‘It’s a different world we’re all living in’: vast majority of staff working remotely, focused on COVID-19 response
The vast majority of staff—from ministerial offices on the Hill to the constituency offices of Members of Parliament—are now working from home and busy working to answer high volumes of public queries and implement new measures being announced to help Canadians amid the COVID-19 outbreak. “I think that all of our offices are seeing high […]
Chamber of Commerce warns Trudeau, premiers incoherent approach to defining essential services could affect supply chain
A business advocacy group is appealing to Ottawa to adopt a standardized approach when it comes to defining what qualifies as an essential service in order to avoid introducing unintended bottlenecks in the supply chain, saying uniform guidelines are needed whether or not the feds invoke the Emergencies Act in response to COVID-19. In a […]
Greens lower leadership entrance fee amid concerns about fundraising during COVID-19
The federal Green Party has changed some of its leadership contest rules in response to the threat posed by the coronavirus, including lowering the entrance fee by $10,000. Would-be leadership candidates were expected to raise $50,000 overall, but the party decided to reduce the non-refundable fee they have to submit by July 31. The figure […]
House suspends temporarily, in last-minute push to hash out details of emergency legislation
Parliament briefly suspended on Tuesday as MPs work to hash out the final details of the feds’ emergency relief package, shortly after the deputy House Speaker presided over its opening. The House unanimously voted on March 13 to suspend until at least April 20, with the caveat that it would be recalled to pass emergency […]
Conservative MP Poilievre won’t be in House for historic vote, as he awaits COVID-19 results
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre says he won’t be in the House for today’s historic sitting, tweeting a video message from his “bunker” that he is awaiting the results of his COVID-19 test. Mr. Poilievre (Carleton, Ont.) was expected to be among the 11 Conservative MPs present for the vote to pass the feds’ $82-billion relief […]
Trudeau says provinces have yet to ‘formally’ request enforcing Emergencies Act, as he urges Canadians to stay home
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the provinces haven’t “formally” requested that the government invoke the Emergencies Act, legislative measures that would temporarily give it the authority to curtail movement within the country in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) is expected to convene premiers in a conference call later this […]
COVID-19 is forcing lobbyists to significantly shift their strategies
As the federal government ramps up its effort to control the pace of the coronavirus pandemic and stabilize the teetering economy, lobbyists say much of their focus has either pivoted to responding to the immediacy of the crisis, or giving officials the breathing room they need. “I just don’t think there is lobbying during the […]
Not doing politics in the time of COVID-19: ‘the boundary of acceptable criticism just got a lot narrower’
With the country mired in a health crisis the likes of which hasn’t been seen in Canada in 100 years, federal opposition parties have been remarkably supportive of the Liberal government, with little appetite among the Canadian public for parties to score political points at this time. Since the severity of the crisis has become […]
Coronavirus, newest challenge facing Bibeau, adds impetus to risk management reform
Canada’s federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has been at the head of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for just over a year. She hardly had a chance to breathe since she was ushered into the post on March 1, 2019, in the midst of the SNC-Lavalin scandal. Just five days later, on March 6, 2019, China […]
‘The instinct is to throw yourself at it with everything you’ve got’: Hill journos, bureau chiefs weigh in on covering COVID-19 pandemic
As the fallout from the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to derail business plans, investment portfolios and family planning across the country, Parliamentary Press Gallery reporters and Ottawa bureau chiefs are grappling with the challenge—and obligation—of keeping Canadians informed of lighting-speed developments, while at the same time ensuring they and those around them remain safe and […]
