Centre Block occupants prepare for summer clear-out
Plans are underway for those who call Centre Block their second home to start the long goodbye. As part of the phased-move approach that will eventually see the iconic Parliament Hill landmark shut down for a decade or more, Parliamentarians with offices in Centre Block are preparing to move into new accommodations this summer. Last […]
Senators racked up fines for absences as parliamentary session dragged on
Some Senators have blown past their 21-day limit for unexplained absences from the Red Chamber as the historically-long parliamentary session has dragged on, racking up fines of $250 for every day beyond the limit. The Parliament of Canada Act allows Senators and MPs to miss 21 sitting days per session of Parliament before they are […]
It’s time to require CCTV in Canadian slaughter plants
Use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in slaughter plants is evolving globally. In preparation for Brexit, the U.K. passed legislation in May requiring CCTV in all British slaughter plants. Both countries and corporations recognize CCTV as an effective tool to ensure better treatment of animals. For example, Cargill, a multi-national slaughter company, adopted CCTV as policy, […]
Last call: Parliamentary Restaurant reopens in September, closes at end of December for 10 years
If you were thinking the Centre Block was closing this month for 10 years and just had to get in that one last lunch or dinner, you’re in luck. The historic sixth-floor Parliamentary Restaurant with the killer west view of the mighty Ottawa River is closed for the summer, but will reopen in September until December […]
Inside West Block, the House Chamber’s home for the next decade
With seven years of renovations nearly complete, the media got a tour on June 15 inside the West Block building, the interim home for the House of Commons Chamber for at least a decade once Centre Block closes in 2019. It was the first peek for the press inside the space, along with the new […]
Don’t blame supply management on U.S. dairy’s woes
As a childish, bullying, narcissistic, and hugely ill-informed U.S. president insults our own prime minister as “weak and dishonest,” we should not feel pressured to do what he wants–which is to use NAFTA negotiations to dismantle our supply management system for dairy, poultry, and egg producers–to appease him. U.S. President Donald Trump is a dirty […]
Centre Block closure, renos delayed until after summer
After months of uncertainty, it was made official today that Centre Block would be open for business this summer after all, delaying until January the planned decade-long renovation that was expected to begin after the House of Commons and Senate vacate the building after rising this month. The Senate’s Internal Economy, Budgets, and Administration Committee—a […]
Hill-union contract talks to pick up over summer, fall
As the core public service tries to nail down new contracts with the federal government, many of Parliament Hill’s unionized employees are also getting ready to exchange demands with their employers through the summer and fall. With most collective agreements between the House of Commons, the Senate, and their respective unions expiring this year, the […]
My love affair with the Library of Parliament
I don’t know how many love affairs have flourished on Parliament Hill over the years, but I want to tell you about one: mine, with the Library of Parliament. I’m very sad because, though this romance is far from over, I’ll likely never see my love again. She’s going to be boarded up in the […]
Loosen parties’ grip on backbenchers, say former MPs in sweeping, new Samara report
Many former parliamentarians grew increasingly disillusioned with the political process over their tenure as it became clear that protection of the party brand superseded their ability to make independent calls, according to a new study published Tuesday. In Flip the Script, a new report from Samara Canada, a non-profit organization that promotes civic engagement in […]
