Without action, we will lose an entire generation of girls
This June, when it hosts the G7 summit, Canada will have five broad issues for the agenda, as set by the prime minister. One of these is gender equality and women’s empowerment. With less than three months until world leaders meet, the Canadian government has put out a social media call for Canadians to share […]
Free my grapes: Dismantling Canada’s interprovincial barriers to trade
In June 2016, the Senate of Canada released a report entitled “Tear Down These Walls: Dismantling Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers,” which called upon federal and provincial/territorial governments to take priority action on removing internal barriers to trade. The Senate views this call to action as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for growth and prosperity […]
Think-tank urges Canada’s oil and gas majors to invest in renewables—or risk playing catch-up in decades ahead
As concerns grow about the long-term economic viability of drilling in the Alberta oil sands, a Vancouver-based think tank focused on creating a greener economy says big Canadian oil and gas companies need to invest in more in renewable energy projects in order to stay competitive against global firms already throwing billions towards wind and solar. […]
Acting on climate change will create ‘new economic opportunities and good jobs,’ says environment minister
It has been one of the most pressing priorities for the Liberal government since assuming power in November 2015. Reducing Canada’s carbon footprint as part of global efforts to combat climate change and transitioning the country to a new, lower carbon economy. It has also been one of the most frequent targets for the opposition Conservatives, […]
Why we need a green economy today, and for tomorrow
In a seminal 1987 report, Our Common Future, the Brundtland Commission advanced the understanding of global interdependence and the relationship between economics and the environment. The report wove together social, economic, cultural and environmental issues towards global solutions. It found, for the first time that “the environment does not exist as a sphere separate from […]
Unions cautiously optimistic about Treasury Board leading post-Phoenix fix, but worry about more delays
The two largest public service unions are applauding the decision in the 2018 federal budget to have the Treasury Board lead the search for a Phoenix pay system alternative, but caution the government can’t cut corners this time. Both the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Professional Institute of the Public Service (PIPSC) […]
Mandatory anti-harassment training coming for MPs’ staffers on and off the Hill
This fall, anyone working in an MP’s office can expect to follow in their boss’s footsteps and be required to take in-person anti-harassment training, following a House of Commons Board of Internal Economy decision earlier this month. The group of seven MPs who oversee House finances and administration, chaired by House Speaker Geoff Regan (Halifax […]
Feds move to do full PS staff survey yearly, not every three years
A comprehensive examination of how public servants feel about their workplaces will now be done yearly, instead of every three years, a move welcomed by union representatives, who say there needs to be meaningful action with the yearly results. According to a November memo prepared for Treasury Board secretary Yaprak Baltacioglu and obtained under the […]
Senator gets okay to hire lawyer advising on harassment policy, providing free legal advice to victims
The Senate’s Internal Economy Committee last week narrowly approved a request by Independent Senator Marilou McPhedran to hire a lawyer to advise her on research into the government’s sexual-harassment prevention legislation and the Senate’s harassment policies, with some Senators arguing her public comments about the contract didn’t align with its stated purpose. At the end of […]
Liberal MP Khalid won’t back down after racists crash her town hall
A town hall meeting centred on how to remove systemic racism in Canada was derailed by a group of people yelling racist slurs, primarily directed at the host, Liberal MP Iqra Khalid who represents Mississauga-Erin Mills, Ont. The Toronto Sun reported on Feb. 23 that one man yelled “you’re a fraud,” another yelled “is this […]
