Tory House leader rails against interpreter pilot project defended as necessary amid service strain
A union and an association representing Hill interpreters are lambasting the House of Commons’ decision to launch a pilot project testing the use of remote and external interpreters, and Conservative House Leader John Brassard is adding his voice to the chorus of those arguing it will threaten the quality of bilingualism on the Hill. During […]
‘An idea whose time has come’: expand Hill precinct, says Fergus
Parliamentarians have an opportunity to make the Parliamentary Precinct safer by securing the area from those who would “sow chaos” and expanding the area under the jurisdiction of police who protect the Hill, while still retaining public access, says Liberal MP Greg Fergus. “It’s a reality that we have to face up to, that sometimes […]
PSAC declares impasse in negotiations with feds over wages, as unions, feds navigate inflation, ‘hybrid work’ model
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the country’s largest federal public service union, has declared an impasse in collective bargaining negotiations with the government on behalf of 120,000 workers, with national president Chris Aylward honing in on the government’s wage offer as the “tipping point” leading to the standoff. The government’s offer was an […]
Stretched thin: Resources to support committees strained amid virtual format, late-night sittings
Support resources on the Hill, particularly interpretation services, have been stretched thin amid continued hybrid virtual proceedings and the addition of late-night sittings, leading to a wave of committee meeting cancellations last week. Conservative House Leader John Brassard says he sees “one simple solution” to the problem: putting an end to hybrid proceedings. “The pressure […]
PPS asks for ‘substantial increase’ to address Parliament Hill security
The physical security of the Parliamentary Precinct amid “an evolving threat environment” has prompted a request for nearly $10-million more for the Hill’s security team for the fiscal year. “This year’s the first in three years we’ve asked for a substantial increase,” Eric Savard, Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) chief financial officer, told members of Procedure […]
Government should waive cabinet confidentiality on Emergencies Act deliberations
In the latter years of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, transparency was—well, not really a thing. In fact, the group Canadian Journalists for Free Expression gave the former prime minister the lowest grade possible for its transparency evaluation, an F-, for the last two years he held office. As the Trudeau government continues its tenure, one […]
‘There are two Liberal governments’: NDP MP Green, Black class action lawsuit lawyer cry foul over feds’ attempt to quash case
With 1,300 plaintiffs now involved in a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit on behalf of federal employees who identify as Black, Caribbean, or of African descent, NDP MP Matthew Green says the government’s recent move to have the lawsuit quashed “only demonstrates the actual risk that real scrutiny would serve to the government who has, […]
Indigenous languages on federal ballots could help boost turnout, PROC hears
Directly or indirectly, including Indigenous languages on federal ballots could help to boost Indigenous voter turnout, argue witnesses appearing as part of the House Affairs Committee’s ongoing study into the prospect. But some suggest resources would be better allocated elsewhere. “Having the Inuit language on ballots would help in increasing the voter turnout,” Nunavut Languages […]
Liberals still stalling on transparency in government
OTTAWA—If you thought the NDP would hold the federal Liberals’ feet to the fire for the public to gain vastly increased transparency practices in their “confidence-and-supply agreement,” you’d be wrong. The Liberals’ disdain for transparency has been well documented. From the prime minister dropping transparency as a priority in his cabinet ministers’ mandate letters, to […]
MPs need to stop changing their unethical ethics code behind closed doors
What’s the most important set of rules for MPs’ decision-making and relations with their staff, lobbyists, and voters? Don’t know the answer? That’s not surprising because no one wants to talk about these rules much, including the media who have only mentioned them in a dozen or so articles in the past decade, often summarizing […]
