Perrin Beatty, architect of Emergencies Act not yet convinced feds were right to invoke it over Freedom Convoy
With multiple inquiries into the first-ever invocation of the Emergencies Act by the federal government now in full swing, the chief architect of the legislation, former Progressive Conservative federal solicitor general Perrin Beatty, said he’s not yet convinced that the invocation of the act in February was justified. Beatty said “the quid pro quo for […]
‘This isn’t like a study on fish habitat or safety at railway crossings’: MPs reviewing their own conflict-of-interest rules behind closed-doors
MPs have offered no comment as to why a current review of the conflict-of-interest rules is being conducted behind closed doors in the House, while critics say the lack of transparency is “concerning.” “They’re privileged to write their own rules for themselves, and a lack of transparency about how they’re coming up with those rules—who’s […]
‘Near-absolute’ cabinet immunity needs judicial oversight to protect against possible abuse of power, says expert
Canada’s system protecting cabinet secrecy is “excessive” in scope, lacks meaningful oversight and has created a “legal black hole” that prevents the courts from probing possible abuse of powers, according to expert Yan Campagnolo, who wrote a book on the subject, Behind Closed Doors: The Law and Politics of Cabinet Secrecy. Despite the last Conservative and […]
‘We don’t want to carry this anymore’: papal apology must come with action, so healing and forgiveness can follow, says MP McLeod
Reflecting on the Pope’s coming trip to Canada, Liberal MP Michael McLeod, says that “a sincere apology” for the role played by the Catholic Church in Canada’s residential school system can be a meaningful step toward reconciliation, but he also wants a commitment “to help repair and to restore justice.” McLeod (Northwest Territories) said he […]
Expelling diplomats will be met in kind, says Russian envoy
With calls to oust Russian diplomats in Ottawa, Moscow’s ambassador to Canada says that any diplomatic expulsion will be met in kind by expelling Canadian diplomats in Russia. Several European nations—Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Estonia, and Italy, among others—have chosen to remove Russian diplomats amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. So far, Canada hasn’t heeded appeals […]
Demand for critical minerals ‘the greatest opportunity in a generation’ for Indigenous communities, says First Nations coalition
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm say their two countries are committed to respecting Indigenous rights as they rush to ramp up production of critical minerals to meet their net zero targets, but a coalition of more than 85 First Nations is working directly with industry to carve out a […]
A suspicious package, an arrest, and increased protection harken back to Turkey’s past diplomatic troubles
A discovery of a suspicious package at the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa on a 2020 summer night brought out the full-fledged response of the capital’s security apparatus, followed by an increased security presence, but details of what happened that night remain scarce and the embassy isn’t saying whether it requested increased protection. Earlier this month, […]
‘Pent-up demand’: parliamentary travel slowly returns with first international trips since pandemic began
With an end to the travel embargo for Parliamentarians, MPs are slowly returning to the normalcy of parliamentary diplomacy and international travel, as they say nothing can make up for in-person dialogue. The ban on House Committee travel ended in March, with the House Administration allowing for international trips, but the House Liaison Committee has […]
‘Hard to find, unclear, or incomplete’: feds must improve ‘greening government’ strategy to meet net-zero, audit finds
Five years after launching a “greening government” strategy to tackle the federal environmental footprint, Ottawa is “falling short” of its net-zero by 2050 target, with even Canada’s largest departmental emitter having “no clear” information on meeting the reduction goal, according to a new audit conducted by Canada’s federal environment and sustainable development commissioner. In the […]
Northerners think feds are ‘out of touch’ with the North, data suggests
Northerners say the federal government is “out of touch” with the North, does not meet their needs, and does not fairly represent them, according to a convenience sample study conducted by the Angus Reid Forum. The data, while anecdotal in nature, offers a glimpse into the frustrations and issues facing those living in Canada’s territories, […]
