Old and new priorities compete for space in Liberals’ fall agenda
The governing Liberals will have plenty on their plate when business gets underway in the House of Commons following the Sept. 23 Throne Speech. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) called a mid-term prorogation of Parliament in August, the first time since he had done so since he took office. The prorogation wiped away committee […]
Politics & the Pen goes virtual for 20th anniversary of Shaughnessy Cohen Prize
Celebration is tricky in isolation. Logistics aside, when the isolation is imposed because of a rampant virus that has killed thousands, celebrating anything might come across as crass. Life, however, does not wholly stop during a pandemic. Milestones happen and deserve to be marked with a celebration. The strictures to which daily life must now […]
Empowering Canada’s world-class, innovative ports to help spur a strong, sustainable economic recovery
If you started your day with a coffee, turned on your computer to check your emails before joining your first Zoom meeting, or made a call on your mobile phone today, you can thank a Canada Port Authority for helping to make your day a little easier. And lately, Canada’s Port Authorities have also played […]
Trudeau’s future is tied to the pandemic
HALIFAX—Orcas, they say, are attacking boats in the waters off Spain and Portugal. Justin Trudeau will soon know exactly how those mariners feel. As Canada’s decaffeinated democracy slouches back into action, the prime minister himself will be personally rammed from all sides. Freshly-minted Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole has already blundered into the COVID-19 saga, slamming […]
The last million jobs: the staggering task of getting Canadians fully back to work
At the peak of Canada’s lockdown, we lost more than three million jobs. Millions more were working reduced hours as businesses on main streets across the country closed, some temporarily and many for good. With COVID case numbers resurgincug and our economy facing a bleak fall, Canada needs a recovery plan that both protects the […]
A green and just recovery would benefit all Canadians
Earlier this month, Prime Minister JustinTrudeau indicated that he would unveil an ambitious green spending plan in the Speech from the Throne on Sept. 23. But by mid-month, the Liberals had started backtracking on this messaging. A $100-billion proposal was reportedly shelved out of concern that the government might be viewed as “hijacking” or “taking […]
Canada can’t hide behind NATO in refusal to sign treaty on nuclear weapons prohibition
EDMONTON—Lloyd Axworthy, Jean-Jacques Blais, Jean Chrétien, Bill Graham, John McCallum, John Manley, and John Turner. These seven names hardly need an introduction to readers of The Hill Times, and certainly not to the Government of Canada. Two of them are former prime ministers, three are former foreign ministers, and two are former defence ministers, who […]
Recovery measures for ‘national safety net’ should be in place before any talk of election, says Singh
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his parliamentary colleagues should secure and pass recovery supports for Canadians as the federal government transitions people off the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit and onto Employment Insurance, before considering holding an election. Speaking to reporters Friday morning, Mr. Singh (Burnaby South, B.C.) said his party’s “goal” is not to send […]
How the pandemic has driven us to up our game in research and teaching
Tragedy, suffering, and uncertainty have trailed in the wake of COVID-19, bringing social and economic turmoil, and hurting people everywhere. The pandemic is a grand challenge that threatens our safety and our very existence. This challenge is also a unique opportunity for universities to lead and innovate in ways that will benefit humankind well beyond […]
COVID-19 and the future of Canadian universities
COVID-19 sparked a global crisis in post-secondary education that has remained seriously under-appreciated. In the United States, tuition-dependent private colleges are in dire financial straits; several recently closed permanently, and more mergers and bankruptcies seem sure to follow. The decline in international enrolments has caused enormous financial damage in Australia, with widespread layoffs and serious budget […]
