Senate Ban Was Unthinkable

Newly-declassified records show then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney cautioned his cabinet that abolition of the Senate was “not an acceptable political option” for Canada. Confidential accounts of the 1992 meeting were disclosed through Access To Information in advance of a first-ever referendum in Alberta to “abolish the unelected federal Senate.” READ MORE

Got It Wrong Admits Futurist

A Toronto consulting firm in a written mea culpa to a Senate committee says it was wrong when its co-founder testified in 2017 that robots would cost 42 percent of Canadian jobs. “If even a fraction of these projections come true, it’s still a huge number,” Abishur Prakash warned at the time. READ MORE

OK’d Chinese Army Training

Foreign Minister Anita Anand in 2023 had experts with the Canadian Armed Forces train members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, newly-disclosed Access To Information records show. Internal records indicate staff tried to conceal the fact, but were warned to be truthful if asked: "We know we will be training and we have Minister approval to do so." READ MORE

PM Shocked By Referendum

Newly-declassified cabinet records yesterday disclosed then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney was “astonished” by the 1992 failure of the Charlottetown Accord and blamed the Reform Party and media for its defeat. Mulroney in one secret meeting compared himself to a First World War general who would fight on: "The Prime Minister, like Marechal Foch, will be attacking and will be around to lead the next campaign." READ MORE

Cannot Sue Over Form Letter

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree cannot be brought into court over a courtesy letter to a member of the public, a federal judge ruled yesterday. Cabinet members and parliamentarians typically receive thousands of letters, cards and emails each year, records show: "Correspondence primarily includes junk emails, newsletters and spam emails." READ MORE

Feds Freeze ’27 E.I. Premiums

Federal regulators yesterday froze Employment Insurance premiums for 2027 though the “outlook remains uncertain” due to tariffs, says the Chief Actuary. Premiums remain far below rates charged workers and employers a decade ago: "The rate is expected to generate sufficient premium revenue." READ MORE

Complain Bill Makes It Worse

A cabinet proposal to eliminate a backlog of air passenger complaints may cost travelers, says a consumer advocacy group. The amendment to Air Passenger Protection Regulations would see airlines refer complaints to binding arbitration: "What standards will they be held to?" READ MORE

Guest Commentary

Graeme & Peter Menzies

The Fighting Parson of Vimy

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was “a wild show,” he wrote. He listed a half dozen close calls. A university friend was killed by a sniper while they were shaking hands. An enemy shell made a direct hit on the post he had just turned over to a new officer and “blew him to pieces.” Another shell landed six feet away and failed to explode: “If it had exploded we would be going yet.” Percy traded in his uniform and returned to Ottawa where he lived out his life serving God and the Presbyterian Church.