Senators, displeased with end-of-session rush to pass government legislation, propose reform
After years of being overwhelmed by the rush to push through government legislation at the end of each session, some Senators are pushing back. On Feb. 8, the first time the Senate reconvened since last December, Canadian Senators Group Senator Scott Tannas (Alta.), put forward a motion that would require any government legislation that is […]
Doug Ford’s base problem
OAKVILLE, ONT.—If nothing else, Erin O’Toole’s recent unceremonious ouster as Conservative Party leader should serve as a cautionary tale to Ontario Premier Doug Ford. And that cautionary tale can be summed up thusly: don’t antagonize your base. That’s what O’Toole did, and he paid the price. The fact is, conservative leaders can’t win an election […]
New hires abound in Innovation Minister Champagne’s team
Innovation, Science, and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne saw no changes to his cabinet responsibilities this fall, but with lots of post-election movement, there have been a number of changes within his office and a little more than half of his current 20-member team are new additions, including director of policy Boyan Gerasimov. Sarah Hussaini, who, […]
Trudeau right to not engage with trucker protesters, but must ‘de-escalate’ situation, say politicos
As the trucker protests in downtown Ottawa approach the two-week mark, two former Liberal staffers say Justin Trudeau is right not to engage with protesters, while a Conservative strategist says the prime minister needs to begin de-escalating the situation. “Whether this is a vulnerable moment for Trudeau politically, I would say no, if he begins […]
Will trucker-enabling Conservatives bet the house on a Republican-style, COVID-driven culture war?
OTTAWA—Local police established a very problematic precedent in allowing an angry, rebellious crowd to take control of the nation’s capital for more than a week. For whatever reason, the police initially abdicated responsibility for maintaining order in the capital and subjected its citizens to harassment and bullying by hostile troublemakers on a seemingly endless scale. […]
Conservatives need a leader who can sit at the grown-ups table
OTTAWA—Give credit where credit is due. It is not something that happens much anymore in our political ecosystem, and frankly it should. My preaching aside, I want to acknowledge some wise words offered by Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne on CBC’s At Issue panel last week. While offering his opinion on what has been […]
One last chime? Dominion Carillonneur’s plans for pre-renovation send off dampened by protests
The Peace Tower’s 53-bell carillon will soon go dormant—with work on both the tower and the instrument in the cards—but the recent occupation of downtown Ottawa by COVID-restriction protesters has put a spanner in Dominion Carillonneur Andrea McCrady’s plans for hour-long recitals through to Feb. 18, when the bells have one last chance to chime […]
Tory leadership race should end before July, say Poilievre campaign supporters, unfazed by convoy backing
Supporters of Conservative Party leadership election front-runner—and the sole declared candidate so far—Pierre Poilievre say the contest should be concluded before July to give the winner an opportunity to attend the BBQ circuit across the country during the summer and get the party ready for the next election. “The sooner the better,” said Conservative MP […]
Nearly half of Canada’s air fleet not serviceable to meet readiness and training standards in 2020-21
With an aging air fleet and COVID-19 workplace restrictions in place, a Canadian military departmental results report found that only 55 per cent of Canada’s air fleet is serviceable to meet Canada’s readiness and training requirements. The Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces report sets the target of its fleet that is serviceable […]
Feds cited caretaker convention to justify delays even after it wasn’t in ‘strict application’
In the weeks following the Sept. 20 election, the Liberal government cited the caretaker convention as a reason to delay releasing new policies or information, but, as the prime minister confirmed in information tabled in the House, the convention was not in “strict application” after election night due to results showing a Liberal re-election and […]
