Critics question O’Regan pick for Indigenous Services, say ‘lame-duck’ posting could harm momentum
Dealing with a new Indigenous services minister feels like starting over, say many affected groups who fear momentum will be lost by bringing in a “lame-duck minister” who may not be able to make good on the government’s promise to enact child welfare legislation. Seamus O’Regan is earning mixed reviews in his new role, panned […]
Heymans exhibit the Art of Diplomacy in new book
Bruce and Vicki Heyman have penned a new book offering their personal insights into the Canada-U.S. relationship. Mr. Heyman served as U.S. ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2017 during the second term of the Obama administration. Since leaving the ambassador’s residence, Mr. Heyman has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration and its […]
Canadian veterans’ disability pension error: pay them now, says Labelle
Veterans Ombudsman Guy Parent has recently identified that more than 270,000 veterans received a lower disability payment than they were entitled to. Minister of Veterans Affairs Seamus O’Regan promised that veterans would be compensated, but full payments may not be completed until 2020. Notably, 120,000 veterans have died and by 2020 another 100,000 veterans could die. Payments […]
The Hill’s Memorial Chamber, a space of reverence
When the original Parliament Building was destroyed in the fire of 1916, Canada was in the midst of the First World War. Construction of the new Parliament Building began almost immediately, and its architect, John A. Pearson, designed it to be a call to parliamentarians to remember that in a time of war they had […]
How to remember the war
LONDON, U.K.—“If they are not remembered, was the sacrifice they made even worthwhile?” asked an American veteran of the Iraq War who named his son after a fellow soldier who was killed there. It’s quite common, actually. My brother-in-law is named after a member of his father’s bomber crew who was killed over the Balkans […]
MPs, Senators, including 20 who’ve served in the military, mark Remembrance Day
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, fighting ended in the Great War, eventually leading to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and an end to the First World War. To mark the occasion, there will be a series of events on the Hill and around Ottawa. The annual […]
This Remembrance Day, let’s pay tribute to the Canadian Forestry Corps
On Nov. 11, Canadians will pay tribute to the men and women who have served our country during times of conflict, and honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice in order for all of us to enjoy the freedoms we have today. What many people may not be aware of is the story of the […]
One hundred years after the war, it’s Canada’s time to lead
One of the most eloquent summations of the First World War came from Pope Benedict XV, who witnessed the conflict and called it “the suicide of civilized Europe.” As Canadians prepare to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the fighting, we should all recommit to memorializing the terrible decisions and actions that have […]
Feds betraying commitment to veteran community
In late August, the Supreme Court dismissed the Equitas class-action lawsuit, closing the door on the legal claim initiated against Ottawa on behalf of Canada’s disabled veterans’ community. Members of the Equitas veterans’ society, led by determined and courageous advocates, were essentially seeking a court order that would compel Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to address […]
How to razzle dazzle veterans and do nothing
OTTAWA—One thing consistently flies over the heads of Veterans Affairs Canada’s senior mandarins: the concept of accessibility for disabled veterans and their families. The upcoming Veterans’ Stakeholder Summit on Oct. 29 is the summit of bureaucratic insensitivity when it comes to accessibility. Disabled veterans and their families will once again be denied accessibility to having […]
