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Monday, October 13, 2025

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Irem Koca

Irem Koca is a Turkish-Canadian journalist who joined The Hill Times in late 2023. She got her start in Canadian media in the Toronto Star's Ottawa bureau, covering federal politics and national stories under the paper's year-long fellowship. With a background in broadcast journalism, she spent several years as a world news reporter at CNN Turkey. Her freelance work on Turkish politics has been featured in The New York Times and Reuters. Notable highlights of her career include coverage of the 2020 U.S. presidential elections under a Reporting Tour fellowship awarded by the U.S. State Department, and her coverage of the Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan in 2019. Koca holds a master's degree in religious extremism from Queen's University, along with a journalism degree from Istanbul Bilgi University and Kingston University, London. She is fluent in English and Turkish.

Canada has not spoken to South Koreans about building new submarines at home, says embassy

  • The South Korean bidder says it 'refrained' from proposing domestic construction of Canada’s new submarine fleet after feedback from Canadian officials. Meanwhile, its German
News | BY IREM KOCA | October 9, 2025
Victoria-class Submarine
Victoria-class Submarine
Canada is looking to purchase a fleet of 12 submarines with two options on the table from Germany-Norway and South Korea to replace Canada’s aging fleet of Victoria-class vessels. DND photograph by Kenneth Galbraith

Canada has not spoken to South Koreans about building new submarines at home, says embassy

News | BY IREM KOCA | October 9, 2025
  • The South Korean bidder says it 'refrained' from proposing domestic construction of Canada’s new submarine fleet after feedback from Canadian officials. Meanwhile, its German

Canada has not spoken to South Koreans about building new submarines at home, says embassy

News | BY IREM KOCA | October 9, 2025
  • The South Korean bidder says it 'refrained' from proposing domestic construction of Canada’s new submarine fleet after feedback from Canadian officials. Meanwhile, its German
Victoria-class Submarine
Canada is looking to purchase a fleet of 12 submarines with two options on the table from Germany-Norway and South Korea to replace Canada’s aging fleet of Victoria-class vessels. DND photograph by Kenneth Galbraith

Canada’s submarine purchase has new ‘sense of urgency’ with possible selection by end of year, says German envoy 

  • The clock is ticking to replace the aging Victoria-class submarines before they are taken out of the water in the 2030s, leaving the Canadian
News | BY NEIL MOSS, IREM KOCA | October 8, 2025
German Ambassador to Canada Matthias Lüttenberg says there's a new feeling of of momentum that's 'more palpable than before' when it comes to picking between the submarine bids from his country and South Korea. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s submarine purchase has new ‘sense of urgency’ with possible selection by end of year, says German envoy 

News | BY NEIL MOSS, IREM KOCA | October 8, 2025
  • The clock is ticking to replace the aging Victoria-class submarines before they are taken out of the water in the 2030s, leaving the Canadian

Canada’s submarine purchase has new ‘sense of urgency’ with possible selection by end of year, says German envoy 

News | BY NEIL MOSS, IREM KOCA | October 8, 2025
  • The clock is ticking to replace the aging Victoria-class submarines before they are taken out of the water in the 2030s, leaving the Canadian
German Ambassador to Canada Matthias Lüttenberg says there's a new feeling of of momentum that's 'more palpable than before' when it comes to picking between the submarine bids from his country and South Korea. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Delayed F-35 review ‘not slowing anything down,’ says SecState for defence procurement Fuhr

  • 'The most important thing is making the right choice, not meeting an arbitrary timeline,' says Stephen Fuhr of the ongoing review of the controversial
News | BY IREM KOCA | October 2, 2025
Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr will lead the new Defence Investment Agency, which aims to remove red tape procurement and accelerate purchases. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Delayed F-35 review ‘not slowing anything down,’ says SecState for defence procurement Fuhr

News | BY IREM KOCA | October 2, 2025
  • 'The most important thing is making the right choice, not meeting an arbitrary timeline,' says Stephen Fuhr of the ongoing review of the controversial

Delayed F-35 review ‘not slowing anything down,’ says SecState for defence procurement Fuhr

News | BY IREM KOCA | October 2, 2025
  • 'The most important thing is making the right choice, not meeting an arbitrary timeline,' says Stephen Fuhr of the ongoing review of the controversial
Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr will lead the new Defence Investment Agency, which aims to remove red tape procurement and accelerate purchases. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives’ push to scrap foreign worker program meets public anxieties, but risks scapegoating migrants, say observers

  • 'The danger [and] challenge is for the Conservatives to have their message portrayed, or come across, as being unwelcoming to new Canadians and diverse
News | BY IREM KOCA | October 1, 2025
Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner is using her social media platforms to illustrate the call for the Liberal government to scrap its Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Conservatives’ push to scrap foreign worker program meets public anxieties, but risks scapegoating migrants, say observers

News | BY IREM KOCA | October 1, 2025
  • 'The danger [and] challenge is for the Conservatives to have their message portrayed, or come across, as being unwelcoming to new Canadians and diverse

Conservatives’ push to scrap foreign worker program meets public anxieties, but risks scapegoating migrants, say observers

News | BY IREM KOCA | October 1, 2025
  • 'The danger [and] challenge is for the Conservatives to have their message portrayed, or come across, as being unwelcoming to new Canadians and diverse
Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner is using her social media platforms to illustrate the call for the Liberal government to scrap its Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Postal union launches nationwide strike after feds announce ‘heavy-handed intervention’ reforms to transform ‘insolvent’ Canada Post

  • 'The Liberals are burning bridges with the labour movement faster than an express-post delivery,' says Brock University professor Larry Savage.
News | BY IREM KOCA | September 25, 2025
Government Transformation, Public Works, and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced new reforms for Canada Post on Sept. 25, saying the Crown corporation 'is facing an existential crisis.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Postal union launches nationwide strike after feds announce ‘heavy-handed intervention’ reforms to transform ‘insolvent’ Canada Post

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 25, 2025
  • 'The Liberals are burning bridges with the labour movement faster than an express-post delivery,' says Brock University professor Larry Savage.

Postal union launches nationwide strike after feds announce ‘heavy-handed intervention’ reforms to transform ‘insolvent’ Canada Post

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 25, 2025
  • 'The Liberals are burning bridges with the labour movement faster than an express-post delivery,' says Brock University professor Larry Savage.
Government Transformation, Public Works, and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced new reforms for Canada Post on Sept. 25, saying the Crown corporation 'is facing an existential crisis.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

MPs settle in for spicy sitting as Government Operations and Estimates Committee prepares to turn up the heat on government

  • The committee has long served as a stage for high-stakes political showdowns, the study of scathing watchdog reports, and long-term probes that test government
News | BY IREM KOCA | September 24, 2025
Conservative MP Kelly McCauley chairs the House Government Operations and Estimates Committee, which probes into government spending. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

MPs settle in for spicy sitting as Government Operations and Estimates Committee prepares to turn up the heat on government

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 24, 2025
  • The committee has long served as a stage for high-stakes political showdowns, the study of scathing watchdog reports, and long-term probes that test government

MPs settle in for spicy sitting as Government Operations and Estimates Committee prepares to turn up the heat on government

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 24, 2025
  • The committee has long served as a stage for high-stakes political showdowns, the study of scathing watchdog reports, and long-term probes that test government
Conservative MP Kelly McCauley chairs the House Government Operations and Estimates Committee, which probes into government spending. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada taking ‘necessary’ steps to tap into European defence market with new security pacts amid U.S. tensions: observers

  • The newly signed pacts signal to Europe that Canada is serious in its efforts to shift some of its focus away from the American
News | BY IREM KOCA | September 22, 2025
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, left, and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced the signing of security pacts with two more European countries this month in an effort to diversify defence suppliers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

Canada taking ‘necessary’ steps to tap into European defence market with new security pacts amid U.S. tensions: observers

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 22, 2025
  • The newly signed pacts signal to Europe that Canada is serious in its efforts to shift some of its focus away from the American

Canada taking ‘necessary’ steps to tap into European defence market with new security pacts amid U.S. tensions: observers

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 22, 2025
  • The newly signed pacts signal to Europe that Canada is serious in its efforts to shift some of its focus away from the American
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, left, and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced the signing of security pacts with two more European countries this month in an effort to diversify defence suppliers. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and Sam Garcia

‘Devil in the details’: feds move to combine procurement regulations in a bid to cut red tape

  • The government's goal of reducing complaints to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal might signal a further limitation of suppliers’ access to the dispute mechanism,
News | BY IREM KOCA | September 17, 2025
Public Services and Procurement Canada, led by Minister Joël Lightbound, aims to reduce red tape by combining a patchwork of procurement regulations to boost productivity. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Devil in the details’: feds move to combine procurement regulations in a bid to cut red tape

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 17, 2025
  • The government's goal of reducing complaints to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal might signal a further limitation of suppliers’ access to the dispute mechanism,

‘Devil in the details’: feds move to combine procurement regulations in a bid to cut red tape

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 17, 2025
  • The government's goal of reducing complaints to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal might signal a further limitation of suppliers’ access to the dispute mechanism,
Public Services and Procurement Canada, led by Minister Joël Lightbound, aims to reduce red tape by combining a patchwork of procurement regulations to boost productivity. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

New budget watchdog says ‘deficit will absolutely be higher’ than forecast, feds have no clear fiscal anchors

  • 'I don't know that the government currently has fiscal anchors, which, of course, causes the people that I work with a considerable degree of
News | BY IREM KOCA | September 17, 2025
Jason Jacques, pictured, was appointed as the interim Parliamentary Budget Officer on Sept. 2 by Prime Minister Mark Carney for a six-month term. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

New budget watchdog says ‘deficit will absolutely be higher’ than forecast, feds have no clear fiscal anchors

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 17, 2025
  • 'I don't know that the government currently has fiscal anchors, which, of course, causes the people that I work with a considerable degree of

New budget watchdog says ‘deficit will absolutely be higher’ than forecast, feds have no clear fiscal anchors

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 17, 2025
  • 'I don't know that the government currently has fiscal anchors, which, of course, causes the people that I work with a considerable degree of
Jason Jacques, pictured, was appointed as the interim Parliamentary Budget Officer on Sept. 2 by Prime Minister Mark Carney for a six-month term. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Indigenous procurement: feds urged to work more with communities to verify businesses after ‘historic’ recognition of Métis suppliers 

  • Increased access to federal contracts and ensuring departments meet the government’s five-per-cent Indigenous procurement target are vital to economic reconciliation, says Northern and Arctic
News | BY IREM KOCA | September 12, 2025
Indigenous business leader Shannin Metatawabin says the federal recognition of Indigenous-verified business directories would help restore trust in the federal procurement system. Photograph courtesy of Shannin Metatawabin

Indigenous procurement: feds urged to work more with communities to verify businesses after ‘historic’ recognition of Métis suppliers 

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 12, 2025
  • Increased access to federal contracts and ensuring departments meet the government’s five-per-cent Indigenous procurement target are vital to economic reconciliation, says Northern and Arctic

Indigenous procurement: feds urged to work more with communities to verify businesses after ‘historic’ recognition of Métis suppliers 

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 12, 2025
  • Increased access to federal contracts and ensuring departments meet the government’s five-per-cent Indigenous procurement target are vital to economic reconciliation, says Northern and Arctic
Indigenous business leader Shannin Metatawabin says the federal recognition of Indigenous-verified business directories would help restore trust in the federal procurement system. Photograph courtesy of Shannin Metatawabin

Define ‘Canadian’: questions loom over Carney’s ‘protectionist’ procurement policy push 

  • 'It’s the equivalent of shooting yourself in the foot. But it’s popular politically,' says financial policy expert Ian Lee of the prime minister's move
News | BY IREM KOCA | September 10, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing for a new ‘Buy Canadian’ policy in an effort to strengthen the country’s sovereignty against U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, but the fine details needed to put the policy in action are unclear. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Define ‘Canadian’: questions loom over Carney’s ‘protectionist’ procurement policy push 

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 10, 2025
  • 'It’s the equivalent of shooting yourself in the foot. But it’s popular politically,' says financial policy expert Ian Lee of the prime minister's move

Define ‘Canadian’: questions loom over Carney’s ‘protectionist’ procurement policy push 

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 10, 2025
  • 'It’s the equivalent of shooting yourself in the foot. But it’s popular politically,' says financial policy expert Ian Lee of the prime minister's move
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing for a new ‘Buy Canadian’ policy in an effort to strengthen the country’s sovereignty against U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, but the fine details needed to put the policy in action are unclear. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Critics agree on need for reform, but call Tory bid to scrap temporary foreign worker program ‘ridiculous’ and ‘political’

  • The current Temporary Foreign Worker system is 'being mismanaged by the Liberal government, and the Conservatives are being opportunistic' in their call to scrap
News | BY IREM KOCA | September 5, 2025
Pierre Poilievre
Pierre Poilievre
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the Liberal government 'broke' Canada's immigration system by letting in too many people too fast, and that the feds should stop issuing permits to temporary foreign workers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Critics agree on need for reform, but call Tory bid to scrap temporary foreign worker program ‘ridiculous’ and ‘political’

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 5, 2025
  • The current Temporary Foreign Worker system is 'being mismanaged by the Liberal government, and the Conservatives are being opportunistic' in their call to scrap

Critics agree on need for reform, but call Tory bid to scrap temporary foreign worker program ‘ridiculous’ and ‘political’

News | BY IREM KOCA | September 5, 2025
  • The current Temporary Foreign Worker system is 'being mismanaged by the Liberal government, and the Conservatives are being opportunistic' in their call to scrap
Pierre Poilievre
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the Liberal government 'broke' Canada's immigration system by letting in too many people too fast, and that the feds should stop issuing permits to temporary foreign workers. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ digital transformation agenda faces critical risks, Shared Services warns in ministerial briefing

  • Competing priorities and a lack of financial incentives for various government departments to modernize are key hurdles facing the government's digital services arm, a
News | BY IREM KOCA | August 28, 2025
Briefing material prepared by Shared Services Canada for Government Transformation, Public Services, and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound shows the department procured $4.3-billion of goods and services in 2023-24. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ digital transformation agenda faces critical risks, Shared Services warns in ministerial briefing

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 28, 2025
  • Competing priorities and a lack of financial incentives for various government departments to modernize are key hurdles facing the government's digital services arm, a

Feds’ digital transformation agenda faces critical risks, Shared Services warns in ministerial briefing

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 28, 2025
  • Competing priorities and a lack of financial incentives for various government departments to modernize are key hurdles facing the government's digital services arm, a
Briefing material prepared by Shared Services Canada for Government Transformation, Public Services, and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound shows the department procured $4.3-billion of goods and services in 2023-24. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney and McGuinty meet the troops

  • Plus, Stephen Fuhr meets with the F-35 builder in Texas.
FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA, IREM KOCA | August 27, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to meet with Canadian Armed Forces members in Latvia today. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney and McGuinty meet the troops

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA, IREM KOCA | August 27, 2025
  • Plus, Stephen Fuhr meets with the F-35 builder in Texas.

Carney and McGuinty meet the troops

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA, IREM KOCA | August 27, 2025
  • Plus, Stephen Fuhr meets with the F-35 builder in Texas.
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to meet with Canadian Armed Forces members in Latvia today. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Changes to rules for ‘national security’ contracts bypass competition and raise concerns of potential abuse, say procurement watchers

  • Loosening rules around the use of the National Security Exception may speed up defence procurement, but it could have trade-offs when it comes to
News | BY IREM KOCA | August 23, 2025
Joel Lightbound
Joel Lightbound
Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound, who has been leading this file since May, said his priorities include streamlining the procurement process. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Changes to rules for ‘national security’ contracts bypass competition and raise concerns of potential abuse, say procurement watchers

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 23, 2025
  • Loosening rules around the use of the National Security Exception may speed up defence procurement, but it could have trade-offs when it comes to

Changes to rules for ‘national security’ contracts bypass competition and raise concerns of potential abuse, say procurement watchers

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 23, 2025
  • Loosening rules around the use of the National Security Exception may speed up defence procurement, but it could have trade-offs when it comes to
Joel Lightbound
Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound, who has been leading this file since May, said his priorities include streamlining the procurement process. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Reliance on IT contractors exposes feds to risk of foreign interference, experts say, as RCMP warns against North Korean infiltration

  • 'The point is, you have got to know who's doing the work, and you got to know who you're paying. It's not splitting an
News | BY IREM KOCA | August 21, 2025
Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound pledged to overhaul government procurement when he first came to his role in May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Reliance on IT contractors exposes feds to risk of foreign interference, experts say, as RCMP warns against North Korean infiltration

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 21, 2025
  • 'The point is, you have got to know who's doing the work, and you got to know who you're paying. It's not splitting an

Reliance on IT contractors exposes feds to risk of foreign interference, experts say, as RCMP warns against North Korean infiltration

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 21, 2025
  • 'The point is, you have got to know who's doing the work, and you got to know who you're paying. It's not splitting an
Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound pledged to overhaul government procurement when he first came to his role in May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘We don’t have a choice here’: SecState for defence procurement Fuhr pledges to move ‘quicker,’ take more risks

  • 'We’re going to build out the Canadian defence industrial complex at a speed and magnitude we just haven’t done before,' Secretary of State for
News | BY IREM KOCA | August 14, 2025
Secretary for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr says the government is committed to spend 'a lot of money' to over the next few years through military purchases. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘We don’t have a choice here’: SecState for defence procurement Fuhr pledges to move ‘quicker,’ take more risks

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 14, 2025
  • 'We’re going to build out the Canadian defence industrial complex at a speed and magnitude we just haven’t done before,' Secretary of State for

‘We don’t have a choice here’: SecState for defence procurement Fuhr pledges to move ‘quicker,’ take more risks

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 14, 2025
  • 'We’re going to build out the Canadian defence industrial complex at a speed and magnitude we just haven’t done before,' Secretary of State for
Secretary for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr says the government is committed to spend 'a lot of money' to over the next few years through military purchases. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds spent at least $1.7-billion on defence contracts in the first half of 2025, about 16 per cent of which went to U.S. companies: data

  • U.S.-based companies received more than $68.6-million in DND contracts between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2025, which is a 24-per-cent increase over the same
News | BY IREM KOCA | August 11, 2025
A Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130J Hercules aircraft, designed and manufactured by American defence company Lockheed Martin, flies over the Kuwait desert on June 13, 2020. Photograph courtesy of the Canadian Armed Forces

Feds spent at least $1.7-billion on defence contracts in the first half of 2025, about 16 per cent of which went to U.S. companies: data

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 11, 2025
  • U.S.-based companies received more than $68.6-million in DND contracts between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2025, which is a 24-per-cent increase over the same

Feds spent at least $1.7-billion on defence contracts in the first half of 2025, about 16 per cent of which went to U.S. companies: data

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 11, 2025
  • U.S.-based companies received more than $68.6-million in DND contracts between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2025, which is a 24-per-cent increase over the same
A Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130J Hercules aircraft, designed and manufactured by American defence company Lockheed Martin, flies over the Kuwait desert on June 13, 2020. Photograph courtesy of the Canadian Armed Forces

Feds need to ‘rethink’ industrial benefits policy and refocus on defence capabilities, say former senior officials: it ‘needs to evolve’

  • Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada needs 'to go back to basics and make sure it's using the policy to build defence capabilities in
News | BY IREM KOCA | August 7, 2025
Mélanie Joly
Mélanie Joly
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said the government's defence industrial strategy will be finalized in the coming months. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds need to ‘rethink’ industrial benefits policy and refocus on defence capabilities, say former senior officials: it ‘needs to evolve’

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 7, 2025
  • Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada needs 'to go back to basics and make sure it's using the policy to build defence capabilities in

Feds need to ‘rethink’ industrial benefits policy and refocus on defence capabilities, say former senior officials: it ‘needs to evolve’

News | BY IREM KOCA | August 7, 2025
  • Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada needs 'to go back to basics and make sure it's using the policy to build defence capabilities in
Mélanie Joly
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said the government's defence industrial strategy will be finalized in the coming months. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ new ‘reciprocal procurement’ policy to limit foreign access to contracts amid U.S. trade tensions

  • The new policy is a testament to the 'changing world order,' says Liberal strategist Geoff Turner. 'Now, if you do not have a procurement
News | BY IREM KOCA | July 17, 2025
Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced a new interim procurement policy on July 14 that allows Canada to limit suppliers from countries that restrict access to their own government contracts. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds’ new ‘reciprocal procurement’ policy to limit foreign access to contracts amid U.S. trade tensions

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 17, 2025
  • The new policy is a testament to the 'changing world order,' says Liberal strategist Geoff Turner. 'Now, if you do not have a procurement

Feds’ new ‘reciprocal procurement’ policy to limit foreign access to contracts amid U.S. trade tensions

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 17, 2025
  • The new policy is a testament to the 'changing world order,' says Liberal strategist Geoff Turner. 'Now, if you do not have a procurement
Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced a new interim procurement policy on July 14 that allows Canada to limit suppliers from countries that restrict access to their own government contracts. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trade tribunal calls for freeze on multimillion-dollar defence contract after complaints it favours U.S. supplier

  • Highly restrictive bid criteria made competition 'impossible' for Canadian and European companies to secure the contract for military night-vision goggles, says a filing from
News | BY IREM KOCA | July 14, 2025
David McGuinty
David McGuinty
Defence Minister David McGuinty said he would 'look into' the terms of the contract before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal called for the government to put a hold on the procurement. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trade tribunal calls for freeze on multimillion-dollar defence contract after complaints it favours U.S. supplier

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 14, 2025
  • Highly restrictive bid criteria made competition 'impossible' for Canadian and European companies to secure the contract for military night-vision goggles, says a filing from

Trade tribunal calls for freeze on multimillion-dollar defence contract after complaints it favours U.S. supplier

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 14, 2025
  • Highly restrictive bid criteria made competition 'impossible' for Canadian and European companies to secure the contract for military night-vision goggles, says a filing from
David McGuinty
Defence Minister David McGuinty said he would 'look into' the terms of the contract before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal called for the government to put a hold on the procurement. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

New U.K. trade strategy IDs Canada as ‘key partner’ to boost economy, procurement opportunities

  • The new plan defines strengthening ties with key partners like Canada as an 'obvious priority,' and builds on leaders' commitments.
News | BY IREM KOCA | July 9, 2025
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and Prime Minister Mark Carney have agreed on further collaboration across a range of sectors. No 10 Downing Street photograph by Simon Dawson

New U.K. trade strategy IDs Canada as ‘key partner’ to boost economy, procurement opportunities

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 9, 2025
  • The new plan defines strengthening ties with key partners like Canada as an 'obvious priority,' and builds on leaders' commitments.

New U.K. trade strategy IDs Canada as ‘key partner’ to boost economy, procurement opportunities

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 9, 2025
  • The new plan defines strengthening ties with key partners like Canada as an 'obvious priority,' and builds on leaders' commitments.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and Prime Minister Mark Carney have agreed on further collaboration across a range of sectors. No 10 Downing Street photograph by Simon Dawson

‘We can no longer sustain Band-Aid solutions’: watchdog calls for urgent changes to federal procurement

  • The system is 'marked by silos of responsibility and accountability,' and needs a convening figure, says Procurement Ombud Alexander Jeglic in a new report.
News | BY IREM KOCA | July 8, 2025
Procurement Ombud Alexander Jeglic tells reporters that there needs to be a major overhaul of Canada's $37-billion procurement system to fix persistent issues on July 8. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘We can no longer sustain Band-Aid solutions’: watchdog calls for urgent changes to federal procurement

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 8, 2025
  • The system is 'marked by silos of responsibility and accountability,' and needs a convening figure, says Procurement Ombud Alexander Jeglic in a new report.

‘We can no longer sustain Band-Aid solutions’: watchdog calls for urgent changes to federal procurement

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 8, 2025
  • The system is 'marked by silos of responsibility and accountability,' and needs a convening figure, says Procurement Ombud Alexander Jeglic in a new report.
Procurement Ombud Alexander Jeglic tells reporters that there needs to be a major overhaul of Canada's $37-billion procurement system to fix persistent issues on July 8. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds tighten grip on consultant contracts with new procurement rules, $20M cap on time-based work

  • New procurement rules include a $20-million limit on time- and task-based contracts, stricter oversight, and mandatory value-for-money reviews.
News | BY IREM KOCA | July 4, 2025
Joel Lightbound
Joel Lightbound
Government Transformation, and Public Services and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound previously said the rules, 'the roles, and the responsibilities of everyone in the procurement process across departments need to be very clear.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds tighten grip on consultant contracts with new procurement rules, $20M cap on time-based work

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 4, 2025
  • New procurement rules include a $20-million limit on time- and task-based contracts, stricter oversight, and mandatory value-for-money reviews.

Feds tighten grip on consultant contracts with new procurement rules, $20M cap on time-based work

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 4, 2025
  • New procurement rules include a $20-million limit on time- and task-based contracts, stricter oversight, and mandatory value-for-money reviews.
Joel Lightbound
Government Transformation, and Public Services and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound previously said the rules, 'the roles, and the responsibilities of everyone in the procurement process across departments need to be very clear.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

PSPC’s three-year $17.5-billion spending plan lacks clear roadmap to future goals, say insiders

  • With billions on the line and a track record of failed targets, how PSPC plans to deliver on its goals is unclear from its
News | BY IREM KOCA | July 2, 2025
Under Minister Joël Lightbound, Public Services and Procurement Canada plans to spend more than $17.5-billion over the next three years, according to its new departmental plan. The Hill Times Photograph by Andrew Meade

PSPC’s three-year $17.5-billion spending plan lacks clear roadmap to future goals, say insiders

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 2, 2025
  • With billions on the line and a track record of failed targets, how PSPC plans to deliver on its goals is unclear from its

PSPC’s three-year $17.5-billion spending plan lacks clear roadmap to future goals, say insiders

News | BY IREM KOCA | July 2, 2025
  • With billions on the line and a track record of failed targets, how PSPC plans to deliver on its goals is unclear from its
Under Minister Joël Lightbound, Public Services and Procurement Canada plans to spend more than $17.5-billion over the next three years, according to its new departmental plan. The Hill Times Photograph by Andrew Meade

More cash and new alliances show Ottawa is serious about defence, say observers

  • Prime Minister Mark Carney put his $9-billion defence spending pledge before Parliament 'about as fast as he conceivably could have,' says defence procurement expert
News | BY IREM KOCA | June 25, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney says the defence and security agreement between Canada-EU will 'help deliver on capability targets more quickly and economically.' The Hill Times Photograph by Andrew Meade

More cash and new alliances show Ottawa is serious about defence, say observers

News | BY IREM KOCA | June 25, 2025
  • Prime Minister Mark Carney put his $9-billion defence spending pledge before Parliament 'about as fast as he conceivably could have,' says defence procurement expert

More cash and new alliances show Ottawa is serious about defence, say observers

News | BY IREM KOCA | June 25, 2025
  • Prime Minister Mark Carney put his $9-billion defence spending pledge before Parliament 'about as fast as he conceivably could have,' says defence procurement expert
Prime Minister Mark Carney says the defence and security agreement between Canada-EU will 'help deliver on capability targets more quickly and economically.' The Hill Times Photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Too many rules’: AG urges feds to streamline procurement, reduce outsourcing

  • Auditor General Karen Hogan says 'worrying observations' around procurement processes need to be addressed.
News | BY IREM KOCA | June 23, 2025
Karen Hogan
Karen Hogan
Auditor General Karen Hogan’s June 10 report showed federal organizations 'frequently did not demonstrate value for money' in professional services contracts awarded to GC Strategies. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Too many rules’: AG urges feds to streamline procurement, reduce outsourcing

News | BY IREM KOCA | June 23, 2025
  • Auditor General Karen Hogan says 'worrying observations' around procurement processes need to be addressed.

‘Too many rules’: AG urges feds to streamline procurement, reduce outsourcing

News | BY IREM KOCA | June 23, 2025
  • Auditor General Karen Hogan says 'worrying observations' around procurement processes need to be addressed.
Karen Hogan
Auditor General Karen Hogan’s June 10 report showed federal organizations 'frequently did not demonstrate value for money' in professional services contracts awarded to GC Strategies. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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ArriveCAN: CBSA’s internal review found evidence supporting allegations of misconduct

  • Michel Lafleur, CBSA's executive director of professional integrity, revealed that the department had found some evidence warranting further inquiry.
News | BY IREM KOCA | February 6, 2024
CBSA President Erin O’Gorman, pictured Jan. 18, 2024, at the House Government Operations and Estimates Committee. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

ArriveCAN: CBSA’s internal review found evidence supporting allegations of misconduct

News | BY IREM KOCA | February 6, 2024
  • Michel Lafleur, CBSA's executive director of professional integrity, revealed that the department had found some evidence warranting further inquiry.

ArriveCAN: CBSA’s internal review found evidence supporting allegations of misconduct

News | BY IREM KOCA | February 6, 2024
  • Michel Lafleur, CBSA's executive director of professional integrity, revealed that the department had found some evidence warranting further inquiry.
CBSA President Erin O’Gorman, pictured Jan. 18, 2024, at the House Government Operations and Estimates Committee. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ombud review into ArriveCan saga unveils deep-rooted issues in Canada’s procurement system

  • Perception is important in the business of contracting, says expert Alan Williams, and recent revelations about the $54-million ArriveCan app are ‘muddying the waters.’
News | BY IREM KOCA | February 2, 2024
Procurement ombudsman Alexander Jeglic says that if you can't prove a procurement system is fair, that puts everyone involved in a difficult position. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ombud review into ArriveCan saga unveils deep-rooted issues in Canada’s procurement system

News | BY IREM KOCA | February 2, 2024
  • Perception is important in the business of contracting, says expert Alan Williams, and recent revelations about the $54-million ArriveCan app are ‘muddying the waters.’

Ombud review into ArriveCan saga unveils deep-rooted issues in Canada’s procurement system

News | BY IREM KOCA | February 2, 2024
  • Perception is important in the business of contracting, says expert Alan Williams, and recent revelations about the $54-million ArriveCan app are ‘muddying the waters.’
Procurement ombudsman Alexander Jeglic says that if you can't prove a procurement system is fair, that puts everyone involved in a difficult position. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Procurement ombud’s report reveals discrepancies in ArriveCan’s $54-million contract

  • Mandatory criteria used in ArriveCan application procurement were 'overly restrictive' and 'favoured' GC Strategies Inc. as an existing CBSA supplier, which led to the
News | BY IREM KOCA | January 30, 2024
Minister of Public Services and Procurement Jean-Yves Duclos speaks with reporters before the Liberal cabinet meeting in West Block on Oct. 24, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Procurement ombud’s report reveals discrepancies in ArriveCan’s $54-million contract

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 30, 2024
  • Mandatory criteria used in ArriveCan application procurement were 'overly restrictive' and 'favoured' GC Strategies Inc. as an existing CBSA supplier, which led to the

Procurement ombud’s report reveals discrepancies in ArriveCan’s $54-million contract

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 30, 2024
  • Mandatory criteria used in ArriveCan application procurement were 'overly restrictive' and 'favoured' GC Strategies Inc. as an existing CBSA supplier, which led to the
Minister of Public Services and Procurement Jean-Yves Duclos speaks with reporters before the Liberal cabinet meeting in West Block on Oct. 24, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

AG to publish ArriveCan report next month, House Public Accounts Committee hears

  • Deputy Auditor General Andrew Hayes told the House Public Accounts Committee that the report on the application will be released on Feb. 12, during
News | BY IREM KOCA | January 25, 2024
Karen Hogan will release a report on the ArriveCan application next month. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

AG to publish ArriveCan report next month, House Public Accounts Committee hears

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 25, 2024
  • Deputy Auditor General Andrew Hayes told the House Public Accounts Committee that the report on the application will be released on Feb. 12, during

AG to publish ArriveCan report next month, House Public Accounts Committee hears

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 25, 2024
  • Deputy Auditor General Andrew Hayes told the House Public Accounts Committee that the report on the application will be released on Feb. 12, during
Karen Hogan will release a report on the ArriveCan application next month. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

OGGO takes centre stage as top committee arena for uncovering ‘scandals’ and ‘bombshells’

  • The House Government Operations and Estimates Committee's work made headlines in 2023 for its scrutiny of government spending, including studies into the ArriveCAN app
News | BY IREM KOCA | January 24, 2024
The House Government Operations Committee, chaired by Conservative MP Kelly McCauley, right, pictured with Conservative MP Larry Brock—also a committee member—was voted as the Hill's best committee in The Hill Times' most recent All Politics Poll. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

OGGO takes centre stage as top committee arena for uncovering ‘scandals’ and ‘bombshells’

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 24, 2024
  • The House Government Operations and Estimates Committee's work made headlines in 2023 for its scrutiny of government spending, including studies into the ArriveCAN app

OGGO takes centre stage as top committee arena for uncovering ‘scandals’ and ‘bombshells’

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 24, 2024
  • The House Government Operations and Estimates Committee's work made headlines in 2023 for its scrutiny of government spending, including studies into the ArriveCAN app
The House Government Operations Committee, chaired by Conservative MP Kelly McCauley, right, pictured with Conservative MP Larry Brock—also a committee member—was voted as the Hill's best committee in The Hill Times' most recent All Politics Poll. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

‘Proliferation of consultants hiring consultants’: MPs frustrated by tangled web of outsourcing in ArriveCan saga

  • Consultants 'have never been doing better than they are now,' says Conservative MP Garnett Genuis.
News | BY IREM KOCA | January 22, 2024
MPs of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in session on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
MPs of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in session on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
Conservative MP Kelly McCauley chairs a House Government Operations and Estimates Committee meeting on Jan. 17. The group has been studying the government's $54-million COVID-19 ArriveCan tool since October 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Proliferation of consultants hiring consultants’: MPs frustrated by tangled web of outsourcing in ArriveCan saga

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 22, 2024
  • Consultants 'have never been doing better than they are now,' says Conservative MP Garnett Genuis.

‘Proliferation of consultants hiring consultants’: MPs frustrated by tangled web of outsourcing in ArriveCan saga

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 22, 2024
  • Consultants 'have never been doing better than they are now,' says Conservative MP Garnett Genuis.
MPs of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in session on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
Conservative MP Kelly McCauley chairs a House Government Operations and Estimates Committee meeting on Jan. 17. The group has been studying the government's $54-million COVID-19 ArriveCan tool since October 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Massive endeavour’: feds face difficult task in finding contractors for gun buyback scheme, expert warns

  • 'The government has to rely on the private sector and qualified businesses to do the work,' said the University of Ottawa's J.L. Gilles LeVasseur.
News | BY IREM KOCA | January 18, 2024
Last year, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the government will implement its planned buyback of firearm models which have been banned since 2020. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Massive endeavour’: feds face difficult task in finding contractors for gun buyback scheme, expert warns

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 18, 2024
  • 'The government has to rely on the private sector and qualified businesses to do the work,' said the University of Ottawa's J.L. Gilles LeVasseur.

‘Massive endeavour’: feds face difficult task in finding contractors for gun buyback scheme, expert warns

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 18, 2024
  • 'The government has to rely on the private sector and qualified businesses to do the work,' said the University of Ottawa's J.L. Gilles LeVasseur.
Last year, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the government will implement its planned buyback of firearm models which have been banned since 2020. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Government’s outsourcing woes might be rooted in in-house project management gaps, say observers

  • Doing business with the government is not all 'sunshine and blue skies,' says Neil Brodie, noting 'there are companies out there who will not
News | BY IREM KOCA | January 15, 2024
Public Service Alliance of Canada members block traffic on Laurier Avenue in Ottawa during a Feb. 28, 2019, demonstration marking the third anniversary of the implementation of the Phoenix pay system that has plagued public servants with payroll issues since its inception. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Government’s outsourcing woes might be rooted in in-house project management gaps, say observers

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 15, 2024
  • Doing business with the government is not all 'sunshine and blue skies,' says Neil Brodie, noting 'there are companies out there who will not

Government’s outsourcing woes might be rooted in in-house project management gaps, say observers

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 15, 2024
  • Doing business with the government is not all 'sunshine and blue skies,' says Neil Brodie, noting 'there are companies out there who will not
Public Service Alliance of Canada members block traffic on Laurier Avenue in Ottawa during a Feb. 28, 2019, demonstration marking the third anniversary of the implementation of the Phoenix pay system that has plagued public servants with payroll issues since its inception. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘I did it my way’: Senator Dupuis says goodbye to the Red Chamber

  • First appointed in November 2016, Independent Senator Renée Dupuis will reach her mandatory retirement date on Jan. 17. She looks back on a career
News | BY IREM KOCA | January 1, 2024
‘I am working for the year 4000, knowing full well that I'm not going to be there,’ says Independent Senator Renée Dupuis ahead of her retirement on Jan. 17. Photograph courtesy of the Senate of Canada

‘I did it my way’: Senator Dupuis says goodbye to the Red Chamber

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 1, 2024
  • First appointed in November 2016, Independent Senator Renée Dupuis will reach her mandatory retirement date on Jan. 17. She looks back on a career

‘I did it my way’: Senator Dupuis says goodbye to the Red Chamber

News | BY IREM KOCA | January 1, 2024
  • First appointed in November 2016, Independent Senator Renée Dupuis will reach her mandatory retirement date on Jan. 17. She looks back on a career
‘I am working for the year 4000, knowing full well that I'm not going to be there,’ says Independent Senator Renée Dupuis ahead of her retirement on Jan. 17. Photograph courtesy of the Senate of Canada

‘Are the Mounties next?’: Tory MPs push for RCMP probe into billion-dollar green fund controversy

  • Conservative calls to involve the RCMP came amid a series of committee hearings on Sustainable Development Technology Canada last week where a whistleblower testified
News | BY IREM KOCA | December 18, 2023
Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett has questioned whether the allegations of misconduct within Sustainable Development Technology Canada are worthy of RCMP investigation. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Are the Mounties next?’: Tory MPs push for RCMP probe into billion-dollar green fund controversy

News | BY IREM KOCA | December 18, 2023
  • Conservative calls to involve the RCMP came amid a series of committee hearings on Sustainable Development Technology Canada last week where a whistleblower testified

‘Are the Mounties next?’: Tory MPs push for RCMP probe into billion-dollar green fund controversy

News | BY IREM KOCA | December 18, 2023
  • Conservative calls to involve the RCMP came amid a series of committee hearings on Sustainable Development Technology Canada last week where a whistleblower testified
Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett has questioned whether the allegations of misconduct within Sustainable Development Technology Canada are worthy of RCMP investigation. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘We’re just not able to do what is necessary’: procurement ombud pitches funding boost as cases rise

  • The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman’s budget has remained relatively static since 2008, and with a record number of cases and high inflation, Alexander
News | BY IREM KOCA | December 13, 2023
Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic’s, left, annual report was tabled in the House on Oct. 16 by Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. Photograph courtesy of the OPO and The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘We’re just not able to do what is necessary’: procurement ombud pitches funding boost as cases rise

News | BY IREM KOCA | December 13, 2023
  • The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman’s budget has remained relatively static since 2008, and with a record number of cases and high inflation, Alexander

‘We’re just not able to do what is necessary’: procurement ombud pitches funding boost as cases rise

News | BY IREM KOCA | December 13, 2023
  • The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman’s budget has remained relatively static since 2008, and with a record number of cases and high inflation, Alexander
Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic’s, left, annual report was tabled in the House on Oct. 16 by Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. Photograph courtesy of the OPO and The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Contracting controversies not yet a political pain point for the Liberals, but could develop, say politicos

  • Government corruption or misuse of spending could be a greater concern for the public in a climate of exceptional inflation and slow economic growth,
News | BY IREM KOCA | December 8, 2023
Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett, left, has called the allegations of misconduct at Sustainable Development Technologies Canada ‘corruption,’ as Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne awaits the results of the latest investigation into the agency’s work. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Contracting controversies not yet a political pain point for the Liberals, but could develop, say politicos

News | BY IREM KOCA | December 8, 2023
  • Government corruption or misuse of spending could be a greater concern for the public in a climate of exceptional inflation and slow economic growth,

Contracting controversies not yet a political pain point for the Liberals, but could develop, say politicos

News | BY IREM KOCA | December 8, 2023
  • Government corruption or misuse of spending could be a greater concern for the public in a climate of exceptional inflation and slow economic growth,
Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett, left, has called the allegations of misconduct at Sustainable Development Technologies Canada ‘corruption,’ as Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne awaits the results of the latest investigation into the agency’s work. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

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