Splendid isolation: survival tips for #workingfromhome
Having worked from home as an editor and columnist for years, I welcome to the club those who, due to the public health demands of the pandemic currently stalking humanity, suddenly find themselves telecommuting. Hereby, a list of helpful tips for adapting to a home office environment: 1. The glass half-full rule: For days when […]
Canada’s approach to suicide prevention is broken
The ceaseless beat of suicide and the tragedy it unleashes echo across Canada day after day. Every 24 hours, 11 Canadians take their own lives. Four thousand die by suicide, and another 100,000 attempt suicide every year. And here’s another shocker: If Nunavut were a country, it would have the highest rate of male suicide […]
A crisis defining leadership around the world
OTTAWA—Given U.S. President Donald Trump’s seemingly congenital inability to confront the potential size of the coronavirus catastrophe, it’s been left to U.S. governors and mayors to take decisive action in hopes of slowing the spread of the pandemic among Americans. Trump’s legacy will be defined by his confusing, uninformed, relentlessly clueless response to COVID-19. Unlike […]
Situation ‘changing hourly’ as feds, unions, public service contend with COVID-19 work-from-home confusion
With calls from the prime minister for Canadians to stay at home in the face of COVID-19, union leaders say they are aware of some concerns being raised by federal public servants regarding confusing messaging from some government departments around telework conditions, and that they’re raising issues with the Treasury Board as they come up. […]
Coronavirus hits home for the Hill
After returning to Canada following a cruise vacation, Assunta Gerretsen, the mother of Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen, tested positive for COVID-19. Ms. Gerretsen returned to Canada last week. She and her husband, John Gerretsen, a former Ontario MPP and Kingston mayor, were subsequently quarantined at CFB Trenton after disembarking on March 9 from the Grand […]
‘Together we will beat this’: MPs urge care and calm for those most at-risk with COVID-19
For the Canadians at the greatest risk amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, Parliamentarians who have been immunocompromised once before have pragmatic words of encouragement: trust the science, listen to health professionals, try to be positive, and be very, very careful. Though none of the four cancer survivors who spoke with The Hill Times felt they were […]
Feds, provinces should speak with one voice on COVID-19
It’s time for the federation to work together. As efforts to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, ramp up, the disparate approaches taken by various provinces and territories have potential to sow confusion. On March 15, Quebec Premier François Legault announced the closure of bars, clubs, concert halls, and a plethora of recreational […]
Parliamentary precinct remains open, as some services wind down
Some services on the Hill have been temporarily halted after Parliament’s suspension last week in response to the coronavirus pandemic, while all buildings in the parliamentary precinct remain open. House administration staff circulated a notice to MPs on Tuesday, notifying them of impacted services, including the temporary closure of cafeterias on the Hill and the […]
House to be recalled next week to pass relief measures amid Covid-19 pandemic, says NDP whip
OTTAWA—House leaders are holding a meeting via teleconference on March 18 to hammer out the details to recall Parliament in order to pass legislative measures to address the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, says the NDP’s whip. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) told reporters on March 17 that Parliament will be recalled briefly for […]
Conservative MP Gladu says party is ‘tone deaf’ for refusing to extend race deadline as Canadians grapple with coronavirus fallout
Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu who is running for the party’s top job says her party is being “tone deaf” to the impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on Canadians and its effects on the leadership race, saying its refusal to make any changes to the looming deadline means only “three white” men and no women […]
