Sexual harassment still taboo among press gallery members
Experiences with sexual harassment are still difficult for female reporters to talk about on the public record. Fear of repercussions, including but not limited to ruining a relationship with the harasser, potentially being blamed for the harassment, and having to deal with questions from coworkers about the harassment, deterred some female reporters from attaching their names […]
How one lobby campaign won support of mining, environment, indigenous groups and MPs from all parties
It’s not every day that a lobbying campaign can claim success based on support from 49 MPs from all four political parties in the House of Commons as well as mining, environmental, and indigenous groups. While these camps may in other circumstances clash, they spoke with one voice in recent months to push the federal […]
‘She challenged us’: MPs praise Malala Yousafzai’s Parliament speech, opposition urges more funding for girls’ education
Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai made a clear pitch to the Canadian government to lead on global education and women’s rights when she spoke to Members of Parliament and Senators in a special joint session of Parliament on April 12. MPs from several parties called it inspiring. “To hear a speech like […]
Government needs to deal with technology’s effect on future job market
TORONTO—Will robots and artificial intelligence take our jobs? One of the greatest uncertainties as we face the future is what kind of jobs, if any, will many of us have as technology continues to take over many tasks that once only humans could do. Investment superstar Warren Buffet has even suggested we tax robots and […]
Who will speak for the working class?
POWELL RIVER, B.C.—A recent report out of the United States raises questions about politicians’ obsession with the state of the middle class and highlights why Donald Trump won the U.S. election. It is a sobering picture and a scathing indictment of neo-liberalism—particularly so-called free trade. While the authors don’t say so explicitly, the conclusion is […]
Budget criticized for lack of public-service investment, no Phoenix fix
“Meh,” was how one public service union leader reacted after the federal government’s budget was unveiled last week, though there were positive reviews coming from educational interest groups, mixed reaction from the health sector, and a range of other assessments from those who had some interests riding on this federal budget. Chris Aylward, national executive […]
Few signs of life for Canada’s dead money
OTTAWA—It’s been five years since Mark Carney kicked up a storm with his suggestion that for the sake of the economy Canada’s corporations should start spending some of the huge piles of “dead money” they were hoarding. “The level of caution could be viewed as excessive,” Carney, then head of the central bank, said of […]
Poverty is sexist: what Canada can do this Women’s Day to fight it
Globally, 130 million girls are denied the basic right to education, meaning 130 million missed opportunities for girls to reach their full potential and help their communities and countries grow. Before launching a career in television, I was an electrical engineer and still have a passion for math, science (and weather patterns, of course). I’m […]
Despite ‘rocky start,’ public service union leaders prefer Trudeau to Harper
The relationship between Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government and unions has been “rocky” so far, but federal public service union leaders say it is better than it would have been if the Conservative government of Stephen Harper had been re-elected in 2015. “We have a respectful working relationship [with the Liberal government],” Robyn Benson, national president […]
Time to restore funding to Canadian studies abroad
Canada has for many years been at, or near the top, of the United Nations’ Human Development Index. In 2015 it scored ninth out of 188 countries reviewed. Every year the publicity about Canada’s quality-of-life achievements comes and goes without much remark in the press inside Canada or abroad. Meanwhile, Canada, as a medium-range power, […]
