It is no secret that colonialism is devastating for Indigenous peoples, and by upholding figureheads who played a crucial role in this damage, Canada is setting itself on a self-defeating trajectory regarding reconciliation.
The Liberal Party of Canada pitched itself as the progressive option on the campaign trail, but the speech from the throne on Nov. 23 lacked bold new ideas. Instead of emphasizing challenges of Canadians — such as the absence of universal pharmacare or ending fossil fuel subsidies — the new Liberal government presented a plan that lacks vision and heavily relies on past promises that have yet to be fulfilled.
The North American Leaders’ Summit, held after a five-year hiatus, showcased trilateral dialogues between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico about building a united front to counter the various challenges the continent faces. A Canadian delegation led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasized issues like climate change, pandemic recovery and the supply chain, but the elephant in the room was U.S. President Joe Biden’s protectionist policies which may have great impacts on the Canadian auto-manufacturing industry. Such aspects of Biden’s Build Back Better Framework are putting the historic friendship fostered by each leader in doubt.
Heather Stefanson, the first female premier, is no stranger to provincial politics. Stefanson served in various roles in Brian Pallister’s administration, including deputy premier. On the campaign trail, Stefanson promised to lead the Progressive Conservative party (PC) in a different direction, attempting to distance herself from Pallister’s contentious political legacy, but her inaction so far has left Manitobans wondering if the party’s insider candidate was the right choice.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently unveiled his new cabinet that will head back to Ottawa, Ont. to work on challenges like housing, mental health, climate change, reconciliation and Canada’s pandemic recovery, to mention a few. The 38-member executive body maintained gender parity by naming women to major departments such as finance, defence and foreign affairs. But Trudeau’s selections have been met with scrutiny due to the lack of ethnic representation of racialized groups, especially women of colour.