Yan Plante back among Conservative staff on the Hill
Yan Plante is back on Parliament Hill and has joined Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer as a special adviser in the official opposition leader’s office (OLO). A veteran Hill staffer, Mr. Plante previously worked under Stephen Harper’s Conservative government and his past roles include serving as a special assistant to then-labour minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, and later […]
Let’s not fear the unknown
When I was young, my next-door neighbour’s dad was an inventor and I thought that was simply sublime—mostly because he bought a swimming pool with the profits from a patent. On hot summer days, I used to tug on my braids and imagine gadgets that might possibly meet with similar success in order to bring […]
University & College Research
Québec Solidaire vote may be more than a sign of youthful rebellion
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—The young woman who serves me my croissants and brioches at the local bakery surprised me today when she revealed she has an accounting degree from Université de Montréal and used to work for a heavy-equipment company. When the bakery closes for the season, she will do the books for the restaurant next door. […]
The future of work in a warming world
Extreme weather may be the topic on everyone’s lips, especially in the aftermath of Ottawa’s recent tornados, but the silence about the future of work in a warming world is deafening. The consequences of global warming will shake up the nature of work and the availability of employment for people in every country. In an […]
Work-life balance tough in 24-hour news cycle, but there’s help for Parliamentarians to cope
PARLIAMENT HILL—As Speaker of Canada’s Upper Chamber, I am expected to preside over matters impartially. However, there are some issues that transcend partisanship and party lines. One is the mental health of Parliamentarians and employees. More and more, Parliamentarians are speaking openly and candidly about their personal struggles with mental illness. In sharing such intimate […]
Too many are still suffering in silence on the Hill. This has to change
PARLIAMENT HILL—They come to Parliament Hill, the best and brightest people, eager to watch from a front‑row seat as history is being made. They are the thousands of political staffers who work here—dedicated and driven, with an unwavering desire to serve. They may not know it, but when these people begin their parliamentary careers in […]
PSAC president wants four largest contract negotiations finished by the new year
The leader of the largest public service union wants to wrap up contract negotiations by the end of 2018 for four of its largest groups. Public Service Alliance of Canada national president Chris Aylward, representing about 140,000 federal public servants, said he’s cautiously optimistic about the negotiations, but admitted the two sides are still far […]
Let’s hard-wire inclusion into Canada’s innovation economy
Ministers are on the road this fall, talking to Canadians about what the next federal budget should include. One of the key questions being asked is how to put Canada on a path to “inclusive growth.” By many economic indicators, Canada is excelling. Unemployment is low and Canada led the G7 in real GDP growth […]
‘The conditions are ripe’: industry says it’s time for feds to consider a national bioeconomy strategy
With Canada’s biotechnology sector showing signs of new growth, industry advocates say it’s time the federal government consider a national biotech strategy, more than a decade after one created in 1998 was nixed by the Conservative government. In January 2018, the Public Policy Forum released a report recommending the creation of a national life sciences […]
