Good grievance! Treasury Board wading through more than 4,000 Phoenix-related complaints
The Treasury Board Secretariat has been hit with more than 4,000 individual complaints from government employees related to the Phoenix pay system, an amount that a labour relations expert says could be a slog to wade through. Kevin Banks, a Queen’s University labour relations law professor, said payroll grievances are “pretty straightforward” but the amount […]
For Ontario PCs, the sniff of power is more potent than the stench of scandal
OTTAWA—Not unexpectedly, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is reeling following the resignation of its leader Patrick Brown after sexual misconduct allegations were levelled against him. A few days later, another top PC Ontario executive, party president Rick Dykstra (a close friend of Brown), also stepped down, hours before Maclean’s magazine published a story concerning […]
The Donald is dead. Long live The Donald
Barack Obama’s first State of the Union was indelibly conveyed in its first moments by the visual of America’s first black president standing on the rostrum of the House of Representatives. Eight years later, the current state of America could have been effectively transmitted Tuesday night if Donald J. Trump, the country’s first reality-show president, […]
New bill reinstating public financing for political parties to cost more than $45-million: PBO
PARLIAMENT HILL—A private member’s bill reintroducing public financing for political parties and slashing the maximum limit on individual donations will cost taxpayers roughly $45-million annually, according to a new analysis released from the Parliamentary Budget Office on Tuesday. Restoring the federal per vote subsidy will also net registered parties an additional $43.1-million in political funds […]
“The House is back. What is going to be your party’s No. 1 priority for the next three sitting weeks?”
Cameron Ahmad Liberal strategist “It will come as no surprise to Canadians that our priority in 2018 is consistent with what it has been since the election: driving economic growth all across the country, creating good well-paying jobs, and strengthening the middle class. “We will be building on the work we started two years ago, […]
Preserve NAFTA to protect modern supply chains
As negotiations for NAFTA 2.0 wrap up today in Montreal, it’s hard not to reflect on the progress that Canada, the U.S., and Mexico have made as trading partners, and the fundamental role that railways have played in this evolution. Signed in 1993, NAFTA has led to additional trade, the opening of new markets, and […]
Centre Block occupants ‘skeptical’ of summer move-out plans, but department says schedule hasn’t changed
The Centre Block building’s emptying out is just around the corner—at least based on current department timelines—but its present occupants say they’re “skeptical” the big move into the West Block and Government Conference Centre buildings will actually end up happening this summer. “I highly doubt that it’s going to happen, just because I’ve had tours […]
Meet Trudeau’s lead on multicultural communications, PMO press secretary Amreet Kaur
Canadian political parties are increasingly emphasizing multicultural communications and outreach work, and as the Liberal government’s lead staffer focused on communicating with the country’s many multicultural communities and news outlets, PMO press secretary Amreet Kaur plays a “vital” role in the office. “The component of multicultural outreach remains one of the vital components of any […]
Tories face tricky path to power
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s year may be off to a rough start. Two national polls published back to back this week suggest the official opposition’s fall offensive in the House of Commons has failed to make a lasting dent in the Liberal armour. A Mainstreet Research poll based on a sample of 3,890 respondents showed […]
Syria: a carnival of treachery
LONDON, U.K.—There are comical elements in the current Turkish invasion of northern Syria. Its name, for example: Operation Olive Branch. Or the frantic back-pedalling by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about the announcement that triggered (or at least provided a pretext for) the Turkish offensive. A week ago the U.S. declared that it was […]
