Why girls’ education matters, even in a conflict zone

Growing up in a conflict zone, I know all too well how it feels to be told: “You can’t go to school today. It is too dangerous!” As a girl, I felt the frustration and anger of being stuck in an underground shelter instead of going to school, playing with my friends and learning new […]
‘My first reaction was, ‘Oh my god, my mom’’: Toronto van attack hits home for local MPs

While the Peace Tower flag flies at half-mast in Ottawa, Liberal MP Ali Ehsassi is back in his north Toronto riding of Willowdale to be with his community. He said he never expected a mass casualty attack would happen in Toronto, let alone his unassuming, mostly suburban Toronto neighbourhood. “I would have never imagined this,” Mr. […]
Opposition MPs seek to add teeth to workplace harassment bill

A definition of harassment is among the changes a House committee agreed to Monday as it works its way through amending a government bill aimed at preventing and responding to sexual harassment and workplace violence, including against parliamentary employees. But opposition MPs say there’s more to do to ensure Bill C-65 has “teeth,” and isn’t […]
Feds sign three more contracts with unions, final four deals held up at labour board

Unions representing the foreign service, border guards, and correctional officers are breathing a sigh of relief, albeit a short one, having recently signed contracts before the next scheduled round of bargaining ramps up once again. The latest agreements bring the total number of negotiated contracts between Treasury Board and its federal employees to 23 out […]
Harassment stats flat, mental health middling among federal employees: survey results

As an employer, the federal government isn’t doing enough to stop harassment within the public service, says a union leader, after results of a large-scale survey of federal employees indicate that workplace harassment has stayed consistent over the past few years. “In my mind, if the government’s doing its job to reduce harassment in the […]
$37-million spent on veteran legal costs a ‘broken promise’: critics

The Liberals have spent at least $37-million since January 2016 on legal proceedings with veterans in a move opposition MPs and the veterans they’re fighting in court say represents a broken platform promise. The vast majority—$36.3-million—makes up two years’ worth of budgets for two programs: $18.4-million for the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, a body […]
Time for Canada to re-engage with Commonwealth Scholarships

Commonwealth Scholarships are a prestigious international brand, well known and respected throughout the world. They help students with the cost of obtaining an advanced degree in a Commonwealth country other than their own. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom recently issued a report that addressed its successes and challenges. The authors indicated that […]
‘For me, it’s personal’: Minister Sohi reflects on passion for infrastructure portfolio

Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi doesn’t mince words when discussing the role infrastructure played in his ‘Made in Canada’ success story. An immigrant from India, Mr. Sohi (Edmonton Mill Woods, Alta.) spoke little to no English when he arrived in Edmonton in the early 1980s, after being sponsored by an older brother. After moving to the […]
Infrastructure improvements could increase annual GDP of northern territories by $4.7-billion: report

Upgrading trade-enabling infrastructure in Canada’s northern territories could add billions each year to the national economy, says a new report from the University of Calgary. Goods and services in the North are costlier than elsewhere in Canada, largely owing to logistical and geographic barriers limiting access to communities in the south. In the report “Gains from Trade for Canada’s […]
Infrastructure