Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Oct. 16, 2020, survived another test of confidence over the creation of an 'anti-corruption' committee, a charge led by the Conservatives. It failed to win support from the NDP and the Greens, but the official opposition is vying to pass another motion that would assign the Health Committee the job of poring over documents related to the pandemic response. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Trudeau’s precedent-setting move on test of confidence suggests he’s willing ‘to take things to the brink’ of a snap election, say politicos
'The government has, for now, established that it’s willing to take things to the brink, if it has to, and it’s not afraid of an election,' says Queen's University professor Kathy Brock.
Liberal MP Lamoureux continues prolific speaking record, raising opposition ire
‘I’m living the dream,’ says Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux of his regular House of Commons presence. With more than 550 House interventions so far this Parliament, he’s second only to the Speaker. ‘It’s an ongoing battle’: Bob Rae’s push to move the needle on human rights at the UN
'You don't stop trying to find ways of resolving differences in opinion, but I do think in this day and age you need a whole range of ways of expressing concern and trying to move opinion,' says Bob Rae.Politics This Morning
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In parliamentary ‘game of chicken,’ NDP side with Liberals to defeat Conservative motion, averting snap election
The nail-biter 146-180 vote came down in large part to the NDP. Its 24 representatives voted alongside the Liberals and the Greens’ three-member caucus in defeating a Conservative motion.Feds misled House Defence Committee in 2019 on status of peacekeeping pledges
'It's a bald-faced lie if they actually said they did and didn't,' says Conservative Defence Committee vice-chair James Bezan of the non-registration of the promised 200-member Quick Reaction Force.Infrastructure bank’s $10-billion growth plan raises hope of green bond push in Canada
Green bonds are fixed-income financial instruments usually used to secure funding for sustainable infrastructure projects. Violence directed at Indigenous fishers in Nova Scotia leaves ‘black eye’ on Canada, says Mi’kmaq Senator, as he and rookie Mi’kmaq Grit MP urge long-term solution
'I think the current route is a dead end, so if they continue to bang their heads against a wall, everyone’s going to get a headache,' says Independent Nova Scotia Senator Dan Christmas.House vote looms over Conservative motion that could trigger federal election, as Liberals double down
Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez dodged questions if the government was responsible for setting the stage for a stand-off that could trigger an election, saying the question should be asked of the Conservatives.‘Six systemic crises’ confronting Canada, and politicians, policy-makers, health-care professionals need ‘systems thinking’ to tackle them, says public policy expert
Global Brief magazine editor Irvin Studin says politicians and policy-makers' thinking is 'too small, it’s too linear, it’s too path dependent, and it looks increasingly absurd as these systemic crises.'Canada needs a new ‘fiscal anchor’ and Freeland needs to share financial plans, says PBO Giroux
Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux says he's found it 'much more difficult to get information out of the minister’s officer' since Parliament returned with Chrystia Freeland in charge of the nation's finances.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured Oct. 16, 2020, survived another test of confidence over the creation of an 'anti-corruption' committee, a charge led by the Conservatives. It failed to win support from the NDP and the Greens, but the official opposition is vying to pass another motion that would assign the Health Committee the job of poring over documents related to the pandemic response. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Trudeau’s precedent-setting move on test of confidence suggests he’s willing ‘to take things to the brink’ of a snap election, say politicos
'The government has, for now, established that it’s willing to take things to the brink, if it has to, and it’s not afraid of an election,' says Queen's University professor Kathy Brock.
Pondering the NDP’s future
For the NDP to be successful, the Conservatives must have a leader who doesn’t overly spook progressives. Political accountability needs to be bigger than politician posturing
While I agree the opposition is right to push for accountability of the government, their messengers can sometimes drift with their rhetoric and imaginings.Tough days for the wide boys
Regardless of polls, it’s difficult to write off Trump, whose surreal fun house of lies, demagoguery, and hate keeps his deluded right-wing base coming back for more.
Old and new priorities compete for space in Liberals’ fall agenda
Talk of pharmacare, childcare and clean energy is nothing new, but a re-surging pandemic could sideline everything else.Ottawa mayor calls on Trudeau to send cash to people with disabilities, pass Bill C-17
'To date, there have not been direct attempts by the federal government to address the concerns of many Canadians with disabilities who have few alternatives,' Mayor Jim Watson wrote in the July 14 letter. Liberals preparing legislation to extend deadlines for courts, security reviews and more amid pandemic
The law could give Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains more time to give notice of a national security review to a foreign company trying to take over a Canadian business.
The morning-after elephant: whom will Canada be sleeping (or not) next to for the next four years?
Living next to Donald Trump’s America hasn’t really been like sleeping with an elephant at all because nobody’s slept in four years. That may be about to change.Canada can increase pressure on NATO ally Turkey to calm Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Armenian envoy
Anahit Harutyunyan says new information proves Canadian drones are being used by Turkish-backed Azerbaijani fighters, justifying an ‘indefinite’ arms ban on Turkey.Herd immunity, reinfection and the Great Barrington Declaration
Taking the Great Barrington Declaration’s advice could cost half a million lives. Horses for courses.
Lobbyists eye ‘high stakes’ throne speech as opportunity for client interests in Liberal reset
‘Quality versus quantity makes the most sense’ in a constrained period with a lot of moving parts, including a new Conservative leader who should be part of an ‘everyone matters’ advocacy approach, says Jacquie LaRoque.June lobbying a success with wage subsidy extension, groups say
With 2,002 recorded communications, June saw a dip in lobbying compared to each of the four previous months of 2020, but it was busier than the last sitting month in 2019.Lobby groups push feds to pivot to recovery phase, say more cash needed for key sectors
In May organizations logged 1,998 lobbying reports, with economic development, health, and industry among the most discussed matters.
Ailish Campbell named Canada’s next EU ambassador, becoming first woman in role
Plus, Trudeau congratulates New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern on landslide re-election, and Rachel Gilmore is switching Hill newsrooms, joining Global News.
Hall exits PMO for director role with Labour Minister Tassi
Plus, Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand has a new chief of staff in her office.
Immigration Minister Mendicino scoops up new press secretary
Plus, Women and Gender Equality Minister Maryam Monsef has a new communications assistant, and Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller recently hired Nicola Cox.
Demolition work well underway in the Centre Block
Workers are currently removing the painted canvas that lined the ceiling of the House of Commons Chamber and stained glass from the Memorial Chamber for restoration.
‘Good for their riding and good for political discourse in Canada’: Sorbara, Akande, Segal urge voters to help Green Leader Paul secure House of Commons seat
Plus, NDP MP Peter Julian and his wife offer up some freshly harvested tomatoes, cabbage, and squash to a local food bank, which he hopes will one day cease to exist.House committees return with some new faces as chairs
Plus, MPs celebrate thanksgiving with turkey, hiking, and a wedding; and detained Canadians in China recently got their first consular visit in months.
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Feds need to provide the analytical basis for new programs, like the superclusters project
As we look ahead, the need for a more innovative and productive economy is more urgent than ever, which means that the quality of public policies is critical.
As hunger rises amidst pandemic, Canada can and should make an impact
A well-fed world means improved health, more socio-economic growth, and hope for a better global future.
Don’t expect the post-COVID economic recovery tide to raise all the boats
Canadian multiculturalism has come to signify racialized Canadians tryna make a dollar out of 15 cents while white Canadians enjoy access to good-paying, secure jobs in industries that haven’t missed a beat.
Investing in 5G is key to reducing Canada’s carbon footprint
Despite the expected explosive growth in mobile data consumption, 5G networks will be more efficient than previous wireless technologies.Economic inequality, COVID-19, and the butterfly effect
As the IMF-World Bank annual meeting unfolds in screenspace this week, pandemic-widened inequality looms large.
The definitive history of Canada’s role on the United Nations Security Council
The first definitive history of Canada's time on the UN Security Council is a must read for anyone interested in Canadian foreign policy.
Harold Johnson’s book Peace and Good Order is among five shortlisted books for this year's Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. 
'I kind of just go ahead and do what I feel I should do, and get myself into situations where I’m thinking, "Oh, everybody here knows more than I do. But anyway, here goes." It served me very well,' says former Supreme Court chief justice Beverley McLachlin.
Patterns of interference, intimidation, and harassment of individual Canadians by the Chinese Communist Party ‘demand a response’ from the Canadian government, says veteran journalist Jonathan Manthorpe in his 2019 book. 
COVID-19: economic impacts and prospects
There are some potential game changers for outcomes—a vaccine; and a resurgence in international leadership and cooperation. Closer to home, we need a Canadian economic recovery plan that will boost confidence in the future with strategic and measured investments in long-term challenges and adjustment support for Canadians and businesses left behind by the coronavirus.
In what was supposed to be a period in which backbenchers and the opposition could wield more influence over the political debate, power and influence is arguably even more concentrated among a narrow cast of mostly familiar figures.
If we want to really honour Shannen Koostachin and the many children like her—we need to speak up, keep talking until government takes immediate action to end the inequality. If they don’t—vote them out because kids like Shannen are worth the money. The time for patience is over.
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Politics This Morning: Chief electoral officer says feds should opt for ‘longest possible election period’ amid pandemic
Plus, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says the public inquiry into the Nova Scotia shooting has been given the green light to begin its work. The final report is due more than two years from now. 
‘To help us better prepare for any future pandemic, it’s about addressing health inequities, ensuring that our population is sustained and can be resilient to future threats,’ says Dr. Theresa Tam.
If we were better informed on previous pandemics, it would prevent gaslighting politicians from trying to bamboozle the electorate with apple-to-orange comparisons.
Canadians elected MPs to act in their interest, or, at the very least, protect their interests. They are accountable and should be pressing to solve this problem and get rapid tests to Canadians.
It goes without saying that, with the second wave of the pandemic roaring ahead, Canadian leaders need to work much harder to reinforce the message that individual responsibility is the key to holding back COVID-19. The Hot Room Podcast
Conservative House Leader Gérard Deltell
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Politics This Morning
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Once Canada gets its own GHG reduction program in order, it needs to join with other countries to work towards an effective worldwide GHG reduction plan, a successor to the 2015 Paris Climate Accord.
If we accept that the future of the Senate involves groupings of Senators around shared values, it seems unreasonable to make it more difficult for senators to align themselves accordingly.
The commitments in the Speech from the Throne are encouraging, but we now look to the federal government to follow through with tangible action and investment in the fall fiscal update and Budget 2021.
To ensure federal dollars are put to work to support industries and their workers, financial relief conditioned on full participation in CEWS and other worker retention measures are critical. 
The Canadian military has no business targeting Canadian civilians with propaganda. That is what our political parties are for.
The aim of this committee is to provide effective oversight of the Senate’s expenditures and it will do this in a way that respects the taxpayer and meets the expectations of Canadians for a modern institution.The definitive history of Canada’s role on the United Nations Security Council
The first definitive history of Canada's time on the UN Security Council is a must read for anyone interested in Canadian foreign policy. ‘Tinkering’ won’t fix legal system, communities need Indigenous jurisdiction, says former lawyer in new book
Harold Johnson’s book Peace and Good Order is among five shortlisted books for this year's Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. Questions remain over new finance team, but Marques, DeCourcey among exits
Plus, Diversity Minister Bardish Chagger has a couple of new policy and regional affairs advisers on her team. O’Toole’s OLO hires new regional advisers, speechwriter
International Trade Minister Mary Ng has a new press secretary in her office, with Youmy Han recently replacing Ryan Nearing in the role. It’s The Fly! Canadian politicos let the bug jokes rip after U.S. vice-presidential debate between Harris and Pence
Plus, one of Canada's longest-serving foreign correspondents, Matthew Fisher, is in for a 'tough' race as he looks to represent the Conservatives in Ottawa-area riding Kanata-Carleton in the next election.Champagne popping off to Europe in hopes of quelling Armenia-Azerbaijan clash
Plus, Ralph Goodale is set to be named Canada’s next U.K. high commissioner, according to a CBC report; and Jagmeet Singh joins in on the Dreams TikTok trend.As union members face COVID-19 pandemic ‘head on,’ PSAC calls for feds to return to bargaining table
Treasury Board spokesperson Martin Potvin says the government's goal is to take 'constructive steps to keep meeting and to prepare for negotiations when they resume.'‘Critical situation’ in prisons as health-care workers threaten to walk over lack of protective equipment
'The Correctional Service of Canada continues to take a number of preventative measures to restrict the spread of COVID-19 in federal institutions,' according to the office of Public Safety Minister Bill Blair. No more Hill parties, after coronavirus pandemic forces Parliament Hill to shut down
'Politics and the Pen is probably the exact opposite of social distancing. We cram so many people into the ballroom that you can barely keep one to two inches away,' says Jim Armour. Sorbara makes ’em howl at the Métropolitain
Pat Sorbara's new book, Let 'em Howl, offers lessons learned over a more than four-decade career in federal and provincial politics as a high-ranking Liberal backroomer. Canada-Irish relationship ‘ripe for development,’ new envoy says
Eamonn McKee, Ireland’s ambassador-designate to Canada, was one of the negotiators who helped bring about the Good Friday Agreement to end conflict in Northern Ireland.Vietnamese envoy arrives on repatriation flight, one of many firsts for new cohort of ‘Zoom diplomats’
‘We are Zoom diplomats now,’ says Pham Cao Phong, who, with the South Korean envoy, was the first ambassador in Canada to present their credentials to the Governor General virtually.
Elizabeth May, Bruce Heyman dive into U.S. election repercussions in Oct. 21 Pearson Centre event
Bruce Heyman, former U.S. ambassador to Canada, and Green Parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May will participate in a panel discussion, ‘Biden-Trump Uncovered: What Will the U.S. Election Results Mean to Canada and the World?’ on Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 7-8 p.m. EDT. The Hill Times file photograph and photograph by Andrew Meade
