Global warming followers may be flummoxed by party positions on climate change action plans
OTTAWA—Global warming followers may be flummoxed by the differences in party positions on climate change action plans. Andrew Scheer’s announcement last week was long on photos and short on specifics. He characterized his plan as the most anticipated policy announcement of an opposition leader in the history of the country. Scheer framed his work in […]
Trudeau offered ‘sincere’ apology, but no talk of returning to caucus, says Caesar-Chavannes
Speaking her mind on important political issues “put her head on the chopping block” in the Liberal caucus, says Independent MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes, but she has no regrets about standing up and being counted when it mattered, and she’s not ruling out the possibility of seeking re-election in the upcoming October campaign as an Independent […]
By avoiding risks, Scheer is taking a risk
OAKVILLE, ONT.—If he were judged solely by his recent actions, you’d have to say Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer is an extremist, and that the only thing he’s actually extreme about is caution. In other words, Scheer is what I’d call an “arch-cautionist.” He doesn’t like to take chances, he doesn’t like to be bold, […]
Politicians should keep their promises to fight climate change, or face lawsuits
HALIFAX—A few weeks ago, David Suzuki made what to me was a stunning statement. “Environmentalists can’t save the environment.” After all, if they couldn’t, who could? There were a lot of reasons for Suzuki’s conclusion, but at its heart it came down to this. A much bigger tent was needed to build support for enacting […]
Independent MP Caesar-Chavannes says her job is to represent ‘disenfranchised,’ not to make others feel comfortable in House
There’s no such thing as cultural neutrality in politics, says an Indigenous advocate. But for many Canadians, diversity across other dimensions can be more meaningful than their race, says a former Harper-era aide. Some 150 attendees came out for a wide-ranging conversation around race and politics in Canada at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa […]
Federal Conservatives say green technology, not taxes key to meeting Paris targets
The Conservatives say Canada’s path to achieving the Paris targets will hinge in large part on the development of green technology, not taxes. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer (Regina-Qu’Appelle, Sask.) unveiled the plan in Chelsea, Que., a small municipality just 10 kilometres north of Ottawa. In the face of criticism from the Liberals that his party […]
Dominic LeBlanc’s treatment showing encouraging results; will run in October election
Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs, and Internal Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced on June 17 that his cancer treatment is going well, and that he is looking forward to the fast-approaching election. “I’ve completed now three of the treatments. The doctors are extremely happy with the results to date, they are very encouraged,” Mr. LeBlanc said […]
Timeline: Canadian parliamentary firsts for visible minorities and Indigenous people
Editor’s note: This list includes Parliamentarians first elected to the House or appointed to the Senate, and does not include the many first MPs of their background who were named to various cabinet files.
Federal parties should use election as chance to revisit seniors’ benefits
With the 2019 federal election round the corner, issues related to the continuing aging of Canada’s population should come up for discussion. Canada’s population has been aging at an accelerating pace. The proportion of seniors went up from 13.7 per cent in 2006 to 14.8 per cent in 2011 and 16.9 per cent in 2016. […]
Want more diversity in politics? Start by looking at political parties
The 2015 federal election saw a record number of women, Indigenous peoples, and racialized Canadians elected to the House of Commons. When he selected his ministry, Justin Trudeau lauded it as “a cabinet that looks like Canada.” These gains are notable, but they should not be taken for granted. There are still representational gaps: women, […]
