Presence of backbench MPs, cross-Canada representation restricted during in-person House sittings amidst physical distancing

Backbench MPs who typically make up a majority of the House of Commons have had their presence shrink as cabinet members and House officers make up the majority of the Chamber in COVID-19 sittings.

Feds should tout vaccine costs as ‘leverage’ in future talks with premiers, says expert

While a ‘missed opportunity’ in the earlier days of the pandemic, some observers worry tying strings to provincial and territorial access to potentially life-saving vaccines could be seen as ‘unethical.’

Election speculation, party conventions likely boosted fundraising haul, say strategists

With so much of everyday life migrating online due to the pandemic, says Michael Edwards of Sussex Strategy, the potential for engaging political supporters who weren’t initially comfortable doing transactions has grown.

Former cabinet minister Sohi to officially launch Edmonton mayoral bid soon, sources say

Prof. Duane Bratt says Amarjeet Sohi would be the ‘front-runner’ in the mayoral election, where at least six candidates have officially joined the race to succeed Don Iveson.

Liberal MPs in Toronto’s hot spots ramp up outreach to support mass immunization, address hesitancy

The province should have targeted vaccines to hot-spot neighbourhoods earlier, before Toronto was ‘on fire’ with COVID cases, says Liberal MP Judy Sgro.

Health Canada gives green light to administer Pfizer vaccine to those aged 12-15

Officials were unable to immediately say how the approval will impact the country’s overall herd immunity goal, which has been described as a moving target by experts as more vaccines come online.

Committee jurisdiction unresolved as MPs await study on privacy bill

Conservatives say sending the bill to the Ethics Committee is an attempt to distract the committee from its ongoing work on the WE Charity controversy, while Liberals say Ethics is the natural spot for a privacy bill.

What’s up PROC? Committee filibuster over prorogation study passes 40-hour mark

‘I don’t need to hear from Chrystia Freeland … about their most recent budget for 90 minutes in order to understand the decision about prorogation,’ says NDP MP Daniel Blaikie of a Liberal-suggested compromise.

Constitutional challenge to sex work laws ‘succeeded before’ and will succeed again, says advocacy group

The current set of laws prohibit working together as well as safely advertising, puts sex workers at undue risk and potentially violates their charter rights.

A national strategy on transgender health care is needed, advocates and experts say

'There are clear, glaring gaps in coverage and standards for transgender health care in Canada,' says Conservative health critic Michelle Rempel Garner.