Tories displaying opportunism, dangerous stalling by digging in their heels on carbon pricing
“Political opportunism one reason for Conservative rejection of carbon pricing,” (The Hill Times, May 21, p. 18). It used to be acknowledged as a compliment when someone else mirrored our tastes and ideas. One could sarcastically bow to the opponent, saying, “Ah, at last, you are displaying smarts by moving our genius idea of old. I […]
The G7’s post-truth moment: Trump, Trudeau, Tusk—and zombies
The last of Donald Trump’s predecessors to spend any serious time in La Malbaie, a resort town in the Charlevoix, Que., region, was William Howard Taft, whose Mar-a-Lago was an unpretentious summer residence in what was then called Murray Bay, also known as the “Newport of the North.” When asked where Murray Bay was, the man who […]
Senate committee reviewing harassment policy hearing from staff, Senators in private
Senators and their staffers are able to air their harassment-related grievances behind closed doors over the next month, as a group tasked with overhauling the Upper Chamber’s harassment policy finally gets into gear. A subgroup of the Senate’s Internal Economy, Budgets, and Administration Committee has scheduled four meetings between May 29 and June 19 to […]
Ex-PMO photographer shuts Elgin Street studio, café
Jean-Marc Carisse, a former PMO photographer, says he decided to close down his photography studio, Carisse Studio Café and Photography Gallery located on Elgin Street near Somerset Street West in downtown Ottawa, due to a massive road construction project. In an email, Mr. Carisse said the brick-and-mortar space closed on May 25 but noted he […]
Setting the record straight on the Trans Mountain pipeline project
PARLIAMENT HILL—Like a majority of Canadians, I support the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project, and yet what we mostly hear are the voices of its opponents. This vocal minority has a host of reasons for their opposition, many of which have been addressed by the Senate during Senators’ many deliberations on this matter. One of […]
Press gallery members schmooze, bhangra, and laugh at annual dinner
From teaching the press gallery to bhangra, to jokes about #MeToo and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s not-so-popular trip to India, everyone can agree this year’s Parliamentary Press Gallery dinner was a hit. More than 500 Parliamentarians, lobbyists, and industry leaders locked arms with Ottawa’s parliamentary reporters as they walked the halls at the Canadian Museum […]
Status of government bills
HOUSE OF COMMONS Second reading: C-5, An Act to Repeal Division 20 of Part 3 of the Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1 C-12, An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act C-27, An Act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 C-28, An Act to amend […]
Elections bill poses privacy, foreign funding problems, says Elections Canada head
Canada’s prospective chief electoral officer is recommending seven changes to the Liberals’ elections modernization bill, including rules on how political parties can collect data and closing what opposition MPs have called a loophole in the legislation that still makes it possible for foreign interference. Stéphane Perrault said Elections Canada is “generally in agreement” with Bill […]
‘Bad, bad, bad’: Public service culture could lead to another Phoenix, say experts
A culture in the public service that encourages meeting budgets by any means necessary is being blamed as the true root cause of the Phoenix pay system failure, and experts say those cultural elements that have cost the government $1.2-billion and counting are still there. Former bureaucrat turned Queen’s University professor Andrew Graham, who has […]
The U.S. is leaving the Paris Agreement, Canada’s not. Why follow on weakening car emissions standards?
Fixated on reversing the progress made under its predecessor, the current United States administration plans to weaken vehicle emissions standards. Less fuel-efficient vehicles in the U.S. are bad for Canada’s climate, but things could get much worse if Canada adopts weaker standards as well. Due to the linked nature of U.S. and Canadian auto regulations […]
