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.
Upcoming budget critically important to meet challenges, cost of living, and unemployment, head on
This is Mark Carney’s first budget as prime minister, and it is the first federal budget since U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term.
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.
School food advocates hopeful program will survive fall budget cuts, but say Ontario falling short of ‘all in’
Despite receiving the largest share of the promised $1-billion over five years, Ontario ranks second last in provincial spending per student on school food programs.
MPs’ annual office budgets for 2025-26
The office expense budget for MPs has increased by $5-million this fiscal year compared to 2024-25.
Ministers also expected to take scissors to office budgets in spending review
The challenge in cutting ministers’ budgets is ensuring their offices ‘can still do what they need to do, and only they can do,’ says former chief of staff David McLaughlin.
Any new industrial strategy must be an innovation strategy
Canada’s capacity for technological progress and scaling the industries of the future will be critical for our future growth prospects and much-needed gains in productivity.
Ottawa must include small businesses in open banking from day one
Canada cannot afford another half-built system. In order to call this framework “open banking,” it must immediately apply to business accounts. Anything less is branding.
Transport Canada projects 1,000 fewer jobs by 2027-28, with green programs on the chopping block
A 41-per-cent drop in planned spending by 2028 is largely due to limited-time funding for certain projects coming to a close, but the department says it will seek to renew ‘sunset funding’ for ‘critical activities’ in upcoming budgets.
Air Canada mess is a lesson for government
The government’s goal of reducing spending across the board is too much like Air Canada cutting all of its flights overnight without due process. Budgeting is both about money and effectiveness. When the focus is only on the money, the link to the end user’s satisfaction is broken.
