Policy Topics | Policy Briefings

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• 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

Indigenous Relations

Urban Indigenous funding cutbacks threaten ‘backbone’ of Friendship Centre services, says Ontario federation head

NewsBY STUART BENSON

• Program money for urban Indigenous communities is set to expire at the end of the month, and expected cuts of more than 50 per cent to renewed funding will 'result in the loss of life,' says NDP MP Leah Gazan.

Urban Indigenous funding cutbacks threaten ‘backbone’ of Friendship Centre services, says Ontario federation head

NewsBY STUART BENSON

• Program money for urban Indigenous communities is set to expire at the end of the month, and expected cuts of more than 50 per cent to renewed funding will 'result in the loss of life,' says NDP MP Leah Gazan.

‘It’s not my bill, it’s our bill’: Senator Henkel and 50 advocacy groups push for law calling for women’s health framework

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Canada’s critical minerals opportunity runs through First Nation lands

OpinionBY MARK PODLASLY

‘This is our home, so we need to be part of the solution’: Inuit-led university to strengthen Canada’s Arctic, say Senators

NewsBY JUSTIN S. CAMPBELL

The water emergency in Kashechewan must spur action on federal legislation

OpinionBY ALVIN FIDDLER

Diversifying Canada’s trade and ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ share in the opportunity

OpinionBY LIBERAL MP JUDY SGRO

Reconciliation is not dead, but Indigenous Peoples are still dying in Canada’s hospitals

OpinionBY ROSE LEMAY

A partial table cannot deliver justice for Indigenous people

OpinionBY BRENDAN MOORE

Keeping the North strong and free also means ensuring a better way of life for northerners

OpinionBY EDITORIAL

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Arctic security investments must also improve living conditions in the North, say territories

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

• The Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut premiers were recently in Ottawa to discuss the need for funding for housing, electricity, and transportation infrastructure as the federal government works to ramp up its security presence.

Arctic security investments must also improve living conditions in the North, say territories

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

• The Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut premiers were recently in Ottawa to discuss the need for funding for housing, electricity, and transportation infrastructure as the federal government works to ramp up its security presence.

Wide-eyed patriotism is an Indigenous value

OpinionBY ROSE LEMAY

Investing in Indigenous housing strengthens Canada, and the solutions are ready

OpinionBY JOHN GORDON

Indigenous innovation: part of the tradition, not the trend

OpinionBY KATHY MANNERS

‘The ground on which we stand’: innovation and Indigenous sovereignty

OpinionBY JESSICA KOLOPENUK

Housing is reconciliation: why Canada must prioritize Indigenous housing

OpinionBY MARGARET PFOH

‘I will always be an advocate,’ says retiring Indigenous senior civil servant Gina Wilson after decades working to ‘bridge worlds’

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

A shifting geopolitical environment leaves the Arctic central to Canada’s sovereignty and security

OpinionBY NDP MP LORI IDLOUT

Make federal funding permanent for Canada’s suicide crisis helpline, say Conservative and NDP critics

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

AGRICULTURE

Agricultural research, innovation, and commercialization: drivers of a resilient future

OpinionBY CSG SENATOR ROB BLACK

The grass is greener where you water it

OpinionBY CSG SENATOR TODD LEWIS

Bloc MP Perron condemns ‘ridiculous’ spending cuts that will shutter research farms across Canada

NewsBY MARLO GLASS

MPs celebrate canola tariff relief, but national security, pork, remain opposition concerns with China

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

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Biotechnology

Canada’s missing life sciences industrial strategy is leaving economic growth on the table

OpinionBY MICHELLE MCLEAN

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

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Bloc joins push for mandatory labelling of genetically engineered foods

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

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

OpinionBY BENOIT-ANTOINE BACON

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DEFENCE & SECURITY

Carney’s deputy minister shuffle raises national security questions

NewsBY KATHRYN MAY

Defending Canada, where ocean capability runs deep 

OpinionBY KENDRA MACDONALD

Navy commander, SecState kibosh mixed submarine fleet that experts say would be ‘more complicated’ and ‘inefficient’ to operate

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Veteran rehab contract under scrutiny as observers call on government to return the work in-house

NewsBY IREM KOCA

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Environment

The bathtub is overflowing: why Canada’s climate strategy needs to pull the plug

OpinionBY NA’IM MERCHANT

‘Once you get a carveout from one province, it’s game over’: Ottawa-Alberta MOU draws advocates with economic and environment concerns

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Pipelines or a national power grid: what should Canada build now?

OpinionBY ISG SENATOR ROSA GALVEZ, GEOFF STRONG, RICHARD VAN DER JAGT

The EV revolution: baby steps and tinkering won’t get us to the podium

OpinionBY SUSAN RILEY

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FINANCE

How to fix Canada’s sputtering productivity

OpinionBY ANN MARIE VAUGHAN

Main estimates set out $502.8-billion for 2026-27 as National Defence tops voted spending

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

Liberals to cut CBC by $192-million in 2026-27

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE

B.C.’s Eby may not be long for the job

OpinionBY ANDREW CADDELL

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Fisheries and oceans

Nearly 2,000 jobs and $1.5-billion to be cut across five departments by 2030, PBO analysis shows

NewsBY MARLO GLASS

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

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FOREIGN POLICY

Canada can no longer pretend the U.S. is ‘safe’ for refugees

OpinionBY WASHIM AHMED

Canada’s trade ambitions rest on a food system we’re dismantling

OpinionBY SEAN O’REILLY

Mark Carney’s 50 shades of grey zones

OpinionBY DAVID CARMENT

Major public service shakeup taps David Morrison to ‘elevated’ key foreign policy role in the centre

NewsBY MARLO GLASS, NEIL MOSS

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health

Ottawa discourages health-care innovation, and patients pay the price 

OpinionBY NADEEM ESMAIL, MACKENZIE MOIR

Outspoken health advocate Joss Reimer talks about finding ‘common ground’ with government as she becomes Canada’s top doctor

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

New policy adding nurse practitioners to public health-care plans will go ahead April 1

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Ongoing grievance over public service health-plan switch an ‘interesting’ case, says labour lawyer

NewsBY MARLO GLASS

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Industry and Manufacturing

Canadians can’t afford to wait for Right to Repair legislation 

OpinionBY EMILY CHUNG

Industrial benefits policy needs a ‘relook,’ says ex-senior public servant, as Conservative MP pushes for contract records

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Canada’s auto sector ‘hangs in the balance’ as CUSMA review looms in 2026: ‘there’s no sugar-coating it, this is going to be a critical year for the industry’

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

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

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

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infrastructure and transport

Trade diversification always failed, this time could be different

OpinionBY DANIELLE GOLDFARB

Canada can’t trade on hope

OpinionBY RODRIGUE GILBERT

Infrastructure is the missing link in Canada’s diversification strategy 

OpinionBY PASCAL CHAN

Think big: Senate Building should be turned into high-speed rail hub in 2037

OpinionBY EDITORIAL

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innovation

Ottawa unsure how to regulate AI chatbots after Tumbler Ridge report, as Solomon says ‘all options are on the table’

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE

‘He comes from our side’: Writers’ Union CEO calls Solomon an AI ‘cheerleader,’ asks him to slow down strategy

NewsBY MARIA COLLINS

Building a more innovative Canadian economy won’t be easy, but it will be worth it

OpinionBY DAVID CRANE

To ban or not to ban? Experts wary of restricting social media access for kids, as feds watch Australian approach

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE

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intergovernmental

Most Albertans don’t support separation, but referendum poses unintended, temporary consequences for Poilievre’s federal Conservatives in the province, says pollster

NewsBY AIDAN RAYNOR

‘Playing with fire’: Tony Manera recalls pushback during sovereignty debate

OpinionBY TONY MANERA

Sole Quebec NDP MP Boulerice says potential provincial run has ‘absolutely nothing to do with’ party’s status

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

Four crucial outcomes Canadians need from the Alberta-Ottawa MOU talks

OpinionBY CHRIS SEVERSON-BAKER

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justice

‘We’re getting closer’: religious groups lobbying feds say they’re hopeful of progress on stalled Liberal anti-hate bill

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Republican Party can rein in U.S. President Trump—if it’s brave enough

OpinionBY MICHAEL HARRIS

Tory Senator Housakos proposes invoking notwithstanding clause to uphold certain mandatory minimums

NewsBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Despite early ‘spirit of co-operation’ on some bills, Liberal agenda still failing to launch in Parliament, say politicos

NewsBY STUART BENSON

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Labour & employment

When it comes to affordable childcare, both public and private operators need federal support

OpinionBY CHLOE DUSSER

Ottawa has a housing initiative, but not a homeownership plan

OpinionBY KEVIN LEE

Solving Canada’s housing crisis starts with a reality check

OpinionBY JANICE MYERS

Nuancing our understanding of Canada’s housing affordability crisis

OpinionBY STEVE POMEROY

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Lobbying

‘A fundamental shift’: new strategy an opportunity to grow domestic industrial base, say lobbyists

NewsBY SERGIY SLIPCHENKO

Questions loom over NDP’s voter verification process as leadership contest enters final stretch

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

Liberals see path forward for budget bill, but Conservatives still have ‘huge concerns’ with cabinet’s ‘regulatory sandbox’

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Ottawa’s lowered lobbying registration thresholds will reshape government relations

OpinionBY SUZANNE SABOURIN, MICHAEL WALSH

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natural resources and energy

In a tariff war, Canada’s resources are our strategic advantage

OpinionBY PHILIP CROSS

Sometimes the resource roller-coaster is a great ride

OpinionBY HEATHER EXNER-PIROT

Why Canada should peacefully enrich its uranium

OpinionBY ALEXANDER MACDONALD, JEREMY WHITLOCK

Leveraging the nuclear renaissance to advance small and micro modular reactors

OpinionBY VINNY GUNDA, SAGAR SANGHERA, JOSEF FREUNDORFER, ELEODOR NICHITA

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Women, Gender and Diversity

In a fractured world, women peacebuilders are essential 

OpinionBY RACHEL WARDEN

Liberals hope ‘national unity’ council quells divisions after scrapping Islamophobia and antisemitism envoys

NewsBY STUART BENSON

The politicking of identity has always been a nation-building project

OpinionBY ERICA IFILL

Celebrating Black Canadian trailblazers who’ve played a critical role in public life

OpinionBY WAHEED KHAN

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Indigenous Relations

Principled-based pragmatism and the wisdom of the seven generations

OpinionBY ROSE LEMAY

‘Stark contrast’ between Carney and Trudeau’s approach to Indigenous relations, says ITK president Obed

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

‘Very few truly understand how it currently works’: procurement watchdog puts defence contracting under microscope

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Poilievre praises a president who threatens democracies—including ours—on a daily basis

OpinionBY ROSE LEMAY

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Exclusive lists

Who’s backing the NDP leadership contenders?

Who’s backing the NDP leadership contenders?

Tracking job cuts in the federal public service

Tracking job cuts in the federal public service

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