Applied research: time to move beyond pilot projects
When Ottawa-based entrepreneur Ke Wang had the brilliant idea of using his smartphone to control certain tasks on his power wheelchair, and therefore regain some of his autonomy, he knew he needed support to bring his innovative concept to reality. Like a growing number of entrepreneurs and small-business owners, he turned to his local college […]
Canada needs to invest in success, meet its land and ocean protection commitments
Canada is a nation deeply connected to nature. Our land, freshwater and ocean environments are the lifeblood of our country and shape our national identity. Healthy ecosystems underpin our economy, culture, history, health and well-being. Yet Canada is struggling to meet its commitment to formally protect natural heritage in many regions of the country. With […]
National security oversight committee seeking $4.5M to get off the ground
The new government department-style entity being created to support a group of Parliamentarians charged with overseeing the country’s national security and intelligence operations is expected to cost about $4.5-million this fiscal year, with the Privy Council Office taking on half of the start-up costs. The Privy Council Office is requesting an additional $2.2-million in funding […]
Public service pay a ‘significant’ chunk of new spending ask: Brison
More than one-third of the $4.88-billion Parliament will need to approve in its updated budget is connected to public-service employee costs, including new hires and paying up under collective agreements. That amount is larger than normal, Treasury Board President Scott Brison told a House committee Nov. 9, because it accounts for the fact 90 per […]
Pharmacare for all: we can’t afford to wait
Canadians are justly proud of our public health-care system. It is an accomplishment that helps define us as a nation. However, it is not perfect, and it is not comprehensive. Many important health services remain uncovered, including dental, mental health, rehabilitation, and home care. For these, patients are at the mercy of their ability to pay. One of the most […]
Paradise Papers, Morneau mess weighing heavily on the government
OTTAWA—The Paradise Papers may just mean Paradise Lost in Canada and around the world. They are generating tax reverberations in capitals around the world about the extent to which the superrich legally avoid taxes while we ordinary schmucks just can’t. The names bedazzle, from queens, to prime ministers to rock stars to senior presidential advisers. […]
Don’t expect any changes in Ottawa from Paradise Papers revelations
TORONTO—A newly appointed minister once told me that when he went to his ministry for the first time, he was welcomed by the staff with congratulations and toasts. The deputy minister was a close friend of his and, after the party, the minister privately thanked him for showing up. His deputy then gave him a […]
Liberals stand up for embattled Bronfman, tax record; Senate Liberal blasts revenue agency ‘weasel words’
A pair of Liberal MPs came to the defence of their party’s embattled fundraising chair, Stephen Bronfman, the day after news broke alleging his involvement in an offshore tax-avoidance scheme, but others sidestepped when asked whether the party should disassociate itself from Mr. Bronfman. The Liberal caucus was united in defending its record of cracking […]
Single federal financial regulator more beneficial than existing regional model
FRANKFURT—As I was on my way to a meeting a few months ago, I realized that I forgot the key needed to access the building where the meeting was taking place. I then reprimanded myself and thought how much easier it would be to keep all my keys on one keychain. Evidently, it is always […]
Could modernizing charity legislation be Trudeau’s greatest stand for Canadian democracy?
Now officially past the half-way point in Prime Minister Trudeau’s mandate, the window for “Real Change” is no longer wide-open. Big policy questions—about progressive tax reform, reconciliation, refugee asylum—remain unresolved. Compared to these, the administration’s promise to modernize charity legislation may seem like small potatoes; something to shuffle to the bottom of the list. But […]
