‘You’re there out of respect for the country’: MPs talk about Canada Day celebrations
In Pontiac, Que., Canada Day is really a three-day affair. For Liberal MP Will Amos, who has represented the large, mostly rural riding since 2015, the occasion brings three days of non-stop travel across his riding’s 85,000 square kilometres, broken up only by eating food, delivering speeches, and taking part in parades. “It’s like Christmas […]
‘We have to be part of it’: Indigenous MPs say there needs to be better representation
More electoral education, mentorships for rookies, and proactive party policies will help bring about a needed increase in Indigenous representation in federal politics, from the elected-level down, say Indigenous MPs and a former candidate. The last 150 years of Canadian history have shown the devastating impact government policy can have on Indigenous lives, the residential […]
New-parent MPs allowed year-long pass from House duties under long-awaited leave changes
Long-awaited parental leave provisions are in the final stretch in the House of Commons, with the proposed new system allowing Members of Parliament to be absent from the House Chamber for up to 12 months after the arrival of a new child. “I feel hard work is accomplished now. But I’m just a little bit […]
Conservative MP Gallant blames spring flooding on fed regulations, but experts say there are no links
Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant is blaming federal regulations for the recent heavy flooding in her Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, Ont., riding and other ridings along the Ottawa River last month, but experts dispute her claims, saying there’s no link between the damages and the measures being taken to manage the water flows. This is the second time in […]
‘Some won’t rebuild’: MPs say hundreds of their constituents face hard choices in wake of Ottawa River floods
As many residents in Ottawa-Gatineau region, Quebec, and New Brunswick grapple with the fallout of another year of intense flooding of the Ottawa River last month, MPs say, it’s forced hundreds of their constituents to decide whether to rebuild or relocate. Drastic flooding in those areas has resulted in damages of more than 17,500 homes […]
Crowded field of candidates expected for Liberal nomination in GTA swing riding of Oakville
A crowded field of candidates is expected to seek the Liberal Party’s nomination in the affluent, GTA swing riding of Oakville, which opened up after rookie incumbent Liberal MP John Oliver decided not to seek re-election in the October election. The Liberal Party recently officially opened the contest, but as of last week had not […]
Women should be leading the world, female MPs should come together to seize the moment
This is an open letter to all female Members of Parliament of all parties. I would like you to consider the following thought: “If there ever comes a time when the women of the world come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will be a force such as the world has […]
Daughters of the Vote, Camp Day on the Hill festivities include selfies, s’mores, and a lot of Parliamentarians
While the SNC-Lavalin affair continued to spiral last week, the party circuit was perhaps at its most inspiring, with both the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation’s Camp Day on the Hill and Equal Voice’s Daughters of the Vote receptions playing host to Parliamentarians and other Ottawa influencers. Daughters of the Vote brings 338 young women, one […]
Making an equal WAGE: Monsef talks new department
In a few short weeks, Maryam Monsef has gone from being a junior minister in charge of an oft-sidelined agency, to juggling managing one full-fledged department and part of another. On Dec. 13, Ms. Monsef’s (Peterborough-Kawartha, Ont.) portfolio was transformed from Status of Women, the agency, to Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), the full department, […]
Critics decry new minister as election ploy, say Liberals dropping ball on rural internet access
Shifting responsibility for getting better internet connectivity in rural areas to a new cabinet minister may just be a “smoke screen” for the Liberals dropping the ball on the file and other rural issues, say opposition MPs. But Liberals and stakeholders say there’s time for real progress on broadband and other rural files before the […]
