Policy Topics | Policy Briefings

COLLAPSE

• Agriculture
• Biotechnology
• Defence & Security
• Environment
• Finance
• Fisheries and Oceans

• Foreign Policy​
• Health
• Industry and Manufacturing
• Infrastructure and Transport
• Innovation
• Intergovernmental

• Indigenous Relations
• Justice
• Labour & Employment
• Lobbying
• Natural Resources and Energy
• Women, Gender and Diversity

Intergovernmental

Next year ‘an important one for Quebec’ as possibility of referendum looms, say Bloc MP, politicos

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

• Quebec’s provincial election is set to take place in October 2026, and the sovereigntist Parti Québécois is leading in the polls—something that is likely causing ‘anxiety’ in Ottawa, says a pollster.

Next year ‘an important one for Quebec’ as possibility of referendum looms, say Bloc MP, politicos

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

• Quebec’s provincial election is set to take place in October 2026, and the sovereigntist Parti Québécois is leading in the polls—something that is likely causing ‘anxiety’ in Ottawa, says a pollster.

Nothing is sacred in Doug Ford’s Ontario

OpinionBY JENN JEFFERYS

Buried in the MOU: a licence to lie

OpinionBY LEAH TEMPER, SAMANTHA GREEN

Charting our course: four shores, one voice

OpinionBY GRO SENATOR IRIS PETTEN

Alberta’s health-care reforms don’t go far enough  

OpinionBY NADEEM ESMAIL, TEGAN HILL

Solution to substance abuse in Ottawa will come from collaboration, say area politicians

NewsBY SOPHIA LAPORTE

Time to look back, and ahead

OpinionBY ANDREW CADDELL

Quebec MPs noncommittal on support for province’s controversial constitution bill

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

Lack of primary care so ‘chronic’ that patients don’t even talk about it, says Liberal MP and doctor Powlowski

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

MOST RECENT POLICY BRIEFINGS

The North Policy Briefing

• DOWNLOAD

Canada Part I: Interprovincial Trade & Labour

• DOWNLOAD

The North Policy Briefing

• DOWNLOAD

• VIEW ALL POLICY BRIEFINGS

Canadian experts challenge proposed authoritarian Quebec constitution at UN and under international law

OpinionBY ERROL MENDES, STéPHANE BEAULAC

• The experts at the Quebec Chapter of the International Commissions of Jurists, Canada supported by several legal, civil society organization and Indigenous leaders insist that the potential violation of Canada’s international legal obligations by the proposed Quebec constitution requires the intervention of the United Nations Special Rapporteurs to recognize the human rights violations and call on the authorities to withdraw Bill 1.

Canadian experts challenge proposed authoritarian Quebec constitution at UN and under international law

OpinionBY ERROL MENDES, STéPHANE BEAULAC

• The experts at the Quebec Chapter of the International Commissions of Jurists, Canada supported by several legal, civil society organization and Indigenous leaders insist that the potential violation of Canada’s international legal obligations by the proposed Quebec constitution requires the intervention of the United Nations Special Rapporteurs to recognize the human rights violations and call on the authorities to withdraw Bill 1.

‘He’s a welcome dose of fresh air’: Kinew ranked most popular premier

NewsBY CHRISTOPHER GULY

Alberta’s new energy MOU could kick-start a race to the bottom on climate

OpinionBY RICK SMITH, DALE BEUGIN, DAVE SAWYER

The MOU’s real value may be for those on the outside looking in

OpinionBY TIM POWERS

There’s no security without Indigenous sovereignty

OpinionBY ERICA IFILL

Ottawa-Alberta energy deal could open door for other provinces to pursue weakened climate policies, say environmental experts: ‘this is just a massive step back’

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT, RIDDHI KACHHELA

‘I don’t know if she’s playing any role’: NDP critic slams Environment Minister Dabrusin’s ‘rubber stamping’

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

Liberals hold steady post budget, but pipeline talks may test progressive coalition, pollsters say

NewsBY STUART BENSON

Untrodden ground: Carney looks to kickstart post-NAFTA economy

OpinionBY LES WHITTINGTON

AGRICULTURE

Bloc joins push for mandatory labelling of genetically engineered foods

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Dabrusin top-lobbied cabinet minister, Nature Canada pushes for nature strategy after absence of support in budget

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Scaling climate-resilient farming solutions for global impact

OpinionBY CAROL THIESSEN

The easiest policy win in Ottawa might just be hiding in plain sight

OpinionBY ORVILLE BOVENSCHEN

See all

Biotechnology

PMPRB closes all open drug-pricing investigations before implementing new guidelines on Jan. 1

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Canada’s research strength is world-class—now we need to all pull in the same direction

OpinionBY BENOIT-ANTOINE BACON

Canada could have access to more than 10,000 doctors if licensing were less complicated, House Health Committee hears

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Turning innovation into impact: Canada’s biotech advantage

OpinionBY WENDY ZATYLNY

See all

DEFENCE & SECURITY

Where is the real threat to Canadian security coming from?

OpinionBY CHRISTOPHER INGRAM, ERROL MENDES, JOSEPH INGRAM

Civil and defence aerospace are two sides of the same coin

OpinionBY PIERRE PYUN

The coming CUSMA squeeze and how security policy will rewrite the trade terms

OpinionBY KEITH JANSA

In Canada’s defence: re-establishing a true militia

OpinionBY SCOTT TAYLOR

See all

Environment

Brazil: a catalyst of plurilateralism

OpinionBY EDWARD JACKSON

A Faustian climate bargain

OpinionBY DOREEN BARRIE

It’s time to double down on ocean protection

OpinionBY SHEENA KENNEDY

2026: Another year on the edge for Carney and Canada

OpinionBY LES WHITTINGTON

See all

FINANCE

Faster payments and true transparency: delivering payments modernization in Canada

OpinionBY BRIGIT CARROLL

Transforming Canada’s economy for a better future is an enormous challenge

OpinionBY DAVID CRANE

Record-breaking November lobbying sees U.S. trade war and federal budget among top concerns

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Four key steps can help secure Canadian sovereignty

OpinionBY JON SHELL

See all

Fisheries and oceans

Canada’s plan to boost its economy must include rebuilding wild fisheries

OpinionBY JOSH LAUGHREN

Coastal communities ‘running out of time’ without fisheries fund renewal, say opposition critics as DFO faces $544M in cuts

NewsBY STUART BENSON

Q&A | Cod quota ‘pressure is enormous’ on fisheries minister

NewsBY PETER MAZEREEUW

Federal fish science analyses continue to muddy the waters in salmon farm fight

NewsBY STUART BENSON

See all

FOREIGN POLICY

New GAC report on ‘game-changing’ Canada-Indonesia deal reduces projected export growth by more than half 

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

Carney government showing a ‘clear reluctance’ to criticize Trump with lack of direct condemnation over Venezuela raid, says past Liberal foreign minister Axworthy

NewsBY NEIL MOSS

CUSMA must do more than protect trade—it must secure Canada’s life sciences future

OpinionBY CAMERON GROOME

Senate’s Africa report exposes Canada’s strategic blind spot

OpinionBY SELAH GETAHUN

See all

health

PHAC lacks timely national data on children’s vaccination rates as report finds agency is not meeting targets 

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Redesigning Canada’s health policy to spur innovation

OpinionBY E. RICHARD GOLD

Bill calling for more serious punishment for assaulting first responders not fast-tracked despite Conservative MPs’ efforts

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Minister called to de-haze budget math on cuts to veterans’ medical cannabis reimbursement

NewsBY STUART BENSON

See all

Industry and Manufacturing

Renewable energy sector adds concerns about wind-tower costs to steel industry crisis talks: ‘there’s a ton of urgency’

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Steel tariff missteps threaten Canada’s energy future

OpinionBY VITTORIA BELLISSIMO, FERNANDO MELO

‘Quiet buzz’ on Bay Street about Carney’s ‘nation-building’ major projects, says Tobin

NewsBY CHRISTOPHER GULY

Canada’s ZEV mandate will leave 450,000 drivers stranded

OpinionBY BRIAN LIVINGSTON

See all

infrastructure and transport

Can Build Canada Homes make a dent in the housing crisis?

OpinionBY ALAN BROADBENT

The joys of winter biking aren’t without politics

OpinionBY ANDREW CADDELL

Time to strengthen Canada’s infrastructure planning 

OpinionBY JENNIFER ANGEL, PETER WELTMAN

Chief says feds’ engagement with First Nations ‘needs to improve’ after ‘very limited’ contact on major projects

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

See all

innovation

Canada is building AI infrastructure. Now it must build AI companies

OpinionBY DANIEL WIGDOR

Feds ‘on track’ to connect every household to high-speed internet by 2030, as critics point to gaps in rural and Northern Canada

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE

Canada’s EV experience shows why our strategy needs new tools in an age of uncertainty

OpinionBY DAVID ABONYI, GEORGE ABONYI

Joly top-lobbied minister in November, universities push to attract research talent driven away from U.S.

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

See all

justice

Bill C-16 ‘progress,’ but needs tougher language to codify femicide as a standalone crime, advocates say

NewsBY MARLO GLASS

Ottawa set to revive online harms legislation in 2026: government source

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE

Bill to create modern treaty commissioner wins Bloc, NDP, and Green support

NewsBY PETER MAZEREEUW

A deeper dive into Fraser’s crime bill

NewsBY PETER MAZEREEUW

See all

Labour & employment

Why all governments must follow Ontario in scrapping the ‘Canadian experience’ requirement

OpinionBY AKOLISA UFODIKE

Canada is falling behind in the global race for skilled workers

OpinionBY KUMARAN NADESAN

Work stoppages are crippling Canada’s economy—it’s time for Parliament to act

OpinionBY JASMIN GUéNETTE, CHRISTINA SANTINI

Government agencies are hardly trying when it comes to transparency

OpinionBY KEN RUBIN

See all

Lobbying

House Ethics Committee to review Lobbying Act in 2026 after AI study, says chair Brassard

NewsBY HUNTER CRESSWELL

Blanchard defends Carney’s ethics screen as a ‘rigorous process’

NewsBY MARLO GLASS

The unintended consequences of stricter rules on public policy engagement

OpinionBY JACQUES J.M. SHORE, SUZANNE SABOURIN

Budget a step in the right direction, but fails to deliver on the ‘hype,’ say lobbyists

NewsBY SERGIY SLIPCHENKO

See all

natural resources and energy

Canada’s rising disaster costs call for adaptive design

OpinionBY HOSSEIN BONAKDARI

Canada must find its climate path beyond fossil fuels

OpinionBY DAMON MATTHEWS

The Alberta energy deal is worse than you think

OpinionBY STEPHEN THOMAS

Jump-starting a Canadian power grid

OpinionBY MADELEINE MCPHERSON, PETER FAIRLEY

See all

Women, Gender and Diversity

The Elsie effect: women are essential to security

OpinionBY NATHALIE CHUARD

Democracy, like a Christmas gift, is best unwrapped

OpinionBY ROSE LEMAY

How Mark Carney can win back friends and influence critical outcomes

OpinionBY SHARI GRAYDON

Liberal women are taking notice, Carney would be wise to remember the estrogen wave that handed him the election

OpinionBY SHEILA COPPS

See all

Indigenous Relations

A decade of delays on Indigenous rights

OpinionBY ROSE LEMAY

No, Indigenous people are not coming for your privately owned land

OpinionBY COREY SHEFMAN

Feds removed 643 more companies from its Indigenous business directory this year

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Canada’s renewed pipeline fixation threatens more than the environment

OpinionBY ALIENOR ROUGEOT

See all

Exclusive lists

Take The Hill Times year-end news quiz

Take The Hill Times year-end news quiz

First-quarter expenses: MPs spent nearly $28-million

First-quarter expenses: MPs spent nearly $28-million

This Parliament’s ethics roundup: blind trusts, recusals, gifts, and more

This Parliament’s ethics roundup: blind trusts, recusals, gifts, and more

Take The Hill Times politics quiz

Take The Hill Times politics quiz

Carney government bills: tracking their progress into law

Carney government bills: tracking their progress into law

The number of sick days claimed by bureaucrats, broken down by department

The number of sick days claimed by bureaucrats, broken down by department

Take The Hill Times politics quiz

Take The Hill Times politics quiz

MPs’ annual office budgets for 2025-26

MPs’ annual office budgets for 2025-26