Rick Hillier’s double duty doesn’t pass the smell test
OTTAWA—From the outset, I wish to state that I have the utmost respect and admiration for retired General Rick Hillier. He is a natural leader; a charismatic public speaker and he earned the loyalty of those troops which he commanded. Hillier parlayed those attributes into a stellar military career, which culminated with him serving as […]
Get ready for a dose of vaccine populism
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Populist politician Donald Trump may no longer be in power, but that doesn’t mean populist tactics will suddenly become unfashionable. Like it or not, populism is to politics what fighting is to hockey—the two just naturally go together. Indeed, even the COVID vaccine rollout, currently in its initial stages, could very well trigger a […]
‘Dumbest thing I’ve seen’: Miller slams wealthy couple who flew to Yukon to skip vaccine queue
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller condemned the decision of a wealthy Vancouver couple who chartered a plane to Beaver Creek, Yukon, in January to get the Moderna vaccine, saying it left him “disgusted.” Mr. Miller (Ville-Marie-Le Sud-Ouest-Île-des-Sœurs, Que.), who spoke to reporters in a press conference Wednesday morning, said it was “idiotic” of them to […]
Payette resigns after report found toxic work environment at Rideau Hall
OTTAWA—To sack or not to sack, that is the question. Three current cases, two federal and one provincial, give us some insight into differing approaches to a firing offence. Conservative Member of Parliament Derek Sloan was tossed out by a majority vote of caucus, allegedly for accepting a donation from a white supremacist. His toxic […]
Carr’s cabinet post praised by Prairie stakeholders, but experts and MP wary of road ahead
After recovering from a blood cancer diagnosis that forced him out of cabinet after the 2019 election, Jim Carr is back in the new post as the special representative to the Prairies. The title is old—Mr. Carr has held it since the election—but the spot in cabinet is new. Prior to re-joining cabinet, Mr. Carr was […]
Consequential election on the Rock worth watching
OTTAWA—Canada is now in the midst of its fourth pandemic election. Following the lead of New Brunswick, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador voters will head to the polls on Saturday, Feb. 13. Newly minted Liberal Premier Dr. Andrew Furey, son of Senate Speaker George Furey, was required by provincial law to call an […]
As Ford declares second state of emergency, some federal Ontario MPs say situation at ‘critical point,’ looking for more clarity
Following Ontario’s second state of emergency declared last week since the pandemic began as a result of escalating COVID-19 numbers, a number of Ontario MPs are saying the pandemic has reached “a critical point” and are looking for more clarity from the provincial government around stay-at-home orders that will persist until well into February. The […]
First ministers’ meeting likely to hit on health transfers, vaccine rollout
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc are set to meet virtually with Canada’s premiers on Thursday, a gathering that the provinces have been clamouring for since September. Ottawa and the provinces appear to be at odds over the focus of the meeting. The premiers have been calling for a permanent 13 […]
Addressing high rates of assault in the North ‘daunting’ as Senators press feds to support shelters, address housing gaps
More than half of Canadians living in the territories have been victims of physical or sexual assault at least once since they were 15, a “daunting” reality that has northern Senators and advocacy groups redoubling requests for more shelters and housing as an essential safety net. In the territories, a little more than half of […]
Bill 101 applying federally? Time for some constitutional common sense
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—I miss Eugene Forsey. The late, great former senator was a source of incredible insight into the Constitution. And he was always accessible: as a political assistant or journalist, if I had a question on constitutional law, I would phone him up and he would settle things with a succinct answer. He was a […]
