Hill security officers, PPS to meet to discuss wages as labour dispute hits seven-month mark
After seven months, House of Commons security officers are still protesting and all three unions representing security officers on the Hill are set to sit down with their Parliamentary Protective Service employers in Ottawa on Dec. 18 to discuss wages. Roch Lapensée, head of the Security Service Employees Association (SSEA), which represents the roughly 240 […]
I’m okay, you’re screwed: the inequality time bomb
As if the anecdotal evidence weren’t overwhelming enough, a study published Nov. 15 in the research journal Nature warned that record levels of income inequality, particularly in the United States, could produce social instability. The Republicans in Congress, apparently fearing an unruly mob, responded by passing massive tax breaks for the people who make the barricades. The U.S., […]
No Phoenix civil suits for public servants, but unions filing loads of grievances
If you’ve wondered why federal public servants have not filed a class-action lawsuit against the government over the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system, it’s because they can’t. Section 236 of the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act, which governs the rules between the federal government and its employees, says unionized workers are not allowed to individually […]
Beyond the basics: Taking Canada–China collaboration to the next level
This century, the challenges facing any one nation are more often than not challenges faced by all. Aging populations, climate change, the unknown implications of technological advancements—these are global phenomena that demand, if not a fully collective response, at least a response that takes full advantage of collective knowledge. Put simply, collaboration is critical. Canada […]
The case for taking student advice on science policy
This year’s Canadian Science Policy Conference in Ottawa earlier this month saw the number of students and postdoctoral fellows in attendance triple to 22 per cent of total participants, compared to only seven per cent in 2016. The increase may be due to improved social media presence or the draw of high-profile speakers. But other […]
Torstar-Postmedia deal drives home need for government support
OTTAWA—If the rise of Donald Trump proved anything worth knowing, it’s the risk to democracy posed by an uninformed electorate. The story of the 2016 United States election woke everyone up to the extent of the problems with social media in an election, whether it was to do with the widespread dissemination of false and […]
Lessons from a Calgary kitchen floor
Donna Sharman learned a vital lesson when she collapsed on her kitchen floor in Calgary four years ago: health research saves lives, including hers. Then 59, she hit the floor without warning because of a blood clot in her brain, causing a stroke. That was the unlucky part of her day. Her luck turned when […]
Applied research: time to move beyond pilot projects
When Ottawa-based entrepreneur Ke Wang had the brilliant idea of using his smartphone to control certain tasks on his power wheelchair, and therefore regain some of his autonomy, he knew he needed support to bring his innovative concept to reality. Like a growing number of entrepreneurs and small-business owners, he turned to his local college […]
Post-secondary advocacy groups praise Global Skills Strategy’s work permit exemptions
Universities and colleges alike are applauding the government’s most recent approach to encourage university research and global innovation, saying the Global Skills Strategy’s short-term visa fast-tracking program is allowing them to boost Canada’s role in the global research marketplace. Universities Canada president Paul Davidson said the strategy allows Canada to seize the moment, as the […]
Innovation review welcomed, but funding needed: post-secondary research experts
As the government conducts the Horizontal Business Innovation and Clean Technology Review into its innovation programs, post-secondary research advocates say more funding is needed to allow programs and the institutions that use them to reach their fullest innovation potential. Denise Amyot, president and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada, said her members are only tapping […]
