‘Choose your poison’ will be westerners’ election dilemma, it could be an opportunity for Maverick Party, say insiders
The next election will be a choice between Justin Trudeau and an “imperfect” Erin O’Toole for many western Canadians disappointed with the Conservative leader’s about-face on carbon pricing, which will create an opportunity for the upstart Maverick Party, say Conservative MPs, political insiders, and a leading pollster. “For those Conservatives who are disappointed with Erin […]
Canada’s manufacturing capacity ‘factor’ in how much it pays for vaccines, says Anand
Canada’s limited domestic manufacturing capacity for vaccines was a “factor” in Ottawa paying more than what other countries have for AstraZeneca doses, Procurement Minister Anita Anand acknowledged Friday. Speaking to reporters at a virtual press conference, Ms. Anand (Oakville, Ont.) was pressed about reports that cited an official from the Prime Minister’s Office last fall […]
‘Not a thing’ Trudeau could have ‘taken action on’ in Vance probe, says ex-PMO staffer
A former PMO adviser says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would have been limited in his ability to take action on the misconduct allegations against the now-retired chief of defence staff, had he been alerted to them in 2018. In a hearing before the House Defence Committee on Friday, Elder Marques, former adviser at the Prime […]
$2.2-billion for MMIWG positive sign, but groups cautiously await details amid delayed action plan
Indigenous women’s groups say they need clarity on how Ottawa will roll out the $2.2-billion in funding earmarked in the budget and when it will release its delayed action plan in response to the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. When Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.) unveiled Budget 2021 on April […]
Liberals’ fiscal blueprint reflects pre-budget lobbying push, but gaps remain, say business groups
Business groups spent the majority of their March advocacy efforts focused on the April budget, lobbying that they say was successful in getting immediate concerns addressed to extend pandemic reliefs, though gaps still remain. The “vast majority” of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s 24 meetings were focused on the budget to push for pandemic-relief measures […]
Guilty verdict in trial of Derek Chauvin marks ‘painful progress’ in fight to address systemic racism, say Hillites, experts
The rare conviction of the ex-police officer charged in the killing of George Floyd marks a moment of “painful progress” in how Black people are treated at the hands of law enforcement, say some Parliamentarians and experts. Speaking to The Hill Times, Kathy Hogarth, an associate professor of social work at the University of Waterloo, […]
Canada’s ‘fair share’: report calls for doubling emissions target as Trudeau preps for U.S. climate summit
Canada can afford to be far more aggressive in slashing emissions by doubling its previous target of 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, says a new report. In a report released Wednesday by a coalition of environmental groups that includes Environmental Defence and Équiterre, Canada’s “fair share” as one of the world’s largest […]
‘It’s good for the political soul’: historic ‘Kitchen Accord’ room to be turned into Senate prayer, meditation space
A room whose history is tied up in the historic 1981 debate over the patriation of the Canadian Constitution will soon be converted into a prayer and meditation space for Senators and staff, ending a lengthy process to find a space for that purpose near the interim Red Chamber in the newly renovated Senate of […]
Time for widespread gender-neutral language in federal policy, legislation, say advocates
The very act of not being included in government policy is discriminatory, says Estefan Cortes-Vargas, former Alberta MLA, diversity consultant, and one of the first openly non-binary people elected in Canada, referring to the sparse use of gender-neutral language. It’s an issue the federal government says it’s trying to fix, piece by piece. This area […]
New language-learning app named after late Liberal bilingualism champion
A new CBC-based language-learning app, Mauril, hopes to instil the same love of language as its namesake, the late Liberal MP Mauril Bélanger. Mr. Bélanger, who died from ALS in 2016 at the age of 61, had a long history of fighting for Canada’s linguistic duality. He was decorated as Commandeur de l’Odre de la […]
