Politics This Morning: Trouble in O’Toole town
Good Thursday morning. The Conservative Party is meeting for the first day of their two-day retreat, and Leader ERIN O’TOOLE likely has reason to be nervous. Former Alberta MP JAMES CUMMING, who lost his Edmonton Centre seat in the 2021 campaign, is set to present the findings from his review of the party’s election loss to […]
COVID’s very real demands taking a toll on purveyors of populist flimflam
OTTAWA—Boris Johnson’s troubles have ballooned to the point of creating a moment of truth for the British prime minister. By the weekend, his ability to hang onto his job was dangling in the balance, as Johnson tried to fend off attacks on his integrity from across the political spectrum. One of the most successful politicians […]
Back in business: House Committees primed to play catch up with busy agendas
From grilling the head of Air Canada to embarking on pre-budget consultations to exploring the ethics of facial recognition technology, many House Committees will hit the ground running when Parliament returns at the end of the month. Committee work was disrupted during the previous Parliament, with many sitting dormant for six months starting in mid-March […]
Big issues at play as the parliamentary games begin
OTTAWA—Parliament returns on Jan. 31 for what could prove to be an eventful sitting. As we all work to slog through winter, our federal legislative Chamber will be focused on the pandemic, inflation, and, in these early days, potential war in Ukraine. Fascinating subplots will also be in Justin Trudeau’s flourishing “will he or won’t […]
Address ‘badly funded’ WHO, build robust international institutions to tackle health and climate change, urges former PM Martin
Former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin on Tuesday called for stable, long-term funding for the World Health Organization and a greater role for health and environment ministers on the global stage, as part of a more collaborative approach to dealing with the two greatest threats facing humanity. That approach should follow the model set by […]
‘I can feel the level of anxiety in people’s voices’: Zoom fatigue, stressed-out constituents and threats, the lives of parliamentarians through the pandemic
Parliamentarians across Canada say they’ve experienced rising threats to their personal safety and increased difficulty connecting with their constituents during the pandemic. Liberal Member of Parliament Francis Drouin (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, Ont.) said he admits he is tired of virtual work, but his own frustration pales in comparison to what he’s experienced from others who have reached a […]
Liberal leadership speculation a distraction, Trudeau should shut it down firmly, say Liberal MPs, political insiders, and pollsters
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is definitely planning to lead his party in the next election, he should put an end to the speculation about the leadership election, or it could become a serious distraction for the government at a time when the country is dealing with the serious health and economic challenges of COVID, […]
Bilateral spats need to be addressed, but outgoing South African envoy says Canadian ties still ‘strong’
Despite an ongoing “hurdle” brought on by Canada’s travel ban, the departing South African envoy said Canada-South African ties remain “strong” with their roots in Canada’s anti-apartheid advocacy. South African High Commissioner Sibongiseni Dlamini-Mntambo, who started her post in May 2017, said looking back on her time in Ottawa she was able to achieve “a […]
‘We should respect each other’: South Africa says notification not given before travel ban imposed
It’s not just the decision to implement a controversial travel ban on southern African nations, which since has been revoked, but the way in which Canada went about announcing the plan, that irked South Africa’s envoy in Ottawa. Outgoing South African High Commissioner Sibongiseni Dlamini-Mntambo said she learned that Ottawa was imposing the ban not […]
Anti-vaxxers are doing no one any good
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—A friend of mine recently posted the following note on Facebook: “I phoned my cousin on Boxing Day to wish her a belated Merry Christmas. The exhausted voice at the other end of the line politely accepted my pitiful attempt at good cheer. As a Quebec public health nurse, she had been working straight […]
