Agricultural priorities before and after COVID-19
Parliament is now suspended until at least April 20 in the wake of the recent COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe, as parliamentarians do their part in social distancing. With the support of all parties, a motion was moved in the House on Friday, March 13, which moved certain legislative measures ahead with great rapidity. Among […]
One incontrovertible fact about pandemic that’s both admirable and puzzling
HALIFAX—I am neither a scientist or a doctor, so I don’t really know if governments are saving us from COVID-19. If words were deeds, we would already be saved 10 times over. But there is one incontrovertible fact about the pandemic that is both admirable and puzzling. Let’s start with the admirable. The virus has […]
‘The instinct is to throw yourself at it with everything you’ve got’: Hill journos, bureau chiefs weigh in on covering COVID-19 pandemic
As the fallout from the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to derail business plans, investment portfolios and family planning across the country, Parliamentary Press Gallery reporters and Ottawa bureau chiefs are grappling with the challenge—and obligation—of keeping Canadians informed of lighting-speed developments, while at the same time ensuring they and those around them remain safe and […]
No more Hill parties, after coronavirus pandemic forces Parliament Hill to shut down
As COVID-19 cases continue to exponentially grow in Canada and around the world, possibly the only thing spreading faster is cabin fever. Ottawans are shut in because everything has shut down. Seemingly half the city has taken up running in an effort to stave off insanity. Thanks to these keen folk, Sparks Street has actually […]
Five key issues facing Canada’s agri-food industry
“Agriculture is a legacy industry.” “We need to feed nine billion people by 2050.” “Food security isn’t a production issue, it is a distribution problem.” “We need to invest in the industries of the future, not the past.” “Amazing industry, but I hope my kid doesn’t choose that as a career option.” What is your […]
Unprecedented virtual campaigning for Conservative leadership will mean end of candidacy for some
Some candidates for the Conservative Party leadership will be knocked out of the contest by the COVID-19 pandemic, unable to get the required 3,000 signatures and $300,000 by the March 25 deadline after being forced to campaign solely in virtual settings, said some of the contestants. “We’ll see what happens on March 25, but we […]
What the coronavirus shutdown might mean for Indigenous policy
OTTAWA—Anybody else waking up each morning, and dreading picking up your phone? What else has changed while we tried to sleep? COVID-19 is the defining challenge of our generation, and we’re only beginning to feel the effects. There will be health risks, economic loss, stock unpredictability, and the list goes on. As well, there will […]
This changes everything, for a while, at least
CHELSEA, QUE.—After the virus is gone—and it will go—will life, particularly political life, be any different? Will ideology, of any stripe, look like the clumsy, rigid tool that it is, wholly inappropriate for dealing with the mess of a real-life crisis? Will the shared sense of purpose, the empathy for those leading the response, hold—and […]
‘It’s incredibly dire here’: Alberta MPs navigating COVID-19 and oil crises
“I’m not really one to panic,” said Alberta MP Stephanie Kusie, speaking over the phone from her home, after closing her constituency office in Calgary Midnapore as the COVID-19 virus spreads across Canada. “I believe in preparation, but I don’t believe in panicking.” Still, the former Canadian diplomat-turned Conservative MP says she is taking a “day […]
‘Everybody’s scared’: Trudeau needs to cut red tape, give money directly to Canadians to stimulate economy, say political strategists
While economies around the world face the possibility of a depression as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals need to cut the bureaucratic red tape and start a basic income pilot program to give money directly to all Canadians for the duration of the crisis, say political strategists. “Everybody’s scared […]
