Senators flagged design flaw stalling Senate Chamber move-in two years ago: committee chair
Senators on a committee overseeing the transformation of the Government Conference Centre into their temporary home say nearly two years ago they flagged the issue that is now delaying the start of the next sitting. On Dec. 13, Conservative Senator Scott Tannas (Alberta) informed the Senate’s Internal Economy, Budgets, and Administration Committee that a Nov. 30 […]
Senate Tories block steering group of committee studying contentious environment assessment bill
A move to block meetings of the organizing body of the Senate committee responsible for studying the Liberals’ sweeping environmental assessment bill isn’t an attempt to delay the legislation, says the Red Chamber’s opposition whip. Instead, according to Conservative Don Plett (Landmark, Man.), preventing meetings of the Senate’s Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources’ Steering Committee […]
November lobbying boosted by Hill days, GM plant closure, and budget talks
Parliament’s final full sitting month in 2018 made for a busy spell of November lobbying, driven by meeting blitzes on the Hill, budget consultations, and the late-month bombshell that General Motors’ auto plant would close in Oshawa, Ont. Lobbyists filed a total of 2,782 communication reports in November, down slightly from the 2,927 filed in […]
Colony losses to worsen if feds don’t nix neonics swiftly
We can no longer ignore the harmful effects of pesticide exposure on pollinator health. Last year, beekeepers in Ontario and Quebec suffered record overwinter colony losses: 45.7 per cent in Ontario and 30.3 per cent in Quebec. These colony losses far surpass the 20 per cent threshold beekeepers considered sustainable. Beekeepers in Ontario and Quebec […]
Global study is good for students, and for business
Any country that wants to succeed in our shifting global economy needs a globally aware workforce. International study that includes experiential learning is one of the best ways to build that awareness. To meet this growing labour force need, Canada needs many more of its bright young students to go abroad. Currently, only 11 per […]
Deliberation: can we fix government decision-making?
OTTAWA—Are governments losing their ability to deliver on tough planning decisions? Projects such as pipelines, hospitals, or the purchase of fighter jets are routinely changed, postponed, or even abandoned. What’s the point of having a government, we might ask, if it can’t even deliver on its own decisions? I co-chair a team of experts from […]
Sky’s the limit for small business exporters
OTTAWA—Everyone knows that small- and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy, employing about one-third of our population. What’s less well known is the struggles that SMEs have had over the years raising their game to tap into markets beyond our border. Only 11 per cent of SMEs are engaged in exporting, a […]
Independent Senators pick up more committee seats
Senate committees have again swelled to accommodate the Independent Senators Group, allowing them to take over nearly half of the seats. An order passed in the Senate on Nov. 20 came into effect on Nov. 26, reorganizing the Chamber’s committee membership to comply with an agreement made last year to revisit how committee seats are […]
Fourth year of governing more crucial than first three combined, says Dalton McGuinty, tougher as partisanship spikes
Parliament’s challenge in the last year of the Liberal mandate will be “to govern despite ourselves” and avoid the “toxicity that has taken over much of political debate” as all parties turn to election readiness, says NDP MP Nathan Cullen. “Fourth years of Parliaments tend to exaggerate the differences because people are trying to make […]
Pipeline contractors, charities lead October lobbying blitz as activity picks up
Lobbying activity has spiked in the last couple of months as groups sought to redouble their efforts in the lead-up to the next election, according to the federal lobbyists’ registry. Lobbyists filed a total of 3,126 communication reports in October and 1,816 in September, compared to 1,054 in July and 1,157 in August, lobbying records […]
