Immigration Minister Lena Diab’s department drafted a citizenship guide expressing shame for Canada over slavery, Access To Information records show. The guide for new Canadians studying for their citizenship test urged readers to reflect on the country’s “shameful” past: "Many Black people were brought to Canada as enslaved people." READ MORE
Few Canadians think Housing Minister Gregor Robertson is on the right track in addressing an affordability crisis, says in-house Privy Council research. Federal focus groups found a large proportion of Canadians were resigned to waiting years for “tangible results.” READ MORE
Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic yesterday faulted the Department of National Defence for “questions regarding fairness” in contracting. It followed a 2022 report that military contracting was tainted by inside dealing and favouritism: "The department did not conduct its procurement process in a fair manner." READ MORE
Parliament should suspend federal fuel taxes until year’s end, Opposition Leader Pierre Polievre said yesterday. The $5.25 billion cost could be recovered through measures likes reductions to the federal government’s $25 billion in annual spending on consultants, he said: "Since last month gas prices have risen 35 percent." READ MORE
Commons defectors who quit to join rival parties would be subject to recall under a new House petition. The defection of four MPs in five months including Michael Ma (Markham-Unionville, Ont.) has already prompted tens of thousands of petitioners to demand reform: "Citizens require a formal mechanism to hold MPs accountable." READ MORE
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree yesterday confirmed low take-up of a $742 million federal program targeting “assault style” firearms. Figures followed in-house Privy Council research warning the program would be a costly failure: "Your plan is over the spring and the summer to deploy RCMP officers to go door to door?" READ MORE
The RCMP has set minimum quotas on equity hiring to give preference to “those with key skills and diverse life experiences,” said a report. The document is dated March 20, three days before the release of an audit critical of recruitment: "The status quo is no longer sustainable." READ MORE
I don’t know why I wanted to enter politics. I know he respected politicians a lot. Politics for me was a calling I took extremely seriously. I threw myself into it with everything I had. I failed my family. In the process I was not the father I should have been. That’s something I can’t take back. I’m sure Hitler worked very, very hard. I’m sure he woke up every morning and went to every event and I’m sure that he was in every place his party told him to be, but at the end of the day I do not think that our values should stem from that.
