Delayed start puts accountability on hold in 44th Parliament
When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his cabinet on Oct. 26, more than one month after the general election, it was clear that significant time and thought had gone into reconstituting his team. However, with Parliament not set to reconvene until Nov. 22, accountability and public participation in the budget process seem to be a […]
Guaranteed income supplement cuts for seniors reveal shortcomings in feds’ compassion commitment
One of the telling lessons from the coronavirus pandemic is that what governments do, or don’t do, carries far-reaching implications for the well-being of many in society. The most vulnerable—the elderly in long-term care, victims of opioid addiction, people who rely on mental health services, and Indigenous and racialized communities—were especially hard hit as a […]
Mission critical: key policy priorities for tough times and a minority Parliament
As Canada’s 44th Parliament prepares to kick off, it’s clear that policymakers will be tasked with addressing pressing challenges on multiple fronts—from the ongoing pandemic to the climate emergency, and deepening income inequality. Under a minority government, consensus building across the aisles of the House will be essential to ensuring the pandemic’s legacy is one […]
Budget 2021 is not up to the challenges we face
TORONTO—We need a new federal budget, this time one in which Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland clearly and candidly sets out the fundamental challenges facing the country and in which she also presents a clear plan on how to put Canada on the path to a more successful economy. Freeland’s first budget failed on both counts. […]
Feds need to better communicate ‘phase out’ of temporary programs, unsustainability of heightened government spending levels, say experts
With the 2021 election returning the Liberals to power in a minority government, one former Liberal finance minister says that after nearly two years of unprecedented supports, the federal government needs to eventually come to terms with projected spending levels that are not sustainable, and former clerk of the Privy Council Mel Cappe says although […]
Harper without a scowl: can O’Toole sell voters a package of Harper retreads?
OTTAWA—When Stephen Harper lost the election to Justin Trudeau and the Liberals on the night of Oct. 19, 2015, he left the stage of his campaign headquarters in Calgary without giving photographers a chance to catch him signalling his goodbye. No photo for the ages of Harper stepping down. But the Reformer who built the […]
Feed the children: Canada needs to sign on to Global School Meals Coalition
Internationally, school food programs are one of the most successful drivers of improved health, education, and economic growth, and yet Canada is the only G7 country, and one of the only countries in the highly industrialized Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) without a nationally harmonized school food program. Presently, all provincial/territorial governments, several […]
Charities are vital to Canada’s recovery, but time is running out
As leaders in Canada’s community services sector, we have been paying close attention to concerns about variants, slowing vaccination rates, and fourth waves because we know that Canada’s most vulnerable populations and the organizations that serve them continue to struggle—and there is a long road ahead. Through the pandemic, our frontline staff and volunteers have […]
Real estate nation: putting the economy at risk and disadvantaging a generation
OTTAWA—It’s been a decade since the commercial bank borrowing rates influenced by the Bank of Canada shifted permanently downward as the central bank adopted a policy that came to be known as “low for long.” Central bank officials holed up down the street from Parliament were forced to keep their trend-setting interest rate well below […]
More than $41.4-billion in spending goes without Commons committee review
Amid committee filibusters, six House committees and a joint House and Senate committee did not review main spending estimates under their purview before the deadline last month leading to $41.4-billion of federal expenditures not receiving parliamentary committee scrutiny. Main estimates, which totalled $342.19-billion for 2021-22, are the government’s spending plan for the fiscal year and […]
