Budget’s ‘slow rollout’ pharmacare funding leaves program vulnerable to change in governments, say policy experts

The Liberals know they need to ‘crawl before they run’ when getting provincial deals done, says former Liberal staffer Muhammed Ali. But it's ‘a pipe dream’ they will be able to ‘show benefits before the 2025 election’ says former Ontario PC staffer Carly Bergamini.

Health Minister Mark Holland unveiled the government’s new Pharmacare Act at Ottawa's Centretown Community Health Centre on Feb. 29, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Budget’s ‘slow rollout’ pharmacare funding leaves program vulnerable to change in governments, say policy experts

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

The Liberals know they need to ‘crawl before they run’ when getting provincial deals done, says former Liberal staffer Muhammed Ali. But it's ‘a pipe dream’ they will be able to ‘show benefits before the 2025 election’ says former Ontario PC staffer Carly Bergamini.

Budget’s ‘slow rollout’ pharmacare funding leaves program vulnerable to change in governments, say policy experts

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

The Liberals know they need to ‘crawl before they run’ when getting provincial deals done, says former Liberal staffer Muhammed Ali. But it's ‘a pipe dream’ they will be able to ‘show benefits before the 2025 election’ says former Ontario PC staffer Carly Bergamini.

THE LATEST

What’s in the budget for federal procurement? More money for housing, less for long-term projects

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Key highlights of the budget concerning procurement include 'strengthening integrity in the public service,' as the ArriveCan scandal unfolds.

What’s in the budget for federal procurement? More money for housing, less for long-term projects

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Key highlights of the budget concerning procurement include 'strengthening integrity in the public service,' as the ArriveCan scandal unfolds.

Canadians should not settle for last place

Heather McPherson says her party’s next leader should be a woman

FeatureBY CHELSEA NASH

The NDP’s new whip wants to take on misogyny in the House of Commons, and thinks some Conservative MPs are 'goons.'

The NDP’s new whip wants to take on misogyny in the House of Commons, and thinks some Conservative MPs are 'goons.'

Broad support for Senate modernization motion, says Sen. Gold as Tories accuse government of ‘ramming’ through rule changes

NewsBY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN

Some Senators questioned the timing of the motion amid talk of Liberals being 'wiped out’ in the next election, as Conservative Leader Donald Plett put it.

Some Senators questioned the timing of the motion amid talk of Liberals being 'wiped out’ in the next election, as Conservative Leader Donald Plett

‘Insufficient for the scale of need’: foreign service reform gets initial ‘down payment,’ but follow-up needed, say Parliamentarians

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

'We needed the Liberals to come forward with some leadership, and I don’t see that in this budget,' says NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson.

'We needed the Liberals to come forward with some leadership, and I don’t see that in this budget,' says NDP foreign affairs critic Heather

POLITICS THIS MORNING

Politics This Morning: Budget tour pivots to electric vehicle cash

Plus, StatsCan tackles the productivity gap.

BY PETER MAZEREEUW

OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Budget 2024 offers promising pledges for science, but falls short in a few ways

The bulk of the budget’s $1.8-billion planned for core research grants won’t flow for several years—making it very contingent on election outcomes.

BY SARAH LAFRAMBOISE, FARAH QAISER

Opinion

Feds must expand pharmacare to include essential drugs for our deadliest diseases: cancer, heart conditions, and stroke

BY ANDREA SEALE, DOUG ROTH

Opinion

All hands on deck for the future of health care

BY LIBERAL MP SEAN CASEY

Opinion

Protecting public health care has never been more important

BY LIBERAL MP YASIR NAQVI

Opinion

Canada is struggling and government is part of the problem

BY KEVIN LYNCH, JIM MITCHELL

NEWS

‘Overtaxed and overburdened’: cannabis industry suffocating under regulatory regime as feds take puff past excise relief in budget

NewsBY STUART BENSON

Cannabis Council of Canada's Paul McCarthy says he's ‘bewildered’ at the feds' lack of action despite growing calls from industry, experts, and a House committee.

‘Overtaxed and overburdened’: cannabis industry suffocating under regulatory regime as feds take puff past excise relief in budget

NewsBY STUART BENSON

Cannabis Council of Canada's Paul McCarthy says he's ‘bewildered’ at the feds' lack of action despite growing calls from industry, experts, and a House committee.

Canada going ahead with Ecuador trade talks despite Mexican Embassy raid rebuke

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

Parties have ‘free rein’ with voter data, finds report, but veteran party ops say that’s vital for democratic engagement

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

Freeland’s budget seen as last hope to turn Trudeau’s electoral fortunes around, say politicos

NewsBY ABBAS RANA

Liberal MP Hepfner may have to duke it out with NDP MPP Monique Taylor in ‘progressive bellwether’ riding of Hamilton Mountain in 2025, say Liberal and NDP insiders

NewsBY ABBAS RANA

HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

Parliamentary Calendar

Senator Pate, PPC Leader Bernier to talk social injustice April 27

Podcast

Jane Philpott on how to fix health care

feature

The Hill Times’ 100 Best Books of 2023

List

Cabinet’s communications and chiefs of staff list, 2024

Podcast

Should political parties be exempt from privacy laws?

The Embassy of Italy is recruiting an Administrative assistant, temporary (6 months)

Nancy Cruz, Vice-President, Public Affairs

Exposing the risk of breast implants in Canada

The most up-to-date list of Ministers’ staff contacts

HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

Red Passport: Trio of ex-diplomats launch a podcast

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Plus, nominations are open for the next Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Nunavut's premier is coming to Ottawa, and former TRC commissioner Marie Wilson has a new book.

Red Passport: Trio of ex-diplomats launch a podcast

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Plus, nominations are open for the next Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Nunavut's premier is coming to Ottawa, and former TRC commissioner Marie Wilson has a new book.

Exploring the legacy of COVID pandemic panic

FeatureBY JOANNA BARON, CHRISTINE VAN GEYN

Rally to end plastic pollution

Spring has sprung, so have lots of books

FeatureBY MIKE LAPOINTE

Ng to lead trade mission to South Korea

POLITICS

The CAQ’s language shell game fooled everyone

OpinionBY ANDREW CADDELL

The personal transformation of Pierre Poilievre

OpinionBY LES WHITTINGTON

Conservatives ‘riding the stronger horse’ in competing narratives about budget: pollster Lyle

NewsBY IAN CAMPBELL

Trump, the John Gotti of U.S. politics

OpinionBY MICHAEL HARRIS

The infamous Mafia don of the Gambino crime family became an unlikely media star. He was so bad he was good.

Trump, the John Gotti of U.S. politics

OpinionBY MICHAEL HARRIS

The infamous Mafia don of the Gambino crime family became an unlikely media star. He was so bad he was good.

THE HILL TIMES NEWSPAPER

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

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Monday, April 22, 2024

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Wednesday, April 17, 2024

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OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Opinion

Funding for Manitoba landfill search welcome, but First Nations-led response still needed

BY GRAND CHIEF CATHY MERRICK

Editorial

Feds should act fast on potential judge residency rule repeal

BY EDITORIAL

Opinion

Buried in the budget: a potential breakthrough in meeting Canada’s net-zero goals

BY NA’IM MERCHANT

Correcting the record on Bell’s restructuring: BCE exec

Opinion

We need to bring back extensive urban, inter-urban rail and buses: letter writer

Opinion

Stop looking abroad for investment success, there is opportunity here at home

OpinionBY MARY W. ROWE, ZITA COBB

If we want to improve productivity in Canada, we should be investing in our own businesses and essential community infrastructures to support them.

Stop looking abroad for investment success, there is opportunity here at home

OpinionBY MARY W. ROWE, ZITA COBB

If we want to improve productivity in Canada, we should be investing in our own businesses and essential community infrastructures to support them.

To stop plastic pollution, stop producing it

OpinionBY NICKY DAVIES AND AME TRANDEM

How green was this budget?

OpinionBY ELIZABETH MAY

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY DE ADDER

de Adder’s Take: 04-24-2024

de Adder’s Take: 04-22-2024

de Adder’s Take: 04-17-2024

Environment & Climate Change

Why wait for disasters to strike to draw on research evidence?

We need to strengthen the evidence-support system by taking stock of what we already have and building on these strengths. Political staffers from all parties and public servants have key roles to play in these efforts.

BY JOHN N. LAVIS AND KERRY WADDELL

Environmental groups urge an end to fossil fuel subsidies in two reports outlining Canada’s oil and gas financing

The government gave at least $18.553-billion in financial support in 2023 to fossil fuel and petrochemical firms, including $8-billion worth of loan guarantees for the TransMountain pipeline, $7.339-billion in public financing through Export Development Canada, and over $1.3-billion for carbon capture and storage projects, according to the reports.

BY MIKE LAPOINTE

To curb pollution, government should put a price on it, says letter writer

The federal carbon-pricing plan’s broken promise to small business

Almost none of the billions of dollars collected in carbon tax revenues have found their way back to SMEs since 2019, leaving them disillusioned and struggling to keep up with the rising cost of doing business.

BY JAIRO YUNIS

A closer look at the federal carbon tax

As of April 1, the federal carbon tax that applies in nine provinces and two territories rose from $65 a tonne to $80 a tonne.

BY STEPHEN JEFFERY

FOREIGN POLICY

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

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Modi expected to win India’s election

OpinionBY GWYNNE DYER

The idea that all Hindus share the same grievances and goals is just ‘culture-war’ lies, and caste is finally taking its rightful place on India’s political agenda. It may be too late to turn back the BJP juggernaut, but fascism is not necessarily India’s future.

Modi expected to win India’s election

OpinionBY GWYNNE DYER

The idea that all Hindus share the same grievances and goals is just ‘culture-war’ lies, and caste is finally taking its rightful place on India’s political agenda. It may be too late to turn back the BJP juggernaut, but fascism is not necessarily India’s future.

BOOKS, BIG IDEAS, Q&As

MacGregor’s success is more than ‘luck’

FeatureBY KATE MALLOY

Roy MacGregor was a small-town kid from Ontario's backwoods who made it big in Canada's media world. In Paper Trails, he tells the story about his own colourful life with the same detail and high-calibre soul that he gave to his 50 years in the newspaper business. His engaging and entertaining book is worth reading.

MacGregor’s success is more than ‘luck’

FeatureBY KATE MALLOY

Roy MacGregor was a small-town kid from Ontario's backwoods who made it big in Canada's media world. In Paper Trails, he tells the story about his own colourful life with the same detail and high-calibre soul that he gave to his 50 years in the newspaper business. His engaging and entertaining book is worth reading.

Ibbitson gives Diefenbaker his proper place in history without downgrading Pearson’s legacy

OpinionBY ARTHUR MILNES

What shape does hope take in a world we can see is rushing to destroy itself?

OpinionBY JIM CRESKEY

Yep, you read it right: author Chris Turner dishes up climate optimism

FeatureBY CHRIS TURNER

To learn about the future of inflation, look to lessons from the past

FeatureBY STEPHEN POLOZ

All eyes on Ottawa: the world comes together to address plastic pollution

OpinionBY ISABELLE DES CHêNES

The plastics industry recognizes that we cannot continue treating plastics as an afterthought once we have used them. Plastics belong in the economy, not in the environment.

From medical equipment to renewable energy to protecting and prolonging nutritious food, virtually everyone on the planet relies on plastics, writes Isabelle Des Chênes. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

All eyes on Ottawa: the world comes together to address plastic pollution

OpinionBY ISABELLE DES CHêNES

The plastics industry recognizes that we cannot continue treating plastics as an afterthought once we have used them. Plastics belong in the economy, not in the environment.

All eyes on Ottawa: the world comes together to address plastic pollution

OpinionBY ISABELLE DES CHêNES

The plastics industry recognizes that we cannot continue treating plastics as an afterthought once we have used them. Plastics belong in the economy, not in the environment.

Rallying against the blaze: uniting Canadians to fight climate change

OpinionBY INDEPENDENT SENATOR ROSA GALVEZ, KATHLEEN ROSS

There is an urgent need to address climate change, the root cause of the wildfire crisis, across all jurisdictions.

We are on the path to legal singularity

FeatureBY ABDI AIDID AND BENJAMIN ALARIE

The following is an excerpt from The Legal Singularity: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Law Radically Better, one of the five books shortlisted for this year's $60,000 Donner Prize.

Budget overlooks need for trade-enabling infrastructure

OpinionBY LINDSAY KISLOCK

The National Trade Corridor Fund needs to be urgently recapitalized for our economic prosperity as Canada lags behind on national transportation infrastructure strategies.

Infrastructure Minister Sean Fraser speaks in the House of Commons foyer in December 2023. Significant allocations towards upgrading our trade infrastructure are not only desirable, but also imperative, writes Lindsay Kislock. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Budget overlooks need for trade-enabling infrastructure

OpinionBY LINDSAY KISLOCK

The National Trade Corridor Fund needs to be urgently recapitalized for our economic prosperity as Canada lags behind on national transportation infrastructure strategies.

Budget overlooks need for trade-enabling infrastructure

OpinionBY LINDSAY KISLOCK

The National Trade Corridor Fund needs to be urgently recapitalized for our economic prosperity as Canada lags behind on national transportation infrastructure strategies.

Feds give CBC a budget boost

OpinionBY SHEILA COPPS

Fasten your seatbelts. Canada is in for a long election run.

Procurement watchdog to probe ‘bait and switch’ practices across departments amid ArriveCan revelations

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Procurement Ombud Alexander Jeglic's January report found most of the subcontractors pitched to secure a contract with the government on the ArriveCan application did not perform the work.

Struggling low-cost air carriers require feds’ intervention on price competition, says aviation expert

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Lynx Air, which closed its doors in February, was the latest in a string of low-cost carriers to shutter in recent years, including CanJet

THE LATEST POLICY BRIEFINGS

Aviation

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Infrastructure Policy Briefing: April 8, 2024

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EVs and EV Infrastructure

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features

Fresh hires in offices of PM Trudeau and ministers Wilkinson, Valdez

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

For her part, Small Business Minister Rechie Valdez has added a new Quebec regional affairs adviser to her team, Camille Leblanc.

Fresh hires in offices of PM Trudeau and ministers Wilkinson, Valdez

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

For her part, Small Business Minister Rechie Valdez has added a new Quebec regional affairs adviser to her team, Camille Leblanc.

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

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Politicians, press, and politicos pack The Mét for post-budget pints

FeatureBY STUART BENSON

Immigration Minister Miller joins cabinet’s post-budget campaign with April 19 talk in Montreal

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tries on new shoes in preparation for the federal budget

FeatureBY ANDREW MEADE

Senate amends rules for regional offices, spares East Block cafeteria

NewsBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

It could be the end of the world, but the journos looked fine at the 2024 Press Gallery Dinner

FeatureBY STUART BENSON

Freeland releases budget Tuesday, April 16, at 4 p.m. in the House

Conservatives gather at Canada Strong and Free Network conference

FeatureBY ANDREW MEADE

Parliamentary Calendar

Gatherings galore: Canada Strong and Free Conference, Progress Summit hit the capital April 10-12

Podcast

The online hate speech bill, with Justice Minister Arif Virani

feature

Housing Minister Fraser a 2023 fan favourite on Parliament Hill: All Politics Poll

List

U.S. election preoccupies Canada’s top 50 foreign influencers as feds’ focus gets pulled from Asia strategy

Podcast

Brian Mulroney: the person, the politician, with Arthur Milnes

Directeur ou directrice de l’engagement des parties

Director, Stakeholder Engagement

Toronto Centre appoint Grahame Johnson as the Government of Canada representative on the board of directors

Toronto Centre announces Board appointments of Timothy Antoine and Elsie Awadzi

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

The Hill Times subscribers are not your average Canadians, they don’t just want to
read the headlines, they want the full back story, the context and the implications.

EXCLUSIVE LISTS

Cabinet’s communications and chiefs of staff list, 2024

House committee trips that have been granted a travel budget in the 44th Parliament, so far

Fraser voted best minister in Question Period and best public speaker in The Hill Times’ Politically Savvy Survey 2023

Telford three-peats at the top of the 20th Terrific 25 Staffers list, LRB’s Wendy Wu voted Best All-Round

A ‘more challenging and volatile’ world: Russia, China, U.S. top of mind for top 50 foreign policy influencers

Top 30 consultant lobbyists with highest number of communications in 2022

Top 100 Lobbyists in 2023: green tech and economy boosting set for top advocacy priorities in 2023, say lobbyists

Top 20 most-discussed issues in 2022

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

Post

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

Post

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

Post

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

Post

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

Post

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

Finance & Budget

Canada is struggling and government is part of the problem

Federal government spending, public service employment, and the national debt are soaring, but delivery of essential government services is sputtering, and the Bank of Canada has been left to fight inflation single-handedly.

BY KEVIN LYNCH, JIM MITCHELL

Freeland’s budget seen as last hope to turn Trudeau’s electoral fortunes around, say politicos

A key metric to gauge the budget's effectiveness will be whether it reverses Canadians’ appetite for change in government, says David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data.

BY ABBAS RANA

Budget 2024 provides key themes for advocacy strategies in advance of anticipated election budget, says lobbyists

Stakeholders unfulfilled by this year’s budget are ‘never going to get a more receptive time with an opposition [party], especially a potential government in waiting, than right now,' says Cam Holmstrom of Niipaawi Strategies.

BY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Feds give CBC a budget boost

Fasten your seatbelts. Canada is in for a long election run.

BY SHEILA COPPS

How green was this budget?

Being better on climate policy than the Official Opposition is too low a bar for a confidence vote.

BY ELIZABETH MAY

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.