Northern Tour return sign of an engaged government, say diplomats
A popular government-subsidized tour of northern Canada for diplomatic heads of missions is back this year after a hiatus of a few years. The group is set to depart on Sunday for a week-long trip that run to June 6. John Babcock, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, wrote in an emailed response to questions on […]
Reports to UN show extent Canada could miss greenhouse gas targets
Recent reports Canada submitted to the United Nations show the extent by which Canada could miss targets on greenhouse gas emissions reductions. A Canadian report Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna (Ottawa Centre, Ont.) submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change last February was the second in a series of biennial reports the UN agency […]
Liberals use consultation as cover for promise-breaking
When Public Services Minister Judy Foote appeared to be reneging recently on a Liberal campaign promise to restore home mail delivery services, it’s notable that she leaned on consultations as cover. “In light of the commitment that was made, we’ve heard from Canadians that maybe that’s not the way to go,” Foote told reporters. Now that […]
Resolute Bay should be a major government Arctic security hub
A number of years ago, I recommended that Resolute Bay be developed as a major government Arctic security hub. A number of recent events make it timely to revisit this recommendation. Global warming has continued to make the waters of the Arctic Archipelago more accessible to maritime traffic. Data from the National Snow and Ice […]
Fort Mac rebuild a ‘long term’ effort, outpouring of support ‘overwhelming’: Alberta MPs
As residents anxiously await news of when they can return home, Alberta MPs are stressing that work to rebuild Fort McMurray, will be a “long-term” effort, but say they’ve been impressed by the “overwhelming” response of Albertans and other Canadians in lending a hand to the more than 80,000 evacuees. “We have to rebuild, we […]
Politics this morning: Trudeau heads to the Alberta fire frontline
It’s Friday, May 13. Aside from the predictable Friday the 13th superstition chatter, and Justin Bieber parading around town, here’s what people will be talking about today: Sophie Grégoire Trudeau stirred up a cloud of public criticism bordering on ridicule, after publicly stating on Wednesday that she was feeling overwhelmed by the workload that comes […]
MP Saganash pushes Liberals to support his indigenous rights bill, says no need for more consultation
NDP Member of Parliament Romeo Saganash hoped that when Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould went to the United Nations earlier this week to announce Canada’s plan to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that they would have supported his call for a legislative framework […]
Politics this morning: Paul Martin portrait to be unveiled
Good morning, It’s Wednesday, May 11. Here’s 10 must-know topics to start your day. Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would be travelling to Fort McMurray on Friday. He came under heavy fire for declining international offers of assistance from countries such as Russia, Mexico, Israel, and the U.S. to help fight the […]
Canadian Arctic territorial claim dependent on inclusivity and collaboration with Inuit
Canada’s claim to its extended Arctic continental shelf can only be legitimized through an inclusive and collaborative engagement with circumpolar Inuit peoples. This was the sentiment that grounded panellists’ comments on Inuit and Canadian Arctic territorial claims at the Senate Liberals’ Open Caucus on Wednesday. Rapid ice melting in the Arctic has resulted in a […]
Trudeau sets himself a high bar on promises to First Nations
OTTAWA—Perhaps it was the impatience of youth. More likely, it was the impatience of a First Nations generation meeting a prime minister who has raised expectations sky high. When Justin Trudeau visited Saskatoon’s Oskayak High School last week, he got his share of selfies and delighted squeals, but he got something else—tough questions from First […]
