Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne yesterday said a bill restricting the right to strike is needed for the sake of “stability” in the economy. Federal data show the number of private sector strikes fell by 33 percent last year: "We want to avoid this kind of conflict." READ MORE
Managers have installed nearly a thousand prayer or “quiet” rooms in federal buildings, new documents show. It follows a campaign by former Toronto Star columnist and cabinet advisor Amira Elghawaby to promote Muslim prayer rooms in government offices though only two percent of employees self-identified as Muslim: 'Islamophobia can manifest when Muslim employees face challenges in accessing reasonable accommodations for religious practices such as prayer breaks.' READ MORE
The transport department lowballed public estimates of construction costs of a regional high speed rail venture, documents show. The estimate “from $60 billion to $90 billion” is based on a third of the average per-kilometre cost of similar ventures abroad: "If you have got one hand in the fridge and the other in the oven, you don’t get zero degrees in the middle." READ MORE
Newly-declassified records show then-Prime Minister Jean Chretien and influential members of his 1995 cabinet opposed any bailout of the Winnipeg Jets or any other NHL franchise facing relocation. It was hard to “support a hockey team while at the same time closing hospitals,” one told a confidential meeting. READ MORE
One of the nation’s largest grocery chains yesterday agreed to surrender restrictive clauses in leases with mall owners, documents show. Empire Company Ltd., operator of the Sobeys chain, Farm Boy, Safeway, IGA, Foodland and FreshCo stores, was one of the last chains to use property controls: 'It does not admit any wrongdoing.' READ MORE
Cabinet yesterday tabled a bill to impose sweeping curbs on strikes and circumvent Federal Court challenges on its repeated use of executive powers to quash legal walkouts. Labour Minister Patty Hajdu said she did not like “people fighting with people.” READ MORE
The Commons science committee yesterday tabled a report on political conflicts at Canadian universities without any mention of anti-Semitism. It was a striking omission, said Opposition MPs: "It is an important topic within the study that should have received more attention." READ MORE
Some MPs come to Ottawa driven by passion for public affairs, others arrive by mishap. I’d worked as an educator for 30 years, teaching English, history and social studies. Current events were always very important in my class. Then I saw how Parliament works. I was shocked at the process. Debate is limited by closure. Many MPs are indifferent and never participate. There is no attempt at thoughtful analysis. Legislation is hastily passed and dissent is not tolerated. Is this too cynical?
