Spending requests capture ‘direct supports’ for hotel quarantine users, says Hajdu, but not legal challenges

The federal government has not yet budgeted for any legal challenges related to its quarantine hotel policy, members of the House Health Committee heard Friday. In her testimony to the committee, Health Minister Patty Hajdu (Thunder Bay-Superior North, Ont.) confirmed under questioning from Conservative MP John Barlow (Foothills, Alta.) that Ottawa was not seeking approval […]
Should Canada follow Denmark’s lead and look to Israel to get more vaccines?

On March 4, Denmark’s Social Democratic Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen travelled to Israel on her own initiative to talk about COVID-19 vaccines with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She discussed options of buying Israeli surplus vaccines and possible Danish direct involvement in the production of more vaccines. As a travelling partner, she had the National-Conservative Austrian […]
India’s gesture of sending vaccine supplies to Canada suggests ‘long-range view’ of relations, despite irritants

India’s apparent acquiescence to strike a deal with Canada to send two million coronavirus vaccine doses amid heightened competition and demand for vaccine supplies could create an opening to broaden dialogue between the two nations, and may suggest India has a long view of the relationship, despite long-running irritants, say experts. “India has sort of […]
Cancer patients must not become collateral damage in fight against pandemic

COVID-19 has created a crisis for Canadian cancer patients, who have faced extraordinary uncertainty —beginning with surgery delays last March that impacted hundreds of thousands of people and cancelled up to 38 per cent of all cancer surgeries. If we are to minimize the now well-documented burdens of COVID-19 on cancer patients, governments must support […]
Canada’s health security depends on increased support for high-risk, high-reward scientific research

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fact that Canada lacks biopharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing capacity. At the same time, it has highlighted Canada’s strengths in biopharmaceutical innovation. A critical component of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine —and one of the first therapeutic antibodies to treat SARS-CoV-2 infected patients—were developed in Canada. Canada’s biomedical community can clearly […]
Alberta MP launches petition to ban use of the term ‘assault rifle’

Alberta Conservative MP David Yurdiga launched a petition March 3 seeking to stop use of the term “assault rifle” in the House of Commons when it comes to conversations about guns, calling it a scare tactic used to “demonize all guns,” reports Fort McMurray Today. The MP for Fort McMurray-Cold Lake, Alta., posted the petition to […]
Newfoundland and Labrador’s suspended animation continues, raising new questions

OTTAWA—As the self-appointed Hill Times correspondent for Newfoundland and Labrador, it is my duty to report to you that our provincial election is still going on. In fact, results will likely not be known until early to mid-April. Just a reminder it was called Jan. 15. Yes, Jan. 15, and was originally supposed to conclude […]
When will the world see Canada’s grounded top diplomat in person?

Three months into his new cabinet role as Canada’s top diplomat, Marc Garneau has yet to embark outside the Canadian border amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. International trips are a common practice for foreign affairs ministers as they build diplomatic links and strengthen Canada’s global standing. In place of foreign travel, Mr. Garneau (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount, Que.) […]
Not open to interpretation: virtual Parliament exacerbates pre-existing issues with vital service

Parliament’s shift to hybrid virtual proceedings as a result of COVID-19 has led to a spike in injuries for Hill interpreters, and in turn, has exposed and exacerbated pre-existing shortfalls with the “essential” service—shortfalls that MPs, industry advocates, and others are looking to address. “It [COVID] has certainly exacerbated the underlying issue of the challenges […]
Rising to the challenge of facing inequities in health research

At a time when humanity copes with a once in a century public health crisis, the theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021 carried a poignant resonance: “#ChooseToChallenge.” As IWD organizers describe it: “We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate […]