Too close for comfort: Canadian academics and government
Should social scientists seek the truth regardless of whose toes may be stepped on and cite, up front, possible conflicts of interest regarding matters they study? All academic disciplines claim independence of thought and transparency are principles that guide good research. So, what to make of a Canadian foreign-policy discussion dominated by individuals with ties […]
No more treading water
Patrick Brown has heard it all before. Assertions that the Ontario Progressive Conservative leader’s most defined personality trait is that he’s not Kathleen Wynne; that he’s flip-flopped on policies as starkly as Donald Trump has on immigration; and even that he’s a dead-eyed, brainwashed robot that runs on talking points uploaded to his hard drive […]
Universities emerge as biggest lobbyists in August, according to registry
While students were enjoying their summer breaks last month, university administrators were busy lobbying the federal government on a wide range of issues, including science, aboriginal affairs, and immigration. The University of Alberta was the source of the most communication reports filed on the federal lobbyists registry in August with 25. Second was the University […]
How the universities lobby got $1-billion-plus from the feds
The $900-million in federal funds doled out to universities last week was part of a research fund green-lit by a Conservative government looking for an “out-of-the-park” scientific success story, say some of the key players that lobbied for the fund’s creation. The story of that two-year lobbying campaign adds a wrinkle to the anti-science reputation […]
Construction truck impaled by barrier on Parliament Hill
A hulking construction truck towing a trailer was pierced by a ground-level security-barrier pole on Parliament Hill Friday afternoon in a doozy of a collision that disrupted traffic at the Bank Street entrance for hours. The vehicle, owned by Ottawa-based Exel Contracting Inc., was skewered by the black security blockade as it drove from the […]
Supreme Court debate underscores importance of second-language education
The furor over the Liberal government’s decision to change how Supreme Court justices are appointed has raised questions about the importance of bilingualism at the highest levels of the judiciary, and how it should be weighed against the importance of regional representation on the country’s top bench. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signalled his priorities, assigning […]
MP juggles fasting and legislation during Ramadan
The most challenging part of serving in Parliament during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month when adherents fast from sunrise to sundown, isn’t the long hours or hunger, it’s missing out on family gatherings celebrating the breaking of these daily fasts, says Liberal MP Salma Zahid. Ms. Zahid (Scarborough Centre, Ont.), a practising Muslim, said the first week […]
Putting the pieces in place for development
The Northwest Territories’ potential to contribute to the national economy is huge. While vast reserves of gas and oil have been identified, only small pockets have been exploited. Territorial mines have, for more than 80 years, produced gold, diamonds, tungsten, lead, and other minerals, and are the largest contributor to the territorial GDP. Much of […]
Territorial Development
Canada should make education a core theme in aid policy
No nation will achieve gender equality without quality education. Economic development and education similarly go hand in hand, as does educating a nation and ensuring healthcare for all its citizens. In fact, name a worthy, large-scale goal—poverty reduction, peaceful coexistence, good governance – and you’ll find a well-established link between the ability to attain it […]
