Confusion and chaos define Canada’s effort to resettle Afghan refugees
Prospective Afghan refugees to Canada and advocates say a lack of transparency from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada about how exactly they are processing applications is causing confusion and chaos for applicants. In the wake of the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban in August 2021, and prior to the Canadian federal election […]
Debate over government spending tops priority list for opposition parties heading into February’s House sitting
The debate over inflation and COVID-19-related spending will be among the top issues raised by opposition parties as the House digs into its agenda for February in advance of the federal budget. This session could be the busiest and most consequential in recent memory. Other legislative priorities include updating Canadian privacy law and mandating digital giants […]
Diving back into Broadcasting Act reform could mean big controversy
Members of Parliament, lobbyists, and stakeholders are anticipating legislation to reform the Broadcasting Act to be introduced early in this winter House session—but major digital companies are already ramping up resistance. It would be another attempt to quickly pick up legislation that dropped off the Order Paper before the last federal election. In the previous […]
No plans for O’Toole’s leadership review before August 2023, says Conservative Party president Rob Batherson
The Conservative Party has no plans to hold an early review of Erin O’Toole’s leadership even though four ridings have passed motions demanding one by this summer and more are planning to do the same in the coming weeks, says party president Rob Batherson. “We’re having a good healthy discussion,” said Batherson, in an interview […]
‘Freedom Convoy’ rolls into town, jams Parliamentary Precinct, thousands protest against COVID-19 mandates
The “Freedom Convoy,” a large convoy of big rig and pickup truck drivers from across Canada, who are here to protest against vaccine mandates and the Trudeau government, rolled into town and took over the entire Parliamentary Precinct on Saturday. They started arriving in big numbers late Friday night, with the main demonstration against COVID-19 […]
As ‘freedom convoy’ heads to Parliament Hill, politicos say Conservatives are supporting a ‘loser of a political issue’
As the so-called “freedom convoy” reaches Ottawa to protest vaccine mandates and COVID restrictions, politicos say Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole faces a delicate balancing act keeping happy factions of his caucus, many of whom support the movement. “It’s a high-wire act for O’Toole, but so far he’s not exactly been a member of the Flying […]
Liberals and Conservatives can’t even agree on their divisions over release of Winnipeg lab documents
The logjam over the Conservatives’ continued refusal to participate in the Liberal government’s two proposed ways the Tories can access documents related to the 2021 dismissal of two Chinese scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC’s) National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg has deepened to the point where neither side can agree on […]
O’Toole attack on Guilbeault an appeal to blue collar class, says strategists
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s mid-January video criticizing the Liberal’s climate change policy was derided by some commentators for misquoting Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and blurring the truth, but strategists note it was a pointed appeal by the Conservatives to “entire classes” of Canadians who depend on the energy economy. It’s an approach that may win […]
‘Cacophony of views’ in national media landscape may not serve viewers, says former CBC bureau chief
Veteran former journalist and political strategist Elly Alboim says the current national media landscape represents a “cacophony of views” that may actually be leading audiences to consume more information that they already agree with, and that there remains a role for national broadcasters like the CBC to provide “a common set of information on a […]
Canada boosts Ukrainian military training mission, but yet to match Kyiv’s ask for lethal weapons, sanctions
Canada came short of matching Kyiv’s appeals for help, announcing it is extending and expanding its military training mission to Ukraine, but defensive weapons and sectoral sanctions are not part of the assistance package. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) announced on Jan. 26 Operation Unifier would be extended for another three years. He also […]
