‘It’s incredibly dire here’: Alberta MPs navigating COVID-19 and oil crises
“I’m not really one to panic,” said Alberta MP Stephanie Kusie, speaking over the phone from her home, after closing her constituency office in Calgary Midnapore as the COVID-19 virus spreads across Canada. “I believe in preparation, but I don’t believe in panicking.” Still, the former Canadian diplomat-turned Conservative MP says she is taking a “day […]
‘Everybody’s scared’: Trudeau needs to cut red tape, give money directly to Canadians to stimulate economy, say political strategists
While economies around the world face the possibility of a depression as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals need to cut the bureaucratic red tape and start a basic income pilot program to give money directly to all Canadians for the duration of the crisis, say political strategists. “Everybody’s scared […]
‘Busy and worried’: Italian envoy says country is at ‘forefront’ of COVID-19 battle, urges solidarity in global response
Italy is at the “forefront” of the battle against the novel coronavirus, says its ambassador in Canada, who called for international co-operation and support as his country’s confirmed cases—and death toll—rise by the day. Italian Ambassador Claudio Taffuri also urged all global citizens to do their part in staving off the spread of a virus […]
One-third of Canadians haven’t fully adapted behaviour to respond to threat of COVID-19, poll suggests
As COVID-19 cases across Canada continue to grow, and Ottawa unveils a suite of measures to mitigate its spread, a new poll suggests that one-third of people have either not changed their behaviour at all or have made few adjustments. In a poll released on Friday by Innovative Research Group, 34 per cent of those […]
d
Conservative MPs, union call for stronger Service Canada centre safeguards amid uptick in EI applicants
Visits to Service Canada locations that help administer employment insurance benefits are surging as Canadians across the country look to weather the financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting opposition and union calls for the government to step up efforts to safeguard the health and safety of both front-line federal public service workers and the […]
Feds still mulling over enforcement of Emergencies Act, as Canada, U.S. prepare to close border
The Canada-U.S. border could close as early as Friday night, says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as both countries continue their efforts to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus and the government continues to consider whether to invoke the Emergencies Act. Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) addressed reporters outside Rideau Cottage, where he is in self-isolation […]
Conservative to lead Senate Rules Committee reviewing Trudeau-appointees’ push for reforms
A Conservative Senator will chair the Senate committee that could serve as a gatekeeper for changes to the Senate rules and other initiatives proposed by Trudeau-appointed Independent Senators. Senate leaders finally completed negotiations over the composition of committees in the Upper Chamber on March 11. They agreed to strike a Senate Selection Committee to formalize […]
Lobby with health, economic proposals in mind amid COVID-19 outbreak, say consultants
As the government plans to deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, lobbyists are advising their clients to retool their advocacy proposals to respond to the issues related to health care, economic stimulation, and job creation, according to consultants from Crestview Strategy. “This is an unprecedented opportunity for public-private partnerships as the government craves […]
Canada green-lights two new diagnostic tests, as coronavirus cases surge to more than 600
The federal government is hoping the approval of two diagnostic tests will help Canada boost its ability to administer tests for the novel coronavirus, as officials say the emergence of cases in the last week show signs of community spread. Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, noted there […]
