John Ralston Saul
LightNews LightNews
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
John Ralston Saul
@johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
140 followers 120 following 59 posts
Posts Replies Media Videos
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
Here are two powerful artworks. Mantegna's Lamentations of the Dead Christ and Canova's idealized Napoleon. One reveals human fragility. The other, manufactured grandeur. I try to explore how such artwork exposes the truth behind power. Have a read: open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Two Dead Naked Men – The Divine vs Vainglorious Power
Milan.
open.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:16 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
I reflect on Siena's frescoes of Good and Bad Government, seeing their warnings about justice, leadership and civic wellbeing echoed in today's politics, Covid responses, and my responsibility to judge governments wisely. Have a read: substack.com/@johnralston...
Good & Bad Governments
The greatest images of governance – Images, not words, not descriptions – are in Siena.
substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:49 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
One comment on the Canadian budget.

Yes, the international student question is complicated. True, many of these students won’t leave after their studies. This may not have been the intent of the program, but Canada is nevertheless the winner. Have a look: open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
We Need International Students. Lots of Them
One comment on the Canadian budget.
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:14 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
So Zohran Mamdani is a Socialist? He’s a Social Democrat - the same kind often found leading governments across NATO countries like Britain, Germany, and Norway. If that makes him a Socialist then so is all of NATO. Have a look at my Substack post: substack.com/@johnralston...
Mamdani walking across the Brooklyn bridge with voters. 2025. Source: The Nation
November 4, 2025 at 6:23 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack:
One Definition of a Police State
Arresting a journalist in the USA
open.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 3:15 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack:

open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Dealing with an Unhappy Boy
Today Mark Carney meets with Donald Trump.
open.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:57 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Assassination - a great U.S. tradition
One more down.
open.substack.com
September 12, 2025 at 5:29 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
A constitution of violence
August 27, 2025 - Minneapolis - Individual fires AR-15 military rifle through a church window killing two children, wounding 15 others, plus 3 adults.
open.substack.com
September 4, 2025 at 2:08 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Northern Ambitions
I began posting on Substack two and a half months ago by putting up a speech I gave devoted to the situation in Canada and the risk of serious US interference.
open.substack.com
July 29, 2025 at 3:36 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Betrayal: From Ancient Greece to Donald Trump
Like many others, I am still thinking about the strange betrayal of the Canadian relationship by those in power in Washington.
open.substack.com
July 23, 2025 at 6:18 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Fighting Fires VS. Talking About Fighting Fires
Hard to know what to say about this letter from several US Congressmen regarding wildfires in Canada.
open.substack.com
July 10, 2025 at 9:02 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
The Hollow Men
Is it possible that Donald Trump makes me think of T.S.
open.substack.com
July 10, 2025 at 3:00 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
See my comments on the new Spirit Garden at the Heart of Toronto.
substack.com/@johnralston...
John Ralston Saul on Substack
Important and appropriate that there is now an Indigenous space at the centre of Toronto between City Hall and Osgoode Hall. I haven’t seen it yet but the description of the carved turtle, the reflect...
substack.com
July 1, 2025 at 6:15 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack

open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Addicts VS. Traders
As the United States is still involved in unpleasantness with Canada, it’s worth going back to some of the excuses which were used to launch what looks like an old-fashioned feud.
open.substack.com
July 1, 2025 at 12:28 AM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Two final thoughts on the G7
First, what luck that Trump left after one day.
open.substack.com
June 19, 2025 at 1:14 AM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
The Don
When asked last night in Kananaskis, at the G7 summit, about the UK and tariffs, D.
open.substack.com
June 17, 2025 at 7:36 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
johnralstonsaul.substack.com/p/the-mussol...
The Mussolini Method
Donald Trump resembles more and more — you can see and hear it every day — Benito Mussolini.
johnralstonsaul.substack.com
June 9, 2025 at 4:19 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
Here is a clip from a panel I was part of alongside @fredpeabody.bsky.social and @phillipgbhnews.bsky.social, chaired by Susan Ormiston, following Fred's new film 'Digital Tsunami.' More on my latest Substack article 'Democracy versus AI':
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
June 9, 2025 at 1:31 AM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Marching on the Russian Embassy in Reykjavik
I keep coming back to the issue of freedom of expression.
open.substack.com
June 6, 2025 at 4:02 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Guns, guns, money, money!
We’ve been here before.
open.substack.com
June 4, 2025 at 5:25 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack
johnralstonsaul.substack.com/p/bach-bach-...
Bach, Bach, Bach!
In this Substack world of words, a thought on music.
johnralstonsaul.substack.com
June 3, 2025 at 8:40 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack

open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
A government that bombs schools
I have a feeling that many of you will not have noticed that in early May, the Burmese/Myanmar military bombed a school in the central Sagaing region, killing at least twenty students and some teacher...
open.substack.com
May 21, 2025 at 10:06 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack

open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
How did de Gaulle get Canada so wrong?
Just read Julian Jackson’s biography of Charles de Gaulle. Very, very good. A great reminder that de Gaulle’s decade as president was merely the last chapter in a life of adventure, risk, brilliance, ...
open.substack.com
May 18, 2025 at 10:22 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
My latest on Substack:
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
We need Maine, Washington State and maybe Florida
So president Donald Trump has thoughts on the Canada-US border.
open.substack.com
May 16, 2025 at 3:15 PM
johnralstonsaul.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/johnrals...
Real Words
I think everyone agrees, this new pope comes at a fascinating and probably strategic time.
open.substack.com
May 9, 2025 at 6:47 PM