Liberal political financing bill moves ahead, after opposition amendments voted down
The Liberal government’s political financing bill, C-50, is moving ahead, having passed the committee stage with only technical amendments made, but Conservatives remain steadfast in opposition, calling the proposed changes “window dressing.” “There was a practice which Canadians didn’t approve of, it didn’t pass the sniff test, and created a very significant public backlash, and […]
Canadians shouldn’t start feeling all superior to our neighbours to the south
TORONTO—When do you cease to be a country? When do you stop being a people, a nation? Romeo LeBlanc, who I loved, had an answer. “When children sleep on the streets,” he said to us once. “When they have nothing to eat. That is when you are no longer a country, and when you become […]
Ministers Joly, Qualtrough hire new press secretaries
A new press secretary has started work in Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly’s office, diving into the job during a rocky time for the office, with the minister having largely had a rough go of it in the media, particularly in Quebec, since announcing the new federal cultural policy last month. Simon Ross marked his official […]
‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression,’ Singh starts 14-city cross-country charm offensive tour
New NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who started a cross-country post-leadership four-month tour last week to visit at least 14 cities, will use it as a key opportunity to boost the NDP’s electoral fortunes in the next election. “As the old saying goes in executive search and recruiting, ‘You never get a second chance to make […]
Shoes, socks, and Trump-style politics: Travers Debates a hoot and a half
Did you know that Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi wore no socks? What about that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects Canadian democracy from populism? All this, and more, was discussed at this year’s Travers Debates. The fifth annual fundraiser was held Oct. 18 at the Shaw Centre, bringing together Ottawa’s political and […]
Rachel Notley and Alberta’s female firsts
In celebrating Persons Day every year, Canada salutes five tenacious women from Alberta, the “Famous Five,” who 90 years ago insisted that women be regarded as persons. In 1927, after hitting a roadblock with Canada’s own justice system, they appealed to the highest court of the land, which at the time was the Judicial Committee […]
Two Senate committees at standstill, as membership negotiations ensue
Members of a pair of Senate committees are still cooling their heels after the summer break, as negotiations over how committee leadership positions are allocated play out. Former Conservative Senators Daniel Lang, chair of the National Security and Defence Committee, and Bob Runciman as well as former Liberal Senator George Baker, chair and deputy chair […]
Economy doing well, but year-on-year federal deficits leading to creeping debt is concerning, say experts
Canada’s federal finances appear to be on a solid footing, but fiscal experts say the Liberals need to be concerned about paying down debt in the long term to remain fiscally responsible to Canadians. Canada’s federal debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio is sustainable at its existing level of 33.2 per cent. The federal government saw a higher-than-expected […]
Why Saudi Arabia, Israel praise Trump’s Iran nuclear-deal strategy
LONDON, U.K.—Five months ago, during Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, he was invited to open the “Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology.” (I’m not making that up.) The huge, darkened room he was in looked like a cross between a starship bridge and a television control room. And there was a photo-op, as there […]
Feds have to ‘tread carefully’ on cultural policy after Quebec blowback, say political players
Quebecers are more likely to be invested in the idea of Canada having a distinct cultural identity that needs protecting, which could possibly spell political trouble for Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly and the Trudeau Liberals if the implementation of the government’s recently announced cultural policy doesn’t find the right balance, say cultural and political players. […]
