Hot potatoes for the summer: some advice to busy electioneering MPs
Summertime/And the livin’ is easy/Fish are jumpin’/And the cotton is high./Oh yo’/daddy’s rich/An’ yo’ ma is good lookin’/So hush, little baby/Don’t you cry. Summertime is an old Gershwin favourite, which has been sung by many crooners including Céline Dion, with many wonderful and wistful arrangements. For MPs though, summertime doesn’t get to be that laid […]
We need a highly-skilled Canadian workforce to compete on the world stage
One of the key factors limiting economic growth in Canada is the increasing skills shortages in an increasing number of sectors and regions of the country. Governments have been concerned about this, as are opposition parties, but it doesn’t make the news or Question Period since there’s little controversy. Simply put, we have a rapidly-growing […]
Strange bedfellows: politics and ethnicity
Politics and ethnicity can be uncomfortable bedfellows sometimes, especially if politicians or parties are seen to be trying to gain advantage where ethnicity is even a partial factor. Yet the political system must engage communities and it is only natural that parties will attempt to appeal to ethnic sensitivities from time to time. L’affaire Shane […]
Goal of strong Canadian media companies and hands-off approach to regulation the way of the future
The very complexity of the work of the CRTC seems to ensure that there’s rarely a clear direction to go in. For example, towards less regulation, or, greater Canadian ownership. Competition in telephony: In early April, Industry Minister Maxime Bernier announced the government’s final decision to end the regulation of local phone service faced by […]
Top 10 issues to influence ethnic and racial minorities, recent immigrants in next election
Statistics Canada announced last week that our population is growing at a high rate, due in most part to immigration. Most of this immigration is to the cities. Other surveys show that immigrants obtain Canadian citizenship in high numbers soon after their three-year residency. In other words they become voters pretty soon–about a million new […]
Conservatives come full circle on multiculturalism, but its not new
Much is being made of the Conservative inroads with the ethnic vote in their attempt to get seats in the big cities and thus get a majority government. Part of the reason they are getting so much media play is that these efforts are seen to be out of character. It’s new. It’s different. But […]
New Communications PM’s right to appoint judge to CRTC
The Prime Minister’s pick of Conrad von Finckenstein to chair the CRTC is a good one as far as I can tell–a judge from the Federal Court of Canada. I have long held the view that the chair of the commission should be a judge and said so in my column in The Hill Times […]
Tommy Shoyama, legendary DM at Finance, could teach a few lessons on public service
He was “top of the line” said former Liberal prime minister John Turner, one of many friends of the legendary Tommy Shoyama who heaped praise on this former deputy minister of Finance. Shoyama, who had been ailing for some years, quietly and doggedly died shortly before Christmas at the age of 90. When I saw […]
Christmas is a must in any multicultural society
Most MPs have sent out cards wishing friends and acquaintances all the best for the season. But few say which season they are talking about. Increasingly, the “C” word is not mentioned. But Wal-Mart has decided to bring back Christmas! And it’s about time. Whoever decided that Christmas had to be down-played or given a […]
Federal Liberal leadership candidates on what they think of where the future of a multiculturalism policy should be
Diversity and multiculturalism are cornerstones of the Liberal Party of Canada and their policies in these areas are well developed, thorough and highly relevant. Right? Well, if you look to the leading contenders for the party’s leadership they seem to have decided not to turn over a new leaf. Responses to a questionnaire have not […]
