo

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

@LyndonDrake @yuanyi_z Haha - I meant the PRC (I used next to in a relative sense!)

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

To this point, an underrated reason to do some form of CANZUK is that all four countries are right beside big neighbours with whom they currently have ambivalent relationships. Probably a lot of best practice sharing that could happen!

[Yuan Yi Zhu @yuanyi_z]

Very good to see @PierrePoilievre tonight and to hear his backing of CANZUK. It's a no-brainer that middle powers which share so much ought to increasingly collaborate in a world which is not friendly to middle powers.

[Sean Speer @Sean_Speer]

At a time when many Anglo-American conservatives are jettisoning open markets and human freedom in favour of economic planning and cultural collectivism, Pierre Poilievre's lecture today stands out.

It's as cogent and persuasive defence of free markets and free peoples as we've seen from any Conservative leader in the Anglosphere in years.

His invocation of Smith's textured understanding of capitalism and his own case for the broad-based benefits of market competition are big deals precisely because they're regrettably too rare these days.

Poilievre's vision for what he called "a meritocratic, bottom-up competitive economy" is an important reminder that classical liberalism is ultimately in the interest of citizens.

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

An excellent and passionate defence of free markets (and more sophisticated thoughts on Adam Smith than you usually get!)

[Pierre Poilievre @PierrePoilievre]

LIVE: 2026 Margaret Thatcher Lecture in London. Stronger at home. Unbreakable abroad. https://t.co/h6PN1TpupM

[Pierre Poilievre @PierrePoilievre]

LIVE: 2026 Margaret Thatcher Lecture in London. Stronger at home. Unbreakable abroad. https://t.co/h6PN1TpupM

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

It's also a recipe for little getting done. British policy wonks (where ministers have max 3 political staff) look longingly at the policy direction larger political teams offer in Canada/Australia.

[Ben Woodfinden @BenWoodfinden]

This is an incredibly naive assessment and one that should be politely
rejected.

Policy choices are not neutral, they are political decisions, which is precisely why you need political staff alongside civil servants to help provide that honest political advice.

[Ben Woodfinden @BenWoodfinden]

This is an incredibly naive assessment and one that should be politely
rejected.

Policy choices are not neutral, they are political decisions, which is precisely why you need political staff alongside civil servants to help provide that honest political advice.

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

@KLalh And my sense is "denunciation" as a sentencing objective pretty much functions as "punishment" in sentencing now anyway.

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

@KLalh IMO the fact that we got to this place on mandatory minimums is a function of rejecting 24(1) remedies in sentencing in Nasogaluak, and ignoring the Crown's discretion to proceed on summary or indictment. It's quite the mess.

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

@RajivShah90 *what

[Connor MacDonald @CGG_Mac]

@RajivShah90 The dissent was entirely correct to point out the SCC had unanimously said about these kinds of offences 5 years ago:

[Ginny Roth @GinnyRothTO]

Remember today that an acquittal does not mean we cannot hold these men accountable for their actions.

It does not mean that we cannot set a higher moral standard for our culture.

Indeed, it means that we must.

https://t.co/3zKJhp85VO

[Ben Woodfinden @BenWoodfinden]

A few years old now, but resharing for everyone. The best thing i've ever read about Canadian politics by @1TrueCuencoism:
https://t.co/s3i7OasenQ