Storm of lobbying activity on the horizon on seniors, environment, intergovernmental affairs files, say lobbyists
Trade is still by far the hottest file lobbyists are preoccupied with heading into the fall sitting, but there could be a quiet storm of activity building around some of the new portfolios carved out in the summer cabinet shuffle. Until NAFTA is signed, lobbyists will be jockeying to ensure their interests aren’t sidelined in […]
Trudeau government has a distinctly different vision for federal Corrections
Three weeks ago, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale released, for the first time ever, his mandate letter to the newly appointed commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada. The new commissioner, Anne Kelly, is a seasoned veteran of Corrections, having started her career as a federal parole officer before becoming a senior manager over a […]
From CPTPP to NAFTA, trade to top agenda in the House this fall
The House of Commons is back this week for the last fall sitting before the 2019 election, and trade is set to top the agenda, with NAFTA renegotiations ongoing and a bill to enact the new Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement fresh on the Order Paper. Government House Leader Bardish Chagger (Waterloo, Ont.), in a phone interview […]
Environmental assessments, national security among hot topics on Senate agenda this fall
With the country’s environmental assessment process recently knocked by the courts, the government’s legislation to overhaul how impacts of major resource development projects are measured will be subject to intense scrutiny this fall as it makes its way through the Upper Chamber. Bill C-69, the Liberals’ wide-ranging environment legislation that would put in place a […]
The Quebec election: a primer
Every election tells a story. And every political party strives to control the narrative of that story. The Quebec election, scheduled for Oct. 1, is no exception. Fifteen years in power—with the exception of an 18-month interlude from September 2012 to April 2014 when the Parti Québécois was in office—makes the Liberals vulnerable to one […]
Political parties will need to do more to entice female candidates to run federally
OTTAWA—While Parliament did indeed rise for the summer, most federal MPs did not stop working. With a federal election just over a year away, MPs with the intention to run again were busy meeting their respective parties’ nomination requirements, and ensuring that their efforts as government or opposition MPs were well understood among constituents. The […]
Northern food security key to Canada’s future
True or False: The Arctic is thawing, uncovering land that can grow food and eventually feed the world. Answer: both. Another answer: We don’t know—because so much is changing. And it has serious implications for food security in the north. What we do know is that permafrost—ground that remains at or below zero degrees for […]
After rocky summer, NDP should showcase star MPs Cullen, Brosseau, Boulerice, ‘win a narrative battle,’ says former party strategist
After a rocky summer, the New Democrats are returning to Parliament trying to reboot their message by giving Canadians a better sense of what they stand for and how they are different from the left-leaning governing Liberals. They are seeking to earn political points among progressives by positioning themselves as working for “real” and “everyday” […]
Border security and immigration control are not contrary to Liberal values
Former Toronto police chief Bill Blair, the newly appointed minister of border security and organized crime reduction, faces a significant challenge in his new job. While the Liberal government seemingly is seeking to open Canada’s borders as a means to encourage international trade and promote refugee protection, a recent poll conducted by the Angus Reid […]
A political triangle
QUÉBEC CITY—Recently, the Liberal Party of Canada’s federal riding association of Brome-Missisquoi in Quebec requested that its incumbent Member of Parliament either participate in a nomination or step down as the candidate for the 2019 election. The party appointed the incumbent, Denis Paradis, according to its candidate selection rules, thereby going against the majority of […]
