I am delighted the @rcgssgrc.bsky.social hosted a conversation between former prime ministers Jean Chrétien and Stephen Harper. For all their differences, Chrétien and Harper clearly share a mutual respect and love of country. They showed that we can disagree without despising one another.

The Saddlers will launch London’s Festival of the Professions, next week. It is one of the few mediaeval guilds still involved in its trade. I joined as an equestrian athlete, to support its vocational education programmes. We need more tradespeople, and to better value the dignity of their work.

Canadians are worried about meeting our basic needs; governments are right to prioritise employment and economics. And the best way to generate sustainable jobs is to build our economy on a foundation of environmental responsibility. I spoke with @TheNarwhal.ca 📰 thenarwhal.ca/canada-misse...

I enjoyed sitting down with Sarah Barnes, Curator of Sport and Leisure at the Canadian Museum of History, to discuss the connections between sport, nature, and national identity. The @canmushistory.bsky.social itself, designed by Douglas Cardinal, is as much a work of art as the artefacts within.

You asked, we delivered: @therundowntvo.bsky.social is now a podcast! Listen to the first episode of 2026 on January 19, and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

I wonder what 2020 Keir Starmer would say about 2026 Keir Starmer. 🅧 x.com/AkaashMahara...

Because @bsky.app is built on the open-source @atproto.com protocol, much of its information open to public scrutiny. For me as an individual, it lets me see my #Bluesky year in review. Far more importantly, for us as societies, it enables public accountability and augments social media integrity.

Merry Christmas ❄️ Joyeux Noel 📸 : Kathryn Peiman (Fox), Tammy Nash (Barred Owl), stock (wolf), Hugues de Milleville (chickadee),

Goodbye #Mogadishu! Before my trip, Global Affairs Canada’s advice to me was: 1) Do not go to #Somalia under any circumstances; 2) If you are already there, flee immediately. The country has risks. But the people are kind, generous, and do not live in fear. I am glad I came. I leave inspired.

I spent my final day in Mogadishu with European and Somali diplomats. Francesca Di Mauro, @eudiplomacy.bsky.social Ambassador to Somalia, met with my #Midaynta colleagues and me, on democratic development and youth inclusion. These are especially urgent issues, given Somalia’s upcoming elections.

I thank the people and government of #Somalia for having me deliver the opening keynote at the Midaynta peace conference. Somalia has long path to travel to achieve peace, justice, and prosperity. But its fragile institutions have succeeded in at least loosening the grip of powerful warlords.

Sunrise over the Great Rift Valley We were treated to a beautiful sight, as our plane descended towards Mogadishu. The valley is home to some of the oldest hominid remains ever uncovered. It may be the birthplace of the human race. It is easy to imagine the Garden of Eden lying below the clouds.

In Istanbul for the final link in a chain of flights to Mogadishu I read “The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe” as a child. It left me wondering what Turkish delight could be, given that Edmund betrayed his siblings for a box of the sweets. It is delicious, but not quite enough to justify treason.

I am off to Mogadishu, to join the #Midaynta Conference, to foster peace and development for Somalis and Canada’s Somali diaspora. Somalia’s civil war has burned for two generations. At least a million people have perished, and millions more displaced.

Is there a better way to celebrate the season of “peace and goodwill towards all” than with competitive axe throwing? None that @naturecanada.bsky.social could think of. I am a tad wary of the fact that my colleagues Samantha and Natalie are so proficient at hurling edged weapons across rooms.

When Canada takes a stand on the global stage, we do not always change the world. But we always change ourselves for the better. I spoke with @jeyantvo.bsky.social and @shannongormley.bsky.social at @therundowntvo.bsky.social, on why a principled foreign policy protects our identity domestically.

I enjoyed moderating @uofguelph.bsky.social’s tenth anniversary Equine Industry Symposium. Speakers came from across the world to wrestle with profound questions: animal welfare; sport ethics; social licence; amongst others. Video of our discussions are now online. 🖥️ youtu.be/_BkagTUVqSU

No individual can thrive if he is caged. No society can flourish if its people are deprived of access to nature. I enjoyed being part of the panel at the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, on how increasing public green spaces could improve public health and reduce public medicare costs.

My old College @stedmundhall.bsky.social suggested I send a message to my fellow matriculants. I initially thought it was a terrible idea. My friends at @ox.ac.uk & I had a talent for causing authorities hysterical grief. But perhaps the time has come for us to make amends. 🎓 via.maharaj.org/seh

Mark Carney says Canada will no longer describe itself as having “a feminist foreign policy”. Is this a change in the deep substance or superficial branding of our diplomacy? I spoke with @jeyantvo.bsky.social and @shannongormley.bsky.social on @therundowntvo.bsky.social . 📺 youtu.be/VW1VpdMwpI4

Should Canada be striking deals with dictatorships and authoritarian states? What compromises will Canada have to make to chase more global trade? @jeyantvo.bsky.social asks @shannongormley.bsky.social and @maharaj.org (GOPAC, Munk School) tonight at 8pm | Producer: Preeti Bhuyan

Mark Carney is courting UAE money, to wean Canada off economic dependence on the US. But the UAE explicitly uses its investments to obtain not only financial returns, but also political influence. I spoke with CTV @ctvyourmorning.bsky.social on the possibilities and perils. 📺 youtu.be/07AFeEH-Df4

It was a cold day but a warm gathering for the @ox.ac.uk alumni in #Ottawa. Between us, we speak different languages, profess different faiths, and come from different communities. Nevertheless, we are all drawn together by a shared sense of identity as #Oxford graduates. 🎓 oxonian.ca

These are hard economic times for Canadians, and the federal budget reflects that reality. Its deficit is far too high for the right; its austerity is far too severe for the left. I spoke with @chchnews.bsky.social about how the budget passed and the government survived. youtu.be/j-R7R-lNWSw 📺

The @uofguelph.bsky.social is hosting its 10th anniversary Equine Industry Symposium. It will draw together Canada’s equestrians, to advance the wellbeing of horses and horsepeople. 📅 18 & 19 November 2025 ⏰ 18h00-19h30 EST 🎟️ via.maharaj.org/eis25 The #EIS25 is free, with advance registration.

Congratulations to MarkDuggan, on being selected as our new Director at @utoronto.ca’s Munk School of Global Affairs. The School’s faculty, fellows, staff, and students look forward to welcoming him in person. His work on the economics of health care and national public programmes is very timely.

On this #RemembranceDay, please join us as we take a moment to pause, reflect and remember the eight million horses, donkeys and mules who lost their lives while bravely serving in World War One 🧡💜🐴 ‘A Soldiers Kiss’ by Henry Chappell, narrated by Mil Nicholson #EveryHorseRemembered #WarHorse

How does Bluesky’s decentralised approach to content moderation set it apart from other social media platforms? I spoke with @aaron.bsky.team, @bsky.app Head of Trust & Safety, with the #Reddit Mod Council, on combatting online disinformation, election interference, & hate. youtu.be/8Jx0WhWPPd0 🖥️

The Explorers Club founded the Global Exploration Summit, on the 500th anniversary of the Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe. The @rcgssgrc.bsky.social hosted this year’s summit at our HQ in Ottawa. It was an inspiring gathering of explorers, from astronauts to cave divers. 🧭 glexsummit.com

Canadians have spoken. Nature and our parks are the two most important components of Canada's national identity: more than medicare; more than the Charter of Rights; more even than hockey! Love of nature unites our country. It triumphs over polarisation. ekospolitics.com/index.php/20... 🍁

The greatest peril for the #Gaza peace plan, is that every party at the negotiating table has an incentive to see peace fail, to perpetuate its hold on power. I spoke with @ctvyourmorning.bsky.social on the prospects for an enduring détente between Israelis and Palestinians. youtu.be/c5eYu3hkas 🕊️

Ministers often plead ignorance during revelations of corruption in their ministries. That is no defence; it is a confession. Public accountability is a Minister's key responsibility. I spoke with WTP Radio about the public procurement scandal in Antigua and Barbuda. 🎙️ via.maharaj.org/broncogate

The trade war is a moment of crisis for Canada. Eventually, the moment will pass. But the effects of government decisions during this crisis will shape our country for generations. @naturecanada.bsky.social is trying to make the voices of Canadians heard, above the clamour of corporate lobbyists.

The #Gaza peace plan is exceptionally fragile. It may prove to be only a fleeting ceasefire, rather than an enduring end to hostilities. Yet, it is a glimmer of hope amidst profound darkness. I spoke with @chchnews.bsky.social about what it will take to sustain peace. via.maharaj.org/gzpp 🕊️

I look forward to being part of the Sport Diplomacy Conference, with athletes, diplomats, and legislators. 🗓️ Wed 08 October 📍 @globalpluralism.bsky.social 🎟️ via.maharaj.org/sptdip We will chart a course for Canada to press intl sport into the service of development, trade, and peacemaking.

Our discussions were on the future, but I felt much nostalgia at the Couchiching Conference. It was heartening to reunite with many friends, optimistic about the good we can do in the world. Jean Chrétien recounted Canada’s role creating the Intl Criminal Court and Ottawa Treaty against landmines.

Tomorrow, as we observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as #OrangeShirtDay, we honour and remember the First Nations, Inuit and Métis children who suffered at the hands of government-sanctioned residential schools. Learn more at the links in our bio.

I thank @moorefound.bsky.social for convening marine conservation institutions in Vancouver, on how to press our work forward in a time of international turmoil. My @naturecanada.bsky.social colleagues and I were heartened by the deep collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.

Sport has a unique potential to project Canadian values into the international system and to draw allies to us. I look forward to joining my colleagues at the Canadian Sports Diplomacy Conference on 08 October 2025, to begin realising that potential. via.maharaj.org/csdc 🍁

PM @mark-carney.bsky.social announced his first “Projects of National Interest”, industrial initiatives granted accelerated federal approval. They are certainly in the interests of the corporations backing them. But do the benefits to Canadians outweigh the risks of reduced environmental oversight?

Nature Canada Reacts to PM Carney’s First List of “Projects of National Interests” 🗞️ Read more: https://bit.ly/42jKWDk

The ideal that to lead is to serve, is as old as civilisation itself. That we live in a time when such ideals are often sneered at, diminishes none of their power. I felt energised by my visit with Alfredo Martínez Serrano @embespcanada.bsky.social, who has spent his life serving the public good.

I had a lovely afternoon hosting a welcome luncheon for new students at @UToronto.ca #MunkSchool. L to R: Natasha Rehan; Olivia Daley; Diego Martínez; Aisha Assan-Lebbe I was impressed by their breadth of experiences and depth of commitments to vocations in public affairs. via.maharaj.org/munk 🎓

The bitterest irony of the terrible bloodshed in #Gaza is that Israelis and Palestinians desperately need one another, to endure in a region that is home to them both. Neither can survive if the other perishes This is my full radio interview on Gaza, with CBC Metro Morning. via.maharaj.org/gaza 🎙️

I spoke with David Common on @cbcradiocanada.bsky.social Metro Morning about escalating bloodshed in Gaza. Ultimately, Israelis need a democratic, peaceful, and secure Palestine, just as Palestinians need a democratic, peaceful, and secure Israel. Neither people can survive, if the other perishes.

Last year, the then-Minister of Sport declared that Canada’s sport system “is in crisis”. She created the Future of Sport in Canada Commission to remedy institutional abuse & misgovernance. I thank the Commissioners for meeting with me. Please consider taking their survey. via.maharaj.org/fscc 🐴

(1/2) Earlier this year, I joined the launch of the SINAA Conservation Agreement, with @inuittapiriit.bsky.social President Natan Obed. It will protect vast swathes of Nunavut. This will be the front line in struggles to uphold our sovereignty, as foreign powers covet Canada’s Arctic territories.

It is just as well that there are few occasions when Canadians are called to wear public honours: all the metal makes me feel like a discount Mr T. I was moved that my peers nominated me for Canada's Coronation Medal, and I thank the @rcgssgrc.bsky.social for hosting a lovely investiture ceremony.

The Oxford Union recently celebrated its 200th anniversary, as @ox.ac.uk’s debating society. Its assets are safeguarded by Trustees, who protect the institution for successive generations of #Oxford students. I am delighted to have been elected a Director of the Trust Corp. via.maharaj.org/ousl 🎓

In November, @uofguelph.bsky.social will host its tenth-anniversary Equine Industry Symposium. I have been delighted to volunteer with Guelph, to help Canada's horsepeople build common cause. This year’s theme is “Inspiring Change in Equestrian Culture”. Offer ideas at via.maharaj.org/eis10srv