E-governance a ‘mutual interest’ with Canada, says Estonian envoy
Just over quarter century ago, before the Iron Curtain lifted and with it the Soviet Union’s control of Estonia, Toomas Lukk was starting his career as a scientist. In the early 1990s, Mr. Lukk—who started as the small Baltic country’s new ambassador to Canada in September—was using his background in geography to focus on marine research, […]
Here’s Taiwan’s trailblazing digital minister’s advice on how the feds can boost service to Canadians
Audrey Tang is not your typical cabinet minister. First off, she’s not really a politician. Ms. Tang, who has called herself an “anarchist,” was asked to be a minister in Taiwan’s government in 2016 after taking part in a protest movement that occupied its Parliament two years earlier. While some cabinet ministers are adept at […]
‘This is about people’s lives’: union president urges feds to fix security gaps AG found at embassies abroad
The president of the union representing diplomats is urging the federal government to act quickly on fixing security problems at Canadian embassies abroad identified in an auditor general’s report released Nov. 20, arguing that delays leave embassy staff vulnerable and “this is about people’s lives.” The report concluded that Global Affairs Canada has failed to […]
Canadians ought to have buy-in to military missions
Fresh in our minds is the 100th commemoration of the coming into force of the armistice that ended the First World War and a reminder of the thousands of stories of the unparalleled skill and bravery our military men and women have shown in battle. If Canada wants to continue to punch above its weight […]
Procedure and House Affairs Committee proposes changes to e-petition system
Canadians should have the ability to flag issues in the House of Commons faster when they start petitions online, but getting thousands of signatures won’t make the Chamber take up their cause, according to a House committee’s review of the e-petition system. In a report tabled Nov. 8 by Liberal chair Larry Bagnell (Yukon), the […]
Canada must live up to its rhetoric, scrap Saudi arms deal
Over the past month, the story of journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death inside a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, grabbed headlines around the world. Renowned journalists have paid tribute to Khashoggi and his work, and Amnesty International is calling on United Nations Secretary General António Guterres to set up an independent investigation so that we may […]
Feds fail to keep Canadians safe
OTTAWA—In 2018, Canada faces clear and persistent dangers. From our electoral systems to our military presence in the Arctic, Canada is repeatedly under threat from external actors. But as we face a dangerous and shifting global security climate, our own government is failing to keep Canadians safe. Under Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, Canada is floundering on […]
Let’s scrap self-harm from military offences
For too long, self-harm has been an epidemic within the Canadian Armed Forces. While this is an issue that has to be addressed within society at large, the military is a special case. Our women and men in uniform do difficult and dangerous work on our behalf each and every day. The Canadian Armed Forces […]
Addressing minority rights in Ukraine, Latvia key to successful deterrence
The most significant challenge facing NATO right now is the increasingly deteriorating relationship between the alliance and Russia. Tensions are rising as both sides increasingly rely on hybrid and unconventional tactics that never pass the threshold of open war. We see Canada’s involvement in both Latvia, under Operation Reassurance, and in Ukraine, under Operation Unifier, […]
Canada making real procurement progress, but still falling short
Canada is once again under fire for not spending enough on defence. At the NATO Parliamentary Assembly meetings in Halifax this past week, an American congressional delegate called Canada out for not having a plan to spend two per cent of GDP on defence. In response, Canadian officials referred to the spending increase baked into […]
