Tackling Victoria Building reno earlier could save $65-million, department estimates show
Public Services and Procurement Canada has sought the Senate’s go-ahead to advance the Victoria Building’s renovation, ahead of the East Block’s full refurbishment, a decision that departmental documents obtained by The Hill Times suggest could mean an estimated $65-million in savings. The pitch was first made public during an April 1 meeting of the Senate Internal […]
Ottawa’s MMIWG action plan too ‘visionary,’ lacks ‘concrete action,’ warn groups ahead of feds’ release
The government’s long-awaited action plan for the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls inquiry is more visionary than substantive and pushes concrete action off to yet another day, Indigenous women are saying two days before its release, with one partner group saying it’s backing away from the “toxic” process. The Native Women’s Association of […]
Feds have ‘no firm date’ to enact military victims’ rights: report
Military police officers should get training now on how to apply victims rights to sexual misconduct investigations, a new report recommends —regulations that one official hopes will be in place sometime next year. In a 400-page report tabled to Parliament on Tuesday, former Supreme Court judge Morris Fish, who was tasked with the third independent […]
Canada ‘late in the game’ passing UNDRIP law, says Lametti, urging quick passage in Senate
While the federal government is not opposed to amending the UNDRIP legislation “in principle,” it’s operating under an urgent timeline to pass Bill C-15 within the waning days of the session, Justice Minister David Lametti told Senators Monday. Speaking to the Senate Aboriginal Peoples Committee, Mr. Lametti (LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, Que.) implored members of the Upper Chamber […]
‘No direction’ from Liberal Party on COVID campaign logistics, some candidates and riding associations complain
Election readiness is now a top priority for all federal parties, but some Liberal riding associations and candidates say they are not getting clear guidance from the party on the logistics of campaigning during or soon after a pandemic. Others, however, say they don’t need any guidance from the party on campaign logistics, and are […]
Next election a chance for Liberal ‘clean sweep’ in Hamilton, says former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps
The next election is an opportunity for the Liberals to get a “clean sweep” in the Hamilton area, thanks to their party’s lead in the polls and the fact that two opposition incumbents in the area are not seeking re-election, says former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps, who has deep political roots in the city. […]
‘We must make Canadian cyberspace a harder target,’ says CSE chief
More than 14 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercrime is the “most prevalent, most pervasive threat to Canadians and to Canadian businesses,” as the slate of players looking to exploit both human and technical vulnerabilities continues to grow, according to Chief of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) Shelly Bruce. “We also know that state-sponsored threat […]
Workplace racism ‘amplified’ for Black Canadians, entrepreneurs, new reports find
New data on the experiences of Black Canadians and entrepreneurs suggests the workplace is the “epicentre” of racism and discrimination, highlighting the urgent need to boost representation and better provide mentorship opportunities, say experts and Parliamentarians. Over the last several weeks, there have been two reports released that dive into such sentiments. Framed as the […]
Italian-Canadian Parliamentarians welcome ‘overdue’ apology for internment as ‘closure,’ ‘learning moment’
When House Speaker Anthony Rota rose after Thursday’s apology for the government’s internment of Canadians of Italian descent during the Second World War, he joked about looking into the Standing Orders and the rules around “making the Speaker cry or choking him up.” Mr. Rota (Nipissing-Timiskaming, Ont.) was laughing in that moment, but the tears […]
Feds took ‘reasonable’ risk prepaying for some medical equipment in early days of pandemic: AG
Ottawa should work to better ensure the “financial viability” of suppliers it taps to equip provinces and territories with medical devices and personal protective equipment amid the COVID-19 pandemic, says a new report from the federal auditor general. In a 42-page report tabled to Parliament on Wednesday, Auditor General Karen Hogan’s office (OAG) found the […]
