Senate reform ‘an interesting experiment,’ says Sen. Nancy Ruth on her way out the door
Newly retired Senator Nancy Ruth says the Senate reforms being made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are an experiment in progress, but because politics thrives on power, she says the Upper Chamber is destined for an eternal power struggle under its current design. “I think the direction is unclear. It’s an interesting experiment,” said Nancy Ruth […]
Canada shaped China’s new domestic abuse law: feds
Canada’s federal government helped to guide China through the drafting of its first national domestic abuse law passed late last year, even fielding a visit from top Chinese lawmakers working on the project. Chinese officials “turned to Canada for inspiration” in the early stages of drafting the legislation, which explicitly outlaws physical and psychological abuse […]
Ottawa welcomes Afghanistan’s fourth-ever female ambassador
At 54 years of age, Shinkai Karokhail has had a life filled with loss, hardship, and triumph, but most of all, with compassion. Afghanistan’s fourth-ever female ambassador is a cancer survivor, a refugee, and a tireless advocate for women’s and human rights. She spent nearly 20 years in exile from her country as a refugee […]
New task force aims for diverse public service where everyone feels welcome
It’s important not only for the federal public service to be comprised of a fair representation of Canada’s various kinds of people, but also that these employees feel comfortable in their surroundings, says the head of Canada’s largest public service union. Robyn Benson, president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), said this is […]
Canadian government must support women’s rights organizations in these troubled times
In the wake of the U.S. election, when hope seems very dim for those committed to women’s rights and gender justice, we can be inspired by women’s rights organizations worldwide that continue to secure justice and build peace despite huge obstacles. The government of Canada has noticed that these organizations can be key drivers in […]
Jansen’s experience of harassment is unfortunately not unique
OTTAWA—This past week, Sandra Jansen stood in the Alberta legislature and recounted some of the awful and misogynistic commentary being thrust her way in recent weeks. As is well known by now, Jansen courageously called out some members of her own party, among others, for their sexist bullying and harassment as she prepared for a […]
Duplication of Trump’s success unlikely in Canada, though ‘political campaign rulebook changing radically’
Donald Trump’s election as president of the United States is bound to affect how politics is done in Canada, though experts say there are characteristics about Canada that make it less likely a candidate like Mr. Trump could be as successful here. John Duffy, founder of public affairs and communications firm StrategyCorp, who was an […]
House more diverse, but still has a long way to go
As The Hill Times reports in this week’s issue, this is one of the most diverse House of Commons in Canadian history, but it still has a long way to go to reflect Canada’s diverse population. More work must be done to elect more women, more indigenous peoples, more visible minorities, and more people with diverse educational and […]
‘We live in a globalized world,’ House most ethnically diverse in Canadian history, but still has long way to go: research
PARLIAMENT HILL—It’s the most ethnically diverse House of Commons in Canadian history, but it still has a long way to go. The House is still mostly white, male, and English-speaking, according to a study conducted by Kai Chan, who released his data to The Hill Times, and most MPs are married, 30 per cent are bilingual, 13 […]
We’re all losers in the wake of senseless act of political vandalism that was the U.S. election
OTTAWA—Nearly half of United States Republicans believe Barack Obama was secretly born outside the United States, making him ineligible to be president, and the man who launched his political career promoting that lie is now poised to take over the White House. There’s your shorthand answer as to what happened on Nov. 8. Rural white […]
