As the holiday season nears, the annual pleas for charity donations ring loud amid the merriment of the season. It’s the season of giving. A time to lend an extra helping hand to those who need it most. A new report from the Ontario Association of Food Banks shows the need for assistance is not […] Read more
Opinion: Food banks continue to report rising usage
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
Opinion: Creating a base for trust isn’t easy
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
Last week agriculture leaders, experts, government officials, farmers and academics gathered in Gatineau, Que., for a two-day conference to talk about public trust. It’s a hot topic, a reality quickly confirmed by the full house it attracted. But what does public trust actually mean? In broad terms, public trust is the idea that a person […] Read more
Opinion: Tractors on the road – a debate around the world
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
While driving through parts of rural Scotland last month, a farm-related debate came on the BBC radio program my friend and I were listening to. Since I was suffering from agriculture-news related withdrawal (it was only day four of my vacation), I immediately cranked the volume. The question up for debate: should tractors be banned […] Read more
Opinion: Canada’s new foreign charm offensive
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
In the months after U.S. President Donald Trump was elected to the Oval Office, the Trudeau government launched a major charm offensive. Minister after minister headed south for meetings with American officials including congressmen, senators, governors and senior staff within the Trump administration. Parliamentary committees travelled south to meet with their American counterparts and Canadians […] Read more
Opinion: Why political committees matter
Capital Letters: Canadian farmers share their stories about struggles with mental health
Most people think that the most important part of Parliament Hill is the House of Commons. After all, Question Period is broadcast daily. Clips of ministers and members of Parliament in the House of Commons foyer are regularly aired on television. For journalists on Parliament Hill, the daily scrums are a regular part the day. […] Read more
Opinion: Trade issues in spotlight as parliamentary session begins
Capital Letters: There's no shortage of uncertainty when it comes to global trade
As members of Parliament returned to Ottawa for the start of the fall sitting, trade is on everybody’s mind. Two of the world’s largest economies, the United States and China, are fighting an ongoing trade war and Canada finds itself caught in the middle. The U.S. is our largest trading partner. The connection between our […] Read more
Opinion: Feds likely to face tough time getting provinces’ support
Capital Letters: The political landscape is quite different from what the Liberals were elected into in 2015
Battles between the federal government and the provinces aren’t new. First ministers’ meetings have always been venues where numerous fights and disagreements arose between Ottawa and its provincial and territorial counterparts. In Ottawa circles, analogies to describe the meetings include the prime minister being “thrown into the lion’s den” as provincial leaders clamour to bring […] Read more
Opinion: Fall economic update could send important signals
Capital Letters: Morneau’s fiscal update will have to reassure Canadians
In less than a month, MPs will return to the nation’s capital from their summer vacations and settle back into the routine of passing legislation, holding committee hearings and meeting with lobbyists and industry representatives. The fall session is always a busy time, with MPs eager to get back into the Ottawa swing of things. […] Read more
Opinion: Brief lull before next political storm
Capital Letters: Parties are going into election mode
It’s the dog days of summer in Ottawa these days. Most of the city is on vacation, with bureaucrats and political junkies alike taking advantage of the slower pace to escape the city – and the heat – for time spent at the family cottage, lake or campsite. Don’t expect the calm to last forever. A […] Read more
Opinion: Government takes notice of mental health concerns in farming
Farming has long been considered to be among the most dangerous occupations. It’s a profession where long hours are commonplace, financial risk is real and many factors, such as weather are out of a farmer’s control. Combine that with the isolation and loneliness that can sometimes accompany its rural setting and the struggles producers face, […] Read more
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