Huge Health Canada branch could be moved to new ministry, unions blindsided
Unions representing most of the employees in Health Canada’s Indigenous services branch have lambasted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government for announcing that the branch would be moved under the jurisdiction of a new minister and likely a new department without consulting them ahead of time. The branch makes up nearly three-quarters of Health Canada’s total […]
We can make business-First Nations partnerships work
In two important decisions this summer, Canada’s highest court provided long-awaited clarity on the Crown’s duty to consult on energy projects that affect the rights of Indigenous peoples. This clarity is welcome, but it may not last long as the discussion of Indigenous rights now continues in the political arena. Meanwhile, another conversation is developing […]
Quebec separatism isn’t dead
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—My neighbour here flies his Quebec fleur-de-lis flag proudly. There is a fresh blue flag on his immaculate, six-metre flag post every summer. Down the road at the Kamouraska cemetery, the member of the legislature from 1936 to 1952, René Chaloult is buried. There is a monument in front of the church praising his […]
Macdonald’s other legacy: francophone migration south
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—Whenever friends visit from elsewhere, I make sure to bring them to a small graveyard and chapel located about five kilometres outside of the current town of Kamouraska. A large sign identifies it as “Le Berceau de [The Cradle of] Kamouraska.” Between 1691 and 1792, this was the religious and political centre from Rivière […]
Inside the Indigenous Affairs split: ‘nobody is losing their job’ during transition, feds say
It will likely be a year before the government makes good on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pledge to split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada in two, and “nobody is losing their job” while the details are worked out, says a spokesperson for the department’s two ministers. Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett (Toronto-St. Paul’s, Ont.) […]
Twitterverse has something to say about Trudeau’s favourite beer
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is knee-deep in scandal after an interview he recently did with a U.S. website, and not just because he’s again granted access to foreign journalists while Canadian scribes settle for emailed talking points from his staffers. He’s featured in a video interview by Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin, founders of an […]
Quebec unimpressed with NDP
MONTREAL—The numbers are in and they don’t bode well for the NDP in Quebec, regardless of the outcome of the party’s upcoming leadership vote. The enthusiasm that attended the 2011 orange wave has given way to widespread voter indifference as well as internal discomfort within the province’s depleted NDP ranks. None of the four candidates […]
Atlantic boost on front bench noteworthy in shuffle aimed at getting action, say strategists
The creation of a new portfolio and the splitting of Indigenous and Northern Affairs were the big surprises out of the recent Liberal cabinet shuffle, but also of note was Atlantic Canada’s increased representation on the front bench, says Greg MacEachern, a senior vice-president at Environics Communications. “The Liberal Party in the last election, in […]
Opportunities missed in rural Canada without adequate investments
When you travel throughout Canada there is a certain expectation of safety. At our airports, you expect innovative navigational aids to be used for safe landings and you expect the runway to be paved and well lit. When travelling by land, you anticipate our roads, especially the Trans-Canada Highway, to be safe and well maintained. […]
O’Regan’s humility will get him far in Ottawa
OTTAWA—Justin Trudeau changed up parts of his cabinet this week, in response to Judy Foote’s departure and an apparent dissatisfaction with the state of the Indigenous Affairs Department. Having worked in that department in a previous life, it comes as no surprise that yet another prime minister finds the place backwards. However, one of the […]
