• Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The NDP should enjoy its moment in the sun as it decides whether to support the Liberal budget ... because it'll be their last hurrah as a viable political party. The former PC cabinet minister explains.
    Posted date : May 07, 2013
    Length of video: 00:02:07
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    An observation from the former PC cabinet minister this week that may surprise you: he'd never be a U.S. Republican. But his explanation is remarkably consistent.
    Posted date : March 21, 2013
    Length of video: 00:01:58
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    There's a common thread that runs through the scandals that have hit Queen's Park recently: E-health, ORNGE and the gas plant cancellations all involve agencies that lack ministerial supervision.
    Posted date : March 05, 2013
    Length of video: 00:02:55
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Companies like Unilever, which has decided to do more with less money and fewer resources, have a lot to teach governments. The former PC cabinet minister says we need to change our expectations.
    Posted date : February 21, 2013
    Length of video: 00:02:21
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    When is it loyal to yourself and your party to leave politics? The former PC cabinet minister has some words of wisdom for Dwight Duncan and Chris Bentley, both of whom are stepping down this week.
    Posted date : February 11, 2013
    Length of video: 00:02:01
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    By Monday when the dust settles at the Liberal leadership convention, Ontario will have a new Premier. They need a mandate from voters by calling an immediate election, says the former PC minister.
    Posted date : January 24, 2013
    Length of video: 00:02:14
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Idle No More protesters have presented a significant list of demands to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The former PC cabinet minister says that taxpayers should make some demands of their own.
    Posted date : January 16, 2013
    Length of video: 00:01:48
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The ghosts of rural Ontario have a lot to teach us about the aims of Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike, the former PC cabinet minister advises from his farm.
    Posted date : January 02, 2013
    Length of video: 00:02:57
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    It may be the time to permanently outlaw Ontario teachers' right to strike. The former PC education minister calls current walkouts "shameful" and "unlawful one-day strikes" that harm students.
    Posted date : December 13, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:52
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Human rights are not frivolous, but sometimes, a case before the Human Rights Commission is. The former PC cabinet minister believes a lesbian denied a haircut in a barbershop is one such example.
    Posted date : November 26, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:18
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    As high school teachers work to rule to protest Bill 115 freezing their wages, the fight is on for the hearts and minds of the public. The former Education Minister warns their tactics could backfire.
    Posted date : November 15, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:15
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Leadership campaigns tend to bring out both party visionaries and political operatives merely looking for a buck. The former PC minister hopes the Liberals a lot more of the former than the latter.
    Posted date : October 30, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:03
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Torontonians are going to be lured with a lot of bling from interests who want a casino in downtown Toronto. But there are downsides too, says the former PC cabinet minister.
    Posted date : October 17, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:30
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Rob and Doug Ford are in a major war with the media, and the air is blue. But the former PC minister has some advice: there just may be some lessons for them in some of the coverage they're getting.
    Posted date : September 25, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:01
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Despite the reams of analysis prompted by two recent by elections, fighting the deficit and getting ready for the next general election are still the hot topics at Queen's Park.
    Posted date : September 13, 2012
    Length of video: 00:01:53
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Given a choice between a cancer survivor who went on to win seven Tour de France races and a man who's done little but tear down the sport, Snobelen says he'll take Lance Armstrong every time.
    Posted date : September 10, 2012
    Length of video: 00:01:59
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Ontario's Integrity Commissioner wants more authority to look into the private dealings of MPPs. Ordinarily more transparency is a good thing, but it has its downside too.
    Posted date : August 07, 2012
    Length of video: 00:01:58
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Ontario teacher unions have been saying demands of the Liberal government are "demoralizing." The former PC Education Minister thinks he's heard that song somewhere before, and against all 3 parties.
    Posted date : July 10, 2012
    Length of video: 00:01:54
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The Ontario budget has finally passed, but no party has exactly covered themselves in glory. Will their performance help or hurt as the Liberals try to eek out a majority in the upcoming K-W by-election?
    Posted date : June 21, 2012
    Length of video: 00:01:49
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Bitter words from lobster fishermen decrying tough new EI rules tell a sad tale: an entire generation has grown up on the dole. It's time they went fishing for a job, says the former Ontario PC minister.
    Posted date : May 30, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:16
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Democracy for Sale? The Liberals are buying power - paying an MPP to resign so they can get what voters denied them - a majority government. The former PC cabinet minister asks: "Where's the outrage?"
    Posted date : May 08, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:03
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    As university students in Quebec continue their weeks-long, sometimes violent protest against rising tuition fees, the former PC cabinet minister says maybe its time to be thankful for what we have.
    Posted date : April 23, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:05
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Andrea Horwath's slow, steady revelation of NDP policy demands in return for budget support is getting a lot of media play. But the former PC cabinet minister the Tory long game will pay off more.
    Posted date : April 10, 2012
    Length of video: 00:01:37
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The ORNGE and e-health scandals, as well as the recent changes to the government's green energy policy, are killing the Liberal leadership dreams of those who want to succeed Dalton McGuinty.
    Posted date : March 26, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:03
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Dalton McGuinty's goal of freezing teachers' salaries is the wrong approach, says the former PC Education Minister. Rather the Premier should get rid of the worst 20 per cent of teachers altogether.
    Posted date : March 12, 2012
    Length of video: 00:01:51
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    They Shoot Horses, Don't They?: The former PC cabinet minister says the Liberals are killing off the entire horseracing industry and agricultural jobs to save a subsidy that's not all that it appears.
    Posted date : February 16, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:12
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The Premier already knows what's in the Drummond Report, says John Snobelen. But the Liberals are too busy worrying about the public relations rollout to take decisive steps to get spending under control.
    Posted date : January 25, 2012
    Length of video:
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The Untouchable: With the so-called "Drummond Report" on more efficient delivery of public services due out soon, it's time to take a hard look at even the politically untouchable - health care.
    Posted date : January 10, 2012
    Length of video: 00:02:03
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Reports of the death of the Kyoto Accord are greatly exaggerated, says the former PC cabinet minister. In fact, it died a well-deserved death years ago.
    Posted date : December 05, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:12
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen

    New Parliament, New Speaker: The Ontario Legislature opens the first session of the 40th Parliament next week. First up: MPP's elect a new Speaker - one of the most important roles in our democracy.
    Posted date : November 18, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:10
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    There are those who say the poor voter turnout in the last election is the result of a public that's too busy, or too lazy, to vote. John Snobelen has other ideas.
    Posted date : November 07, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:03
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The low voter turnout in the recent Ontario election is more than a tad concerning, says the former PC cabinet minister. He's got a suggestion to entice more voters to the polls.
    Posted date : October 17, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:00
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen

    Everyone thought the Liberals were toast, but they've shown a surprising resilience, says the former PC cabinet minister. He blames ads by the labour group Working Families.
    Posted date : October 04, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:18
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The biggest threat to health care and education, says former Conservative cabinet minister John Snobelen, isn't PC leader Tim Hudak. It's Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty and the debt he's run up.
    Posted date : September 20, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:27
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen

    Canadians don't much like negative ads. Besides, says former PC cabinet minister John Snobelen, Liberal attack ads won't work anyway because Tim Hudak just isn't that scary.
    Posted date : September 08, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:40
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    "Trite and vacuous" is the former PC cabinet minister's assessment of a new Liberal policy allowing up to eight weeks of unpaid leave for those looking after sick relatives.
    Posted date : August 22, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:12
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The Ontario government's controversial energy deal with Samsung has John Snobelen steamed at Premier Dalton McGuinty.
    Posted date : August 10, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:10
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    The Heat Is On: The sweltering weather teaches former PC cabinet minister what he doesn't want to be when he gets grows up: an expert, a serious journalist ... or Dwight Duncan.
    Posted date : July 25, 2011
    Length of video: 00:03:17
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen

    Ontario politics has lost one of its most prominent activisits. John Weir, grandson of the Rt. Hon. John Diefenbaker, died last week of cancer. John Snobelen remembers his former Chief of Staff.
    Posted date : July 11, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:19
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Stephen Harper has forced postal workers back on the job. He's also forced a government-appointed arbitrator to choose one side's offer, rather than find a compromise. It's all good, says the former Ont. PC cabinet minister.
    Posted date : June 28, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:30
     

  • Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    As the federal NDP creates policies to govern by, the former PC cabinet minister sides with the dreamers.
    Posted date : June 21, 2011
    Length of video: 00:02:51
     

  • Thought Provoker: Former PC cabinet minister John Snobelen to Premier McGuinty: tough out the tough calls - in public.

    Posted date : June 14, 2011
    Length of video: 00:01:44
     

  • Thought Provoker: Veteran NDP MPP Peter Kormos made the right decision not to run again.

    ONW has sent Flip Cams to the smartest political minds in Ontario to share their insights. Although Peter Kormos is still an engaged, energetic MPP, his departure makes way for new blood. That's essential to a healthy democracy. Today's Thought Provoker: John Snobelen
    Posted date : June 08, 2011
    Length of video: 00:01:36
     
 
John Snobelen
John Snobelen is a former Progressive Conservative Minister of Education and Minister of Natural Resources. Mr. Snobelen is the president of Beyond Consensus Inc. and has worked on ending hunger as the Chairman of the Hunger Project. He assisted former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in monitoring the first free elections in Zambia. An internationally-renowned horseman, Snobelen has also been inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame. A regular columnist for the Toronto Sun. Mr. Snobelen now calls Georgetown home.