Quebec’s sovereignty issue is in deep freeze
MONTREAL—There was a time not so long ago when the very notion of a federal government funding some June 24 festivities in Quebec would have raised eyebrows on both sides of the federalist-sovereigntist divide. Ottawa has long contributed to the financing of St-Jean-Baptiste celebrations in the rest of Canada, but it had abstained from associating […]
Hydro One court case another blow to Wynne’s trustworthiness
TORONTO—A lawsuit challenging the privatization of Hydro One is winding its way slowly through the courts. It may not succeed. Judges are hard to predict. But politically, it hits Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government where it hurts—its trustworthiness. Filed last fall by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the lawsuit alleges that the government […]
B.C. election: little immediate impact, but plenty of future political risk for federal Liberals, say pollsters
B.C. Liberal MPs are pushing back on claims that the province’s election is a blow to their local support, while pollsters suggest little immediate impact but plenty of future political risk for federal Liberals with a new provincial NDP-Green Party alliance. And while NDP MPs have pointed to the provincial election results as proof of […]
Equalization, official languages policies need review
Many Canadian citizens find it difficult or impossible to understand the special status relationship Quebec has with Canada. Canadians are questioning the reasons, the benefits, and cost of some government policies and how they could make the relationship between Canada and Quebec beneficial for both citizens of Canada and Quebec. An elected government, must be […]
With sovereignty on the backburner, how relevant is the Parti Québécois?
MONTREAL—With sovereignty on the backburner in Quebec for the foreseeable future, is there life for the Parti Québécois as a defining political force? Or is the party that nearly secured a majority pro-secession vote in 1995 running on empty now that it has put off plans for a referendum until at least 2022? Both questions […]
Canada’s Arctic Energy Fund: a step in the right direction
Nunavut faces many unique challenges, and energy is certainly one of them. Our remote communities, small population, and challenging environment mean that we do not have access to the same energy solutions as other regions in Canada. In Nunavut, our reliance on energy is crucial for survival, every single day. We want to do our […]
Too small, too slow: critics slam Ottawa for tiered northern housing plan
The Trudeau government says the $300-million it earmarked for housing in Canada’s North in this year’s budget will help to address the region’s severe housing crunch, though critics argue the allocation is too small and the planned rollout too slow to engender meaningful changes. “In the latest budget, they have acknowledged that there is…a housing crisis […]
Liberals under pressure to provide more infrastructure dollars for the North
Critics, advocates, and political rivals are calling on the federal Liberal government to dedicate more resources to address the severe infrastructure deficit in Canada’s North, arguing they failed to set aside funds in the last budget specifically for northern communities. In the 2017 budget, the Liberal government earmarked $2-billion over 11 years for infrastructure projects in rural and […]
One small step for Nunavut
After years of chronic underfunding in Nunavut’s infrastructural and social programs, the Canadian government has been making strides to provide Nunavummiut with the means necessary to support territorial development. Funding allocated in the 2017 is a step in the right direction, and will begin to address some vital areas that are in desperate need of […]
Federal NDP, Greens buoyed by B.C. election results, Liberals stay diplomatic
Federal New Democrats and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May say the gains their provincial cousins made in Tuesday’s election in British Columbia show that the majority there want change that doesn’t align with either the federal or provincial Liberals’ policies. The close election results mean which party or parties will form government in Canada’s third most populous […]
