Ht-Logo-gigapixel-icon
  • Menu
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Archives
  • Politics
  • Foreign Policy
  • Lobbying
  • Legislation
  • Policy
  • Hill Life & People
  • Public Service
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Archives
  • Politics
  • Foreign Policy
  • Lobbying
  • Legislation
  • Policy
  • Hill Life & People
  • Public Service
  • Free Trial
  • Get free News Updates
  • SIGN IN
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Free Trial
  • Get free News Updates
  • SIGN IN
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Get free News Updates
  • {email}
    • Administration
    • Account Settings
    • Logout
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Get free News Updates
  • {email}
    • Administration
    • Account Settings
    • Logout
  • SUBSCRIBE
Ht-Logo-gigapixel-icon
  • Menu
  • Home Page
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Foreign Policy
  • Politics
  • Policy
  • Legislation
  • Lobbying
  • Public Service
  • Civil Circles
  • Hill Life & People
  • Hill Climbers
  • Heard On The Hill
  • Party Central
  • Podcast: The Hot Room
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Home Page
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Foreign Policy
  • Politics
  • Policy
  • Legislation
  • Lobbying
  • Public Service
  • Civil Circles
  • Hill Life & People
  • Hill Climbers
  • Heard On The Hill
  • Party Central
  • Podcast: The Hot Room
  • Calendar
  • Archives
My Account
  • Free Trial
  • Sign in
  • Free Trial
  • Sign in
  • Free Trial
  • Sign in
  • Free Trial
  • Sign in
Sunday, February 15, 2026

Canada’s Politics and Government News Source Since 1989

Latest Paper
Sunday, February 15, 2026 | Latest Paper
Subscribe Now

TRENDING:

  • Return to work
  • Party fundraising
  • Centre Block
  • Senate
  • Downtown train station
  • Hill Climbers
  • Tumbler Ridge
  • Taiwan Strait
  • Job cuts
  • Return to work
  • Party fundraising
  • Centre Block
  • Senate
  • Downtown train station
  • Hill Climbers
  • Tumbler Ridge
  • Taiwan Strait
  • Job cuts

Once the pandemic is over, we’ll need a new social contract for Canada

The Trudeau government should appoint an independent task force or royal commission to design a new social contract for Canadians, one that is much more inclusive. This task force or commission should be made of a small, say half dozen, outstanding Canadians, along with a couple of members from countries that have been the most successful in sustaining and strengthening their social contracts.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured March 31, 2020, at his daily press conference outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa. The Trudeau government should direct Statistics Canada to prepare a full social/economic/health report on the lives of Canadians from the year 2000 to the present. Much of the data is available within the great data resources of Statistics Canada, but it needs to be put together in one comprehensive report that digs down into detail. Such an exercise would also identify where there are critical data gaps that need to be filled, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion
BY DAVID CRANE
April 6, 2020
Opinion | BY DAVID CRANE | April 6, 2020

Sponsored content

sponsored content

Get The Foreign Policy Newsletter

The key issues and people influencing Canadian foreign policy and diplomacy. Thursday.

By entering your email address you consent to receive email from The Hill Times containing news, analysis, updates and offers. You may unsubscribe at any time. See our privacy policy

FOLLOW THE HILL TIMES:

LICENSING

PODCAST

ALERTS

LICENSING

PODCAST

ALERTS

Want to make sure your whole office has the full Hill Times experience?

We have team plans available for companies, organizations, classes, Parliament Hill offices and more. Fill out this form and find out if your team is eligible for a discount.

More Opinion

The symbolic vote that signals a deeper shift in North American trade

OpinionBY AKOLISA UFODIKE

The real rupture we face: what Carney’s next speech needs to say

OpinionBY TREVOR HANCOCK

Documents reveal more about powerful forces behind push for warrantless lawful access

OpinionBY KEN RUBIN

Poilievre, the Super Bowl, and the cautionary tale of the Buffalo Bills

OpinionBY KEN POLK

Building Canada’s digital future

OpinionBY DELPHINE ADENOT-OWUSU

Related Stories

To ban or not to ban? Experts wary of restricting social media access for kids, as feds watch Australian approach

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE

Official languages commissioner nominee aspires for a ‘truly bilingual public service’

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

The new Canadian order and the next governor general

Federal leaders to attend vigil for Tumbler Ridge victims

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA, PETER MAZEREEUW

Ottawa MPs Sudds, Fanjoy urge changes to return-to-office order for public servants, as MPs debate ending hybrid Parliament

NewsBY MARLO GLASS | UPDATED February 13, 2026
Referring to the Senate Building's original purpose as downtown Ottawa's train station between 1912 and 1966, Canadian Senators Group Senator Scott Tannas says turning it into a train station is 'not a crazy idea ... It would be back to the future.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Back to the future’: Senators react to idea of turning Senate Building back into original train station for high-speed rail hub

NewsBY IREM KOCA
  • David Jeanes, a retired engineer and former president of Transport Action Canada, says the Senate Building would be an ideal spot for a downtown Ottawa station, and says it could be linked to the rest of the line with a tunnel going under part of the Rideau Canal.

‘Back to the future’: Senators react to idea of turning Senate Building back into original train station for high-speed rail hub

NewsBY IREM KOCA
  • David Jeanes, a retired engineer and former president of Transport Action Canada, says the Senate Building would be an ideal spot for a downtown Ottawa station, and says it could be linked to the rest of the line with a tunnel going under part of the Rideau Canal.

News

  • Politics
  • Foreign Policy
  • Lobbying
  • Legislation
  • Policy Briefings
  • Politics This Morning
  • Hill Climbers
  • Civil Circles
  • Heard On The Hill
  • Election
  • Finance and Budget
  • Public Service
  • Exclusive Lists
  • Parliamentary Calendar
  • Top 100 Lists and Exclusive Features
  • Podcasts
  • This Week's Paper
  • Search
  • Archives
  • Digital Newspaper Archives

Get free news updates

Opinion

  • Andrew Caddell
  • Sheila Copps
  • David Crane
  • Jim Creskey
  • Gwynne Dyer
  • Matt Gurney
  • Michael Harris
  • Erica Ifill
  • Scott Taylor
  • Joe Jordan
  • Rose LeMay
  • Alex Marland
  • Gerry Nicholls
  • Gar Pardy
  • Tim Powers
  • Susan Riley
  • Douglas Roche
  • Ken Rubin
  • Josie Sabatino
  • Bhagwant Sandhu
  • Les Whittington
  • Nelson Wiseman

Submit a guest opinion article

resources

  • The Wire Report
  • Hill Times Research Health
  • The Lobby Monitor
  • Parliament Now
  • Inside Ottawa Directory
  • Hill Times Careers
  • The Hill Times Store
  • Digital Newspaper Archives

Follow us

  • X
  • BlueSky
  • LinkedIn
  • Flipboard

Advertise

  • Media Kit

subscribe

  • Group subscriptions
  • Reuse and permissions

get help

  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Reset Password
  • Account settings
  • © The Hill Times 2026
  • Politics
  • Foreign Policy
  • Lobbying
  • Legislation
  • Policy Briefings
  • Politics This Morning
  • Hill Climbers
  • Civil Circles
  • Heard On The Hill
  • Election
  • Finance and Budget
  • Public Service
  • Exclusive Lists
  • Parliamentary Calendar
  • Top 100 Lists and Exclusive Features
  • Podcasts
  • This Week's Paper
  • Search
  • Archives
  • Digital Newspaper Archives
  • Get free news updates

  • Andrew Caddell
  • Sheila Copps
  • David Crane
  • Jim Creskey
  • Gwynne Dyer
  • Michael Harris
  • Erica Ifill
  • Scott Taylor
  • Joe Jordan
  • Rose LeMay
  • Alex Marland
  • Gerry Nicholls
  • Gar Pardy
  • Tim Powers
  • Susan Riley
  • Douglas Roche
  • Ken Rubin
  • Bhagwant Sandhu
  • Les Whittington
  • Submit a guest opinion article

  • The Wire Report
  • Hill Times Research Health
  • The Lobby Monitor
  • Parliament Now
  • Inside Ottawa Directory
  • Hill Times Careers
  • The Hill Times Store
  • Digital Newspaper Archives
  • Media Kit
  • Group subscriptions
  • Reuse and permissions
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Reset Password
  • Account settings
  • © The Hill Times 2024
  • X
  • BlueSky
  • LinkedIn
  • Flipboard
Subscribe
  • Home Page
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Foreign Policy
  • Politics
  • Policy
  • Legislation
  • Lobbying
  • Public Service
  • Civil Circles
  • Hill Life & People
  • Hill Climbers
  • Heard On The Hill
  • Party Central
  • Podcast: The Hot Room
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Home Page
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Foreign Policy
  • Politics
  • Policy
  • Legislation
  • Lobbying
  • Public Service
  • Civil Circles
  • Hill Life & People
  • Hill Climbers
  • Heard On The Hill
  • Party Central
  • Podcast: The Hot Room
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Hill Times Store
  • Hill Times Careers
  • The Wire Report
  • The Lobby Monitor
  • Parliament Now
  • Hill Times Store
  • Hill Times Careers
  • The Wire Report
  • The Lobby Monitor
  • Parliament Now
  • Reuse & Permissions
  • Advertising
  • Reuse & Permissions
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Log In
  • Logout
  • Contact Us
  • Log In
  • Logout
CloseMenu
  • {email}
  • Account Settings
  • Logout
  • {email}
  • Account Settings
  • Logout