Gender equality strong in Canada, not so much elsewhere
OTTAWA—This International Women’s Day; Canada can afford to take a short bow. With equality in the Cabinet and historic numbers in the House of Commons, the country certainly seems to be heading in the right direction. And with a Senate nomination advisory board dominated by women, chances are the Red Chamber will follow suit. So […]
Conservative leadership race could be crowded
MONTREAL—Depending on the day of the week there are no less than eight and as many as a dozen Conservatives testing the federal leadership waters. Should they all enter the race to succeed Stephen Harper, this could make next year’s Conservative leadership vote the most unpredictable federal contest in a decade. Past history suggests that […]
MPs party under the stars, B.C. politicos come to town
Last Wednesday was another event-filled evening on the Hill and in the Hill neighbourhood as lobby groups filled the newly-renovated Sir John A. Macdonald Building reception room on Wellington Street and others flocked to the Party Under the Stars at Ottawa City Hall. The Party Under the Stars event, organized by longtime Hill staffer Cheri […]
‘People were afraid for their jobs’: anyone who asked too many questions was ostracized, says Douglas Marshall
Auditor General Sheila Fraser’s report describing George Radwanski’s tenure as a “reign of terror” doesn’t even begin to describe how broken down labour relations had become between the disgraced former privacy commissioner and the nearly 100 employees who toiled under him, says Doug Marshall, a review officer on staff who is also a union representative. […]
Canadian entrepreneurs tap into the power of strategy: innovation powers productivity of firms right across the country, it means more, better jobs
MONTREAL–I see it for myself everyday — the remarkable energy of Canada’s small and medium-sized businesses. This year, as Canadian SMEs continue to face many challenges such as the SARS outbreak, the long-term effects of the war in Iraq and the unpredictable U.S. economy, they have responded with their trademark optimism, resilience and creativity. In […]
Layton optimistic about NDP’s prospects in next election run: ‘Alliance is in free-fall and not considered a threat which was a big factor in Grit victory last time’
NDP Leader Jack Layton says he expects a “very significant increase” in the number of seats in the House of Commons for his party in the next federal election, expected in the spring, 2004. The NDP holds only 14 seats in the House of Commons. Mr. Layton, who still doesn’t have a seat in the […]
British and Irish governments trying to rebuild trust: Canadian goodwill will be critical to huge task of reconciliation ahead: Murphy
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND–Anyone who has followed the Northern Ireland peace process over the years will know that it has been a difficult journey for all involved. Nearly 30 years of conflict and suffering finally gave way to painstaking talks, which led to the euphoria of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. But as the chairman of […]
Accountability, lobbying and the public interest: Patrick Boyer’s book views lobbyists as a big part of the accountability problem [Just trust us: The erosion of accountability in Canada]
This week will see the launch of the underground royal commission (urc), an ambitious multimedia undertaking financed and directed by the people at Stornoway Communications, operators of cablecaster, the ichannel. It’s a brave and laudable attempt to make comprehensible for the masses what is otherwise broadly seen as one of those issues or themes which […]
Local development agencies could be better-managed: NDP has for years lobbied for an Independent Energy Commission to review gas prices
Small and medium sized enterprises are the cornerstone of the Canadian economy and the numbers are here to prove it. Small businesses employ six out of ten Canadians in the private sector and created 343,000, (or six in 10) new jobs in 2002 alone. They play a major economic role in local communities from coast […]
Small businesses need big tax and regulatory reform: we need to utilize tax and regulatory reform to create a leadership role in Canada’s economy
Small and medium enterprises play an important role in the Canadian economy. They account for 50 per cent of our GDP, and provide over half of all employment. The sector has also been more resilient post-Sept. 11 than many of our corporate giants. While the titans have cut work-forces, SMEs continue to provide strong and […]
