Assisted dying review has cross-party support, but no deal yet on timing
An all-party deal to strike an overdue study of Canada’s assisted dying law is likely on the way, says NDP MP Randall Garrison, as MPs on the House Justice Committee prepare to dig into the government’s more narrow bill to bring that law into compliance with an order from Quebec’s Superior Court, labelled C-7. Mr. […]
Is the opposition deliberately trying to alienate voters?
CHELSEA, QUE.—Is there anyone less attractive than that guy, hands in his pockets, watching a building burn to the ground while shouting non-stop criticisms of the sweating fire-fighters? Wrong hose! Should have gone in the back door! Why didn’t you buy taller ladders? The federal Conservatives are turning into that guy. Having failed to pry […]
Trudeau government says prorogation bought time to ‘build a robust’ response to pandemic, in new report
The Trudeau government rehashed its justifications for proroguing Parliament in a new report, saying it was “imperative” the House vote on its plan and that the weeks off bought it time to “build a robust” approach to addressing the pandemic’s challenges. In a 37-page report tabled with the House Affairs Committee on Thursday, the government […]
Canada in a ‘civic moment,’ says Samara researcher, urging consideration of citizen assemblies in bid to ‘build back better’
As the Trudeau government promises to “build back better” from a global pandemic that has disrupted nearly all aspects of public life, it’s time to consider setting up citizen assemblies to help it go beyond “thought leadership,” says one researcher. Mike Morden, interim executive director of the Samara Centre for Democracy, pointed to a new […]
The opioid crisis: let’s learn from the success of cannabis legalization
Two years after its legalization in Canada, cannabis is moving from plant pariah to public policy precedent. Legalization is working. The early data from Statistics Canada shows a significant drop in users between the ages of 15 and 18. Quebec is now following the science by tightening its rules and prohibiting cannabis consumption by anyone […]
Questions that need answers: research needs to keep pace with escalating cannabis issues
As a seasoned researcher in the field of cannabis and cannabinoid pharmacology, there are a few key areas where the current lack of information and knowledge gaps raise concerns. Some of these gaps in knowledge have been the topic of research for decades, while others have emerged much more recently. The changing and evolving landscape […]
The Canadian airline industry deserves to be supported now
Earlier this month, unions representing Canadian airline workers called on the federal government to provide $7-billion in aid to the hard-hit aviation sector. The plan has the support of the National Airlines Council of Canada, which represents the country’s largest carriers. Now normally, government aid to specific companies or industries is not something the Montreal […]
The Bank of Canada needs a jobs mandate
The Bank of Canada was recently cast into the political fray by Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre calling it “an ATM for [Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau’s insatiable spending appetites.” In fact, the central bank is right to buy up government bonds to stabilize our economy and save jobs, but needs a more credible mandate that […]
Pace of virtual inspections on migrant worker conditions a concern, say critics, with half completed this summer
By the end of the summer, the government had only inspected half of employers who hired migrant workers despite launching remote inspections in April and returning to in-person site visits for “egregious” cases in late August, according to documents tabled in the Senate. Between April 24 and August 21, Service Canada completed 1,118 of the […]
‘The kids are alright’: reflections on two years of legal cannabis in Canada
“Reefer madness” has not overtaken Canada. Two years into the legal regime of cannabis and statistics indicate that marijuana use has not skyrocketed. Nationally, cannabis use amongst Canadians 15 years and older increased by two per cent (between 2018 and 2019), with six provinces reporting no change in the percentage of users. Similarly, six per […]
