AG finds half of First Nation requests for extra nurses, paramedics not met amid COVID-19
During COVID-19, Indigenous Services Canada could not fulfill 52 per cent of requests for more nursing and paramedic support in Indigenous communities, according to a new federal audit. Between March 2020 and March 2021, ISC fielded 963 requests for extra contract nurses and paramedics to help communities respond to COVID-19, but was unable to meet […]
Bloc blames Liberals for delaying bill to end supply management concessions
The Bloc Québécois are accusing the Liberals of delaying a private member’s bill that would bar trade negotiators from being able to make supply management concessions in future trade talks even as the bill has received broad support. Bill C-216, which was introduced by Bloc MP Louis Plamondon (Bécancour–Nicolet–Saurel, Que.), passed at second reading in […]
OCL staff eye summer reprieve, as lobbying activity continues to reach new heights
Federal Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger is wondering how much reprieve her staff will get over the summer, considering the precedent set by the record-breaking lobbying activity from that season during the pandemic last year. “The numbers were much higher [in 2020] than when you compare to the previous summers,” said Ms. Bélanger. “In other words, […]
Kurusamy sweeps three categories and ranks as the top Terrific Staffer
Barely six years into professional political work, Gowthaman Kurusamy is already making quite a mark, topping The Hill Times‘ 18th annual Terrific 25 Staffers list. The now-senior policy adviser to the health minister ranked as the top overall terrific staffer, the Best All-Round Terrific staffer, tied for the Most Knowledgeable staffer, and placed as the […]
Benefits are great, but passion is better, say current, past staffers of working in politics
Working in politics comes with its upsides and downsides, but the biggest of those seem to be satisfying a passion to work in the sector and the intense time commitment, respectively, current and former staffers say. The basic benefits available to staffers are the same as any other public servant, such as health and dental […]
IRCC’s automatic extension policy to delay responses to frequent requesters ‘against the act,’ says information czar
Canada’s information watchdog is slamming a recently phased-out internal practice at Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada that the commissioner says was “not valid” and out of line with access to information laws. In a 26-page special report tabled to Parliament on Tuesday, Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard said the department’s (IRCC) now-defunct policy was not permitted […]
Vaping group tops April outreach in record-breaking month for lobbying
Health Canada’s regulatory plan proposing to restrict flavoured vaping products that appeal to youth, released last month, helped make it the busiest April on record for lobbying. The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) reached out en masse to MPs, filing 258 communication reports as executive director Darryl Tempest attempted to secure one-on-one meetings with MPs to […]
Democracy Watch says it will launch legal action to force five-year review of Lobbying Act, four years overdue
Democracy Watch says it will file a Federal Court case soon to pressure the Liberal government to move forward with a review of the Lobbying Act, which is now four years overdue. “Reviews every five years are required in several federal laws. It sets a bad precedent to allow Parliament to ignore that law. Parliament doesn’t […]
Conservatives plot contingency plan for candidate nominations in case of a snap federal election
With ongoing speculation about a snap general election coming in the next few months, the Conservative Party’s national council recently passed a new rule that allows the party’s executive director, in consultation with the national council, to “alter, abridge or suspend any section or sections of the rules as they see fit” to ensure all […]
High time a woman be appointed Canada’s chief of defence staff, says former reservist, as high-profile women take on sexual misconduct crisis in the military
It’s high time for a woman to be named to the top post in Canada’s military, says a former military reservist, as multiple top women, including two former Supreme Court justices, have been and are now central players in how Canada’s military is now confronting its sexual misconduct crisis. Most recently, Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie has […]
