From shutdown to ‘hybrid,’ prorogation, voting app, and the ‘undermining of democracy’: MPs, politicos weigh in on Canada’s ‘pandemic Parliament’
From the early warnings about what would become the COVID-19 pandemic, to the public health restrictions in March 2020, the WE Charity scandal, hundreds of billions of dollars of approved spending, and most recently, a contempt of Parliament motion, Canada’s historic and unprecedented 43rd “hybrid” Parliament has been unlike any other, says MPs and politicos. […]
‘So long for now’: Munson retires from the Senate after 17 years
When Jim Munson first came to Parliament Hill as a reporter in the 1970s, he never expected he’d go on to work for a prime minister, and certainly not go on to sit as a member of the Red Chamber—but life is rarely what you expect. And now, the Ontario Senator is looking back fondly […]
Shaping Canada’s future by investing in its past
On June 17, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) provided updates on the progress of the largest and most complex heritage restoration project in Canada. Since December 2018, Parliament Hill’s Centre Block has been closed to make way for a visitor welcome complex and the rehabilitation and retrofit of Canada’s most iconic heritage building. The […]
Skylights and a Charter display: diving into plans for the Centre Block project
Public Services and Procurement Canada recently announced its cost and time estimates for completion of the Centre Block project—$4.5- to $5-billion by 2030-2031—and with it, made public a number of planned design features for the first time, including a first-ever display of the Charter of Rights, a change of location for the cabinet room, and […]
Centre Block reno, welcome centre construction pegged at upwards of $5-billion by PSPC, to finish by 2030-31
The massive project to restore and modernize Parliament Hill’s focal point building, the Centre Block, and build a new underground welcome centre complex is expected to cost between $4.5- and $5-billion in all, and be completed by 2030-31, according to long-awaited cost and time estimates released by Public Services and Procurement Canada on June 17. […]
MP Dzerowicz’s foray into Reddit hits a few snags
Liberal MP Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport, Ont.) took to popular social media site Reddit on June 9 to host an AMA, short for Ask Me Anything, wherein random users are allowed to ask questions and get hopefully cogent answers. However, the internet mob did not go easy on Ms. Dzerowicz. One point of particular note was […]
New vision for National Press Building requested after years of decline
The National Press Building, once a social hub, has lost many of tenants over the years, but a new vision document in the works aims to revitalize it for the future, Parliamentary Press Gallery executives say. Located at 150 Wellington St., just across from the West Block, the National Press Building started its life as […]
Hill titans clash in a breakfast battle
Starting May 15, a strong Twitter rivalry began between two Hill reporters on the least likely of topics: their ability to make delicious, artery-clogging breakfasts. In a series of back-and-forth tweets, CityNews Parliament Hill bureau chief Cormac Mac Sweeney and Toronto Star national politics reporter Alex Boutilier have traded glamorous shots of their morning sandwiches, […]
Tackling Victoria Building reno earlier could save $65-million, department estimates show
Public Services and Procurement Canada has sought the Senate’s go-ahead to advance the Victoria Building’s renovation, ahead of the East Block’s full refurbishment, a decision that departmental documents obtained by The Hill Times suggest could mean an estimated $65-million in savings. The pitch was first made public during an April 1 meeting of the Senate Internal […]
Kurusamy sweeps three categories and ranks as the top Terrific Staffer
Barely six years into professional political work, Gowthaman Kurusamy is already making quite a mark, topping The Hill Times‘ 18th annual Terrific 25 Staffers list. The now-senior policy adviser to the health minister ranked as the top overall terrific staffer, the Best All-Round Terrific staffer, tied for the Most Knowledgeable staffer, and placed as the […]
