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 […]
Hydrogen key to breaking Alberta’s energy logjam
Hydrogen is an important next energy step for Alberta and the province already has everything it needs to get there—it’s another way to get long-term value out of Alberta’s resources. In the new global clean energy economy transformation taking place, hydrogen is a key player and an enormous opportunity for Canada—it also provides a potential […]
In a COVID election, all bets are off now
Three elections and three majority governments sent the message that a government managing COVID-19 is rewarded by the voters. That was the general school of thought when Newfoundland and Labrador called its COVID election. But the arrival of the variant crisis has changed all that. The Newfoundland and Labrador government was forced to call an […]
Liberals have a strong story to sell, but weak delivery—starting at the top
CHELSEA, QUE.—Fabulous news last week, from Statistics Canada of all places: national household income increased over the course of the last pandemic-ridden year, with largest gains going to the lowest income earners and the young. And, this happy outcome is largely due to generous and prompt federal relief programs like CERB (Canada Emergency Relief Benefit), […]
Provinces should knock off the Oliver Twist act when it comes to health care
Provincial premiers have united to play the part of victims of a malignant federal partner as they appeal through the press for a bigger annual health transfer. “If the federal [government] doesn’t increase the transfer, there’s a risk provinces and territories won’t be able to pay for all the services their populations need. At the […]
NACI’s call to prioritize at-risk racialized Canadians reflects ‘deliberate attempt’ to recognize inequities, says expert
The feds’ immunization task force’s recent recommendation to prioritize racialized adults in the second stage of Canada’s vaccination campaign is a “deliberate attempt” to acknowledge the barriers faced by those disproportionately affected by the pandemic, but it will need to be adopted on a wide scale to be effective, says one expert. Carl James, a […]
The fight about academic freedom in Canada is whitewashed
OTTAWA—Quebec Premier François Legault used social media on Facebook last week to share his belief that “a handful of radical activists who are trying to censor certain words and works” are the problem, in reference to the recent use of the N-word by university professors in Ottawa and Montreal and those tyrannical students. It’s ironic when […]
Get on with it: Senate cuts a year off feds’ deadline for new oil rig regs
The Senate has chopped in half an extension the government proposed to give itself for making permanent health and safety regulations for offshore oil and gas platforms. Senators and oil industry executives have expressed concern about the government’s failure to meet its latest deadline to enact those regulations. Senators from multiple groups in the Upper […]
Collaborative effort needed to bridge the digital divide
Many Canadians in remote northern communities cannot depend on the internet for essential tasks for school or work, or for leisure activities like entertainment or social media. There is, in short, a deep digital divide between remote communities and the rest of the country. Historically, internet service providers (ISPs) have been the primary stakeholders tasked […]
N.L. election chaos a case study in COVID campaigning
OTTAWA—Even for Newfoundland and Labrador, a place with a colourful and controversial political history, the latest electoral plot twist enters Twilight Zone levels. You see, by now, the provincial election was supposed to be done, and the winner, likely incumbent Premier Dr. Andrew Furey, was going to go about the mundane business of governing. But […]
