COVID-19 relief aid for affected workers to come week of April 6, says Morneau
Finance Minister Bill Morneau says those who lack the financial resources and support to weather the pandemic and have been temporarily laid off can expect to receive the first flow of aid in a little over a week’s time. Speaking at press conference on the Hill, Mr. Morneau (Toronto Centre, Ont.) said those who qualify […]
No more Hill parties, after coronavirus pandemic forces Parliament Hill to shut down
As COVID-19 cases continue to exponentially grow in Canada and around the world, possibly the only thing spreading faster is cabin fever. Ottawans are shut in because everything has shut down. Seemingly half the city has taken up running in an effort to stave off insanity. Thanks to these keen folk, Sparks Street has actually […]
Federal budget should invest in conservation, writes Robin Walsh
With the federal government about to present its budget for the year ahead, one item that I would like to see in it is a commitment to increased protection of nature. According to Nature Canada, half of all monitored species in Canada have declined since 1970, many by more than 80 per cent. Habitat loss, […]
Inuit women and children fleeing violence must have access to safe spaces within their communities
Inuit women experience the highest rates of physical violence and sexual violence in this country. In fact, they are 14 times more likely to be the victims of violence as compared to other women in Canada. A recent report from Statistics Canada reveals that in 2018, the rate of domestic homicide across the three territories […]
Canada being the best place to invest is a narrative only the Liberals believe
Despite all the evidence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his government, and those around them really believe their policies have made Canada the best place to invest. For example, on Feb. 27 the government’s new Invest in Canada agency, headed by—wait for it—Ian McKay, former national director of the Liberal Party of Canada, put its spin […]
Federal spending reaches $304.6-billion, up 12 per cent since pre-reform main estimates
Federal spending is up 11.8 per cent in this year’s main estimates compared to the last similar financial cycle three years ago, a trend that’s in line with the Liberal approach to deficit spending laid out in the party’s first election win in 2015. The $304.6-billion requested as part of the 2020-21 plan marks a […]
‘Pent-up interest’ leads to post-election lobbying push 54 per cent higher than first Liberal win
Lobbying activity in the first three months after the 2019 election rose 54 per cent compared to the months following the Liberals’ 2015 majority win, a notable uptick in interest some in the industry say is tied to the uncertainty of a minority Parliament and the government’s slow start. Lobbyists logged 3,014 communications with Parliamentarians […]
Canada’s political, economic roller-coaster only gaining speed as 2020 rushes on
OTTAWA—As they say in Haiti, “Beyond the mountains … more mountains.” So it seems with the Canadian economy. In light of today’s conditions, it might be advisable for Finance Minister Bill Morneau to roll out the 2020 budget package sooner rather than later. With falling exports, weakening business investment, and rail blockades, expectations for Canadian […]
Central votes ‘balloon’ under Liberals, a ‘misuse’ of the spending tool, says Conservative MP
Two years after the government did away with an unprecedented $7-billion fund put under the Treasury Board president’s purview rather than assigned and accountable to the relevant departments, the new minister is again defending the central-vote approach that critics say has become a Liberal trend that leads to less oversight. Jean-Yves Duclos (Québec, Que.), named […]
Canada returns to ‘complex’ spending system, after ‘failed’ attempts at reform
Two years after the Liberal government brought in controversial reforms to Canada’s financial planning system, the old timeline has returned that misaligns the budget and the approval of the bulk of parliamentary spending—a system its critics say is an “embarrassment” that requires “fundamental” change and opposition input to avoid the problems in the last reform […]
