Dec 7 2022 — The Canadian Press — First Nations chiefs in Alberta and Saskatchewan are calling for their provinces to toss proposed legislation they say is inherently undemocratic, unconstitutional and infringes on Indigenous rights. The chiefs are putting forward an emergency resolution at the Assembly of First Nations special assembly to reject sovereignty bills that are before both provincial legislatures. Chief Tony […]
Dec 7 2022 — CBC — The Bank of Canada raised its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points, to 4.25 per cent. The move was widely expected by economists, who were anticipating a rate hike of either 25 or 50 points. Canada’s central bank has raised its rate seven times this year in its fight to wrestle inflation into submission. […]
Dec 7 2022 — The Canadian Press — Social Development Minister Karina Gould says 35,000 people have applied for the new child dental benefit since the program opened a week ago. Gould was responding to an opposition question in the House of Commons about Canadians who are struggling with the rising cost of living. The new benefit is aimed at children under the […]
Dec 7 2022 — Stuart Benson — Hill Times — Although the Liberals say they’re willing to review controversial changes to their gun-control legislation to avoid targeting common firearms used by hunters, the pressure is already mounting on the NDP to speak out as “left-leaning” hunters set their sights on MPs representing the party’s substantial rural, northwestern, and Indigenous constituencies. Following the Nov. 17 introduction […]
Dec 7 2022 — Global News — Canadians are growing more concerned about the state of the economy and the impacts on their pocketbooks, a new poll suggests, with a majority now saying they are worried they won’t have enough money to feed their families. The Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News found 53 per cent of those surveyed were fearful […]
Dec 7 2022 — CBC — Government did not consider security concerns in bid to build and maintain RCMP radio equipment. The federal government awarded a contract to provide and maintain RCMP communications equipment to a company with ties to the Chinese government, Radio-Canada has learned. The contract has security experts raising concerns about potential Chinese access to RCMP communications and […]
Dec 7 2022 — The Canadian Press — The Royal Canadian Mint is issuing a new black-ringed toonie to honour Queen Elizabeth II. The mint says the coin’s black outer ring is intended to evoke a “mourning armband” to honour the queen, who died in September after 70 years on the throne. The mint says it will start to circulate nearly five million […]
Dec 7 2022 — Murray Brewster — CBC — Russia needs to be defeated, isolated and punished for making war on Ukraine — and western policymakers need to accept that and start thinking about what could happen after the shooting stops — a senior member of the Ukrainian parliament told a Canadian audience on Tuesday. MP Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee […]
Dec 7 2022 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Access to seasonal workers should be speeded upl Ottawa—Labour shortages and financial support programs are crucial issues for many Canadian farms trying to meet growing global food demands, says Charles Stevens, Chair of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA). The most useful support for them would be streamlining government inspections of farms and […]
Dec 6 2022 — The Canadian Press — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is rejecting suggestions she made a mistake when she introduced a bill that gave her and her cabinet sweeping power to rewrite laws outside the legislature process. Smith says the changes being made to her sovereignty act reversing that authority simply reflect the normal process of honing and clarifying legislation. Smith […]
Dec 6 2022 — Global News — Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne is poised to announce legislation to “modernize” the Investment Canada Act (ICA) on Wednesday, according to a government news release issued on Tuesday. “These changes represent the most significant updates of the Investment Canada Act in more than a decade and will address evolving national security concerns,” the press release says. […]
Dec 7 2022 — Vancouver Sun — As David Eby prepares to announce his new cabinet Wednesday, and against a backdrop of B.C.’s strong financial picture, many are speculating the new premier will call a snap election despite repeated vows he’ll wait until the fixed October 2024 date. B.C. Green Leader Sonia Furstenau announced Tuesday that her party has opened nominations for […]
Dec 6 2022 — Global News — Gas prices in Canada are currently on the decline, but uncertain geopolitical forces could see the relative relief at the pumps short-lived, according to experts. Gas price tracking website GasBuddy.com is reporting that prices are down more than 25 cents as of Dec. 6 compared with November’s monthly average, currently sitting at an average of […]
Dec 7 2022 — Neil Moss — Hill Times — With the long-anticipated Indo-Pacific strategy now released, observers of Canada’s international engagement are looking to the federal government’s efforts to craft an African strategy. The process is being led by Liberal MP Robert Oliphant (Don Valley West, Ont.), parliamentary secretary to the foreign affairs minister, to assess how best Canada should engage on the continent. […]
Dec 6 2022 — Christopher Nardi — National Post — Canada’s auditor general says a “minimum” of $27.4 billion in suspicious COVID-19 benefit payments need to be investigated because the government did not manage the aid programs efficiently, and will likely fail to recover “significant” amounts in overpayments. That’s in addition to $4.6 billion in confirmed government overpayments throughout the half-dozen COVID-19 aid programs it […]