Liberals propose national school meal program as Canada remains back of pack on children’s nutrition
The Liberal government has proposed creating a national school meal program, which, if implemented, would see Canada join most other advanced economies in the world in having a countrywide school food initiative. In yesterday’s federal budget, the government announced its “intention to work with provinces and territories towards the creation of a National School Food […]
Agriculture spending in 2019 budget
The 2019 federal budget offers new spending for the agriculture and agri-food sector worth almost $4-billion going forward. The highlights: A Food Policy For Canada The Liberal government is proposing a four-pronged food strategy that will attempt to increase Canadians’ access to healthy foods, promote domestically grown and harvested food, support food security in the […]
Making an equal WAGE: Monsef talks new department
In a few short weeks, Maryam Monsef has gone from being a junior minister in charge of an oft-sidelined agency, to juggling managing one full-fledged department and part of another. On Dec. 13, Ms. Monsef’s (Peterborough-Kawartha, Ont.) portfolio was transformed from Status of Women, the agency, to Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), the full department, […]
Feds funnel another half-billion dollars into fixing public service pay in 2019 budget
The Trudeau government’s final budget heading into the October election features a mixed bag of spending measures, including a $500-million boost to alleviate some of the headaches caused by the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system. The 464-page budget, titled Investing in the Middle Class, follows along the government’s pitch that targeted deficit spending on programs will […]
Trudeau Liberals’ final budget features measures for skills training, rural broadband, border security
The Trudeau government’s final budget before voters hit the polls in seven months includes some spending measures aimed at addressing perceived vulnerabilities and shoring up support among millennial and rural voters. Whereas last year’s budget was largely pitched at women, this year, Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s (Toronto Centre, Ont.) budget is focused on skills training […]
Feds pledge more than $4-billion in pre-election budget for Indigenous file
Indigenous issues held prominence in the Liberal government’s fourth budget, with plans to spend $4.5-billion on reconciliation efforts over the next five years. One entire chapter in the 464-page document tabled on March 19 centred on “advancing reconciliation.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) was elected in 2015 on a promise to renew the government’s relationship […]
Amid SNC-Lavalin lobbying, legalizing deferred prosecution agreements in budget bill raises questions about ‘timing’ and ‘undue influence,’ says ethics lawyer
The Liberal government’s decision to use a budget bill to legalize deferred prosecution agreements raises questions about whether lobbyists had “undue influence” on the government as it made the business-friendly legal change, says an expert in ethics law. The timing of the decision to use a fast-tracked budget bill to make changes while SNC-Lavalin stared […]
Competitiveness of Canadian economy matters a lot for our future
TORONTO—As we approach the 2019 budget and the next federal election, much of the economic data flowing out of Statistics Canada is not encouraging. This is not good news for the governing Liberals, though the Conservatives or NDP have had little, if anything, to offer so far in credible new ideas for a more successful […]
Finance, innovation lead January’s slow lobbying start to 2019
Finance Minister Bill Morneau and his staffers were among the most in-demand targets for lobbyists in an otherwise quiet month as the Hill returned from the holiday break in January. Lobbyists mentioned Mr. Morneau (Toronto Centre, Ont.) in 13 communications, on par with Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains’ (Mississauga-Malton, Ont.) tally of 14, though many of […]
Canadians are clear on pharmacare: will the government listen?
A new federal budget will be introduced on March 19 and it will be the last before next fall’s federal election. The content of that budget will signal our government’s intentions on key issues relating to the health and wellbeing of Canadians. Many will be watching closely for what could amount to a historic expansion […]
