Lobbyists eye ‘high stakes’ throne speech as opportunity for client interests in Liberal reset
The throne speech is a “high stakes” government relations opportunity for businesses and groups to get their interests on the agenda, say public affairs pros, as the Liberals offer what many are calling a reset and the first explicit outline of a pandemic recovery plan. How an organization or business positions itself and tells its […]
So you’ve won the Conservative Party leadership race—now what?
OTTAWA—Erin O’Toole, the determined underdog, is now the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. He soundly defeated the originally heavily favoured Peter MacKay on the third ballot. O’Toole was successful by developing a plan that focused on him becoming the top second- or third-choice candidate of the field. His team seemed to realize, before […]
Parties yet to discuss throne speech, confidence vote plan as pandemic puts wrench in usual pomp and circumstance
With less than a month until the Liberals put forward a new plan for governance, the parties have yet to deliberate on how a confidence vote on that plan can occur in the midst of a pandemic. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) stated his intention to have a vote on the throne speech when […]
Refugee access to health care during COVID-19 should not be an afterthought
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and spread across the world, so will its disproportionate impact on refugees. With the majority of refugees coming from Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan, and Myanmar, they are among the world’s most vulnerable populations and are facing unimaginable hardships and barriers to keep safe from the coronavirus. […]
Contact-tracing app just ‘one layer’ of COVID response, says top doc, as Quebec shelves plans for rollout
Canadian health officials say the feds’ COVID-19 alert app is just one measure in Ottawa’s toolbox for fighting the pandemic, as the Quebec government opts to tell its residents not to download that app, at least for now. Speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, Canada’s deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo said it’s “encouraging” […]
Black Caucus still waiting for government action on racial justice
As the end of summer approaches, members of the Black Parliamentary Caucus say they are still waiting to see how the government will act on their call for racial justice reforms, released in June after protests against anti-Black racism swept the world following the killing of African-American George Floyd by a police officer in Minnesota […]
Carney’s informal advisory role on recovery could pose ‘unusual’ dynamic, but some say it’s ‘complementary’ match with Freeland
Chrystia Freeland’s elevation to the plum post of finance minister while Mark Carney is advising the government on the pandemic recovery has created an “unusual” dynamic in the political centre, says one Liberal MP, but he joined others in saying the former Bank of Canada governor would complement Ms. Freeland’s strengths. Ms. Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.) […]
Contact-tracing app faces big technological problems in urban environments, studies say
A pair of research studies from June suggest there could be serious flaws in the COVID-19 exposure notification app promoted by Canada’s federal government. COVID Alert has been out for nearly one month and has been downloaded by some two million Canadians, according to a spokesperson for the Canadian Digital Service. The app, which is based […]
Directive for prosecutors to apply leniency for some drug-possession cases gets nod from Canada’s top doc
Canada’s chief public health officer is voicing her support for a directive that federal prosecutors are following to prosecute only the most serious cases involving drug possession amid a spike in the number of deaths by overdose. “We know that you cannot arrest your way out of an opioid crisis. It is escalating as we […]
Reimagining Canada: ideas for a bold throne speech
OTTAWA—So, the architect of the myriad bold but essential COVID-related programs has resigned, and we have a new finance minister. Where the outgoing minister Bill Morneau designed most of the seventy-five measures (with some cajoling from the Prime Minister’s Office we are told), his successor Chrystia Freeland will have the job of deciding which ones […]
