With great financial power comes great responsibility
On Friday, March 12, the second hour of debate concluded on my private member’s bill, C-231, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act (investments). The Canada Pension Plan fund, valued at about half a trillion dollars, has the kind of financial firepower that can literally move markets with its investments. Where […]
Freelance interpreters await new contract terms, after PSPC’s proposed changes sparked concern
The final terms of the new contract for federal freelance interpreters, including those covering Parliament Hill, are still eagerly awaited, months after an advocacy association raised the alarm over proposed changes a rep says would put the future health and safety of interpreters, and the quality of their work, at greater risk. “If this RFP […]
Not open to interpretation: virtual Parliament exacerbates pre-existing issues with vital service
Parliament’s shift to hybrid virtual proceedings as a result of COVID-19 has led to a spike in injuries for Hill interpreters, and in turn, has exposed and exacerbated pre-existing shortfalls with the “essential” service—shortfalls that MPs, industry advocates, and others are looking to address. “It [COVID] has certainly exacerbated the underlying issue of the challenges […]
Liberal delay in moving on Bill C-19 ‘puzzling’ given election posturing, says NDP’s Blaikie
Tabled at the end of the fall sitting, Bill C-19, which proposes changes to the Canada Elections Act aimed at mitigating risks if an election is held during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been all but stagnant since—a lack of legislative progress NDP MP Daniel Blaikie calls “surprising,” given continued speculation of a snap election call. […]
RCMP, union stand behind plan to deploy body-worn cameras for front-line officers, but critics warn drawbacks may outweigh benefits
The federal government, the RCMP’s top brass, and the police force’s union are all squarely behind a recent push to see more than 10,000 body-worn cameras deployed nationwide to help “pull the police services into the 21st century,” says the force’s union head, while others have questioned its perceived benefits. Brian Sauvé, president of the […]
Artificial intelligence another avenue for government to thwart transparency
OTTAWA—Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in use at federal agencies are rarely publicly known or sufficiently scrutinized. Yet the algorithms in play to either assist or replace the judgment of human decision-makers can make predictions, recommendations, and decisions that can significantly impact individuals and public policy. One example recently brought to light: the Globe and Mail […]
With recent debate on Standing Orders, MP Lamoureux urges pursuit of modernization, but not all MPs are as keen
The use of written speeches, debate time, speaking lists, dress codes, the creation of a dual Chamber, and ways to make the House of Commons more family-friendly were all in focus during recent debate on Standing Orders and procedure—a debate longtime modernization advocate Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux was happy to kick off on Feb. 1. […]
Creating one million jobs requires co-operation
In its Speech from the Throne last September, the federal government committed to making “the largest investment in Canadian history in training for workers.” That investment will be crucial to achieving its ambitious goal of creating more than one million jobs to restore employment to pre-pandemic levels. Achieving that goal will require co-operation between governments, […]
PROC’s prorogation probe a precedent-setting exercise, says NDP’s Blaikie
The Procedure and House Affairs Committee’s ongoing study into the government’s report on prorogation—the first of its kind, as newly required by the House of Commons’ Standing Orders—is “establishing an important precedent,” says NDP MP Daniel Blaikie, who hopes the committee uses it as a chance to consider deeper reforms, including giving the elected House […]
Dominant reflex of security and intelligence network ‘to keep info as secret as possible,’ should ‘hardwire’ transparency into day-to-day work, say experts
Canada’s first ever National Security Transparency Advisory Group, given the job of advising the deputy minister of public safety and other government officials on how to fulfill the 2017 National Security Transparency Commitment, has recommended that Canada’s intelligence and security community should “hardwire” transparency into it’s day-to-day work—and that for “enhanced transparency to be sustainable, […]
