Feb 11 2019 — Bill Curry — Canadians hold strongly negative views of Facebook’s approach to protecting personal data and are concerned the social media giant will have a negative impact on the 2019 federal election, according to a new Nanos Research survey for The Globe and Mail. The survey found more than seven in 10 Canadians think Facebook does a poor […]
Feb 7 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The federal government appears to be considering a budget announcement that would allow first-time homebuyers to obtain 30-year insured mortgages, up from the 25-year limit now, according to the Canadian Homebuilders’ Association. Such a move would represent a change in direction after more than a decade of measures by federal Conservative and Liberal governments since […]
Feb 4 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The Conservative Party is distancing itself from one of its own online ads after using Google to spread the false claim that “Justin Trudeau is letting a foreign entity take control of our borders.” The Conservative Party ad appeared in recent weeks on Google, and following the link leads to a fundraising page on the […]
Jan 28 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The early themes of the 2019 federal election campaign will be tested on the floor of a new House of Commons as Members of Parliament return to Ottawa Monday. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer rallied a gathering of his MPs and candidates on Sunday afternoon on Parliament Hill, where he said the party’s core message is […]
Jan 18 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined Friday to address criticism from Indigenous leaders over his decision to move Jody Wilson-Raybould from the high-profile Justice portfolio. Mr. Trudeau was asked at the conclusion of a cabinet retreat to respond to concerns expressed this week that the cabinet shuffle announced Monday was at odds with his pledge to […]
Jan 18 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says pressure from China will not affect Canada’s decision on whether or not telecom giant Huawei will be banned from supplying technology for next-generation 5G mobile networks. Speaking with reporters Friday in Sherbrooke, where the federal cabinet is gathered for a three day retreat, Mr. Goodale responded to warnings issued […]
Jan 17 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — More than 10 years later, Canadians are facing the prospect of another federal election campaign focused on the merits of a carbon tax. Stéphane Dion, the man who led the Liberal Party to defeat in 2008 with a campaign built around a carbon tax, said it would be a “mistake” to turn back now that […]
Jan 16 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his federal cabinet met privately with six senior ambassadors Wednesday evening as Canada mounts an international campaign to gain global allies in its escalating diplomatic battle with China. Calling China’s behaviour “a threat to all countries,” Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday that she welcomes the support Canada is […]
Jan 16 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his federal cabinet will receive a private briefing from six senior ambassadors Wednesday evening as Canada addresses its quickly deteriorating relationship with China. John McCallum, Canada’s ambassador to China and a former member of the Trudeau cabinet, is among the six ambassadors invited to brief cabinet. Federal ministers are gathered […]
Jan 2 2019 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau built a successful 2015 election platform around a core promise: Short-term deficits will boost the economy through a massive increase in infrastructure spending. With less than a year to go before voters cast their judgment in the next federal election, the deficits have materialized. The promised return to balance by 2019 […]
Dec 27 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Canadians are in a pessimistic mood when it comes to expectations for the economy in 2019. According to a Nanos survey for The Globe and Mail, more than half of Canadians think the economy will worsen or somewhat worsen over the next year. Pollster Nik Nanos said the state of the economy will influence the […]
Dec 21 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The federal budget won’t be balanced until at least 2040, the Finance Department said Friday, providing fresh figures for parties looking to position themselves with voters as the best stewards of the public purse. Federal officials estimate it will take another 22 years to get a balanced budget – five years earlier than the Liberal […]
Dec 20 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Canada’s municipalities say the Liberal government’s transit funding should come with fewer strings attached so that projects get moving more quickly. In a report to be released Thursday, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities will outline its recommendations for the 2019 budget. According to an advance copy provided to The Globe and Mail, the FCM will […]
Dec 14 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — After this week’s purchase of nearly $1-billion worth of new trains, VIA Rail President Yves Desjardins-Siciliano is setting his sights on the Liberal government’s 2019 budget in hope that it will green light a multibillion-dollar expansion of its passenger rail network. The Crown corporation’s plan has strong support at the federal cabinet table from Infrastructure […]
Dec 10 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — A stronger focus on tourism could add billions to the Canadian economy and create up to 180,000 new jobs, according to a new advisory report prepared for the federal government. The report by the McKinsey & Company advisory firm says one of the main issues holding Canada back is its lopsided tourism profile as most […]