Forget the deficit doomsters, the IMF’s got it right
TORONTO—With a projected federal budget deficit in the range of $350-billion in the current fiscal year, there are understandable worries over whether we are pushing ourselves over a fiscal cliff. While that is always a risk, the evidence suggests the answer is “no,” so long as we make sure that we are careful in how […]
‘Much more gets accomplished when hyper-partisanship is taken out of politics’: MPs, experts, politicos weigh in on leadership during global pandemic’s second wave
With the ‘second wave’ of the COVID-19 pandemic confronting the highest levels of leadership in both politics and in the health community, as confirmed cases continue to increase in jurisdictions across Canada, both MPs and experts say that “this is the time when we need to work for the health and safety of every Canadian,” […]
Assisted-dying parliamentary review still up in air as Justice Committee stares down ‘logjam’
A mandated review of Canada’s assisted-dying law is still up in the air four months after it was supposed to begin, with opposition MPs and the government pointing fingers at each other and saying it falls on the other party to initiate such a review. Conservative MP Michael Cooper (St. Albert-Edmonton, Alta.), a member of […]
NDP’s openness to backing Liberals for full mandate likely won’t be reciprocated, say politicos
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s openness to supporting the Liberal government over the course of its mandate will likely not be reciprocated in the long term, say strategists, arguing that, when certain conditions are in alignment, the Liberals may be the ones to orchestrate the demise of the minority Parliament. The government has survived two tests […]
New COVID-relief programs could cost upwards of $14.6-billion, says PBO
A four-week extension of the now-defunct Canada Emergency Response Benefit could cost Ottawa an additional $5.36-billion this year, according to a new analysis from Canada’s budget watchdog, while new measures approved by Parliamentarians last week could cost more than $14.6-billion. The Parliamentary Budget Officer shared four costing notes Wednesday: three assessing the cost of the […]
Pandemic throws line-by-line approval of billions of dollars in spending off course
Billions of dollars in spending to keep government operations going have yet to be formally approved by the House after the pandemic forced MPs to defer scrutiny to December, throwing off the usual course of parliamentary business. This year’s main estimates, setting out $304.6-billion in federal spending, were first introduced in February but were never […]
Everyone has different ideas for Lebanon’s future. Trudeau’s UNGA speech hints at potential for Canada to lead the way
A bolder foreign policy of shared goals among “smaller powers” appears to be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s vision, based on his recent speech to the UN General Assembly, where he called for such countries to use their “shared power” in the name of a “shared future.” “Instead of crossing our fingers and hoping that the […]
Senate leaders expect quick vote on introducing hybrid sittings when Red Chamber returns
When the Red Chamber returns Oct. 27, the government’s representative in the Senate promised swift action to finalize hybrid sittings, but did not commit to a date when they’d be up and running. On Oct. 2, more than a week after the House returned and unanimously approved hybrid sittings, Senator Marc Gold gave notice of […]
Liberal MP Fragiskatos tops first-quarter spending thanks to pandemic ad blitz
An ad blitz to amplify the government’s efforts to help Canadians struggling amid the pandemic vaulted Liberal MP Peter Fragiskatos to the top of the list as the House of Commons’ biggest spender in the first fiscal quarter. Mr. Fragiskatos said he paid for a series of billboards to run across his riding of London […]
Trudeau’s government needs to take control of the rapid COVID-19 test debate
Perhaps it was the release of Bob Woodward’s book on U.S. President Donald Trump, Rage, and its detailed telling of the story of when Trump was warned of the seriousness of the coronavirus. Or maybe it was the beginning of long lines of those awaiting tests and then the results, that brought into question the […]
