The New Democratic Party (NDP) has struck a deal with the Liberals to support the government in confidence
votes to keep them in power until 2025 in exchange for dental care for lower-income families and action on
other NDP priorities such as pharmacare, affordable housing, child care and Indigenous and environmental
issues.
War is terrible no matter who it affects. And where there is conflict, inevitably there will be people that are forced to flee for their lives. Although it is unrealistic to expect to save everybody from the perils of war, Canada and other western countries have not stepped up to support as many people as they should.
Though the path to a successful career in politics is not the same for all, especially for women who have additional gender-based barriers, it is important that we encourage strong women who are active community leaders. Though progress is slow, we need to start and continue breaking the constructs that have oppressed women. Let this be a reminder that International Women’s Day is not a meaningless reason to congratulate the female figures of your life. Rather let’s make it a daily goal to empower women and offer our authentic support for them so that they can achieve their vision of a more equitable world.
After the federal government legislated the use of the Emergencies Act — legislation that allows the government to have significant temporary powers to freeze the bank accounts and credit cards of protesters or arrest them — on Feb. 14, the protests were on track to end. Despite Conservative pushback on Parliament Hill, “freedom” protests in Ottawa were rapidly cleared and the use of such temporary powers came to an end on Feb. 23. But Winnipeg protesters were one of the exceptions. After receiving a lenient police deadline to end their occupation across the street of the Manitoba Legislative Building, protesters moved to a nearby location in Memorial Park. This lack of dedicated action from the police department suggests the “freedom convoy” extends beyond unvaccinated individuals and appeals to public servants like Winnipeg’s police force.
Six years have passed since prime minister Stephen Harper left office. Since then, the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) has had two leaders, two interim leaders, two leadership elections and another currently underway. Harper’s tumultuous legacy has left a permanent stain on the CPC and seemingly made the party less electable.
Canada often brands itself as a perfectly peaceful country when compared with its neighbour to the south. There is a propensity among Canadian liberals to…
Although the $40 billion could potentially prevent future abuses, no amount of money can reconcile stolen childhoods. The government is responsible for these abuses and, like Blackstock noted, Canadians cannot surrender this critical fact in light of this large settlement. It is far from time to exhale in relief. Rather, it is imperative that the federal government does not capture the settlement’s narrative and skew it as a fortune of the Liberal party’s goodwill.
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.