Matheson takes charge of Minister Rodriguez’s heritage team
Once again in the heritage portfolio, Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who also continues as the government’s Quebec Lieutenant, has brought over his policy director from the government House leader’s office, John Matheson, to serve as chief of staff. Matheson will run Rodriguez’s office as heritage minister, while Geneviève Hinse is chief of staff in his Quebec […]
Canada can’t afford to leave research out of the innovation conversation
Over the course of Canada’s late summer election, it was promising to see innovation featured on the agenda of our federal leaders as action is long overdue. We’ve been hearing for too long about how Canada is underperforming on this front, and remedying it is becoming ever more necessary in a world plagued with complex […]
Public accounts detail how feds’ deficit rose by more than 700 per cent during pandemic
The federal government’s deficit skyrocketed in 2021, hitting $327.7-billion for the fiscal year that ended March 2021, compared to a deficit of $39.4-billion in the previous fiscal year—an increase of 731 per cent. The Public Accounts of Canada 2021, which includes the federal government’s audited consolidated financial statements and the records maintained by its various departments and […]
In politics, it’s all about having the right enemy
LONDON, U.K.—The right enemy can be a major asset in politics, as Chilean voters have just demonstrated once again. All the opinion polls had the two presidential candidates neck and neck before the Dec. 19 election, but a few days before the vote it came out that the father of far-right candidate José Antonio Kast […]
Diving in to Transport Minister Omar Alghabra’s team
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has a 16-member ministerial staff team confirmed so far, most of whom worked for the minister during the last Parliament, including Miled Hill, who’s been promoted to director of policy. Hill first joined the transport minister’s office as a student, having done the practicum placement required for his master’s degree in […]
Christmas used to be a time when MPs on all sides of the House got together in the holiday spirit
OTTAWA—Christmas used to be a time when parliamentarians on all sides of the House would get together in the holiday spirit. Sometimes, the spirit had a twist. One Christmas, during a Progressive Conservatives majority, Santa Claus joined the children’s Christmas party dressed in blue from head to toe. Unfortunately, the colour change startled some kids […]
Ottawa, we have a problem
TORONTO—Parliament is not working to the benefit of Canada, but it’s not evident that many MPs care. And if Parliament is falling well short of what it’s supposed to do, how can we say that democracy is alive and well in Canada? If Canadians cannot have confidence in Parliament, why should they care about what […]
My free holiday advice for federal leaders
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Now that we’re deep into the festive season, it’s an excellent time to discuss the three wise men. And, of course, by that I mean Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. More specifically, I want to talk about what each of these men can do in […]
My take on Canada’s federal political leaders right now
HALIFAX—Politics, like professional sports, is a bottom-line proposition. Only the winner gets to smoke the real cigar. And that means a lump of coal in the stockings of more than one of Canada’s federal political leaders, in this not so merry, COVID-19 Christmas. Erin O’Toole has the least waiting for him under the tree. O’Toole […]
Bill 21 and the Liberal love story with Quebec
Breakups are hard. They can be emotionally devastating even if they ultimately result in a better situation. The longer the love story, the tougher it is to end it. Another option is to stick with your partner and hope things get better in the future so everyone can be happy again. This is the situation […]
