Jul 25 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Members of Parliament are increasingly overwhelmed by the mountain of expectations they face in their ridings, according to an in-depth look at the lives of some of Canada’s elected representatives in the 2011-15 Commons. Titled “Beyond the Barbecue,” the second of three reports from the Samara Centre for Democracy is based on exit interviews with […]
Jul 19 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Look out Tucker Carlson. Here come the premiers. Frustrated by their inability to stem the rise of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, Canada’s premiers say they want to speak directly to Americans by appearing on the television shows they watch. They want to challenge the influential commentators on popular news shows such as those […]
Jul 11 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The British Information Commissioner’s decision to launch an immediate audit of British political parties is fuelling criticism of the fact that Canada’s federal parties work completely outside of the law when it comes to Canadians’ privacy. This week’s report from Commissioner Elizabeth Denham exposed new details about how political parties are building databases that mix […]
Jun 18 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Controversial changes to small-business tax rules are about to become law, but a new petition shows they remain very unpopular with thousands of business owners. Conservative MPs tabled a petition Monday with about 45,000 signatures that calls on Ottawa to “abandon” its package of small-business tax changes. At a news conference, Conservative finance critic Pierre […]
Jun 14 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Senators passed the government’s budget bill without amendment, meaning federal carbon-pricing plans and small-business tax changes will soon become law. Senators approved the 556-page omnibus bill Thursday afternoon without a standing vote or discussion at third reading. Some senators were planning to debate the bill further and the speed of the decision came as a […]
Jun 14 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — New federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion is sending a clear message to MPs that they must stop telling the media when they file complaints with his office. In a pair of rulings Thursday, Mr. Dion said NDP MP Charlie Angus violated a provision of the conflict of interest code for MPs when he spoke publicly […]
Jun 12 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Exit interviews with former members of Parliament reveal a worsening pattern of central control, where even the words politicians utter in committees are written by unelected political staffers. The Samara Centre for Democracy interviewed 54 former MPs from the last Parliament about their experience in Ottawa and found many of them questioning the very purpose […]
Jun 7 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The Speaker of the House of Commons is declining to weigh in on allegations that the Finance Minister’s office tried to intimidate an insurance group. In announcing his decision Thursday, Geoff Regan said Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre took too long to submit his complaint. Mr. Poilievre raised what is called a question of privilege on […]
Jun 2 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The G7 issued a strong rebuke of its largest member Saturday as it singled out the United States over its decision to impose new aluminium and steel tariffs. Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau released a chairs’ summary following a three-day gathering of G7 finance ministers and central bankers in Whistler, which took place a week […]
Jun 1 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The G7 is being referred to as the “G6 plus one” as isolated U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin takes heat over that country’s controversial new tariffs. With one week to go before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hosts President Donald Trump and the other G7 leaders in Quebec’s Charlevoix region, advance meetings of G7 finance and […]
May 31 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — An emerging global trade war is upending the free-trading consensus of the G7 as Canada hosts world leaders amid the escalating tension. News of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian, European and Mexican goods hit just as key leaders from the group of seven most developed nations addressed a panel in Whistler, where G7 finance ministers, […]
May 25 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Ottawa recorded a $10.6-billion deficit in March and now expects the final deficit figure for 2017-18 will be in line with the $19.4-billion estimated in the February budget. The Finance Department released its monthly Fiscal Monitor report Friday, which tracks federal spending and revenue. The latest report covers the full 12 months of the 2017-18 […]
May 23 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Pierre Poilievre entered the House of Commons shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday and took his seat in the front row, directly across from Bill Morneau. For the next four hours, Mr. Poilievre and other opposition MPs were given the rare opportunity to ask Canada’s Finance Minister anything they wished. By 7:03, the Conservative finance critic […]
May 22 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — The Liberal government is preparing to limit debate on its new elections bill as it rushes to have the legislation in place for the 2019 campaign. But opposition MPs are decrying the formal notice of reduced debate time for Bill C-76, noting the Liberals have only themselves to blame for waiting so late in the […]
May 21 2018 — Bill Curry — Globe and Mail — Bill Morneau and Ahmed Hussen will each face a four-hour grilling on the floor of the House of Commons this week as the Conservatives target the ministers of finance and immigration. Once a year, the Official Opposition can subject two cabinet ministers to lengthy questioning about spending in their departments. The Conservatives’ choice signals where […]