The North needs more infrastructure to unlock its wealth potential
Few industries come to mind that have a stronger connection and reliance on infrastructure than the mining sector. Frequently situated in remote and northern regions, mines are often located in areas without any roads, telecommunications services, or easily accessible transportation, all essential to getting goods to market. Nowhere is Canada’s infrastructure deficit more acute than […]
New NAFTA deal gets it right on digital trade
Canada has quickly become a leader in digital innovations. Our federal government has, in the last few years, launched superclusters across the country, with the goal of transforming our innovation economy. We are leading the world in the development of artificial intelligence, with research hubs in Montreal and Waterloo, among other cities. And we are […]
ESDC to ‘promote,’ ‘enforce’ labour rights in other countries, under CPTPP trade deal
The Liberal government has assigned its human resources department to begin to monitor and “enforce” labour standards in other countries, under the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Budget 2019 redirected $680,000 per year of Employment and Social Development Canada’s budget towards an effort to “promote, monitor, and enforce labour standards […]
Public works require public input, but can’t be hamstrung by it
The Oxford English Dictionary defines infrastructure as “the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.” You’d think pretty much everyone would be in favour of building the structures needed to operate our society. But before I became a Senator, I spent 30 years as a journalist, […]
‘We’re in ambition mode’: Champagne says infrastructure funding free from politics
Infrastructure funding is being being spent free from political considerations, says Infrastructure and Communities Minister François-Philippe Champagne, but his Conservative critic says money is going to where Liberals want votes in October. “I often say when you look at infrastructure, this is not about politics,” Mr. Champagne (Saint Maurice–Champlain, Que.) told The Hill Times on […]
Eighty years after Franco took power, Spain riled by re-emergence of far right
MALAGA, Spain—It was in this heavily populated, sun-drenched part of Spain east of Gibraltar that an ultra-conservative political party recently emerged on the national scene for the first time in four decades. Wins in several districts in a regional election in December by Vox gave it a role in the new coalition government in Andalusia, […]
Investments and co-operation are building a better Canada
Canadians had a choice in 2015: austerity, or investing to build communities for success now and for generations to come. Both during the election and since taking office, we made infrastructure a key focus because we know that it is essential for families, communities, our economic growth, and job creation. Nearly four years since Canadians […]
‘I’m a pretty impatient minister’: Champagne says he’d like infrastructure money doled out faster, but feds are improving
The federal government has responded to concerns about infrastructure money not getting out the door fast enough, says Infrastructure Minister François-Philippe Champagne. The process can always be improved, and while some delays have been out of federal hands, Mr. Champagne (Saint-Maurice-Champlain, Que.) said, he’s overseen some changes since coming to the job last summer that […]
Territories spent less on infrastructure than without feds’ funding boost: PBO report
The territories spent $111-million less on infrastructure projects in the past two fiscal years than they would have without the federal government’s funding boost, according to a report released April 9 by the parliamentary budget officer. For every federal infrastructure dollar that, on average, they received, the three northern territories spent $3.70 in 2017-2018, a […]
On infrastructure, Kermit’s right: it’s not easy being green
Those who grew up with Sesame Street know this song by Kermit the Frog lamenting being green. Kermit sang long before green referred to the environment and well before being green was cool. Now, the word “green” is everywhere, from green energy to green growth to green infrastructure. But has it become easy to be […]
