Conservatives, NDP threaten government with more than 30 hours of votes if it pushes unilaterally on House rule changes
PARLIAMENT HILL—The Conservatives are threatening to force the House into more than 30 hours of votes tomorrow on the government’s main estimates if it doesn’t back down on using its majority in the Commons to unilaterally change some of the House rules. Conservative House Leader Candice Bergen (Portage-Lisgar, Man.) placed hundreds of votes on today’s […]
Booze industry looks to Senate to axe automatic tax hikes from budget bill
The Senate’s role as the Chamber of “sober second thought” is being counted on by the alcoholic beverages industry to save it from a provision in the budget that would see excise taxes on booze automatically increasing each year at the rate of inflation. It’s one of many aspects in Bill C-44, which implements aspects of the […]
Liberals hiding carbon tax’s true costs
The following is an excerpt from a speech Conservative employment critic and MP for Carleton, Ont. Pierre Poilievre gave in the House on June 5 during debate on a government motion “that, despite the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement, Canada remain committed to the implementation of the agreement, as it is […]
Uber cranks up federal lobbying to fight requirement to charge HST
Three years since launching its alternative transportation service in Canada, Uber has recently become a significant lobbying presence federally in reaction to changes introduced in this year’s budget. Uber Canada Inc., the Canadian division of Uber Technologies Inc., has five active registrations in the federal lobbying registry, all of which are no more than a […]
It’s time to talk about a ‘BIG’ idea
PETERBOROUGH, ONT.—Across Canada and around the world, people from all sides of the political spectrum are starting to talk about the BIG idea of a basic income guarantee (BIG), also known as a guaranteed annual income. The Ontario government has recently approved a three-year basic income pilot project and selected three cities—Hamilton/Brantford, Thunder Bay and […]
“The Liberal government is seeking to create a new Canada Infrastructure Bank. Is this a good move? Why or why not?”
Kate Purchase Liberal strategist “Last election, Canadians elected us on a platform to invest in a historic infrastructure plan. This plan will transform the way Canadians live, move and work, strengthen the middle class, and ensure our children and grandchildren have clean drinking water and clean air to breathe. “Canada has a very ambitious plan to […]
Canada’s Arctic Energy Fund: a step in the right direction
Nunavut faces many unique challenges, and energy is certainly one of them. Our remote communities, small population, and challenging environment mean that we do not have access to the same energy solutions as other regions in Canada. In Nunavut, our reliance on energy is crucial for survival, every single day. We want to do our […]
Liberals under pressure to provide more infrastructure dollars for the North
Critics, advocates, and political rivals are calling on the federal Liberal government to dedicate more resources to address the severe infrastructure deficit in Canada’s North, arguing they failed to set aside funds in the last budget specifically for northern communities. In the 2017 budget, the Liberal government earmarked $2-billion over 11 years for infrastructure projects in rural and […]
Will inclusive growth succeed?
There is growing global consensus that societal inequalities are intensifying—and that this issue has become one of the major challenges of our time. Recently, I participated in a meeting where experts from Canada and abroad discussed the practice of something relatively new to the field of policymaking: inclusive growth. The term is appealing because it […]
Census results call for reviewing Old Age Security eligibility
MISSISSAUGA, ONT.—The Liberals reversed the Conservatives’ decision announced in 2012 to gradually boost the eligibility age for Old Age Security (OAS) payments from 65 to 67 years between 2023 and 2029. This was in keeping with an election pledge. When questioned about the reversal, announced in the Liberals’ first budget in March 2016, Finance Minister […]
