Feds cited caretaker convention to justify delays even after it wasn’t in ‘strict application’
In the weeks following the Sept. 20 election, the Liberal government cited the caretaker convention as a reason to delay releasing new policies or information, but, as the prime minister confirmed in information tabled in the House, the convention was not in “strict application” after election night due to results showing a Liberal re-election and […]
Centre Block project demolition and excavation work nearly two-thirds complete, MPs hear
While Centre Block may have looked beautiful from the outside, “its facilities were critically outdated and systems were failing,” a senior Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) official told MPs recently, offering up new words to describe the deteriorated and outdated state of the 100-year-old Centre Block building to remind MPs “why we are doing […]
Poilievre’s in, and Brown not ruling out running for federal Conservative leadership election
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, who also served as a federal MP and Ontario PC leader in the past, is not ruling out running for the federal Conservative Party’s top job that opened up last week after the caucus ousted Erin O’Toole as party leader. “Well, it’s premature for me to speculate at this time,” said […]
Reporters covering ‘Freedom Convoy’ in Ottawa describe safety concerns, intimidation following intense week downtown
Parliamentary Press Gallery and local Ottawa media members who have been covering the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest that’s taken over one of Canada’s most famous streets for more than a week have contended with intimidation and harassment and a “pretty intense anti-media sentiment” since downtown Ottawa has been besieged by the protest since Jan. 28, say […]
Trucker-protest paralysis reveals need for leadership in Ottawa, occupation of Canada’s capital shouldn’t be left to just Ottawa mayor and chief of police
As the end-of-January truckers’ protest near Parliament Hill transformed into the early-February occupation of Ottawa’s downtown core, residents and their representatives on the capital’s city council have reached their breaking point and are desperately looking for leadership from the many elected officials in town. The other group desperate for leadership are the truckers themselves, according […]
Politics This Morning: City of Ottawa declares a state of emergency
Good Monday morning, The City of Ottawa declared a state of emergency yesterday afternoon, citing “the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations.” Police chief PETER SLOLY told a special meeting of the city’s police services board on Saturday that police lacked the resources to remove […]
Harmonization with provinces will be key when introducing new data privacy legislation, say privacy experts
Highly-anticipated legislation to update Canada’s online privacy laws, expected to be introduced in the current session of Parliament, will need to harmonize with the data protection regimes introduced in provinces in recent months in order to prevent a regulatory burden on businesses, according to internet and privacy experts. “What we don’t want to see is […]
Truckers’ protest reflects rise in ‘disruption politics,’ increasing polarization, say political insiders
The “Freedom Convoy,” which has paralyzed the nation’s capital for more than a week, could eventually be a political gift for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, say some political insiders, but others warn the rise in “disruption politics” could turn into an “Occupy Parliament Hill movement” and become a major headache for the prime minister and […]
Public policies in place for Afghan refugees are being kept private
Public policies that enable the government to implement special immigration measures for Afghan refugees are being kept under wraps, even as those working to assist Afghans navigate the immigration system say the lack of information is causing confusion and chaos. Ministers of immigration have the power to issue public policies to work around certain immigration […]
Liberals ‘dragging their heels’ on pharmacare as COVID ups the need for affordable meds, says labour union, NDP
With yet another pandemic federal budget on the horizon, organized labour is pushing for universal pharmacare to help workers who have lost their workplace benefits due to COVID-19 work disruptions. The prospect of a universal pharmacare program has become all the more important during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Canada’s largest labour organization, which is […]
