Ottawa should use its budget to promote equality, green transition
On April 19, the federal government will introduce its much-anticipated budget. Its first priorities are dealing with the pandemic and reviving the economy. But beyond this, its use of a projected budgetary stimulus of $70- to $100-billion should be directed at promoting a more equal and green post-pandemic economy—objectives the government itself embraces. Prime Minister […]
Trudeau says eight million more Pfizer shots to arrive starting May, as Moderna halves April deliveries
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday assured Canadians that Pfizer is offering “reliable” weekly deliveries as he unveiled ramped-up shipment rates starting May amid a concerning Moderna halt on half its deliveries as the country reckons with an escalating third wave. Canada has purchased an extra eight million doses from Pfizer to flow over the […]
Feds likely to be drawn into talks on standardizing use of vaccine passports, despite reticence to wade in
The Trudeau government may be intent on leaving it up to premiers to decide whether to implement systems for tracking proof of vaccination, but some experts say that’s easier said than done. The debate raging over the adoption of vaccine passports domestically as a means of encouraging people engage in pre-pandemic activities is fraught with […]
Feds target 90,000 temporary workers, international students for permanent residency this year
Beginning next month, the federal government says it will start accepting applications from temporary foreign workers and graduated international students to fill a targeted 90,000 permanent resident spots. Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino (Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.) unveiled the new program Wednesday, designed to support the feds’ goal of integrating 401,000 permanent residents into Canada this year, during […]
It’s time to deliver on infrastructure investments
Whether by commuting to work, connecting to the internet at home, or sending their children to school, Canadians rely on infrastructure built by Canada’s construction sector. Governments past and present have invested in multi-billion-dollar infrastructure programs, because they improve the lives of all Canadians and stimulate the economy. Investing in infrastructure creates immediate employment opportunities, […]
Protocol became ‘even more important’ in a world of virtual diplomacy, says Canada’s chief
In a post typically full of diplomatic meetings and state visits, Canada’s chief of protocol had to find out how to keep the world of protocol afloat. For Stewart Wheeler, his work went from one week celebrating a national day at an embassy with elbow bumps to having all state visits and international summits come […]
The ‘natural order of things’ is ruining it for the rest of us
OTTAWA—Who put white men in charge? Oh yes, patriarchy (by way of white supremacy). White men are screwing up and their responses to the pandemic are examples of how Canada’s socioeconomic, patriarchal framework ensures that white men end up in leadership positions without the requisite merit the rest of us are subject to. The illusion […]
Transit tripped up: the effect of COVID-19 and the future of public transit
COVID-19 has fundamentally changed lives across Canada. This change may be most pronounced in Canada’s major cities. Many of the things that make life in our cities so vibrant—great restaurants, entertainment, or going to the office to learn from great colleagues—have vanished. Post-pandemic, as more Canadians work from home, transit operators will face the challenge […]
Are Canadians ready for the more just, green future Freeland will frame in next week’s budget?
OTTAWA—No one would have wished the COVID-19 epidemic on any country, and Canadians have paid a heavy price, in terms of illness, lives lost, postponed opportunities, and many other sacrifices during the pandemic. But crises open the way for change, and it’s possible Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget next week will mark an opportunity to […]
Feds say too early to talk opening Canada-U.S. border, but experts push for plan
It’s time for the federal government to signal a future plan on how the Canada-U.S. border will reopen when public health conditions permit, say analysts. The border has been closed for nearly 13 months to non-essential travel with the government silent on any eventual reopening as the Canadian public mostly supports its continued closure. During […]
