‘I am more than just a wallet,’ says reader Garfield Marks
I am more than just a wallet. I am a son, a brother, a husband, a father, and a grandfather. I am a homeowner, a taxpayer, and a resident of Red Deer, of Alberta, of Canada, and of Earth. I am a regular Joe. So why do I feel ignored by our political leaders? Why do they […]
Hard to believe beard ban was a dealbreaker for military recruits
OTTAWA—It was announced last week that the Canadian Armed Forces are going to relax limitations on beards and allow more soldiers, sailors, and airmen to grow facial hair. Under the terms of the previous regulations, only sailors assigned to shore duty and infantrymen serving in specialized Pioneer engineering units were allowed to sport beards. There […]
Saskatchewan NDP riding associations frustrated with party’s lack of communication: internal document
Some Saskatchewan NDP organizers say the party hasn’t responded to repeated calls to address provincial concerns, including requests for a visit from leader Jagmeet Singh, and that “better communication” is needed, according to a copy of June minutes from a meeting of riding associations sent to The Hill Times. Months later, that frustration hasn’t subsided, […]
Our obsession with the U.S. is hazardous
OTTAWA—This week was a high point for Canadians obsessed with the country to the south of us. On television and in social media, the carnival sideshow and morality play that was the Senate judiciary hearings in Washington, D.C., into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh consumed us. Meanwhile, negotiations wrapped up towards a new NAFTA, and […]
Michaëlle Jean’s chances ‘very slim’ to keep Francophonie seat: observers
Michaëlle Jean’s chances at a second term leading the International Organisation of La Francophonie have disappeared or are “very, very slim,” say observers, amid fallout from spending controversies that have shaken support for her even in Canada, her home country. Winning support in the closed-door and consensus-based vote during the Francophonie leaders’ summit Oct. 11 […]
Work-life balance tough in 24-hour news cycle, but there’s help for Parliamentarians to cope
PARLIAMENT HILL—As Speaker of Canada’s Upper Chamber, I am expected to preside over matters impartially. However, there are some issues that transcend partisanship and party lines. One is the mental health of Parliamentarians and employees. More and more, Parliamentarians are speaking openly and candidly about their personal struggles with mental illness. In sharing such intimate […]
Too many are still suffering in silence on the Hill. This has to change
PARLIAMENT HILL—They come to Parliament Hill, the best and brightest people, eager to watch from a front‑row seat as history is being made. They are the thousands of political staffers who work here—dedicated and driven, with an unwavering desire to serve. They may not know it, but when these people begin their parliamentary careers in […]
NAFTA deal a win for Trudeau, but not a get-out-of-jail-free card
OTTAWA—Justin Trudeau has a trade deal. Over the weekend, Canada and the United States were able to come to a preliminary agreement on a successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), henceforth to be known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). While its acronym could be confused with a Village People song popular […]
Parties ‘doing more’ to boost awareness of mental health resources, Liberals to hire HR adviser for staffers
The parties with the largest presence on the Hill say they are upping efforts to bring awareness of mental health resources available to political staffers working on Parliament Hill, including the planned hiring of a human resources adviser for Liberal employees. Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) spokesperson Eleanore Catenaro said via email that the Liberal Party has […]
USMCA: better than nothing, but don’t expect a breakthrough with Trump
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has put as positive a face as possible on his government’s rearguard action to save Canada’s trading relationship with the United States. And, given President Donald Trump’s paranoid view of international dealings as commercial warfare in which everyone is trying to take advantage of the U.S., the new version of NAFTA […]
