Politics this morning: legislation, ministerial speeches, and the Liberals’ new ‘no clapping’ rule
It’s Friday, June 3. It’s a busy day for parliamentarians. As summer recess creeps closer, there’s a long list of outstanding business to finish. On the agenda for today is the Federal Budget Bill C-15, which was tabled in Parliament on March 22, 2016. It may be debated at report stage. Bill C-6, An Act to amend […]
Time for a national housing action plan
OTTAWA—There’s a certain irony in the fact that housing has gained more public attention recently, when the reality is that Canada remains one of the few advanced Western countries without a national housing strategy. Although much of the housing discussion lately has focused on pricing and affordability, we shouldn’t forget that for more than a […]
Can the guy from Fort Smith save the British from themselves?
OTTAWA—Mark Carney, who took over Canada’s central bank at the dawn of the worst recession in nearly a century, has seen his share of precarious situations. He helped Canadians avoid disaster during the 2008-09 economic crunch with unprecedented Bank of Canada moves to revive flagging business and consumer spending. He spent the next several years […]
‘Huge impact’ creation of Shared Services Canada had on staff an oversight: former project leads
After a former Transport department chief information officer described his experience working alongside Shared Services Canada to deliver IT as feeling “marginalized and even under attack,” the former president and chief information officer admitted at the time of consolidation, not enough consideration was given to the human resources and cultural impacts the amalgamation was having […]
‘Impossible’ to pass doctor-assisted suicide bill by June 6 deadline, say Senators, but Liberal MPs ‘giving it our very best shot’
It’s looking less likely that Bill C-14, the federal government’s medically-assisted dying bill, will be passed in time for the Supreme Court-imposed deadline for June 6, though government forces will still try as the House resumes sitting this week. Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Man.), parliamentary secretary to Government House Leader Dominic LeBlanc (Beauséjour, […]
Budget boost allowing CBC to expand local, international coverage, says Hill bureau chief
With the Liberal government injecting an extra $675-million into the CBC over the next five years, as set out in the 2016 budget, CBC parliamentary bureau chief Rob Russo says the public broadcaster will be investing in more international reporting, as well as more “primarily digital” local and regional reporting. “Look for an expansion in the […]
Politics this morning: MPs enter a hectic homestretch before summer recess
It’s Monday, May 30 Here’s a look ahead and a recap to help you start your week in-the-know: The house is back today and will sit until June 23, when Parliament is scheduled to break for the summer. There’s an intense legislative agenda that the government is going to try to push through before recess, including […]
Time to get serious about income inequality
OTTAWA—On any given day, thousands of people line up to use food banks across the country. One in six of those seeking food in this way actually have jobs. More than one-third of people helped are children. In all, nearly a million people are turning to food banks in Canada each month. The number shot […]
Senate Internal Economy Committee rejects Government Senate Representative Harder’s $850,000 office budget request
Government Senate Representative Peter Harder made a request for an $850,000 budget to the Senate’s Internal Economy Budgets and Administration Committee last month, but last week was told that he would get only $400,000 chiefly because he does not have a Senate caucus to manage. In an emailed response to The Hill Times, Alberta Conservative […]
No one’s getting off the global economic roller-coaster anytime soon
OTTAWA—Let’s hope Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz will finally be relieved of his job as de facto finance minister. Ever since the worst of the global recession faded in 2010, the Harper Conservatives seemed content to largely pass the buck to Canada’s independent central bank to guide the economy’s rehab. While the Conservatives fixated […]
