‘Devil in the details’: feds move to combine procurement regulations in a bid to cut red tape

The government's goal of reducing complaints to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal might signal a further limitation of suppliers’ access to the dispute mechanism, experts agree.

Public Services and Procurement Canada, led by Minister Joël Lightbound, aims to reduce red tape by combining a patchwork of procurement regulations to boost productivity. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Devil in the details’: feds move to combine procurement regulations in a bid to cut red tape

NewsBY IREM KOCA

The government's goal of reducing complaints to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal might signal a further limitation of suppliers’ access to the dispute mechanism, experts agree.

‘Devil in the details’: feds move to combine procurement regulations in a bid to cut red tape

NewsBY IREM KOCA

The government's goal of reducing complaints to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal might signal a further limitation of suppliers’ access to the dispute mechanism, experts agree.

THE LATEST

Canada is ‘evaluating’ ties with Israel, observers say that shouldn’t be done alone

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

Foreign Minister Anita Anand told reporters on Sept. 9 that Canada is 'evaluating' its relationship with Israel, but didn't offer additional details about what that would entail.

Canada is ‘evaluating’ ties with Israel, observers say that shouldn’t be done alone

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

Foreign Minister Anita Anand told reporters on Sept. 9 that Canada is 'evaluating' its relationship with Israel, but didn't offer additional details about what

Lettre ouverte : Loi visant une sécurité rigoureuse à la frontière

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Lettre ouverte : Loi visant une sécurité rigoureuse à la frontière

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‘Excessive secrecy’: PMO not releasing summaries of some Carney-Trump calls

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

Prime Minister Mark Carney has insisted that he won't conduct trade talks with the U.S. in public as some have criticized his approach as lacking transparency.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has insisted that he won't conduct trade talks with the U.S. in public as some have criticized his approach as

New budget watchdog says ‘deficit will absolutely be higher’ than forecast, feds have no clear fiscal anchors

NewsBY IREM KOCA

'I don't know that the government currently has fiscal anchors, which, of course, causes the people that I work with a considerable degree of concern at this point,' says interim Parliamentary Budget Officer Jason Jacques.

'I don't know that the government currently has fiscal anchors, which, of course, causes the people that I work with a considerable degree of

As MPs settle into the Hill, Liberal Vince Gasparro gives a glimpse into his ‘eclectic’ home away from home

NewsBY STUART BENSON

Some 113 rookie MPs have been busy setting up new parliamentary offices since moving in this past June.

Some 113 rookie MPs have been busy setting up new parliamentary offices since moving in this past June.

POLITICS THIS MORNING

Carney heads to Mexico

Plus, Politics This Morning talks with the new PBO.

BY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA

OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Canada needs a community rating system to tame rising flood costs

While a national flood insurance program can close the protection gap for high-risk homes, unless communities take steps to reduce their exposure, costs will only escalate.

BY JASON THISTLETHWAITE, DANIEL HENSTRA

Opinion

BY DERICO SYMONDS

The politics of fear: what ‘tough on crime’ gets wrong about public safety

Opinion

BY KATE ARMSTRONG

Canadian military colleges report offers honest approach to right the ship

Opinion

BY BETSY AGAR

A retrofit mission could power Carney’s made-in-Canada agenda

Opinion

BY JOSIE SABATINO

Canada faces a budget reckoning as deficit pressure mounts

PODCAST: THE HOT ROOM

‘Political landmines’, budget cuts, and fall strategy with Sheila Copps

NEWS

Cabinet chief of staff Savannah DeWolfe talks managing an ‘intense’ Hill job

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

For rookies starting out on the Hill, DeWolfe emphasized the importance of communication, and providing the full picture regarding decisions.

Cabinet chief of staff Savannah DeWolfe talks managing an ‘intense’ Hill job

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

For rookies starting out on the Hill, DeWolfe emphasized the importance of communication, and providing the full picture regarding decisions.

‘Belonging is a two-way street’: New study examines immigrant retention as Canada loses one in five newcomers

NewsBY STUART BENSON

Public service cuts by attrition are ‘passive, lazy, and random,’ warns ex-Privy Council Office clerk Wernick

NewsBY MARLO GLASS

Government House Leader MacKinnon calls for co-operation, but criticizes Poilievre’s ‘angry rhetoric’ as House resumes

NewsBY MARLO GLASS | UPDATED September 15, 2025

Open Letter: Bill C-2 Strong Borders Act

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HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

Parliamentary Calendar

Youth descend on Senate Chamber for climate solutions assembly

Podcast

‘Pierre has to be Pierre’: How the Conservatives will tackle the return of Parliament

News

The Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists in 2025: lobbyists prepare for ‘significant reset’ as federal election begins

List

The number of sick days claimed by bureaucrats, broken down by department

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INGENIUM

Reconciliation in action at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum: Supporting Indigenous-led collaboration in STEM

Insider’s Guide to Parliament: 2025

Policy Briefing – Infrastructure

Policy Briefing – EVs and EV Infrastructure

Policy Briefing – Environment

HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

Freeland exits the cabinet (again)

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA

Plus, the AFN chief meets the housing minister today.

Freeland exits the cabinet (again)

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA

Plus, the AFN chief meets the housing minister today.

Border bill back on the agenda

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA

POLITICS

Scrums, caucus meetings, and an anti-austerity presser

FeatureBY ANDREW MEADE

Earnscliffe and Politico pack the Mét for second 2025 Housewarming, and a plethora of Hill parties happen in one night

FeatureBY STUART BENSON

Premier Legault’s cabinet shuffle takes his party nowhere

OpinionBY ANDREW CADDELL

Is Canada ready for the nation-defining challenges ahead?

OpinionBY LES WHITTINGTON

Life lessons for staffers at the start of a new sitting

OpinionBY MARCI SURKES

The most basic and essential rookie advice is simple: be kind to everyone you meet.

Life lessons for staffers at the start of a new sitting

OpinionBY MARCI SURKES

The most basic and essential rookie advice is simple: be kind to everyone you meet.

THE HILL TIMES NEWSPAPER

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

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Monday, September 15, 2025

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Wednesday, September 10, 2025

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OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Opinion

BY GWYNNE DYER

Russia’s air war of flimsy decoys

Opinion

BY JOHN RUFFOLO

Canada needs a real digital sovereignty strategy—not half measures

Opinion

BY ANDREW ERSKINE

A bigger defence budget may increase Canada’s hollow force risk

Can the United Nations stop Israel? Canada can lead

OpinionBY EDWARD JACKSON, GORDON BREEDYK

Alone or with others, Canada can immediately call on the UN General Assembly to convene an emergency special meeting.

Closing the First Nations infrastructure gap would benefit us all

OpinionBY JULIE PELLERIN

Thriving on the Hill: a survival guide for new staffers

OpinionBY JORDAN PAQUET

Parliament Hill can be a tough environment, but it can also shape some of the most fulfilling careers in public life.

Thriving on the Hill: a survival guide for new staffers

OpinionBY JORDAN PAQUET

Parliament Hill can be a tough environment, but it can also shape some of the most fulfilling careers in public life.

Note to staff: leave no stone unturned, and ask for help

OpinionBY DON GUY

Now is no time to slide on transparency

OpinionBY EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY DE ADDER

de Adder’s Take: 09-17-2025

de Adder’s Take: 09-15-2025

de Adder’s Take: 09-10-2025

Public Service

The number of sick days claimed by bureaucrats, broken down by department

BY MARLO GLASS

Public service cuts by attrition are ‘passive, lazy, and random,’ warns ex-Privy Council Office clerk Wernick

Ahead of a consequential fall budget, Prime Minister Mark Carney says reducing the federal bureaucracy bloat will ‘happen naturally through attrition.’

BY MARLO GLASS

Treasury Board outlines 500 ways to cut red tape in sweeping review

Twenty-nine departments and agencies reported hundreds of ways they plan to improve regulatory efficiency by 'speeding up decision-making and streamlining processes to increase productivity' in the Sept. 8 update.

BY MARLO GLASS

CRA’s problems are not new, but they must become a thing of the past

Considering this is a government worried about federal spending, making a more efficient CRA could provide the assistance that Canadians deserve from the agency, and make it easier for the government to collect money.

BY EDITORIAL

CRA has ‘eroded trust,’ Senator says, as minister tasks agency with creating 100-day improvement plan

After persistent call-centre delays, the agency has been instructed to take 'concrete steps' to improve service, but one tax lawyer is dismissing the 'vague' ministerial decree as a 'publicity stunt.'

BY MARLO GLASS

FOREIGN POLICY

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Same crime, different fate for Bolsonaro and Trump

OpinionBY GWYNNE DYER

Third-period politics: history’s lesson for Carney and Canada-U.S. relations

OpinionBY JOHN DELACOURT

Revive CBC’s Cold War mission, but train it on Trump’s America

OpinionBY GEORGE HAYNAL

Gaza is testing Canada’s moral compass, and Carney’s credibility

OpinionBY BHAGWANT SANDHU

Carney’s Trump problem

OpinionBY GERRY NICHOLLS

By putting his elbows down, Mark Carney could end up paying a political price.

Carney’s Trump problem

OpinionBY GERRY NICHOLLS

By putting his elbows down, Mark Carney could end up paying a political price.

BOOKS, BIG IDEAS, Q&As

Reconciliation starts local, says author of guide book for non-Indigenous allies

FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY

Rose LeMay says it's 'up to non-Indigenous people to change these systems so that Indigenous Peoples are not treated worse than others.'

Reconciliation starts local, says author of guide book for non-Indigenous allies

FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY

Rose LeMay says it's 'up to non-Indigenous people to change these systems so that Indigenous Peoples are not treated worse than others.'

Poilievre is a ‘classic political ripper,’ says author of new bestselling biography

FeatureBY KATE MALLOY

Bruce Fanjoy, the man who broke Poilievre’s spell on Carleton, Ont., says he won by door knocking and listening

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Pope Francis was one of the most ‘electrifying papacies in centuries,’ says author of book on pontiff’s life and influences

FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY

Q&A | Unpacking the ‘astonishing’ swing in federal polls with Frank Graves

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW

NDP keep fighting as new Liberal government’s honeymoon period comes to a close

OpinionBY NDP MP JENNY KWAN

To meet the eye-popping military spending commitment of five per cent of Canada’s GDP, there will be deep cuts to programs and services to Canadians.

Canadians need a strong and principled government at a time of multiple crises unfolding domestically and internationally, writes NDP MP Jenny Kwan. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

NDP keep fighting as new Liberal government’s honeymoon period comes to a close

OpinionBY NDP MP JENNY KWAN

To meet the eye-popping military spending commitment of five per cent of Canada’s GDP, there will be deep cuts to programs and services to Canadians.

NDP keep fighting as new Liberal government’s honeymoon period comes to a close

OpinionBY NDP MP JENNY KWAN

To meet the eye-popping military spending commitment of five per cent of Canada’s GDP, there will be deep cuts to programs and services to Canadians.

Local progress on energy, Arctic security must survive federal cuts

OpinionBY LYNNE COUVES

If federal programming is stripped down, remote communities will be limited in their pathways to achieve energy security.

Royal Canadian Air Force unveils two planes for training program

FeatureBY ANDREW MEADE

Finding courage in the Senate to question the government in responsible, responsive ways

OpinionBY SENATOR MARILOU MCPHEDRAN

The fall sitting looks to be shaping up as a disastrous combination of an unstoppable force and immovable object that will spark conflict in the House of Commons, bleeding into the Senate.

ISG Senator Éric Forest arrives for the Senate sitting on June 25, 2025. Senators need to find the courage to question the government in responsible and responsive ways, writes Senator Marilou McPhedran. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Finding courage in the Senate to question the government in responsible, responsive ways

OpinionBY SENATOR MARILOU MCPHEDRAN

The fall sitting looks to be shaping up as a disastrous combination of an unstoppable force and immovable object that will spark conflict in the House of Commons, bleeding into the Senate.

Finding courage in the Senate to question the government in responsible, responsive ways

OpinionBY SENATOR MARILOU MCPHEDRAN

The fall sitting looks to be shaping up as a disastrous combination of an unstoppable force and immovable object that will spark conflict in the House of Commons, bleeding into the Senate.

‘Cutting red tape,’ mental health and primary care on the health docket this fall

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Amid the Liberals’ focus on building a stronger economy, Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s office says that faster access to new medicines and supporting researchers are priorities.

Liberals need to get it together on pharmacare

OpinionBY EDITORIAL

A strong government instills confidence in the country’s people and its businesses. This government's waffling on pharmacare does none of that.

Second Hudson Bay port can link Western Canada’s resources to markets abroad

OpinionBY MORRIS BEARDY

The Port of Churchill faces significant challenges in moving bulk export, but the salt-water entry at Port Nelson can complement that infrastructure to Canada’s

THE LATEST POLICY BRIEFINGS

Rookies’ Guide to Parliament

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Building a New Canada: Infrastructure & Procurement

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features

A rundown of the humans behind AI Minister Solomon’s shop

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Michael Paramathasan has been hired as a director of policy to the minister, while Peter Wall is in place as director of communications.

A rundown of the humans behind AI Minister Solomon’s shop

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Michael Paramathasan has been hired as a director of policy to the minister, while Peter Wall is in place as director of communications.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

MPs are back in action

FeatureBY ANDREW MEADE

Back in the House

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA, ELEANOR WAND

Pete Buttigieg to speak in Ottawa on Sept. 22

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

House is back and it’s going to be busy

Hodgson talks clean energy in Winnipeg

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA, MARLO GLASS, CHRISTINA LEADLAY, KATE MALLOY

Feds reveal the first set of ‘nation-building’ projects

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA, MARLO GLASS, KATE MALLOY

‘All-hands-on-deck’ fall session as Liberals face pressure to deliver, say lobbyists, pollsters

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Parliamentary Calendar

Supreme Court justices head north for anniversary visit to Yellowknife from Sept. 14-15

Podcast

Plastics pollution treaty in jeopardy

feature

The Hill Times’ Top 100 Best Books in 2024

List

Take The Hill Times politics quiz

Podcast

‘We’re living in a pretty dynamic time’: Inuit leader Natan Obed

Rookies’ Guide to Parliament 2025

Policy Briefing – Health

Policy Briefing – Defence

Policy Briefing – Renewable Energy

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A community for political junkies

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read the headlines, they want the full back story, the context and the implications.

EXCLUSIVE LISTS

MPs’ annual office budgets for 2025-26

Take The Hill Times politics quiz

Ranking the best and worst federal departments, by public service survey results

The PBO’s take on public service bloat and staffing cuts

House and Senate steering committee members named

All eyes on Trump: meet the top 50 foreign policy influencers navigating Canada’s role in a rocky world

Meet Carney’s parliamentary secretaries, half of whom are rookie MPs

The 19 entities asking for the biggest spending boosts in the 2025-26 main estimates

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

Finance & Budget

Local progress on energy, Arctic security must survive federal cuts

If federal programming is stripped down, remote communities will be limited in their pathways to achieve energy security.

BY LYNNE COUVES

A bigger defence budget may increase Canada’s hollow force risk

To prevent this from happening, a force capacity review must accompany new defence budgets and funding streams.

BY ANDREW ERSKINE

Carney ‘did the right thing’: feds’ new support for national pharmacare ‘positive,’ but evolving stance surprises advocates

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sept. 11 that his government will continue to negotiate bilateral agreements, contradicting an earlier stance that it would only honour the four deals signed before the April 2025 election.

BY TESSIE SANCI

Government procurement should reflect Canada’s real wealth: its SMEs

Behind every small business, are people who take risks, innovate and create jobs in our communities. By finally opening the government procurement door for them, we’re choosing a country that’s fairer, bolder and truer to its potential.

BY SENATOR DANIèLE HENKEL

An autumn of contrasts in Parliament, and the Bloc Québécois will make its mark

The last parliamentary session right after the election was short and intense, but committees were not yet meeting. This fall, with the committees back in operation, the Bloc will be able to engage in targeted discussions with both the Conservatives and the Liberals.

BY BLOC MP CHRISTINE NORMANDIN

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the national supply chain office “will enhance the resilience, efficiency, and reliability of our transportation systems,” in a Transport Canada press release on Dec. 1, 2023.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.