Liberal changes to foreign aid bill raise ‘red flag,’ say Grit MP, critics, aid groups
A Liberal MP says he’s “skeptical” a provision tucked in the government’s massive budget implementation bill that makes changes to a law governing foreign aid accountability is as harmless as it appears. Opposition critics and foreign aid groups also say the proposed change to the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act found in Bill C-86 is […]
Why is Health Canada thwarting Parliament’s will?
The problem of regulators becoming captives of the regulated is not new. It’s the idea that a regulator is basically an instrument of the industry it’s meant to regulate. Former Alberta Liberal leader Kevin Taft wrote about it in his book Oil’s Deep State. I see it all around us—in the National Energy Board approach […]
Two working groups to be set up to address dairy subsidies and the sector’s future
Successive trade deals have left the Canadian dairy sector fearing the country’s dairy market is being used as a bargaining chip, and in response, the Canadian government has announced the launch of two working groups, in partnership with dairy interest groups, to assess the sector’s future. International competitors have gained about 10 per cent of […]
Lobbyists court Senators to kill impact assessment bill
As the Liberals’ controversial environmental assessment bill makes it way through the Senate, stakeholders and activists are hoping to seize what they see as an opportunity to push the Upper Chamber to scrap or significantly change the legislation. Senators began discussing Bill C-69, the wide-ranging environment legislation that would put in place a new Impact Assessment […]
Lobbying isn’t a dirty word, it can be the key to trust
For some, the term ‘lobbyist’ has become a dirty word, conjuring up images of greasy men with envelopes of cash making backroom deals against the best interests of the people. This caricature, useful for television drama and populist demagoguery, does more than unfairly smear an entire profession. It tears at a vital bond in our […]
Business reps lobby parties to put tax reform in their 2019 platforms
Canadian business groups are turning up the heat on the Liberals to act on a long-standing call to address waning Canadian competitiveness in the wake of U.S. tax reform, and laying the groundwork to continue the campaign when federal parties begin stumping next year. Bolstered by a recent Senate committee report, business representatives say they’re […]
Norman case will only get ‘uglier’ for Liberals already damaged by interference optics: politicos, experts
As the case against Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, accused of leaking cabinet confidences, makes its way before the Ontario Court of Justice during the countdown to election 2019, the Liberals will be tarred by the perception of political interference in an ongoing drama analysts say will only get uglier. With the trial scheduled for next summer—during […]
Pot lobbying to remain high in wake of legalization, insiders say
Since the Liberals came to power with a promise of cannabis legalization, a sophisticated government relations industry has bloomed out of the historic policy shift, with lobbying skyrocketing and the companies registered since 2015 having doubled those in the arena compared to three years before. That comes as no surprise to any involved in the […]
With science funding restored, universities and colleges push for more student support in 2019 budget
Building on unprecedented investments for science in the 2018 budget, universities and colleges are pressing the Liberals ahead of the 2019 budget for new funding to cover the “least sexy” costs of research, as well as dramatically expanding the number of students in work placements. More than two-dozen individual universities and colleges, as well as […]
Canada has ‘straightforward’ path to ratify USMCA, but timeline reliant on unpredictable Americans
With a Liberal majority government, Canada has a “straightforward” path to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement before the 2019 election, but as with most of the yearlong trade negotiations, concluding the deal relies on a decidedly uncertain path in the United States. Getting to the signing stage of the renamed NAFTA pact shouldn’t be a problem, […]
