Opposition parties meet, plan House offensive in shadow of leadership races
While the New Democrats and Conservatives huddle together to map out strategy and party positions for the upcoming session of Parliament, the respective leadership races and the future direction of the parties loom large overhead. But caucus chairs say they’ve been here before, and aren’t worried about being able to separate parliamentary business from the […]
We need better policies made for and by youth
Last year, many events promoting citizen engagement for millennials took place in Ottawa, such as ONE Young World or the Young Workers’ Summit. In 2017, for the 150th commemoration of Confederation, it is time to address important issues for youth under the age of 30, especially precarious employment, to listen to them, and include them […]
Fiscal steward, or Canada’s Bernie Sanders? What the NDP wants in next leader remains to be seen
A sort of unofficial leadership race is appearing within the NDP, with candidates taking time to weigh their options, and size up their potential opponents. Candidates who are rumoured to want to run, or have publicly said they are considering it, include MPs Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay, Ont.), Niki Ashton (Churchill-Keewatinook Aski, Man.), Guy Caron (Rimouski-Neigette -Témiscouata-Les […]
In crummiest year in living memory, a look at who’s up, who’s down in federal politics
TORONTO—As the crummiest year in living memory grinds to a close, it’s time for the report card on your elected representatives in Ottawa. Every other member of the punditocracy is doing one, so why can’t Your Humble Narrator? It may be a cliché, but it’s also fun. Here goes: Justin Trudeau: He’s the most popular prime […]
Trudeau gets more done outside QP than inside
OTTAWA—Question Period is the one hour a day that belongs to the opposition. So it is understandable that opposition members should chastise the prime minister for skipping the majority of Question Periods in his first year on the job. But it is also the reason that Justin Trudeau used his first year in office to […]
Angus to announce leadership intentions early in new year
New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said in a Facebook post last week that he’ll indicate early in the new year whether he’ll run for the party leadership, but he first wants to see if there’s enough financial support for him to do it. “Making a run for national leader is a massive commitment and I […]
Two more Liberal staffers exit roles ahead of winter break
Liberal Chief Government Whip Andrew Leslie has a new chief of staff in his office after bidding farewell to Mathieu Dupont as of Dec. 9. Charles-Éric Lepine has since stepped into the role. Mr. Dupont had apparently taken a leave of absence from his civil service job as senior parliamentary adviser for the Canada Border […]
With NDP leadership race set to heat up, Greens set the bar on Palestinian rights
To the sound of crickets chirping from opposition benches, Justin Trudeau’s government has once again isolated Canada on Palestinian rights. But, recent developments suggest this shameful chapter in Canadian diplomacy is past its political best-before date. On Nov. 21 Canada joined the United States, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau in […]
Electoral reform will not happen in this Parliament
OTTAWA—I took the MyDemocracy.ca voting test and discovered what I already knew. According to the online government survey, managed by Vox Pop, I am a pragmatist. The pragmatist in me says electoral reform is dead. Its public interment by the minister responsible for democratic reform was not a pretty sight. Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef […]
Double vision: NDP MP invites twin brother to join him in Parliament
No, you’re not seeing double. It’s just the NDP. NDP MP Richard Cannings (South Okanagan-West Kootenay, B.C.) welcomed a very special guest to Parliament last week, one bearing striking similarities to the first-term House Member. It was his twin brother Syd, who lives in Whitehorse and works as a species at risk biologist with the […]
