Bail out people and communities, not oil companies
In this time of uncertainty, governments must step in to protect the people who will suffer most, both directly and indirectly. By thoughtfully targeting this response, we also have the opportunity to come out of this public health crisis set up for a better future. In the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, Alberta’s […]
Saving the old amid the pandemic
LONDON, U.K.—The basic choice all along with COVID-19 has been: do we let the old die, or do we take a big hit economically? So far, the decision almost everywhere has been to take the hit and save the old (or most of them), but in some places it has been a very near-run thing. […]
Trudeau outlines expansive criteria for 75 per cent wage subsidy to cover businesses, charities hit hard amid pandemic
Businesses that have lost at least 30 per cent of their revenue because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic can apply for the feds’ wage subsidy to recoup up to 75 per cent of their employees’ salaries, says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) on Monday outlined further details on the government’s 75 per […]
We’ll need a national strategy for the next phase of our COVID-19 response, writes Vancouver reader
First, I would like to thank all our political and public health leaders for the great leadership they have shown through the COVID-19 crisis so far. Canadians have been well-served by their political and public health leaders; and, as a result, we have fared better than many other nations during the pandemic. I have full […]
Government should be careful in using cellphone data to track COVID-19, advocates say
Privacy experts and the Conservatives are warning the federal government that if it follows the lead of other countries and begins using cellphone location data to track the spread of COVID-19, it should do so under strict limits and safeguards for Canadians’ privacy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) said on March 24 the federal […]
What role for Canadian intelligence during the COVID-19 crisis?
OTTAWA—We see our intelligence sector as there to protect us from threats like terrorism and foreign espionage—what about pandemics? I don’t know where most Canadians get their impressions on intelligence from but I can guess. Bond, James Bond. Jason Bourne. Homeland. All fictional sources. The underlying problem is that those who work in intelligence are […]
Budget 2020, election promises in question amid COVID-19 global pandemic crisis, say McKay, Delacourt
The COVID-19 crisis will derail the government’s legislative agenda for the 43rd Parliament, says veteran Liberal MP John McKay, and may spike the government’s 2020 budget entirely, says Liberal-connected lobbyist John Delacourt. After narrowly winning a second mandate last fall, the Liberal government’s medium- and long-term plans for the 43rd Parliament have been put in […]
Catherine McKenna offers virtual civics lesson for furloughed students
With Ontario’s children stuck at home following the provincial government’s school closures to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna decided to sub in. Ms. McKenna hosted a 45-minute civics lesson on Facebook live last week. “I thought I would try do something different, which is, talk about being a Member of […]
COVID-19 crisis bringing out the best in government and opposition
For perhaps the first time in recent memory, Canada’s political leaders are preoccupied first and foremost with leading. From Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to rank-and-file MPs, federal politicians have responded to the unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic crisis by doing their best to steer the public in the right direction, and act with the big picture […]
COVID-19 can’t end parliamentary scrutiny, say experts
With a unprecedented crisis, Canada could see an unprecedented Parliament. But despite the crisis, there still remains a place for Parliamentarians to scrutinize the government, experts say. Carleton University professor Philippe Lagassé, an expert on decision-making in the Westminster parliamentary system, said the role of Parliament is laid out in the Emergencies Act. The act […]
