Board of Internal Economy opening a historic first step, but the test will be if transparency holds
This week, the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy will hold its first-ever public meeting. It comes after the Liberals promised in the last election to open up the board to the public. “Except in rare cases requiring confidentiality, meetings of this group will be open to the public,” said their platform. The board […]
This just in: feds want a more restrictive transparency regime
OTTAWA—Successive bureaucrats have wanted to put a damper on the public use of access-to-information legislation. Now they have found hope in Bill C-58 and a willing dupe in Treasury Board President Scott Brison. While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can be counted on to have flights of open government flowery rhetoric, faceless bureaucrats have held to […]
Political financing bill a ‘Seinfeld episode,’ critics tell Minister Gould it’s ‘not very substantive’
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould’s political financing bill doesn’t do any real harm, but doesn’t do any good either, opposition MPs suggested at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee as members began their study on Bill C-50 last week. The government could have gone further and taken a page from their Ontario Liberal cousins to […]
DND appointees ‘tremendous’ team to tackle new defence policy
The leader, money man, and defence policy specialist appointed to the Department of National Defence’s top ranks on Sept. 22 have the expertise needed to take serious action on the government’s new defence policy, according to political observers. Michael Day, a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, said the appointments of Jody Thomas, Gordon […]
Canada’s former chief electoral officers hope feds find new elections watchdog by December, say unanimous House consent important
It’s been almost a year since Canada’s top elections watchdog vacated his post, but the federal government will finally begin reviewing applications this month to find a replacement for the country’s next chief electoral officer. Former chief electoral officer Marc Mayrand and his predecessor Jean-Pierre Kingsley both told The Hill Times last week that they hope […]
Union head warns of bullying ‘epidemic’ in public service, asks Trudeau to strike committee to investigate
The head of a federal public service union has called on the government to strike a committee to examine bullying and harassment in the ranks of its workers, a move the NDP’s labour critic says he would support. Todd Panas, the national president of the Union of Health and Environment Workers, made the request in […]
House committee reviewing MP sexual harassment policy; it’s a ‘completely black box,’ says Elizabeth May
A House committee is reviewing the nascent MP sexual harassment policy behind closed doors, which some MPs say is necessary for the sensitive topic while others call for greater transparency in both the process and the code’s treatment of complaints. The sexual harassment code of conduct, which covers MP-to-MP actions, has no reporting requirement, including the […]
Feds drafting new elections law, say House Affairs Committee members
The government is drafting another bill making changes to the Canada Elections Act expected to be tabled as early as this fall, according to members of the House committee tasked with studying changes to the country’s electoral legislation. The Procedure and House Affairs Committee (PROC) began studying former Elections Canada head Marc Mayrand’s 132 recommendations […]
Health Canada, CBSA under ‘wasteful spending’ reviews; Brison overseeing cabinet colleagues’ work
The federal health and public safety ministers are leading special reviews of their own institutions this year, looking for wasteful spending and obsolete programs, while Treasury Board President Scott Brison oversees their work. A Conservative MP on the Government Operations and Estimates Committee compared the arrangement to “having a fox in charge of the henhouse,” […]
Union worried feds could turn back on IT workers post-Phoenix
The head of one of the largest public service unions is warning the government not to contract to an outside company the ongoing maintenance of the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system once it’s working properly. “I have yet to get a commitment, although I will be seeking it firmly, that they will not contract out the […]
