Rodriguez could be shuffled to key government House leader’s post, say Liberal sources
With Justin Trudeau set to name his rejigged cabinet on Nov. 20, Parliament Hill is abuzz with speculation about the shuffle, including the possibility that the Liberal government will opt to spread responsibility for the all-important regional economic development agencies among different ministers this time around, rather than keeping them under the purview of just […]
Pharmacare should be No. 1 priority for Trudeau this Parliament, says former Liberal health minister
As the Liberal government continues deliberating over cabinet positions and preparing for a minority government, the NDP has come out with a bold proclamation on its plans and goals for the 43rd Parliament, with pharmacare taking centre stage. Ujjal Dosanjh, a former premier of British Columbia and health minister under Paul Martin’s Liberal government, said […]
Now that the election is over, stop the digital services tax
Canadians have returned Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party to government, albeit without either a majority of the House of Commons or a plurality of the popular vote. Mr. Trudeau will therefore have to work with other parties in order to get the votes needed for any new initiatives to pass. One of the priorities […]
Trudeau government gives stronger role to federal intervention in health care
Canada’s “Fathers of Confederation” were men of their time, which is why, among other things, “health” was not seen as a primary responsibility for governments, and certainly not the Dominion (federal) government. This is not surprising, given that at the time, medical care was not particularly effective nor sought after, and health and social matters […]
What’s the future for Canadian international development policy?
While not a headline grabber during this election campaign, current Canadian international development policy and its future direction are critically to the future well-being of this country. International development is clearly linked to how we see our role in uplifting and supporting less developed nations and those emerging from war and conflict. While a dollar […]
Trudeau should give more profile to ministers, empower backbenchers in new minority government, say MPs and pollsters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to be seen as the leader of a strong cabinet, empower his caucus, provide more latitude to backbench MPs, and mirror some of the lessons learned from his father’s 1972 election result to lead a strong minority government after a humbling election night on Oct. 21, say Liberal MPs, pollsters, […]
Trudeau has many options to include Alberta and Saskatchewan in his government
OTTAWA—There are just so many options for the Trudeau government to reach out and involve the citizens of Alberta and Saskatchewan, but there is no single silver bullet. The conundrum is this: on the one hand, the two provinces just declined to elect a single Liberal MP from either province, in part, because they felt […]
Congratulations, we played ourselves
OTTAWA—We got played. The Liberals talked a big game this past election, insisting that “[if] you want progressive action, you need a progressive government, not a progressive opposition.” They reminded us at every turn that cuts to social services, like we saw in Ontario, would surely follow if the electorate foolishly supported a Conservative government […]
‘We’re not 100 per cent sure who’s framing the discussion anymore’: the evolving role of media in election coverage
With social media playing such a significant role in the federal election campaign, it was unclear whether it was political parties or the media who were responsible for framing the elusive “ballot-box question,” media critics say. Carleton journalism professor Paul Adams, who worked for CBC Television, CBC Radio, and in The Globe and Mail’s parliamentary bureau as senior […]
Eight former MPs, five Conservatives, make their return to Parliament in 2019
Eight former MPs who weren’t part of the last Parliament will be making their way back to Ottawa following successful bids in the 2019 election, including five Conservatives, two from the Bloc Québécois, and one from the NDP. Liberal candidates finished second in all eight ridings won by the former MPs across the country. Conservative […]
