‘It’s incredibly dire here’: Alberta MPs navigating COVID-19 and oil crises
“I’m not really one to panic,” said Alberta MP Stephanie Kusie, speaking over the phone from her home, after closing her constituency office in Calgary Midnapore as the COVID-19 virus spreads across Canada. “I believe in preparation, but I don’t believe in panicking.” Still, the former Canadian diplomat-turned Conservative MP says she is taking a “day […]
It’s a matter of identity, says Ottawa letter-writer, of Alberta and Saskatchewan
Alberta, for many decades, has been seen as the energy powerhouse of Canada, providing well-paid jobs to many Canadians and being a significant contributor to the federal coffers. And now, the West is seen as the country’s “bad boys” who ruin our reputation as a responsible global player by disregarding the climate emergency. The real dilemma […]
Lead up to Buffalo Declaration ‘disingenuous’ to Alberta, national caucus, says Conservative MP Kusie
Despite agreeing with many of the sentiments expressed in the Buffalo Declaration, a Calgary Conservative MP says she felt “complete disappointment” the manifesto was based off of the work of only “a few individuals, acting independently,” without the backing of the Tories’ Alberta caucus, and that the lack of consensus in its creation does more to […]
Being premier of Newfoundland and Labrador may be the toughest job in the country
OTTAWA—In the midst of the maelstrom of news last week involving the Wet’suwet’en in B.C., the rail blockades in Ontario, the Prime Minister’s trip abroad and sudden return home, the news that Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball was stepping down was almost a footnote. It was not a surprise to observers of politics on […]
Political rumbles on the horizon for Newfoundland and Labrador
OTTAWA—Politics in Newfoundland and Labrador is never dull at the best times. Dwight Ball just upped the ante. To the surprise of some, Premier Ball announced on Family Day—Feb. 17—that he was going to step down to spend more time with his family. He will stay on until a replacement is chosen at a soon-to-be-determined […]
Collaborate and listen: Bloc Québécois hopes to leverage minority Parliament dynamics to make mark
The 2019 election saw the Bloc Québécois’ caucus increase three-fold, elevating it to third-party standing and recognized status in the House, and the team is looking to “leverage” its new circumstances to make a mark in this Parliament, according to the deputy House leader. “The fact that it’s a minority Parliament, we have more leverage […]
Newfoundlanders struggling from historic storm in need of federal funds, MPs say
In the aftermath of the biggest blizzard to hit Newfoundland and Labrador in half a century, propelling its capital into a state of emergency, the province’s MPs say the blizzard revealed its resident’s resilience, but the federal government will need to step up for those hardest hit. NDP MP Jack Harris (St. John’s East, N.L.) […]
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Snowmaggedon shows the power of community helping community
OTTAWA—Last week I was in St. John’s for the memorial service for John Crosbie. It was an excellent occasion, well attended by the mighty and the meek. A fitting testament to the connection Crosbie himself had with so many. The sun split the Rock that day, but shortly thereafter, Snowmaggedon arrived. You have all seen […]
The beauty of billboards
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Maybe this is a sign I’m getting old, but it always pleases me when, in this age of high-tech communication strategies, an “old-fashioned” tactic manages to score a huge public relations success. So when I learned recently that a political message plastered on a billboard—an ancient medium of communication if ever there was one—had […]
Canada’s energy narrative needs an urgent reboot
WATERLOO, ONT.—The positive contribution to Canada’s economic well-being by the fossil fuels resource sector—oil, coal, gas—is well-recognized, a matter of record and fully accepted by Canadians. Primarily Alberta and Saskatchewan, but also British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia have been in the vanguard, bringing technological innovation and business acumen to deliver jobs, prosperity, […]
