Remains of old barracks, guardhouse focus of ‘significant’ archaeological dig on Parliament Hill
Two “significant” archaeological digs are ongoing east of the Centre Block building, focused on the remains of an old barracks building and a guardhouse that at one point served as Bytown’s first and only jail, uncovered ahead of the official start of renovations on Parliament Hill’s centrepiece building. “We found some interesting things. So, right […]
Bill C-262 too important to reconciliation for Senate delay
With the clock running out on the current session of Parliament, I’m paying close attention to whether the Senate passes a long overdue bill on reconciliation. Bill C-262 was approved by the House of Commons last year but it’s gotten held up in the Senate. What the bill does is set out a framework for […]
SAP Canada pitches NextGen plan to standardize human resources processes
As the federal government looks to replace its disastrous Phoenix pay system through its new “agile” procurement process, SAP Canada says it has a solution. SAP is behind the HR software used by the Canada Revenue Agency. The agency is known to have fewer pay problems and its system was suggested last year for a […]
Feds’ process for screening out partisan ads ‘not sufficiently robust,’ auditor general says
Federal oversight of government ads for partisan messages was “not sufficiently robust” to ensure that Canadians’ tax dollars are not being spent to advance the governing party’s political agenda, according to the auditor general. In one of five spring reports released May 7, the auditor general’s office found that the process the Liberals established to […]
Tentative Phoenix deal reached, but PSAC rejects feds’ offer
After two years of negotiations, the government and 16 federal public sector unions have reached a tentative deal to compensate bureaucrats for the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system. However, the government’s offer was rejected by the largest union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada. The Phoenix pay system was supposed to streamline pay, but instead, public […]
Feds shift to non-traditional workspaces, but not everyone’s happy about it
While the outgoing head of the public service positively portrayed the government’s shift to non-traditional office environments in his final annual report released earlier this month, some public service unions say the changes aren’t conducive to a good workspace, with some employees having no designated desks, leaving little space for personal belongings or accessibility accommodations. […]
Senators work to change Ambrose’s judicial training bill, get it passed before summer break
With a private member’s bill that would improve judicial training on sexual assault stalled in the Upper Chamber, some Senators say they’re willing to sit the few extra hours needed to get the “important” bill through before Parliament rises, but it’s not clear enough Senators agree. The committee tasked with studying the bill has two […]
Standing Order rewrite expected to wrap up in June, says clerk, but Conservatives concerned, and experts say it’s a good move
A complete rewrite of the House of Commons’ sprawling Standing Orders is currently underway, aimed at making the rules that govern the House Chamber more accessible and user-friendly, something experts say is a much-needed and helpful exercise. The package currently being produced by the House administration is a proposal and will be put to MPs […]
Shugart will be tested in clerk’s role ‘very quickly’ in light of SNC-Lavalin controversy, says ex-PBO Page
Incoming Privy Council clerk Ian Shugart will be tested “very quickly” on how to walk the line between serving political masters and staying professionally non-partisan, but he’ll rise to the challenge, said former parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page. PCO clerk Michael Wernick is one of the key actors in the SNC-Lavalin affair, and was accused […]
Design plans for Centre Block’s big renovation to be finalized in 2022, say House officials
Canada’s iconic Centre Block building was emptied for construction about two months ago, but a final design for the building’s renovation won’t be finalized until January 2022, Parliamentarians recently learned. Since MPs, Senators, and staff finished clearing out of the Centre Block in January, workers have been busy decommissioning the building and conducting investigations—prying into […]
