On the Hill, lots of services for MPs to make public life a little easier
PARLIAMENT HILL—When the House is sitting, MPs work long hours away from their families, spend even longer hours travelling to and from their ridings, and most weekends doing constituency work. But they have lots of perks to make life easier. “Canadians love to get all prickly about privilege, but I think, on the whole, ours are […]
Rural Liberal MPs team up to get issues heard, lobbying ministers
Federal elections are increasingly won or lost in major urban centres, resulting in the diminishing political clout of rural ridings that have become fewer in number over the years. In an effort to ensure that rural issues receive the attention they deserve, 50 Liberal MPs representing rural ridings, or at least ridings that are predominantly rural, have formed […]
MPs’ staffers overworked, hardly visible, poorly understood
Current and former staffers of MPs say there’s a lack of public understanding about what they do and many are eager to see that change. “It’s obviously a very high-profile office to work in, but at the same time, there is that sort of degree of mystery,” Daniel Dickin, a policy and communications aide to Conservative […]
‘Politics of fear’ won the day, Liberal MP says of Brexit outcome
Canadian Members of Parliament who have both new and long-established relations with British and European Union parliamentarians were surprised by the outcome of the United Kingdom Brexit referendum — and say the results could bring more severe consequences than the Leave voters expected. One of the MPs told The Hill Times she believes “politics of […]
MP juggles fasting and legislation during Ramadan
The most challenging part of serving in Parliament during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month when adherents fast from sunrise to sundown, isn’t the long hours or hunger, it’s missing out on family gatherings celebrating the breaking of these daily fasts, says Liberal MP Salma Zahid. Ms. Zahid (Scarborough Centre, Ont.), a practising Muslim, said the first week […]
Politics this morning: Final House vote expected on budget bill
It’s Monday, June 13. Here are a few things you need to know today: In the House of Commons, a third-reading vote is expected on Bill C-15, the government’s budget implementation bill. As well, the NDP is to introduce a motion to immediately decriminalize marijuana before the Liberal government completes a consultation process for legalizing […]
Heard on the Hill: Liberal MPs throw down wager to international lawmakers, ex-journalist closes out decade as languages watchdog
An impromptu singing session by MPs last week has gone “viral,” leading to a friendly challenge to lawmakers overseas. On Friday, Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre, Ont.) uploaded two videos to his public Facebook page—one in English and the other in Ukrainian—showing several MPs, including himself, wearing vyshyvankas—a traditional Ukrainian garment—and belting out a Ukrainian folk song the previous […]
All politics is local, even in lobbying
When I first started out in political life I thought the local riding was everything. Having served as a senior political assistant at the federal level for Members of Parliament and senior cabinet ministers in addition to working for a United States congressman and provincial elected representatives, I have learned many times over that staying […]
Justin Trudeau, party brass set to gain more power over campaigns, policy under new proposed Liberal constitution
A ground-breaking new Liberal party constitution that would eliminate traditional party memberships and open the party’s doors to any person who signs up as a “Registered Liberal” also contains clauses that would give Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and successive leaders unilateral power to appoint a new national election campaign committee, as well as additional powers […]
Politics this morning: Department of Canadian Heritage gets procedural overhaul
Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly announced yesterday that a number of significant changes have been made to the way business is done in the department when it comes to awarding funding. According to a departmental press release, these changes include: The Department of Canadian Heritage will from now on communicate proactively about funding it provides. This affects not just funding […]
