Feds target 90,000 temporary workers, international students for permanent residency this year
Beginning next month, the federal government says it will start accepting applications from temporary foreign workers and graduated international students to fill a targeted 90,000 permanent resident spots. Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino (Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.) unveiled the new program Wednesday, designed to support the feds’ goal of integrating 401,000 permanent residents into Canada this year, during […]
Syrian security situation used as guise for not having political will to repatriate detained Canadians, say experts
As Canadian citizens remain in Kurdish custody in northern Syria, experts say the Canadian government is using the pretence of the security conditions on the ground to cover up a lack of political will for repatriation. It is believed that there are at least 23 Canadian children in the Kurdish-controlled detention camps. The Canadian government […]
New Senator working group to explore diversity, inclusion training in Red Chamber
A new advisory working group of Senators will look into diversity and inclusion training in the Upper Chamber, with a deadline of June 30 to report back on its findings. Prompted by a letter from Ontario ISG Senator Rosemary Moodie, chair of the African Canadian Senate Group, creation of the new group was approved by […]
Senate eyes filling The Chambers as renovation plans progress
The Senate Internal Economy, Budgets, and Administration Committee recently gave Public Services and Procurement Canada the go-ahead to pursue leasing new office space in The Chambers building at 40 Elgin St. in anticipation of future renovation projects which are set to displace Senators. The initiative came about following a recent meeting between the Senate Internal […]
Has the Hill changed for women in the workplace post-#MeToo?
In the years since the #MeToo movement rocked the globe, it has brought changes that women who work federal politics say range from the good, like opening the conversation, to the less positive, such as creating a rift between men and women in the workplace. Parliament Hill was no outlier when it came to the […]
Lone wolf MPs break down what it’s like to be a region’s solitary party voice
MPs whose party affiliation causes them stand out alone in their region say that while it can be hard work, it can also serve as an amplifier for their voice and influence. If Robert Bothwell, Gluskin professor of Canadian history at the University of Toronto, had to guess how the next election would play out […]
Feds say too early to talk opening Canada-U.S. border, but experts push for plan
It’s time for the federal government to signal a future plan on how the Canada-U.S. border will reopen when public health conditions permit, say analysts. The border has been closed for nearly 13 months to non-essential travel with the government silent on any eventual reopening as the Canadian public mostly supports its continued closure. During […]
Feds’ infrastructure assessment plan welcomed, but experts caution bumpy road ahead
Experts are welcoming the federal government’s first-ever nationwide infrastructure assessment as a way to get better insight into the state of Canada’s public works at a time when many upgrades and new projects are needed, but are cautioning that Canada’s federal structure will make it difficult for the effort to be useful and say it […]
UNDRIP law a ‘game changer’ for reconciliation, says AFN’s Bellegarde, calling for accelerated plan in two years
The government’s bill to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a “game changer,” says Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde, who urged MPs to pass it quickly and require Ottawa to bring it into effect a year earlier than outlined. With the pandemic creating tighter timelines and […]
Federal auditor general to start probe into vaccines this year
Canada’s auditor general is hoping to launch a probe into the federal government’s vaccination efforts sometime this year, an audit that Karen Hogan hopes will paint a “comprehensive picture” of the entire process from approval to rollout. Speaking to the House Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, Ms. Hogan said some “co-ordination” will be required with […]
