Military embeds with PHAC to set up ‘hub’ to guide distribution of COVID-19 vaccine
Canada’s military is embedding with public health officials in preparation for its role in eventually distributing COVID-19 vaccines, once they have been approved. In a hearing before the House National Defence Committee on Monday, Maj. Gen. Trevor Cadieu, a defence official, said Canadian Armed Forces members are “operating” out of the Public Health Agency of […]
Mexico calls on Canada to maintain new measures protecting migrant workers
The continuation and evolution of measures brought in to improve safety for Mexican workers in Canada after three deaths and multiple COVID-19 outbreaks is the top priority for this week’s talks between the two countries, says a Mexican diplomat in Canada. Held every year in person, this year’s week-long virtual binational Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program […]
Mixed reviews for government’s transportation sector response, with hardest work ahead
Stakeholders, experts, and Parliamentarians are split on how effective Transport Minister Marc Garneau and his department have been at managing the diverse set of issues that have plagued the sector since the onset of the pandemic. Some stakeholders praised the minister and the department for collaboration, and moving fast to implement, or relax, certain regulations […]
‘A national emergency requires a coordinated, national plan’: politicos, pollsters, top docs increase calls for coordinated federal-provincial-municipal response to COVID-19
Six weeks out from the holiday season and following the worst week of the ‘second wave’ of COVID-19 in Canada that’s seen skyrocketing new case numbers in many provinces across the country, the NDP’s health critic Don Davies says what the country needs right now is “clear, coherent and consistent messaging” around preparing Canadians for […]
Canada’s aviation sector needs a plan
Canada’s aviation sector has been on the front lines of this pandemic since the very beginning. With the effects of the virus still very much unknown, airline workers stepped up to the challenge and focused on repatriating Canadians from abroad and delivering PPE. If the planes were not carrying the 10,673 Canadians home from abroad, […]
Canada is slowly rolling towards low-carbon transport
Last year, the federal government recognized climate change as an “emergency,” yet one doesn’t get much of a sense of urgency when reviewing the government’s efforts to curtail greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector. While every other sector of Canada’s economy has seen emissions reductions since 2005, emissions from transport have grown substantially […]
Senate lobbying dips amid pandemic, but lobbyists say it’s a temporary blip
After an explosive uptick in lobbying at the Senate level during the last Parliament, advocacy has started to trend downward, a temporary blip, say lobbyists, with the pandemic diverting the two Chambers’ focus away from policy issues unrelated to the new coronavirus. Since January, the Senate has racked up some 468 communication reports, compared to […]
Feds may face tough choices if record spikes in new infections continue, says Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a stern warning to premiers on Friday, saying the government could be forced to make tough decisions about where to deploy its “limited resources” if it’s unable to rein in the “really troubling surges” in parts of the country. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) said his […]
Reform necessary to rein in incumbent telecom companies’ foot-dragging
There’s little doubt that telecommunications is an essential service. The pandemic has really underscored just how vital affordable, high-quality connectivity is. Is the Canadian communications sector delivering on that? Are Canadians getting the services, speeds, packages, and pricing they want and need? Are they being treated fairly? They should be. It’s the law. Yet even […]
Connecting work to education should be priority beyond pandemic
COVID-19 has disrupted labour markets unlike anything since the Great Depression. Young people have been especially hard hit by the economic slowdown, with school closures and a transition to remote learning. Youth were also among the hardest hit when employers reduced operations. One of the biggest disruptions has been a transition to remote work. Remote […]
