NDP’s Qaqqaq announces planned departure from federal politics
NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, who garnered attention this year for her Nunavut housing tour, announced on May 20 that she will not be re-offering in the next election. The news broke on Twitter through a written statement from the first-term MP, which did not touch on the exact reason she decided to leave politics. Ms. […]
Industry reps, MP urge swift action on committee calls to help interpreters
The House Official Languages Committee has backed a number of recommendations to improve the working conditions of interpreters supporting Parliament during the shift to virtual, including unanimously urging the government to adopt a new definition of remote interpretation—changes industry reps say they hope to see acted on as soon as possible. “Parliament could be paralyzed […]
Come walk with me: Sen. Simons leads tour of ‘glories’ and ‘absurdities’ of hometown park
“When people think of Alberta, they probably don’t think of avant-garde, mid-century, modern heritage architecture,” Independent Senator Paula Simons said of Coronation Park, the area she decided to hold a virtual tour through. As a part of the annual global Jane’s Walk festival, citizen-led walking conversations are par for the course. The event celebrates the […]
Looking back: a decade since the 2011 election
KAMOURASKA, QUE.—Time flies quickly as one ages. In that respect, while it seems like yesterday, this May 2 marked a decade since I was a candidate in the 2011 federal election. It was an historic election for many reasons: it gave the Conservative government of Stephen Harper its first majority; the famed “Orange Wave” in […]
‘Not a time for austerity’: public service unions laud feds’ childcare pledge, focus on recovery through spending over cuts
Leaders of Canada’s largest federal public service unions are lauding the government’s big-ticket commitment to affordable child care, and say this year’s budget shows the government isn’t interested in pursuing austerity measures after more than a year of record spending. “My reaction is generally positive—it’s clear that the government understands that this is not a […]
New contract keeps distance interpreting definition deemed problematic by association
New contract terms for federal freelance interpreters are out, and while one proposed aspect flagged as problematic has been reversed, a definition of distance interpreting that’s been criticized as likely to open up the workforce to greater health and safety risks has been maintained. “Because they’re putting it down in the contract for the very […]
Senate eyes filling The Chambers as renovation plans progress
The Senate Internal Economy, Budgets, and Administration Committee recently gave Public Services and Procurement Canada the go-ahead to pursue leasing new office space in The Chambers building at 40 Elgin St. in anticipation of future renovation projects which are set to displace Senators. The initiative came about following a recent meeting between the Senate Internal […]
Ford’s critiques of federal vaccine procurement rebutted by Minister Anand
In response to a condemnation of vaccine procurement by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand fired back. Mr. Ford called the current vaccine acquirement efforts “a joke” on March 26, pointing to federal procurement processes as the root cause of shortages at the municipal level. He further said they lack […]
Why Trudeau can afford to fail on foreign policy
It is one of Canada’s enduring paradoxes: We care deeply about our reputation on the world stage, but we care little about what we do on the world stage. Foreign policy rarely, if ever, decides elections, and the Trudeau government should be thankful for this. Our 68-page Foreign Policy Report Card, published in partnership with […]
New contract for freelance interpreters slated for April release
New contract terms for federal freelance interpreters will be published in April, according to Public Services and Procurement Canada. Contract terms proposed by the department last year led the International Association of Conference Interpreters’ (AIIC) Canadian branch to raise the alarm, with rep Nicole Gagnon, who herself works as a freelance interpreter on Parliament Hill, […]
