Feb 16, 2019 @ 14:17 The surprise resignation of Jody Wilson-Raybould from cabinet this week caps a string of developments that have rocked the government with respect to their apparent cozy relationship with the Quebec-based engineering firm SNC Lavalin.  What began as the surprise demotion of a senior cabinet member in January blew wide open in February when a Globe ...

This week parliament rose in recognition of the last surviving Mohawk code-talker whose unique language skills helped the allies win World War II.  As the entire chamber celebrated this individual’s remarkable accomplishment, I was struck how our linguistic diversity can be a source of pride that is celebrated in many instances, but can also be a source of contention in ...

Last week’s economic update could have been an opportunity for the government to show it was serious about tackling some persistent issues that can’t seem to gain traction when it comes to federal spending, instead it turned into an early Christmas gift for corporate Canada.  That’s because the government came up with 14.4 billion dollars to write off capital costs.  ...

Two award-winning family doctors that practice in Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing were recognized for their achievements in parliament by MP, Carol Hughes. Hughes’ statement noted their accomplishments and also acknowledged the crucial role family doctor’s play in a community’s well-being. “Dr. Lianne Gauvin from Hearst received the Community Teachers of the Year Award from the Ontario College of Family Physicians which recognizes the ...

Like so many others, I was deeply saddened to learn the details of Tori Stafford’s tragic demise ten years ago when news coverage of her disappearance, murder, and the subsequent trial of Terri-Lynne McClintic and her accomplice shook Canadians to their foundation.  This autumn, we learned that McClintic had been re-designated as a medium security threat and transferred to a ...

Recently, I attended a rally on the steps of Parliament organized by veterans suffering from the long-lasting effects of the anti-malarial drug Mefloquinne. It struck me that this is becoming the new normal as veterans are forced to take their struggles with Veterans Affairs to the government themselves. That this problem persists through successive governments shows that, despite many promises ...

Labour Day is upon us marking the end of school vacations and the inevitable turn towards autumn. While it is easy to focus on the day as a holiday, it is also important to remember that it celebrates numerous campaigns that helped shape our modern workplaces in many significant ways. Those are marked by Labour Day Parades and festivities held ...

Nous avons la chance de vivre dans une région où les aliments locaux sont sains, et rend nos mets si délicieux. La plupart des gens qui en profitent se sentent privilégiés. C’est pourquoi ce printemps, le Parlement a adopté un projet de loi d’initiative parlementaire néodémocrate déclarant le vendredi précédant l’Action de grâces « Journée nationale de l’alimentation locale ». ...

We are lucky to live where eating locally means eating well, and including local produce makes our meals as delicious as possible. Most people who take advantage of this option feel fortunate to do so. Which is why this spring, parliament passed an NDP private member’s bill that recognizes the Friday before Thanksgiving every year as “National Local Food Day.” ...

In 1989 parliament unanimously passed a motion calling for the end of child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. That led to the creation of Campaign 2000, a cross-Canada public education movement to build awareness and support for the parliamentary motion and efforts to achieve its goal. One of the main focuses of Campaign 2000’s work is publishing research ...

Les tensions entourant le commerce international ont atteint un point critique alors que les États-Unis provoquent des différends dans plusieurs secteurs par leur politique visant à prioriser leurs intérêts. Il n’aura fallu que quelques semaines pour que cette politique ait des effets tout simplement désastreux des deux côtés de la frontière. C’est pourquoi le Comité permanent du commerce international de ...

Trade issues are at a boiling point as the United States instigates disputes across multiple sectors based on the notion of ‘America First’. After just a few weeks, the results have been nothing short of disastrous on both sides of the border.  For that reason, the House of Commons Trade Committee held an emergency meeting in Ottawa after the Commons ...

You may have seen in the news recently that a man has set out on a six-month journey to swim across the Pacific Ocean. He will be swimming through what is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area of accumulated waste three times the size of France, to bring attention to the mass amounts of plastic waste polluting ...

Recently the government used time allocation to end debate on their Bill C-76, which they are calling the Elections Modernization Act. While the electoral reform debate may seem as if it’s been around forever, this bill has only been debated in the House for less than eleven hours after being tabled at the end of April –  a well-understood deadline ...