Family feud: Clinton, Sanders in-fighting threatens Democratic unity
For years now, establishment Democrats have doubted Bernie Sanders and his ability to unite the Democratic Party. And I suppose, when only taken at face value, who can blame them? After all, Sanders, alone amongst his Democratic competitors for the presidential nomination, is an independent and he has been for the majority of his political […]
Revamping Centre Block: virtual tools, new levels of collaboration put to use
Four times larger than the West Block renovation project, the mission to revamp the Centre Block building—and build a new underground facility alongside it—is no small feat, and to tackle it, officials have introduced new technologies and levels of collaboration. It’s a “complex project on multiple levels,” said Jennifer Garrett, director general of the Centre […]
Getting to know me: Gov. Gen. Payette breaks down her vice-regal role
The 98 newly elected Members of Parliament who recently started work undoubtedly know that Canada has a Governor General. While many may know that I currently hold this position, some may not know, in detail, what a Governor General does. So we invited the MPs just before I departed for Israel and Poland to attend […]
Deputy PM Freeland builds up team
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has continued to build her team, with two more former Prime Minister’s Office staffers among the recent additions. Former PMO policy adviser Bud Sambasivam is now a senior policy adviser to Ms. Freeland, while Adam Grech, a former advance staffer to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has become senior executive assistant […]
A guide to Parliament Hill’s cafeterias
PARLIAMENT HILL—No one wants to go outside for long in winter. Ottawa is cold. The Ottawa River doesn’t help with windchill. Despite there being tunnels connecting some buildings on the Hill, there’s no equivalent to Toronto’s PATH, a 30-plus kilometre underground pedestrian walkway serving most of downtown. If you’re one of those who’d rather not […]
Canada’s oil and gas sector can be part of the climate change solution, not the problem
TORONTO—In a stark new report that needs to be read in Canada, the International Energy Agency warns that the oil and gas industry has two choices as the world transitions to a low-carbon world: it can be part of the problem, or it can be part of the solution. The industry can be part of […]
Signs of political opportunism emerge as MPs on Canada-China Relations Committee urge collaboration
MPs of all political stripes argue that the upstart special committee dealing with Canada’s relationship with China is not a place to score political points. Debate over the size of the Special Committee on Canada-China Relations’ subcommittee, and whether there is a desire to see a “consensus” or a “spirit of collaboration” brought the Jan. […]
Why Harper still dominates the news
OAKVILLE, ONT.—When you hear the name “Stephen Harper,” the last word that springs to mind is “charismatic.” Words that do spring to mind, on the other hand, include: boring, brooding, stodgy, plodding, and pedantic. Yet amazingly, despite his ostensibly anti-charismatic personality, and despite being off the political stage for nearly five years, Harper has become, […]
National Capital Commission, planners and stewards of Canada’s capital region
The capital we know today is the result of 120 years of planning, beginning with the Ottawa Improvement Commission, founded on the initiative of Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 1899. Over subsequent decades, the National Capital Region has benefited greatly from the work of giants of the planning world such as Frederick Todd, Edward Bennett, and […]
Women in politics: every party should have a few
CHELSEA, QUE.—Will the time ever come when every leadership race does not require a “woman” candidate, primarily to make the party look inclusive? In other words, will women in politics, and women in leadership, ever become so routine as to be unremarkable—candidates judged on their merits, not as part of a political sub-category, not as […]
