Sanction Russian officials, provide defensive military equipment to Ukraine, feds told amid escalated tensions
An influential group that represents the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada is asking the federal government to provide Kyiv with military equipment and further sanction Russian officials who are breaching human rights amid an escalation along the Ukrainian-Russian border. Russia stationed more than 100,000 troops along the Russia-Ukraine border before Russian state media reported on April […]
Scratching the surface: more needed to address northern housing, say MPs, experts
New funding allotted for the North in the recent federal budget won’t make a dent in the housing problems that plague these communities, and more needs to be done in a multitude of areas, experts say. Housing conditions in the North came under a spotlight following the release of NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq’s (Nunavut) report, […]
With an ambitious domestic policy budget, Liberals leave little for foreign affairs
While the Trudeau Liberal government focused on a domestic recovery from the public health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it left foreign policy largely ignored in its first budget in two years. Ambitious plans for childcare and Indigenous spending were unveiled in the April 19 budget, but that same ambition wasn’t […]
Feds need to do more to make jury duty attractive after pandemic, says advocate
There is “no reason” for Ottawa not to consider providing better post-trial support to jurors as part of its recently proposed changes to the justice system, says one advocate, especially as courthouses are expected to experience a crunch in securing enough jurors coming out of the pandemic. Speaking to the House Justice Committee on Tuesday, […]
‘Moral’ obligation to guide country out of pandemic trumps cynicism over governments’ ill-advised decisions, say experts
The pandemic has left some experts advising governments “jaded” about the political decision-making process, but that’s not necessarily going to deter others from serving in similar roles in the future. Alison Thompson, a public health ethicist with the University of Toronto who sits on Ontario’s advisory bioethics table, said experts like her have likely been […]
Tory candidate for York Centre to be decided early this week
The Conservative Party will select its next candidate for York Centre this week, after nearly turning the riding blue in a 2020 byelection decided by 701 votes. Julius Tiangson is running to recapture the Conservative nomination in the riding. He narrowly lost last year’s byelection there to rookie Liberal MP Ya’ara Saks. Mr. Tiangson is […]
‘Not a time for austerity’: public service unions laud feds’ childcare pledge, focus on recovery through spending over cuts
Leaders of Canada’s largest federal public service unions are lauding the government’s big-ticket commitment to affordable child care, and say this year’s budget shows the government isn’t interested in pursuing austerity measures after more than a year of record spending. “My reaction is generally positive—it’s clear that the government understands that this is not a […]
Could budget spending overheat the economy? Experts weigh in
The government’s big-spending budget could overheat Canada’s economy and put households and businesses under pressure, say Conservative MPs and a senior economist at the Royal Bank of Canada, but other experts, including Canada’s parliamentary budget officer, aren’t sweating the risk. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s (University-Rosedale, Ont.) first budget included $135-billion in new spending over five […]
Aspiring Liberal candidates for Don Valley East campaigning by phone, social media
With retail politics put on hold in Ontario by the third wave of COVID-19, potential candidates for the federal Liberal nomination in the coveted Toronto riding of Don Valley East are relying on phones and social media to run their campaigns. “The number one thing is being on the phone, talking to people…going through your […]
StatsCan data suggests private sector PPE procurement out of step with science
Personal protective equipment is in high demand from Canadian businesses, but Statistics Canada data shows that much of the PPE businesses are after is designed to curb vectors of transmission that studies say aren’t the primary drivers of infection with COVID-19. Statistics Canada data released April 19 shows that throughout the pandemic businesses have focused […]
