Conservatives face tougher political terrain in push to convince voters party can deliver on climate action, say experts
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is facing headwinds battling public perception that his party isn’t serious about reining in emissions, a challenge, some experts say, that is unlikely to be easily overcome as he finds himself in a much different political environment. The Liberals are in a stronger position to question the credibility of the Conservatives’ […]
Feds’ plan to verify ‘integrity’ of CERB payments could take four years: AG report
After designing and rolling out the Canada Emergency Response Benefit within “a few weeks,” Ottawa is now embarking on the “critical” work of verifying eligibility to ensure the “integrity” of recipients—efforts that could stretch into 2025, according to a new report. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Auditor General Karen Hogan commended the feds for “reacting in […]
Effort to stall passage of bill to mandate judicial training on sexual assault may be afoot, says Senator Dalphond
Quebec Senator Pierre Dalphond says he’s concerned there may be an effort to stymie the passage of legislation aimed at ensuring judges receive sensitivity training before presiding over sexual-assault cases. A pair of hearings scheduled by the Senate Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday and Thursday on Bill C-3, legislation that requires judges to be well […]
Public Health Agency unprepared for pandemic, ‘underestimated’ COVID-19: federal audit
The Public Health Agency of Canada “underestimated” the impact of COVID-19 in the early days of the virus’ spread and was not “adequately prepared” to respond to the pandemic, failing to address long-standing issues before the outbreak, according to Canada’s federal auditor. In a report tabled Thursday, Karen Hogan’s office found PHAC had not completed […]
In majority ruling, top court rules feds’ carbon-pricing scheme constitutional
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled in a 6-3 majority decision that the feds’ national carbon price is on solid constitutional footing, settling the legal debate that has consumed discussions on climate policy. Chief Justice Richard Wagner found in his decision written for the majority that the government’s effort to set minimum national standards […]
Sustainable forest management can help drive net-zero future
Governments and stakeholders agree that we must urgently work together to build our net-zero carbon future. The cost of inaction is simply far too great. The sooner we act, the more effectively we can reduce the risks and protect the health and safety of Canadians. It is therefore fitting that the UN is promoting this […]
Conservatives’ virtual convention a ‘missed opportunity’ to deliver a show, says expert
The Conservatives’ convention played out largely as expected, with little fanfare thanks to the shift to a virtual program, but some strategists say there was a “missed opportunity” to deliver a show demonstrating they’re a party that embraces change. Lindsay Finneran-Gingras, a vice-president at Hill and Knowlton Strategies with expertise in public affairs campaigns, said […]
MPs, Senators raise pipelines, Buy American provisions in first meetings with new U.S. Congress
A group of Canadian Parliamentarians held their first meetings with members of the new U.S. Congress last week during which they raised concerns about the future of the Line 5 and Keystone XL pipelines, as well as worries over potential Buy American provisions. Thirteen MPs and Senators in the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group held 23 virtual […]
Canada’s critical mineral wealth a gem for domestic advanced manufacturing, say experts and stakeholders
Canada has a vast array of critical minerals waiting to be tapped into to supply an increasingly important global demand that’s currently dominated by China, experts say, but an open question is how Canada plans to meet that demand. The Canadian government and industry can follow a similar path and be a natural resource export […]
Conflict watchdog’s power to sanction MPs should be defined, argues CPC MP Reid, but other MPs not convinced
For the first time ever, the federal conflict of interest commissioner flexed his power to recommend sanctions against a Member of Parliament under the Conflict of Interest Code last fall—a demonstration Conservative MP Scott Reid argues makes clear the need for MPs to consider and define what sanctions the commissioner should appropriately be able to […]
