Mass shooting should prompt discussion on domestic violence, says Liberal MP
Canada needs to have a conversation about violence against women and ramp up support to address the problem, says Lenore Zann, the Liberal MP who represents the Nova Scotia riding where a gunman killed 22 and, police say, started the slaughter with an attack on his girlfriend. Finding out the rampage began that way “sends […]
Canada ready for June UN Security Council election despite not actively campaigning amid pandemic, says UN envoy
With a fast-approaching United Nations Security Council election, Canada’s mission at the UN is focusing its efforts on curbing the coronavirus pandemic, but Canada’s envoy to the international body says he is ready for the June vote. UN Ambassador Marc-André Blanchard told The Hill Times in a phone interview earlier this week that the Canadian […]
‘Absolute carnage right now’: MPs call for greater energy sector support, ‘re-think’ of industry’s security, budgetary role
As Canada’s oil and gas sector continues to be battered by plummeting prices, MPs in energy-rich provinces are calling for greater measures from the federal government to keep the industry afloat amidst and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with two Alberta Conservative MPs calling for a “re-think” of the role of the sector from both a […]
‘Pandemic bump’ pushes March lobbying up 60 per cent over last year
The flood of influencers contacting officials in March increased communication by almost 60 per cent compared to the year before, part of what lobbyists describe as a “pandemic bump” in activity they expect to be the new normal as industry, associations, and governments respond to the impacts of COVID-19. Lobbyists filed 2,329 communication reports in […]
‘Marrying tradition and innovation’: MPs hold first meeting on Zoom, with some technical hiccups
In a historic move allowing Parliament to reconvene during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some 280 MPs met for the first time on Zoom on Tuesday, a virtual gathering that came with its fair share of technical glitches, brief interruptions, and poor connectivity issues. Uneven access to reliable internet may have been the most consequential, as […]
Feds to eventually share ‘guidelines’ for provinces, territories to begin reopening, says Trudeau
With some provinces looking to gradually reopen their economies as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the federal government is working with jurisdictions to ensure their plans follow agreed-upon “principles,” but Ottawa will not necessarily be vetting those plans, says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Speaking to reporters at his daily, morning briefing on April 27, Mr. Trudeau […]
Understanding ‘cultural traits’ key to effective COVID response, says professor
Flattening the COVID-19 curve requires widespread citizen participation in public health measures such as physical distancing and self-isolation. But to ensure society is on board with such measures, countries need to adopt policies that are in line with its “cultural traits” as a nation, according to an associate professor of e-business and information systems at […]
Government collaboration with MPs ‘off the charts’ amid COVID-19, says Green Party’s May
All MPs and Senators are receiving a daily technical briefing from top government officials on the COVID-19 global pandemic seven days a week, and Green Party Parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May says the level of the government’s cooperation with Parliamentarians has been “unprecedented.” Ms. May (Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C.) said that cooperation makes her feel she can […]
Multilateralism suffering ‘collective breakdown,’ say Parliamentarians who are calling for increased global cooperation
As countries around the world shift their attention inward, Canadian Parliamentarians say they are worried about the state of pivotal international humanitarian partnerships, and are calling for an increased focus on multilateral organizations. With criticism mounting towards the World Health Organization (WHO) and little global cooperation by G7 and G20 nations to tackle the coronavirus […]
Keep border closed until U.S. ‘breeding ground’ for virus under control, say public health experts
Canada should not reopen its borders until new cases of the novel coronavirus are on the decline, and each one can be traced and contained—both at home, and in the United States, say three experts in public health from both sides of the border. “I think the United States has to get their epidemic under […]
