It’s ‘too inflammatory,’ federal Liberals tread carefully on Quebec’s niqab law, eyes on 2019 election
Quebec’s federal Liberal MPs are mostly sticking to the prime minister’s script when it comes to that province’s new law on religious face-coverings, signalling opposition to Bill 62 but holding off on criticism of the provincial Liberals that put it in place, or on any calls to walk back the legislation. Liberal MPs from that […]
“Do you think Bill Morneau’s a political liability for the Liberals? And why shouldn’t the rich be taxed?”
Cameron Ahmad Liberal strategist “Our government was elected on a promise to create jobs and opportunities for our country’s middle class and for Canadians who work hard every day to join it. We have followed through on that promise since the very beginning of our mandate, when we cut taxes for millions of Canadians by […]
O’Regan hires comms director, Freeland bolsters political staff team, Scheer hires almost a dozen new staffers
Veterans Affairs and Associate Defence Minister Seamus O’Regan has hired a number of new political aides, including John Embury as his director of communications. Mr. Embury started on the job in early October, and before then was director of communications and marketing client services for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Mr. Embury started at […]
Too much of a good thing: Canada’s consultation crisis
After years of often feeling excluded from the policy-making and legislative process, many civil society groups were excited by the prospect of a new government committed to public consultations and feedback. The Liberal government moved quickly to consult on all manner of issues, providing hope that an emphasis on participatory democracy would lead to better […]
Liberals dethrone Tories in Lac-Saint-Jean; Conservatives hold Alberta stronghold
The governing Liberal Party surged to victory in a competitive northeastern Quebec riding Monday night, showcasing newfound strength in a rural stretch of the province it had arguably not seen there since the early 1980s. Liberal candidate Richard Hébert beat back a spirited push from the Bloc Québécois and Conservatives to take the riding of […]
Liberal political financing bill moves ahead, after opposition amendments voted down
The Liberal government’s political financing bill, C-50, is moving ahead, having passed the committee stage with only technical amendments made, but Conservatives remain steadfast in opposition, calling the proposed changes “window dressing.” “There was a practice which Canadians didn’t approve of, it didn’t pass the sniff test, and created a very significant public backlash, and […]
Canadians shouldn’t start feeling all superior to our neighbours to the south
TORONTO—When do you cease to be a country? When do you stop being a people, a nation? Romeo LeBlanc, who I loved, had an answer. “When children sleep on the streets,” he said to us once. “When they have nothing to eat. That is when you are no longer a country, and when you become […]
Ministers Joly, Qualtrough hire new press secretaries
A new press secretary has started work in Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly’s office, diving into the job during a rocky time for the office, with the minister having largely had a rough go of it in the media, particularly in Quebec, since announcing the new federal cultural policy last month. Simon Ross marked his official […]
Two Senate committees at standstill, as membership negotiations ensue
Members of a pair of Senate committees are still cooling their heels after the summer break, as negotiations over how committee leadership positions are allocated play out. Former Conservative Senators Daniel Lang, chair of the National Security and Defence Committee, and Bob Runciman as well as former Liberal Senator George Baker, chair and deputy chair […]
Economy doing well, but year-on-year federal deficits leading to creeping debt is concerning, say experts
Canada’s federal finances appear to be on a solid footing, but fiscal experts say the Liberals need to be concerned about paying down debt in the long term to remain fiscally responsible to Canadians. Canada’s federal debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio is sustainable at its existing level of 33.2 per cent. The federal government saw a higher-than-expected […]
