Some Senators play community fixers with country in lockdown
Stuck in their homes like most of us, some of Canada’s Senators are using their time away from Ottawa amid the COVID-19 global pandemic to form virtual policy “working groups,” help researchers collect data on the crisis, or go to bat for businesses and non-profits in danger of slipping through cracks of the government’s response. […]
Pandemic forces feds to hit pause on climate legislation; environmentalists sanguine about net-zero pledge
Environmental groups say they expect green programs to form the backbone of the government’s recovery effort when the COVID-19 crisis abates. The government has been forced to hit pause on its legislative agenda, with Parliamentary sittings disrupted and its attention diverted toward grappling with the pandemic’s ruinous impacts on the economy. That has included delaying […]
Ottawa’s relief measures for businesses could soar to more than $9.1-billion, says PBO
One of the federal government’s relief measures to support businesses and enterprises during the COVID-19 pandemic could cost more than $9.1-billion, according to analyses released Friday by the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The PBO estimated that the Canada Emergency Business Account will cost $9.1-billion for fiscal year 2020-21, while the feds’ loan guarantee program for small- […]
Canada ‘middle of the pack’ among constitutional cousins in push to go virtual, says Samara researcher
As a House committee works to lay out a blueprint on how to proceed with virtual sittings during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s efforts so far to transition online have placed it in the “middle of the pack” among its constitutional cousins, says one researcher. “We’re sort of in the middle of the pack at this […]
Transition to virtual sittings should be ‘staggered,’ former clerk tells PROC
The move towards increasing the frequency of virtual parliamentary sittings can take on a “staggered approach,” as MPs grow more accustomed to engaging with one another online as opposed to across the aisle, says a former House administration official. In an appearance before the Procedure and House Affairs Committee on April 23, Marc Bosc, former […]
‘Every building meets its time’: Senators occupying Victoria Building mull future revamp of precinct
It’s one of the most famous city blocks in the country. With the fate of the stretch of historic buildings along Wellington Street in limbo as federal officials deliberate its future use, some Senators say every effort should be made to preserve the former site of the U.S. embassy “at all costs,” but harbour no […]
Conservative MPs need to raise $15,000 by year’s end to fend off nomination challenges, says party
All 121 Conservative MPs are being required to raise $15,000 by the end of 2020 in order to fend off nomination challenges. In a briefing before the national Conservative caucus on Wednesday, Jaime Girard, acting executive director of the party, and Conservative MP Diane Finley (Haldimand–Norfolk, Ont.), the caucus liaison to the national council, said […]
PSPC further scales back construction projects, but work on Centre Block continues
Public Services and Procurement Canada has further scaled back ongoing construction work on a range of federal projects since Ontario announced its moratorium on construction in the province, but renovations to the historic Centre Block building continue to crawl ahead. “Based on our own assessments, we had started to demobilize some sites ahead of the […]
Angela Gittens and Daniel-Robert Gooch
Feds to offer $9-billion in financial relief for students, pending legislation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says students will be getting financial relief to cope with the fallout of the pandemic, as the government plans to spend $9-billion to help those unable to find work during the summer. Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) announced on Wednesday during his daily briefing that post-secondary students will soon be able to […]
