How do we tell when a society is successful? A healthy life expectancy
TORONTO—How do we tell when a society is successful? Economists like rising per capita output as the marker for a successful society. But a much better marker is the level of healthy life expectancy because it reflects a much broader range of things that make life worth living. Healthy life expectancy captures not only economic […]
Let’s work together to make pharmacare a reality: NDP MP Davies
In this minority Parliament, Canada’s New Democrats plan to push universal pharmacare to the top of the agenda. We are calling on all parties to help us fast-tack this long-overdue expansion of our public health-care system because Canadians cannot afford to wait. Today, one in five Canadians—some 7.5 million people—either has no drug coverage at […]
Conservative leadership candidates likely to raise 60 per cent of funds online, but must get party approval first, says Gladu
Conservative Party leadership contestants will probably raise 60 per cent of their totals funds online, says leadership candidate Marilyn Gladu—but they can’t get started until they’ve been vetted and approved by the party as candidates. In an interview with The Hill Times, the two-term Conservative MP said she has started to receive donations from supporters, […]
MacKay has plenty of time to correct his French, but he better hit the books
OTTAWA—Jean Chrétien did not speak a word of English when he was first elected to Parliament at the age of 30. But he understood that to participate fully in Canada’s political process you need to speak both official languages. In the end, his command of English opened up the top job in the country. While […]
Opposition MPs will do ‘due diligence’ on new NAFTA bill as Liberals urge quick passage
Opposition MPs say they will do their “due diligence” on the new Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement implementation bill, while the Liberals are encouraging Parliamentarians to pass the legislation “swiftly” and “without undue delay.” Mexico and the United States have already passed implementing legislation for the agreement. When Canada does so, it will trigger the beginning of […]
In minority Parliament, Lamoureux suggests no House votes on Mondays and Fridays, a dual Chamber, and more power for MPs
MPs could be given more power, they could stop voting on Mondays and Fridays, and there could be a two-House Chamber to complement the work of the Commons, says Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux, parliamentary secretary to the government House leader, and the one who’s leading the charge to modernize the House in this minority Parliament. […]
Trudeau should leave the fake diplomacy to Donald Trump
HALIFAX—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made clear in his mandate letters to ministers that foreign affairs is amongst the top priorities of his new government. Why wouldn’t it be? The war of nerves with China continues, with Meng Wanzhou under mansion-arrest in Vancouver, the two Michaels still waiting to be sprung from their Chinese keepers, and […]
Time for Correctional Service of Canada to take front-line workers seriously
Last week in Québec City’s suburbs, Eustachio Gallese violently murdered a 22-year-old woman while he was on day parole, after already serving a 15-year prison sentence for gruesomely killing his female spouse in 2003. The public, media, and elected officials—including Quebec MP Pierre Paul-Hus and Quebec’s Justice Minister Sonia LeBel—expressed outrage that someone with such […]
Is the leadership race of one’s party more important than the general election?
TORONTO—”Joe Clark, Stéphane Dion, and Andrew Scheer walk into a bar…” What’s the punchline? “Everyone in the bar thought three other guys would be coming in first.” What do political party leadership races, at least recently, in democracies we are familiar with, seem to have become? Horse races where the pertinent question is not: “Are […]
Senators return with committee talks, rule changes, and the CUSMA bill on the agenda
Senators will get back to work on Feb. 4 for the first extended sitting period since June, and negotiating the makeup of Senate committees will be one of the first orders of business—one that could shape how key government files and plans for Senate reform are handled. The Senate committees on Internal Economy, Public Safety, […]
