Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 A W persubsidy vote idea ofreviving some MPsfl suspended, fundraising mostly With political News with fi nancial loss]isdiscussions come up[amongMPshow todeal it inplacegoingforward. with thelossofrevenue andtokeep ing thepervote subsidy tohelpdeal some arefloating theideaofreviv- challenge inthecomingmonthsand political fundraising willbeatough ships duetoCOVID-19, MPssay policy experts reopen, say MPs, as provinces economic recovery ‘crucial’ to cooperation intergovernmental Ongoing News ment willbecriticaltoCanada’s tween allthreelevels ofgovern- restrictions, closecooperation be- opening afterweeks ofCOVID-19 BY ABBAS RANA BY ABBAS BY MIKE LAPOINTE turning point? Is this really a THIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO.1724 Heard on Michael the Hill “The onlythingthat I’ve heard Harris the country inchclosertore- s provincial economies across the healthandeconomichard- hile thecountry isreelingfrom oe oiisCanadianeconomy Money &politics Fed-prov relations p.11 p.2 Continued onpage17 Continued onpage 4 oating oating Gwynne Dyer p.14 Yalnizyan. Armine says economist this isdone,’ standing when whatbe left will ‘We don’t know Kevin Milligan. professor economics look says like, economy will post-pandemic clear’ what the ‘It’s not yet W planning needednow ramp,’ post-pandemic economists, but ‘exit in short term, say defi Unprecedented federal News this year, thelargest projected bud- BY MIKE LAPOINTE & NEIL MOSS cit of more than $250-billion cit ofmorethan$250-billion ith ananticipated federal defi cits sustainable C ANADA human security about championing being shy should stop Canada ’ Climbers S - P Hill Hill OLITICS p.21 more spending to come—and that more spending to come—andthat the short-term, butthereislikely at thislevel may besustainable in mists say that emergency spending getary deficit onrecord, someecono-

AND G OVERNMENT p. 15 N EWSPAPER COVID-19 pandemicrolls on. state oftheeconomy now while the it’s stilltooearlytojudgethefuture Continued onpage 16 for emergency situations Senate must bebetter prepared crisis andit isn’t news Canada’s justicesystem’s in but are we ready? We’re crazy with confi Andrew Meade photograph by The HillTimes $280.8-billion. dropping to revenues and budgetary $510-billion, totalling nearly expenses with program $252.1-billion, have adefi government will year, thefederal current fi that inthe PBO estimates the Hill.The conference on 2020, atapress March 18, pictured on Morneau, Finance Bill Minister of scal cit of cit B T tively withfuturepandemics. power inorder todealmoreeffec- it needsmoreresources andmore experts andParliamentarians say response topandemics, buthealth positioned toleadthenational the COVID-19 pandemic, isbest navigating thecountry through health experts more power, say resources and requires reliable response, but body for pandemic PHAC appropriate ‘Silent good’: News chiefs now sittingintheSenate. the U.S., say two formerpolice illegal gunsacross itsborder with ways Canadacanstemthefl ties forsmugglersaresomeof the formercops top smuggling, say cross-border gun key slowing to and joint operations tougher penalties, Ballistic tracing, News BY BEATRICE PAEZ BY PETER MAZEREEUW MONDAY, MAY 4,2020$5.00 Canada, which iscurrently he PublicHealth Agency of erations, andtougherpenal- allistic tracing, joint-force op- Senator Scott Tannas p.20 PHAC &COVID-19 Gun control p. 12 Continued onpage 18 Continued onpage6 nement, p. 10 ow of 2 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES

since the pandemic hit Canada. Torstar cut Opinion 85 positions and Canadian Jewish News has closed its doors, among others. The federal government has announced economic help for struggling media Heard on the Hill outlets, but some have questioned if the announcements are substantial enough to A guaranteed by Neil Moss make a difference. Karina Gould listed as basic income one of eight young Environment and leaders ‘inspiring us right program is now’ by British Vogue no substitute Climate Change Canada’s 32-year- old International De- velopment minister for a good Canada wins Code of is one of eight young politicians of note to keep your eyes on, according to British employment Silence (dis)honour Vogue. Karina Gould has been a member of insurance information about a Prime Minister Jus- news release, of all tin Trudeau’s cabinet things,” he wrote. since 2017 when she International Development Access to informa- became the Demo- Minister Karina Gould has program tion requests have been cratic Institutions been a member of Prime put on hold due to the minister. Following Minister Justin Trudeau’s coronavirus pandemic. October’s election, cabinet since 2017. The EI is and remains the best she was shuffl ed Hill Times photograph by into the international Andrew Meade policy choice to encourage Perrin Beatty development role. “Gould became the youngest female a sustainable labour market honoured cabinet minister in Canadian history when with Japan’s she was appointed minister of democratic integration, occupational institutions in 2017, and has subsequently Order of the become the fi rst to give birth in offi ce. Cam- and labour mobility, and paigning for working mothers’ rights, the the protection of a decent Rising Sun 32-year-old also worked on an act improving the accessibility of Canada’s elections for A former Canadian standard of living. people with disabilities,” the fashion maga- secretary of state for zine said of Ms. Gould’s inclusion on the list. external affairs will be Ms. Gould tweeted on April 29 that she given Japan’s Order of was “excited” to be included in the list. the Rising Sun for his Others on the list include 23-year-old work fostering stronger U.K. Labour MP Nadia Whittome; 25-year- economic and defence Former environment minister Catherine McKenna, now federal old New Zealand Green Party MP Chlöe relations between the infrastructure minister, oversaw Environment and Climate Change Swarbrick, who received international two countries. Canada in the year for which it has received a critical ‘award’ for its acclaim for her “OK boomer” retort to a heck- Perrin Beatty, who departmental secrecy. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade ling politician; 33-year-old Tunisian legislator was Canada’s top diplo- Sayida Ounissi; 33-year-old former Botswana mat in 1993 and defence Investment, Trade, and Industry minister or its departmental secrecy and a slow minister from 1986 to 1989, is being honoured Quebec Senator Diane Bellemare Bogolo Kenewendo; 29-year-old Panamanian Fresponse to an access to information with the gold and silver star of the Order of politician Edison Broce; 29-year-old Safiya Opinion request, four journalism advocacy groups the Rising Sun—the second highest honour in Wazir, a member of the New Hampshire have awarded Environment and Climate the order, which has been awarded since 1875. House of Representatives; and 25-year-old Change Canada the 2019 Code of Silence “I’m very grateful to the government he federal government has responded Australian Senator Jordon Steele-John. Award for Outstanding Achievement in of Japan for this honour,” he tweeted on Tto critical needs by adopting the Can- Government Secrecy. April 30. “Canada and Japan are separated ada Emergency Response Benefi t (CERB) With last October’s federal election just by geography, but we are united in our Directories for which provides $2,000 per month for peo- months away, Ottawa Citizen reporter Tom commitment to democracy, free markets ple experiencing signifi cant income loss Spears fi led an access to information re- and international cooperation. There is Parliamentarians due to COVID-19, as well as the 75 per cent quest to see if the department had timed the so much more we can do together to the wage subsidy which enables businesses af- release of a report showing that Canada was benefi t of both our countries.” and provincial fected by this crisis to maintain an employ- warming at twice the global rate to coincide Mr. Beatty is now the president of the ment relationship with their employees. with the implementation of the govern- Canadian Chamber of Commerce. legislatures available These measures respond to emergency ment’s carbon pricing plan. Mr. Spears was Others being honoured with the order needs related to an unprecedented crisis, told a response would take seven months— include Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Two directories that include the contact but they also refl ect the major shortcom- after the election took place. information for 338 MPs and 96 Senators, as ings of the Canadian Employment Insur- The report was leaked on the same day well as provincial and territorial governments ance plan (EI). that the carbon tax took effect. Postmedia shutters 15 local have been released by Hill Times Publishing. Some hope to see the CERB become “This, and countless other similar ex- The Inside Ottawa and Inside Canada permanent and universal and form the ba- amples of government secrecy, mean Ca- newspapers, cut salaries directories that were published in March sis of a guaranteed basic income program nadians are increasingly forced to rely on can serve as a helpful guides to keep track (GBI). party propaganda to fi gure out who they One of Canada’s largest media compa- of key political institutions across Canada. However, the implementation of a guar- should vote for. That may be what our par- nies has closed 15 local newspapers, and is The Inside Ottawa guide includes fed- anteed basic income program would be a ties want. But that’s not much of a basis cutting salaries amid an economic downturn eral riding profi les, such as which MP rep- policy mistake. Instead, the federal gov- for a democracy,” the Canadian Associa- brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. resents the oldest and youngest ridings. It ernment should rebuild the Employment tion of Journalists, Centre for Free Expres- Postmedia CEO Andrew MacLeod also lists contact info for the bureau chiefs Insurance program on a new foundation. sion, News Media Canada, and Canadian said in a staff memo that was obtained by of news organizations in the Parliamentary It could also engage in a conversation with Journalists for Free Expression said in a J-Source that the company is permanently Press Gallery. the provinces to modernize social assis- statement naming ECCC as the winner of closing “15 community newspapers in Mani- The Inside Ottawa Directory has been tance programs with the goal of eradicat- the federal Code of Silence award. toba and the Windsor-Essex area of Ontario.” published for more than 30 years. The ing poverty in a sustainable manner. And, “The decisions Canadians make at the According to a Canada Press report, Inside Canada Directory is being released all this, while keeping up with the needs of ballot box are one of the only opportuni- the company is also laying off 80 of its for the fi rst time. It covers provincial and the 21st century. ties they have to infl uence their govern- staff—30 from the closure of the 15 news- territorial contacts, such as cabinet minis- Here’s why. ments. But thanks to government secrecy, papers and 50 from its sales department. ters and their staff, sitting calendars, and The GBI is a simple and appealing idea. it’s becoming more and more diffi cult for Mr. MacLeod also announced salary re- press gallery contacts. It is a one-size-fi ts-all solution that, at fi rst Canadians to ensure those decisions are ductions of between fi ve and 30 per cent. The Both directories include government and glance, may seem fair and effective. It informed,” the statement read. salary reductions will only apply to union- opposition contacts, as well as committee ros- provides a basic income for all adults of Mr. Spears tweeted on May 1 that he ized staff if an agreement is reached between ters on Parliament Hill and across Canada. working age without consideration. A GBI still hasn’t received an answer. Postmedia and the employees’ union, The The guides are for sale on The Hill plan would cover basic expenses and keep “They tell me it’s almost ready to give Capital reporter Sean Craig tweeted. Times’ online store. Canadians from sinking into poverty. It me but is now held up by covid. It passed There have been other cuts and clo- [email protected] its fi rst birthday almost a month ago. For sures by Canadian news organizations The Hill Times Continued on page 19 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Ontario, your efforts to beat COVID-19 are making a difference. To stop the spread, we need you to continue to:

2 m

Stay home Practice physical Wash hands when possible distancing of at thoroughly least 2 metres and often

We need your continued determination and cooperation to stop the spread. COVID-19 can be deadly. Don’t put your family and friends at risk. Stay home. Stay strong. Save lives.

Learn more at ontario.ca/coronavirus Paid for by the Government of Ontario 4 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES News Federal-provincial relations

Ongoing intergovernmental cooperation have—and they’re non recover- able, it’s not something that’s de- ferred—the fi nancial losses we’re facing can’t be recouped,” said ‘crucial’ to economic recovery as provinces Mr. Karsten in an interview with The Hill Times. “It’s now reached the point that across the country, reopen, say MPs, policy experts [it’s] worked into billions and billions of dollars in lost revenue from things like property tax be- monitoring of workplace proto- ing deferred, utility charges, user Cities and communities cols, among others. fees, and one of the higher ticket These measures are “still very items, lost revenue from transit,” have suff ered major wide and not that precise,” said said Mr. Karsten. Mr. Breton. “I’m still curious to see Provinces have deemed transit revenue losses how that will happen when the as an essential service to allow as a result of the rubber actually hits the road and hospital and essential workers to provinces start to move forward get to work. economic downturn, as Quebec is doing [earlier] than “So in the case of Toronto, others.” [Mayor] John Tory has been very according to the Provinces need to talk to each vocal that that’s now reaching to other as they begin to re-open, the tune of $23.5-million of lost Federation of Canadian “especially provinces like Ontario revenue on a weekly basis,” said and Quebec,” said Mr. Breton. Mr. Karsten. “That’s where we’re Municipalities, which “Same with Alberta and B.C. coming up with the fact that this is calling for $10-billion for instance, because Alberta is is just not sustainable.” not as in as good a situation as The FCM has asked the in emergency federal B.C. might be, so you want those government for a minimum of neighbouring provinces to be on a $10-billion in emergency federal funding. day-to-day discussion as to what operating funds—$7.6-billion for they’re doing and how they’re use in direct allocations to all municipalities, with $2.4-billion Continued from page 1 doing it.” Mark Agnew, senior director allocated to those with transit economic revival, according to of international policy with the Deputy Prime Minister and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Chrystia systems. MPs and public policy experts, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Freeland, pictured March 27, 2020, at a media availability in West Block for “This is a crisis not caused by with the Federation of Canadian echoed Mr. Breton’s comments, an update on the government’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. anyone other than COVID-19, Municipalities calling for billions telling The Hill Times that inter- Green Party MP Paul Manly says Ms. Freeland’s role involves a ‘delicate and we need the federal govern- of dollars of federal support for governmental cooperation to both balancing act, because we have different jurisdictions that have different ment to show leadership on this cities and communities hit hard get us through the pandemic and priorities.’ The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade particular issue,” said Mr. Karsten. by the downturn. into economic recovery is “criti- “We’ve been saying to both According to Charles Breton, cal.” said Mr. Deltell. “In crisis, some- will play a role in getting the provinces and the federal govern- executive director of the Centre “Putting yourself in the times we see the best of people, economy moving again at the ment that our fi scal framework of Excellence on the Canadian perspective of a company that and that’s exactly what we have civic level, with provinces playing is broken—we need a new fi scal Federation at the Institute for Re- operates in multiple provincial ju- seen.” a key role in lifting travel restric- framework to operate our modern search on Public Policy, continued risdictions, and making sure that “So based on that, I think tions and ensuring that health cities and communities in a mod- intergovernmental cooperation you’re complying with all of the that the reconstruction of the care systems are both ready for ern world.” seen during the unfolding of the public health rules—something economy of Canada after the [CO- a potential second wave of the Mr. Karsten said the FCM has COVID-19 crisis will be “very that no one wants to get offside of VID-19] affair will [involve] more coronavirus, as well as other day- a direct line of communication important” in Canada’s economic in normal times—you defi nitely collaboration between provinces to-day emergencies that come up, with Ms. Freeland, and that she’s recovery. don’t want to get off side of it now and the federal government, and according to the MP. assured the organization she’d “Probably even more so than provinces among themselves,” “And there’s the federal role— take their case to cabinet. in the [COVID-19] period,” said The Hill Times when [provinces] were each Mr. Agnew. “There’s reputational said Mr. Deltell. some of the programs that are Mr. Manly told reacting to their own contexts risks, there’s safety risks for your Mr. Deltell referred to one of rolling out have to help the recov- that stimulus spending to munici- as the crisis was evolving early employees and your customers, his party’s 2019 election cam- ery,” said Mr. Tocher, who said he’s palities was going to be an impor- on in March and April,” said Mr. there’s potential legal liability paign promises to implement heard of cases where people are tant part of getting the economy Breton in an interview with The risks, and the more complicated it an Interprovincial Free Trade not showing up to work because fi red back up again. Hill Times. “When the crisis hit, gets with different provinces op- Agreement (IFTA) if elected into they actually get the same or “There’s been huge cuts in the we needed a response right away, erating at vastly different speeds government, described as a free more money by staying home. revenue that cities see, because and that response was the job of and under different public health trade deal similar to NAFTA, “How do you build a program they’ve had to shut down facili- provinces, it was health care.” guidelines, from a company’s per- CETA, or the TPP, and “nothing that takes that abuse into ac- ties, transit levels are down, user That’s why Intergovernmental spective, that increases the risk like the half-hearted attempts count—which is no fault of the fees are down, parking—their Affairs Minister Chrystia Free- that they may fi nd themselves at improving internal trade that government’s—but the fault is revenues have collapsed, but they land’s (University-Rosedale, Ont.) offside.” have marked our recent history,” that they didn’t have these details still have to supply all kinds of role “might be more important There could also be compli- according to the Conservative well fl eshed out before they services,” said Mr. Manly. “They now and going forward than cations associated with moving Party’s website. released them,” said Mr. Tocher, have employees they have to keep it was in early March or early goods between provinces, accord- “We are a country of free trade who also questioned whether on the payroll, so it’s really im- April,” added Mr. Breton. “Now ing to Mr. Agnew, who pointed in the world, but we have never Quebec’s schedule for re-opening portant they get some help now.” that we’re coming out of this, it’s to the recent example of cargo understood why we don’t have its economy was in line with the Mr. Manly also said he’s heard time for people to sit down and trucks having trouble crossing that kind of collaboration be- guidelines agreed to by the First from businesses who have had make sure that they talk to each from Ontario into Quebec, with tween provinces,” said Mr. Deltell, Ministers on April 28. contracts cancelled by munici- other, and there she might have some being turned away entirely who noted that it’s often easier “I don’t want to disparage the palities as they cut back on their an even more important leader- by Quebec’s provincial police. for a Quebec producer to ship prime minister during a pan- spending, “but these are contracts ship role to play.” “Having seen the experience their product offshore instead of demic, but that’s one area I think that were already well estab- On April 28, Prime Minister from ‘phase one,’ people are quite shipping it to other provinces. is of concern, is cooperation and lished, and that some businesses Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) keen to make sure we get it right Green Party MP Paul Manly communication between the feds have already put capital and released a joint statement by for ‘phase two,’” said Mr. Agnew. (Nanaimo-Ladysmith, B.C.) also and the provincial powers that labour into.” fi rst ministers announcing that said recent events present an oppor- be,” said Mr. Tocher. “Do they pay their bills or do they go bankrupt? It kind of federal, provincial, and territo- ‘We have to work together tunity to re-think a lot of the ways rial governments had agreed to we operate as a country, pointing Federation of Canadian cascades through the community,” a common set of principles for based on what we have out that our trade rules are geared said Mr. Manly. Municipalities asks feds Ms. Freeland has been doing a restarting the Canadian economy, seen in the last six weeks’: more towards international trade acknowledging that “provinces than interprovincial trade. for minimum $10-billion “good job so far,” said Mr. Manly, and territories will take different Conservative MP Deltell “That aspect of federalism and who said her role involves a “deli- steps at different times in order Conservative MP Gerard Del- working tighter together, I think in emergency funds cate balancing act, because we to ease restrictions” in a way that tell, his party’s intergovernmental interprovincial trade is something The Federation of Canadian have different jurisdictions that refl ects specifi c circumstances in affairs critic, told The Hill Times we could really be working on in Municipalities (FCM) has been have different priorities.” each jurisdiction. that he thinks “we all recognize this area,” said Mr. Manly. “sounding the alarm that our “We’ve seen the struggle that According to the statement, a that what we have seen in the last Mr. Deltell’s caucus colleague, fi nancial situation is dire” for was going on previous to CO- number of criteria and measures six weeks,” from the perspective Conservative MP Corey Tochor the last few weeks, according to VID-19 between the federal gov- need to be in place to begin tak- of intergovernmental cooperation, (Saskatoon-University, Sask.), president Bill Karsten, who is ernment and the provinces,” said ing steps to restart the economy, “is everything that Canada should agreed that cooperation between also a councillor for the Halifax Mr. Manly. “Now that we’re in this including control of COVID-19 be all the time.” all three levels of government will Regional Municipality in Nova emergency, people need to work transmission, suffi cient public “Great collaboration between be “crucial.” Scotia. together in a team approach.” health capacity, expanded health provinces and the federal govern- Ramping up services like “The reality is, when you have [email protected] care capacity, and support for and ment, and also municipalities,” building permits and inspections as many fi nancial losses as we The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 5 Internet access News Government will accelerate rural broadband funds, details to come ‘soon,’ says Monsef

erating the deployment as soon As COVID-19 has Maryam Monsef, as possible. Dealing with the minister for women and short-term pain people are going put a spotlight on gender equality and rural through. The most important the internet access economic development, thing would be rapid deploy- said in an interview that ment.” problem in Canada’s the federal government The pressure to move quickly will accelerate its rural on rural broadband isn’t new to rural and remote broadband funding Innovation, Science and Eco- in response to the nomic Development Canada, areas, the federal pandemic, with details which administers the CTI and to be announced “soon.” UBF programs. The Wire Report government and some The Hill Times photograph previously reported, based on provinces are working by Andrew Meade documents obtained through ac- cess to information, that 60 per on measures to help cent of applicants hadn’t heard back after two years, and that speed up rollouts. the government had missed an internal deadline for the signing of contribution agreements. An BY ANJA KARADEGLIJA ISED briefi ng note from last fall showed ISED planned to pressure s COVID-19 has put a spot- Bell to show progress on the rural Alight on the internet access broadband projects for which it problem in Canada’s rural and has received funding under the remote areas, the federal govern- Connect to Innovate program. ment and some provinces are “I would fl ag that Canadians working on measures to help are anxious for investments to speed up rollouts. happen as quickly as possible Maryam Monsef (Peterbor- sic service standards of 50 Mbps also affect the fi rst round of ap- Ms. Arsenault noted govern- so that their connectivity meets ough-Kawartha, Ont.), minister download and 10 Mbps upload, plications, which closed in the fall ments recognize that the compa- their expectations and needs. for women and gender equality but that kind of connectivity is and focused on the most remote nies doing the rollouts are also My folks will be pushing you for and rural economic development, still out of reach for the majority communities. Chairman Ian Scott facing challenges in having to regular updates on your rollout said in an interview that the of rural Canadians. said when the fi rst round was adjust to the pandemic, such as achievements,” read the suggested federal government will acceler- In 2018, 85.7 per cent of Cana- launched that the CRTC chose working with a smaller staff, and speaking notes for ISED deputy ate its rural broadband funding dians had access to those speeds, to start the initiative looking at that Nova Scotia is collaborat- minister Simon Kennedy ahead in response to the pandemic, with according to the latest data avail- Canada’s North because not a ing with the companies to ensure of an October meeting with Bell details to be announced “soon.” able from the CRTC. Nearly all— single community in the region “we are respectful of making sure executives. “We recognize the urgency, 97.7 per cent—of urban dwellers had service that met the CRTC’s they are safe and healthy as they But rural broadband rollouts and we recognize that this is had the option of subscribing to 50/10 speed standards. do this work on our behalf.” are long-term projects. Some also a big part of stimulating our 50/10 Mbps service, but only 40.8 Many provinces also have There are various tactics gov- technology can’t be rushed; it economy post-pandemic,” she told per cent of rural households did. funds of their own, and like the ernments can take to accelerate would be diffi cult to speed up the The Wire Report, which is owned The situation is even worse in federal government, are now rollouts. “As I’ve seen from other launch of low earth orbit satellite by Hill Times Publishing. First Nations reserves, where less looking at how they can acceler- provinces, everybody is approach- constellations the federal gov- Innovation, Science and than a third, 31.3 per cent, have ate the rollouts. ing it not too dissimilar from us. ernment is counting on to bring Economic Development Can- access. “I don’t think there is a prov- They’re looking at what they can broadband to the most remote ada currently administers the ince or territory that isn’t feeling do with work they may have un- communities. $585-million Connect to Inno- the impact. So there is certainly derway right now,” she said. The goals the federal Liberal vate program, which will see the interest,” Monique Arsenault, Ms. Arsenault explained Nova government set out in the 2019 funded projects completed in director of innovation at crown Scotia has taken an individual- budget were to have 95 per cent 2023. The government will launch corporation Develop Nova Scotia, ized approach, reaching out to of Canadian homes and busi- the $1.7-billion Universal Broad- said in a phone interview. “Every- each initiative to get an idea of nesses meet the CRTC’s 50/10 band Fund this year, in order to body’s ability to make things go what it would take to speed it up. Mbps basic service standard by meet the targets it set out in the quicker might be different, but “With each project, they may 2026—and then a full 100 per cent 2019 budget to extend broadband there certainly is an understand- look a little bit different, so the at that level by 2030. to all Canadians by 2030. ing of the need and a recognition needs of each project might be a “Connectivity projects are With a record number of that there’s value, certainly, in little distinct. But within each of infrastructure projects, and infra- Canadians working, learning, and moving things forward.” those we would have the abil- structure projects do take time,” entertaining themselves at home, Nova Scotia has increased ity to have some impact on their Ms. Monsef acknowledged. “We there has been increased atten- funding for its Internet for Nova timeline,” she said. That includes will do everything we can on our tion on Canada’s rural broadband Scotia Initiative by an additional additional resources, or seeing if end to expedite that process.” issues, including from some MPs Innovation, Science and Economic $15-million on top of the $45-mil- there are barriers to deployment Ms. Arsenault agreed it takes who have had diffi culty connect- Development Canada, led by Innovation lion it originally earmarked for that can be removed. time to build out broadband con- ing to video calls and virtual Minister Navdeep Bains, currently the fi rst round of projects an- Ms. Monsef said for the federal nections, but said in the con- parliamentary meetings. administers the $585-million Connect nounced in early February. government, “all options are on versations Develop Nova Scotia Ms. Monsef said the govern- to Innovate program, which will see the The British Columbia govern- the table right now,” including has had with those building out ment had been working to deploy funded projects completed in 2023. The ment has added a new stream to potentially increasing the overall the projects, there is room for the Universal Broadband Fund government will launch the $1.7-billion its $100-million Connecting Brit- government funding. progress. before COVID-19, but what “the Universal Broadband Fund this year, in ish Columbia Program, accepting Asked whether the fed- “We’re seeing … it’s certainly pandemic has done has further order to meet the targets it set out in the applications for projects that can eral government would consider weeks to months worth of impact highlighted the need for connec- 2019 budget to extend broadband to be implemented immediately to implementing something similar that we can have,” she noted. “So tivity.” all Canadians by 2030. The Hill Times upgrade networks and expand to B.C., Ms. Monsef said the gov- in some areas that may be that There is now “more urgency” photograph by Andrew Meade bandwidth and coverage. ernment had asked for input on we have people connected two or from stakeholders, she noted. A number of companies have what “immediate measures can be three months sooner than we may Ray Orb, the Rural Forum The federal government isn’t also said they will speed up some put in place to enhance connec- have otherwise, which to those Chair at the Federation of Ca- the only one tackling the prob- rollouts due to COVID-19. BCE tivity, and certainly that is part of residents and businesses, that’s a nadian Municipalities, said in a lem. The CRTC has a $750-mil- Inc. announced it will be deliver- our consideration right now too.” pretty signifi cant impact.” phone interview that the FCM has lion fund of its own, though ing its fi xed wireless internet to Another way to speed things up Overall, Ms. Arsenault said, been “pushing a little harder” on the process of rolling out that some 137,000 more homes than it is to “give certainty” to applicants, “the impact may differ in different rural broadband in the light of the funding has now been delayed for had planned to by this point, while as well as ensure they have suf- places, but we certainly see that pandemic, and that the organiza- a second time, as the regulator Telus Corp. said it will expedite fi cient notice and time to prepare there is enough that it’s worth tion would like to see the govern- extended the deadline for tele- some capital investments in Alber- their applications, she noted, in a continuing the conversations ment speed up the launch of the communication service providers ta, which will include rural broad- phone interview on April 29. we’re currently having.” Universal Broadband Fund. to apply from April 30 to June band. Xplornet Communications Imran Mohiuddin, policy ana- Anja Karadeglija is editor-in- There has been progress over 1. The CRTC didn’t respond to Inc. is also accelerating its network lyst with advocacy group Cybera, chief of The Wire Report, which is the years on extending internet questions about the extent of the investments, spokesperson James said in a phone interview that part of Hill Times Publishing. service that meets the CRTC’s ba- delay, including whether it will Maunder said in a phone interview. governments should be “accel- The Hill Times 6 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES News Data News PHAC Feds should urgently ‘Silent good’: PHAC test representative but requires reliable

inces and territories at the political level,” sample of Canadians Increasing the profi le of the Sen. Dean said. “A lot of that is happening through the deputy prime minister, and at Public Health Agency could the public health level, with PHAC commu- help sustain public support nicating with its provincial and territorial to gauge prevalence of counterparts.” for funding its operations He said Canada’s handling of the coro- navirus has been far better than the On- COVID-19, say health outside of a pandemic tario government’s experience with SARS, noting that the province’s chief medical of- crisis, say health experts. fi cer and head of emergency management at the time were sometimes at loggerheads and policy analysts Continued from page 1 in their public communications. “Their talk- ing points weren’t lined up, and they were PHAC, created in 2004 under the saying things that were opposite,” he said. auspices of Health Canada in the wake “That was a massive problem. David Nay- of SARS, was set up to deal nationally BY ABBAS RANA The Parliamentary Budget Offi ce said lor talked about … the need for joined-up with public health crises. It was created in last month that the size of the Canadian communications.” response to the 2003 Naylor report, which, he federal government should urgently defi cit will go up to $252-billion for the Asked if Canada needs to create a drawing from the lessons of SARS, identi- Tarrange a test of a scientifi cally repre- 2020-21 fi scal year. separate agency tasked exclusively on pan- fi ed the defi ciencies in Canada’s capacity to sentative sample of Canadians to deter- Getting a good estimate of the preva- demic preparedness, Sen. Dean said that mount a cohesive response to public health mine the true prevalence of the COVID-19 lence of coronavirus infection across the if a new body were created, it would likely crises and offered recommendations for infection and guide its efforts in the war country is critical to mounting an effective be “co-dependent” on PHAC and Health establishing a new agency that would play against it which has caused the death of response to the virus, said George Wells, Canada. “I’ve seen that additional agencies a co-ordinating role when the country is hit thousands of people in Canada and is a professor of epidemiology and public created can have some advantages, but by “national disease outbreaks and emer- threatening to push the economy into a health at the University of Ottawa. it’s one more player in a complex system,” recession, say veteran public policy and He agreed with Mr. Graves idea that a sci- gencies.” health experts. entifi cally representative sample would benefi t “What you really need is a good mea- greatly in understanding the infection rate. By ISG Senator sure of just how many Canadians are in fi guring out if the infection rate is going up or Tony Dean, fact, infected—is it going up or down?” said down, he said, the government could adjust its pictured in veteran pollster Frank Graves in an inter- strategy for fi ghting the pandemic. 2017, says if The Hill Times view with . “What are the “We would really like to know what’s a new agency demographic and geographic correlates of out there in terms of the general popula- were created, that? And then this can be used as a guide tion: not those that are symptomatic, not it would still to steer, at least partially, the efforts to those that are hospitalized, but those who likely be ‘co- know where we are, and where the prob- are potentially asymptomatic and could dependent’ lems are existing. And so far, we’re trying spread it around,” said Prof. Wells, who on PHAC and to piece that together from data which are is also a professor in the Department of Health Canada. not scientifi cally representative, and don’t Medicine and a senior investigator at the The Hill Times use random probability methods.” Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, in an photograph by The Hill Times Mr. Graves, president of EKOS Research, interview with . Andrew Meade said any government department like He said it appears the reason the gov- Health Canada or Statistics Canada could ernment has not done such a test so far is arrange to undertake this test. He said the because of its limited capacity to do such representative sample size of 1,000 Cana- tests. The government devoted most of its dians, or larger sample of 5,000, 10,000 or resources at the start of the pandemic to more, could be used to get a get handle on testing and treating patients with symp- the scope of the problem. The higher the toms of the virus, he said. sample size, the more precise the results. “Eventually, we have to fi nd out what’s Mr. Graves said the results of this test actually out there in the community,” said he said. “You’d have all the same actors David Naylor’s report has been fre- could provide a more focused roadmap to Prof. Wells, who is an associate editor of necessarily involved in a response. PHAC quently cited as an authoritative guide for guide the government’s efforts to fi ght the the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology and was created for the purpose of respond- evaluating Canada’s ongoing response to outbreak. He said the test results would also on the editorial committee of the Canadian ing to pandemics. We can always make the novel coronavirus. The report called for help the government with key decisions like Medical Association Journal. improvements to the way we do our work, giving the agency a mandate to cover pub- when to relax restrictions on public move- A spokesman for Health Minister Patty as opposed to jumping [ahead] to create lic health “broadly,” in co-ordination with ment, or when businesses can start to re- Hajdu (Thunder Bay-Superior North, Ont.) another agency.” other departments and agencies. “Any new open. He said as a pollster and public policy did not say directly if the minister has any NDP MP Don Davies (Vancouver-King- agency must encompass a full spectrum of analyst, he does not know why the govern- plans to instruct her department or Statis- sway, B.C.), his party’s health critic, said public health activities through a variety ment has not already done such a testing. tics Canada to undertake the testing sug- while the idea of setting up a new agency of component centres,” the report stated, “Why don’t we have a scientifi cally gested by Mr. Graves and Prof. Wells. He is “worth exploring,” Ottawa’s defi cits pointing to the United States’ Centers for representative sample of the Canadian said that the government has created an fall squarely on successive governments, Disease Control and Prevention as an population with basic information about Immunity Task Force to guide the govern- which have been warned over the years example. their demographics, and where they live ment with scientifi c and data-based advice about the country’s “lack of emergency According to PHAC, its mandate is fo- and so on and so forth?” said Mr. Graves. for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. preparation.” cused on seven areas, from preventing and As of Thursday, there were 52,057 Created late last month, the task force “The problem isn’t a structural one. The controlling chronic and infectious diseases confi rmed cases and 3,082 deaths associa- is part of a $1.1-billion investment research problem is governments have ignored re- to preparing and responding to public tion with the novel coronavirus in Canada. effort to get a more accurate measure peated, clear directions, and frankly, that’s health emergencies. Internationally, there were 3.25-million of the scope and scale of coronavirus’s scandalous,” Mr. Davies said, pointing to Independent Senator Tony Dean (On- worldwide-confi rmed cases of coronavirus impact on different community groups. the federal auditor general’s 2010 report tario), who, as head of Ontario’s public resulting in 231,000 deaths. In the U.S. Over the next two years, the task force will that found that public health offi cials were service during the SARS outbreak between alone, there were 1,079,780 confi rmed collect and test one million samples from a not maintaining a proper accounting of the 2002-2004, was responsible for managing cases and 62,603 Americans had died. variety of demographic groups. The result- National Emergency Strategic Stockpile. the bureaucracy’s efforts, said PHAC has The pandemic outbreak that started in ing information is expected to provide the (The stockpile is a system of 11 warehous- been central in unifying governments that China late last year is wreaking havoc on Health Department with valuable informa- es for medical equipment and supplies.) sometimes work at odds with one another. the health and economic security of people tion to help fi ght the virus. “It’s not quite clear what role PHAC did He pointed to the agency’s role in devel- around the world. The pandemic is over- “Understanding how far COVID-19 has or didn’t play in this. They operate with oping a network of public health offi cials shadowing and dominating the interna- spread in our communities is important as [federal] resources and at the direction of through which information is swapped. tional news agenda with countries around we continue to research treatments and vac- government.” Throughout the crisis, Canada’s chief the world scrambling to contain the health cines,” said Cole Davidson, press secretary to Mr. Davies said any “overhaul” or The Hill Times public health offi cer, Dr. Theresa Tam, and and economic affects on their citizens. Ms. Hajdu in an email to last reforms to how Canada manages pandem- her counterparts across the country have Since the virus hit Canada, the govern- week. “That’s why we’ve created an Immuni- ics should be looked at once the country convened daily to manage their govern- ment has announced about $150-billion ty Task Force, comprised of experts, to assist has the crisis under control. “As soon as ment’s response. worth of new government programs to with our response to COVID-19 and oversee we have COVID-19 well in hand, I’ll turn “I see a federal government that is help Canadians belonging to almost all Canada-wide blood test surveys.” my eyes squarely on the problems that this sectors of society, and to protect the coun- [email protected] pretty much seamlessly collaborating with try from slipping into a depression. The Hill Times its interjurisdictional partners, with prov- Continued on page 7 THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 7 PHAC News appropriate body for pandemic response, resources and more power, say health experts

sunsetting of programs. For example, in the Canada's chief public last two years, it has recorded decreases health offi cer, Dr. Theresa in its quarterly budgets compared to the Tam, pictured April 20, previous year. In the fourth quarter of 2019, has been the face of the it saw its budget decline by seven per cent, feds' response to the compared to the same quarter in 2018, coronavirus. She's charged from $697-million to $650-million. In its fi - with steering the country's nancial reports, the agency routinely noted containment efforts to slow that “unforeseeable events” like infl uenza the spread of the virus. The pandemics pose “fi nancial risks” to the Hill Times photograph by agency, which would then have to “consider Andrew Meade internal re-allocation of resources” to man- age its response. Rather than creating a new agency, Mr. Cloutier said, PHAC’s visibility and access to cabinet should be increased, even outside a disease outbreak, through the establishment of a “pandemic preparedness council.” “The head of PHAC should have that kind of authority to either report to cabinet on a regular basis or recommend some actions,” he said. “[And the council] should be a centre of operations that would bring together multiple departments. It would have to be in existence and running every day ... not just be activated when there’s a pandemic.” Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux (Edmonton Riverbend, Alta.), his party’s health critic, said there are “other areas of expertise that should be leveraged” in the pandemic response at the outset, while PHAC retains the role in helping lead the country’s efforts. He said there’s a need to view the public health crisis from a wider lens, citing examples of involving the mili- Ashleigh Tuite, assistant professor at the funding. The agency would negotiate with Continued from page 6 tary and border closures. University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School its counterparts “who have the health of “It would have to be broader in scope, pandemic has exposed and the errors that of Public Health, echoed Prof. Wolfson’s Canadians, rather than the vicissitudes of so it’s not just Dr. Tam,” Mr. Jeneroux said. have been made.” concerns about data collection. re-election, as their immediate and ongo- “[Having her] is great from a public health “There’s probably a fair amount of rep- ing priority,” according to the report. Such perspective, but does she have the knowl- Attach strings to health lication of labour. Each province is coming decisions would be subject to audits. edge of where, and how many airplanes, up with their own models, for example, and are landing each day? Does she have transfers, says professor making those comparisons across jurisdic- Public health a ‘silent good’ knowledge of the scope the military can Where Canada has fallen signifi cantly tions is challenging,” she said. “If we were Paul-Émile Cloutier, president and CEO do? I think that’s outside the scope of what short is its capacity to collect real-time, in a place where every region had similar of HealthCareCAN, said the pandemic has the public health agency does.” standardized data across different jurisdic- data, we could sort of sit at the same table underscored the need to ensure PHAC has Ottawa announced it had struck a tions, said Michael Wolfson, former assis- and compare. We would probably have the funds it needs to respond to a public new eight-member cabinet committee on tant chief statistician at Statistics Canada a better overview of where we are in the health crisis. Given Canada’s experience COVID-19 on March 4, with Deputy Prime and a member of the Centre for Health epidemic.” with SARS, he said, Canada “should not Minister Chrystia Freeland (University- Law, Policy and Ethics at the University of The latest modelling released by Ot- have experienced the critical shortage of Rosedale, Ont.) as the chair. Other minis- Ottawa. tawa last week suggested that Canada’s ters, including Procurement Minister Anita Prof. Wolfson said there’s no need to epidemic curve is fl attening, with the Anand (Oakville, Ont.) and Employment “reinvent the wheel” by establishing a growth levelling off in “several prov- Minister Carla Qualtrough (Delta, B.C.), new body. “It was created after SARS to inces.” Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta were who have also been fi xtures in the feds’ precisely handle these things,” he said. “A identifi ed as responsible for driving the daily briefi ngs on the crisis were not listed careful analysis of where the blockages country’s epidemic growth. It said the rate as regular members. are and fi xing them seems to me a better of infection has tumbled. For example, Carole Estabrooks, professor at the response.” before stringent measures were in place, University of Alberta’s faculty of nurs- For example, he said, the feds have each infected person would lead to an av- ing, said few countries have been able to been too “timid” and missed opportunities erage of new 2.19 cases, compared to the demonstrate they’ve fully prepared for a to implement standards for data collection current rate of “just above” one. The goal pandemic. She added that Canada could when it negotiated health transfers with is to get to “fewer than one” new case for bolster its preparedness in part by increas- the provinces and territories worth billions every infected person. ing the visibility of PHAC, which could following SARS in 2004 and, most recently, “The challenges they [feds] face are translate into sustained support for public in 2017. PHAC, which aggregates and re- the challenges around this co-ordination health funding. ports on the country’s overall caseload and in data sharing,” Prof. Tuite said. “They just “What happens if the next pandemic death toll, is dependent on other govern- don’t have the power to say to the prov- doesn’t come for fi ve, eight, or 20 years? I ments for its data. He added it could have inces, ‘You need to share your data with us.’ can’t envision that we would continue to made some funding conditional on them I’ve been around for a few public health hold with the same aggressive funding,” NDP health critic Don Davies says successive adopting data standards. emergencies, and we’re consistently having she said. “I would bring it [the agency] out governments have not put enough focus on A lack of standardized data impedes the same conversations, primarily around much more front and centre.” addressing defi ciencies in Canada’s public health Canada’s ability—as aggressive restric- data.” Prof. Tuite said it’s traditionally been system. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade tions start to be relaxed at different Prof. Tuite agreed that health transfers hard for public health experts to draw the paces across the country—to analyze and should have conditions related to data, public’s attention. “The challenge with pinpoint which areas, and why, are most though cautioned that implementing it may medical supply in its health-care system.” public health is that a lot of what we do vulnerable to outbreaks. be trickier in practice. “If COVID-19 has taught us anything, is not very visible because we’re trying “We’re going to have national experi- The Naylor report addressed the is- it’s that we are paying a price when we to prevent bad things from happening,” ments popping up all over, but we’re not sue of conditional federal funding tied to underfund public health. … We don’t need she said. “If you prevent an epidemic or going to learn [as much] from them, unless public health programs, cautioning that another superagency. There’s enough lay- pandemic from occurring, that’s not going we have the data,” he said. “If you could it may invite a constitutional challenge if ers of bureaucracy,” Mr. Cloutier said. “This to hit the front page of a newspaper, pique respond with real-time data, and compare other jurisdictions perceive them to be “dis- would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul.” the interests of politicians who are plan- and contrast what’s working in different guised attempts to regulate” areas they’re “Let PHAC be PHAC, and not be treated ning budgets because it’s a silent good parts of the country more quickly, that responsible for. Instead, to depolicitize the as the poor cousin,” he added. we’re providing.” information can be disseminated by a com- process, it recommended having a federal PHAC’s funding has been subject to [email protected] petent PHAC.” agency conduct negotiations on program fl uctuations tied, in some cases, to the The Hill Times 8 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES

EDITOR Kate Malloy MANAGING EDITOR Charelle Evelyn PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY BY PUBLISHERS Anne Marie Creskey, DEPUTY EDITORS Peter Mazereeuw, Laura Ryckewaert HILL TIMES PUBLISHING INC. Jim Creskey, Ross Dickson ASSISTANT DEPUTY EDITOR Abbas Rana 246 Queen Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5E4 GENERAL MANAGER, CFO Andrew Morrow DIGITAL EDITOR Beatrice Paez

Editorial Letters to the Editor

Public Health Agency of Canada AFN did not receive $215-million in federal needs more funding, resources, power funding for pandemic, and First Nations

ver since the World Health Organiza- gency preparation,” and they’ve done nothing. governments represent all their citizens: AFN Etion declared on March 11, 2020, that the Pointing to the federal auditor general’s 2010 COVID-19 is a global pandemic, Canada’s report that found that public health offi cials e: “Judicial decision or no judicial advocated strongly for resources from the federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal were not maintaining a proper accounting of decision, it’s same old crap for off- federal government because the health R The Hill Times governments have been working together to the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile, reserve Indigenous,” ( , April and safety of First Nations citizens is our help stop the spread of the virus by virtu- and other warnings following SARS, he 29). The opinion piece by Robert Bertrand priority, and those supports must get to ally locking down the entire country and by described that as “scandalous.” makes two critical errors that need to be First Nations directly and immediately. pumping billions of dollars back to Canadi- Michael Wolfson, former assistant chief corrected. Further, First Nations governments ans and to Canadian businesses. statistician at Statistics Canada and a mem- First, the Assembly of First Nations represent all their citizens regardless of The Public Health Agency of Canada ber of the Centre for Health Law, Policy and (AFN) did not receive $215-million in fed- where they reside, including off-reserve has been navigating Canada’s federal Ethics at the University of Ottawa, said the eral funding for pandemic planning and in towns, cities and elsewhere, a real- response. Set up in 2004 after SARS to lead federal government has missed opportunities preparedness. The $215-million is for First ity affi rmed by the Supreme Court of the national response to public health crises, to implement standards for data collection Nations, not the AFN, and the AFN has Canada’s 1999 Corbiere decision. PHAC’s mandate was infl uenced by the 2003 when it negotiated health transfers with the no role in administering or allocating the Janice Ciavaglia Naylor report, which fl agged defi ciencies in provinces and territories worth billions fol- funds nor would we want a role. The AFN CEO, Assembly of First Nations Canada’s ability to weather outbreaks and lowing SARS in 2004 and, most recently, in offered recommendations for establishing a 2017, as The Hill Times reports. new agency that would play a co-ordinating Paul-Émile Cloutier, president and CEO role when the country is hit by “national dis- of HealthCareCAN, said the pandemic has ease outbreaks and emergencies,” as The Hill shown that PHAC needs more money to Times reports in Monday’s issue. PHAC is fo- respond to a public health crisis. Canada, he Good idea to use agricultural land to cused on preventing and controlling chronic said, “should not have experienced the critical and infectious diseases and preparing and shortage of medical supply in its health-care produce food for prisoners, general responding to public health emergencies. system.” Moreover, he said, PHAC’s visibility Canada’s chief public health offi cer, Dr. and access to cabinet should be increased, Theresa Tam, has been the public face of even outside a disease outbreak, through the public, supply food banks: Darby PHAC, and although there appears to be good establishment of a “pandemic preparedness collaboration between the federal agency and council.” e: “Prison farm program should public good, not on commercial produc- its interjusdictional partners, through Dr. Tam PHAC’s funding has waxed and waned Rbe broadened to increase prisoner tion. The plan for a goat milk operation and the deputy prime minister, it’s also clear due, in some cases, to the retiring of some distancing amid COVID-19, advocate has no place in a free market economy, that PHAC needs more power, more visibility, programs. The agency has routinely noted, argues,” (The Hill Times, April 22). Your where it would be a subsidized entity and more public health funding. This should in reporting on its fi nancials, that “unfore- article about the prison farms was very potentially competing unfairly with our be an ongoing government priority. seeable events” pose fi nancial risks to its informative. I’d like to add my support to farm community. COVID-19 has exposed Some of the lessons learned? The National operations, which would force it to reshuffl e the idea of using the agricultural land of some of the errors in the original Cor- Emergency Strategy Stockpile was not priorities when hit by a public health threat. those farms to produce food for prisoners rectional Service Canada’s plan, and this properly maintained, the federal government The country will be conducting several and the general public, supplying food pause gives us an opportunity to make it should have implemented standards for col- post-mortems once this is over, including banks, and other not-for-profi t groups. right. lecting data, and PHAC’s visibility and access reviewing the federal response to manag- The focus of the prison farms should Barry Darby to cabinet should be increased. ing pandemics. Canada should bolster its be on prisoner rehabilitation and the St. John’s East, N.L. As NDP MP Don Davies told The Hill preparedness for the next pandemic by Times, governments over the years have been increasing the visibility, power, and resources warned about the country’s “lack of emer- of PHAC. Welcoming any opportunity to reduce the oft-repeated, irksome error that ‘fulsome’ represents

e: “Planning for Canadian foreign learned by using a fancier word, albeit Rtrade policy in post-COVID world,” utterly incorrectly. by Robert W. Murray and Jean-Sébastien There are many other examples of re- Rioux (The Hill Times, April 27). The placing plain language with more obscure column contained the following kicker or words in the hope of sounding more im- sub headline: “Canada has an important pressive. It’s an unfortunate trend, but I’m role to play in global affairs, but only with even more troubled by the fact that editors a fulsome and substantive review of our and proofreaders are letting it happen. foreign policy can we hope to be ready I am a compulsive proofreader (and for what is to come.” also probably something of a curmud- The word “fulsome” (meaning insincere geon) so I would welcome any opportu- or excessive) is suddenly cropping up nity to reduce the oft-repeated, irksome everywhere (including from journalists error that “fulsome” represents. All the and politicians) as a synonym for “fully” best, from the East Coast. or “completely” or “in depth.” It seems to David Daughton stem from people trying to sound more Charlottetown, P.E.I.

EDITORIAL ADVERTISING CIRCULATION Please send letters to the editor to the above NEWS REPORTERS Aidan Chamandy, Mike Lapointe, VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING AND DIRECTOR OF READER ENGAGEMENT Chris Rivoire street address or e-mail to [email protected]. Neil Moss, Samantha Wright Allen, and Palak Mangat MULTIMEDIA SALES Steve MacDonald DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Leslie Dickson Deadline is Wednesday at noon, Ottawa time, for PHOTOGRAPHERS Sam Garcia, Andrew Meade, and DIRECTORS OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SUBSCRIPTIONS AND LICENSING EXECUTIVE the Monday edition and Friday at noon for the Cynthia Münster Craig Caldbick, Erveina Gosalci, Martin Reaume, Ulle Baum Darryl Blackbird, Lakshmi Krishnamurti Wednesday edition. Please include your full name, The Hill EDITORIAL CARTOONIST Michael De Adder VICE PRESIDENT OF address and daytime phone number. Published every Monday and Times COLUMNISTS Cameron Ahmad, Andrew Caddell, Andrew CONTENT LICENSING SALES Sean Hansel reserves the right to edit letters. Letters do PRODUCTION Wednesday by Hill Times The Hill Times Cardozo, John Chenier, Sheila Copps, Éric Couture, David Crane, PRODUCTION MANAGER Benoit Deneault CIRCULATION MANAGER Dan Lahey not reflect the views of . Thank you. Jim Creskey, Murray Dobbin, Gwynne Dyer, Michael Geist, Publishing Inc. SENIOR GRAPHIC, ONLINE DESIGNER Joey Sabourin Publications Mail Agreement No. 40068926 Dennis Gruending, Phil Gurski, Cory Hann, Michael Harris, Erica DESIGN MANAGER Serena Masonde ADMINISTRATION RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN Ifill, Joe Jordan, Amy Kishek, Rose LeMay, Alex Marland, Arthur WEB DESIGNER Jean-Francois Lavoie HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Tracey Wale 246 Queen Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5E4 ADDRESSES TO: CIRCULATION DEPT. Milnes, Tim Powers, Mélanie Richer, Susan Riley, Ken Rubin, Evan ASSISTANT WEB DESIGNER Ian Peralta (613) 232-5952 246 Queen Street Suite 200, Ottawa, ON K1P 5E4 Sotiropoulos, Scott Taylor, Lisa Van Dusen, Nelson Wiseman, and Fax (613) 232-9055 DELIVERY INQUIRIES 2012 Better Les Whittington. [email protected] Canadian Publications Mail Agreement No. 40068926 CMCA Newspaper AUDITED 613-288-1146 www.hilltimes.com Winner THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 9 Opinion

Sloan to apologize or be turfed from caucus, not a single opponent Biggest political victim of COVID-19 in the leadership race stepped in to attack his claim that Tam is a pawn of the Chinese government. has been Conservative Party of Canada Peter MacKay, the onetime frontrunner in the leadership race postponed because of COVID, Andrew Scheer’s It is understandable that missed an opportunity to cut ties Lame duck leader ad hominem Quebec teachers, and workers with Sloan by a public disavowal attacks on have serious questions about the of his claims. Andrew Scheer everything that government’s move to be the fi rst Instead, MacKay and all other continues to shoot has been done out of the gate when it comes to leadership candidates refrain by the federal social reintegration. from criticism in an effort to build from the lip in government ring Quebec is banking on herd bridges with Sloan, whose previ- very hollow to immunity, with the belief that the ous public outbursts include the his criticisms of the population large number of COVID carriers claim that being gay is a choice. at large, writes may provide a reduction in the Sadly, Sloan’s viewpoints ap- everything the Sheila Copps. spread of the disease. pear to be fairly popular with the The Hill Times But that is a huge gamble, rank and fi le of the party, which is government is doing photograph by because if it fails, the Quebec why other leadership candidates to minimize impacts Andrew Meade economy will sputter while the do not want to attack him. deaths will continue to rise. They need the support of his of the COVID-19 But all provinces and the followers. minimize impacts of the COVID reported the largest number of federal government have been And Scheer’s public attacks on world pandemic. 19 world pandemic. COVID-19 deaths since the out- careful in refusing to comment on the government’s COVID-fi ghting In the face of the pandemic, break of the pandemic. the Quebec decision, not want- plans is equally out of step with we have the unusual picture of Given the curve has not fully ing to be drawn into an interpro- the rest of the country. provincial premiers and the prime fl attened, the last thing the coun- vincial fi ght at a moment when It would be so much easier for minister working together on a try needs is the spread of infec- Canadians expect all provinces to the next Conservative leader to daily basis to manage the health tion through unnecessary travel. be working together. fi ght the Liberals on the econom- crisis and plan for a staged re- The decision to open child- The only one who has not got- ic front in the aftermath of the opening of the economy. care centres and elementary ten that message is the outgoing fi nancial cost of COVID. Thus far, even Ontario premier schools, but keep secondary leader of the Conservative Party. The Parliamentary Budget Of- Doug Ford is regularly prais- schools closed does not seem to Andrew Scheer’s ad hominem fi ce says the government could face ing the prime minister and all be based on the best science. If I attacks on everything that has been an economic contraction of 12 per the premiers of other provinces were a Quebec parent, I am not done by the federal government ring cent this year, which would result in Sheila Copps across the country. sure I would want my children at very hollow to the population at large. a potential $252-billion defi cit. Copps’ Corner That air of camaraderie may school while the virus is still kill- It may be playing well to his base, With those numbers, all the op- be blown out of the water as Que- ing people in large numbers. but it is certainly not helping his party position leader has to do is wait for bec moves to reopen its economy Quebec’s decision may cause position itself for an election that a recession to do the government in. TTAWA—The biggest po- while the province still has the a rebound of coronavirus cases, might come sooner rather than later. Instead, extreme Conservative Olitical victim of COVID has highest rate of infection and making the situation even worse The racist attack by leadership views are serving to strengthen been the national Conservative death in the country. for a province that has already candidate Derek Sloan on Canada’s the government’s potential pre- Party. As Quebec Premier François suffered more than 26,500 COVID Chief Public Health Offi cer Theresa election hand. Lame duck leader Andrew Legault promises to free up roads cases and almost 1,800 deaths. Tam fuels the impression that the Sheila Copps is a former Jean Scheer continues to shoot from leading into his province, Ford Their mortality rate is currently Conservative Party has lost its way. Chrétien-era cabinet minister and the lip in his criticisms of every- may be forced to close Ontario’s larger than the combined death While the Conservative’s own a former deputy prime minister. thing the government is doing to doors. On April 30, his province rate for the rest of the country. caucus in Ontario is trying to get The Hill Times

At any rate, my point is it’d be diffi cult for Trudeau to suddenly shift gears and adopt an anti-Chi- Canada and the China syndrome na tone during an election. So what about the Conserva- tives? Thanks to COVID-19, the rest of the world unprepared attack on the president’s China Right now, it doesn’t seem like Well, on the surface, it’d make for COVID-19’s lethal onslaught. travel ban, his other weak posi- it will. a lot of sense for the Conservative China’s ruling The state of Missouri is even tions on China, and his confl ict For one thing, Prime Minister Party to start bashing Commu- suing China for its “deceit.” with Hunter Biden’s business deal Justin Trudeau has always been nist China, while also attacking Communist Party is But the real impact won’t be with China, voters are horrifi ed.” supportive of integrating China Trudeau’s pro-China sentiments. at the centre of world legal; it’ll be political, what I’m True, into the Certainly such a strategy calling a “China syndrome.” McLaughlin world’s would appeal to the Conserva- attention. And not in a In other words, politicians is biased, liberal tive Party’s anti-communist base across the globe will make “blam- but what economic and would also likely tap into the good way. ing China” the centrepiece of their gives his order, and, general public’s simmering anger political messaging. analysis virus or no towards China. In fact, this is happening right a ring of virus, that And you have to admit, given now. truth is that will likely their atrocious record on human British Prime Minister Boris Biden’s remain one rights, the Chinese communists Johnson, for instance, is reported team is of his chief make for good villains. to be furious with China and countering foreign Yet, such attacks would also promises Beijing will ultimately the Republi- policy ob- inevitably entail risks. face a “reckoning.” can attacks jectives. After all, if the Conservatives Meanwhile, in the United by running Plus, if aggressively go after China, it States, where a presidential elec- ads which U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime you want a would leave them open to charges tion will occur later this year, the declare Minister Boris Johnson. Photographs courtesy of more cyni- of racism and to charges that their question of America’s relation- it’s actu- Commons Wikimedia cal take, party is engaging in dangerous Gerry Nicholls ship with China is already a hot ally Trump I suspect populist rhetoric that could desta- Post-Partisan Pundit topic, as the Republicans are who’s soft on the Chinese regime. many of the Liberal Party’s chief bilize our international standing. currently airing ads bashing the This suggests the Democrats’ corporate donors are still keen on And from what I’ve seen from presumed Democratic nominee, own internal polls are telling gaining access to China’s market the Conservatives so far, it’s a AKVILLE, ONT.—Thanks Joe Biden, as being too pro-China. them the China issue is hurting and thus would want Canada to party that doesn’t like to push the Oto COVID-19, China’s ruling Make no mistake, it’s a mes- their candidate. stay on the communist country’s envelope. Communist Party is at the centre sage which could defi nitely reso- So it seems both the Republi- good side. So yes, all things considered, of world attention. nate with Americans. can and Democratic presidential All this probably explains Canada’s politicians will likely And not in a good way. As Trump’s chief pollster, John campaigns will be taking an anti- why, unlike Trump or Johnson practise social distancing from Indeed, many are arguing McLaughlin, recently told the China line. or other world leaders, Trudeau the China syndrome. the Chinese government may media, “China is among many But what about here in Cana- has so far refrained from openly Gerry Nicholls is a communi- have deliberately covered up the weaknesses for Joe Biden, but da? Will the China card be dealt criticizing China’s handling of the cations consultant. virus’s true deadliness, which left when people learn about Biden’s in our next election? COVID-19 crisis. The Hill Times 10 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES Opinion Canada’s justice system is in crisis, and it isn’t news

B.C. Indigenous lawyers Shain mandate to force change in police forces. We need a reputable Jackson, left, and Ardith We need to legislate change, because Walpetko We’dalx Walkem there’s more than enough data already on organization that collects talk about the discrimination what needs to be fi xed. We’ve been waiting and racism they face as far too long for change to be made, and data on racism, which has lawyers, along with many now we will have to legislate it. the legal mandate to force other Indigenous lawyers, in We also need a similar body or ombuds- a 25-minute YouTube video, man for the court system. Perhaps it’s change in police forces. We ‘But I Was Wearing A Suit,’ time for the Indigenous Parliament to be a grassroots project put instituted which includes Indigenous om- need to legislate change, together in 2017 by a group of buds for policing, courts, and more. With Indigenous lawyers, with the legislated powers to enforce change. because there’s more than support of CLEBC and the Law On a brisk day in November 1996, co- enough data already on Society of B.C. Screen capture chair George Erasmus said in the release images courtesy of But I Was of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal what needs to be fi xed. Wearing A Suit Peoples report: “We challenge people to demonstrate how the current situation, in We’ve been waiting far too Rupert Ross. He was a Crown attorney in nous lawyers describe being asked to leave purely fi scal terms, could possibly, over northern Ontario, and he was looking to re- the courtroom as if they don’t belong, or time, be superior to the approach we are long for change to be made, tire after a long career. But not on this day. assumed to be the accused. These individu- putting forward. The status quo would dig a On this day, he was advocating for better als are the lawyers in the court; imagine deeper hole…. At bottom, of course, this is a and now we will have to social programs for Indigenous peoples so the experience of Indigenous plaintiffs and question of priorities and leadership and vi- legislate it. they wouldn’t end up in the court system. accused. The good news is that one provin- sion. Our view is that it would be a tragedy Rupert wrote about the court system and cial body has decided to lead change. Legal of historic dimensions if, at a time when his experience, and he was open about his Aid B.C. has completed its Reconciliation there is fi nally awareness of the errors of pain of not being able to fi x things in the Action Plan, and it is a model for transfor- past aboriginal policy, governments were to system that were broken. That was over 15 mative change at an organizational and say: ‘We now know what the problem is and years ago. potentially sector level. we now know how to solve it.’ We just can’t.” If there is a constant in the justice sys- In another part of the country, Winnipeg Hindsight is painful, isn’t it. You know tem, it is the constant resistance to admit Police shot and killed three First Nations what will be more painful? Waiting another that there is racism in the justice system individuals in three separate incidents in two decades. and perhaps without any consequence 10 days. In one of these losses, a 16-year Rose LeMay is Tlingit from the West for the perpetrator. Remember the bank old girl was shot and killed. The family was Coast and the CEO of the Indigenous Rec- incident this winter in which local police unable to hold a ceremony due to covid-19. onciliation Group. She writes every second somehow handcuffed a 12-year old girl and Community and extended family attempt- week about Indigenous inclusion and rec- Rose LeMay her grandfather in a bank? Yes, they were ed to put candles on the street where she onciliation. In Tlingit worldview, the stories Stories, Myths, and Truths First Nations. In British Columbia, Indig- was killed, and the local police blocked the are the knowledge system, sometimes told enous lawyers shared some of their experi- area and called it a protest. through myth and sometimes contradict- ences of enduring racism in a provocative A protest. ing the myths told by others. But always TTAWA—On a snowy day in an- video called “But I Was Wearing a Suit,” We need a reputable organization that with at least some truth. Oother life, I had the honour of meeting produced in 2017. Please watch it. Indige- collects data on racism, which has the legal The Hill Times

Hertz goes the extra mile for Federal Government employees. Enjoy access to Hertz preferred rates and free enrolment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® program.

Benefits of the Gold Plus Rewards program:

Points toward Skip the counter Get on your way faster with Pick your car and go with free days* and save time eReturn and eReceipts Hertz Ultimate Choice®*

For reservations or more information visit hertz.ca/Government hertz.ca Hertz is pleased to be a partner to the Government of Canada in offering a full range of rental vehicles in Canada and the United States for travel authorized by Federal, Provincial, or Territorial Governments which is paid or reimbursed from public funds in accordance with Government Travel Policy. For details on rates and benefits visit the 2020 Accommodation and Car Rental Directory (PWGSC). *Available at select locations. Free day discount applies to base rate (time and mileage charges only), taxes, fees and options excluded when redeeming points. † Status match is up to President’s Circle® tier only. Applies to select competitors’ loyalty status. ® Registered Trademark of Hertz System, Inc., Used Under License. ©2020 Hertz System, Inc.

2890.03 - Hill Times AD.indd 1 3/11/2020 2:32:15 PM THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 11 Politics

MacKay’s got a bigger problem than Erin O’Toole and bad French: Justin Trudeau

Conservative leadership…Erin O’Toole re- COVID-19 has leadership spects the breadth of our big candidate tent coalition.” changed Prime Peter MacKay, Now, in a letter to Conserva- Minister Justin pictured in this tives, MacKay has accused his fi le photograph fellow Tory of “bald-faced lies.” Trudeau as a political on the Hill, is Bottom line? Even for a considered the johnny-come-lately social con- leader, and that’s not party's leadership servative like O’Toole, who has front-runner. But usually been seen as a moder- good news for Peter there is an even ate himself, Kenney’s words will bigger problem for make it easy for him to run to the MacKay. Mr. MacKay than right of Peter MacKay. That could Erin O’Toole, bad be a huge factor against MacKay French, sinking when Conservative choose a the Progressive new leader by mail-in ballot this Party of Canada, summer. and a checkered But there is an even bigger past as a Harper problem for MacKay than Erin cabinet minister: O’Toole, bad French, sinking the Justin Trudeau, Progressive Party of Canada, and writes Michael a checkered past as a Harper Harris. The Hill cabinet minister: Justin Trudeau. Times photograph During his fi rst term in offi ce, Michael Harris by Andrew Meade Canadians often saw the young Harris PM practising the piano in public. He hit a lot of bad notes. Trudeau made stunning errors ALIFAX—Poor Peter MacK- of judgment in overplaying the Hay. image thing on the trip to India, Five years ago, he made the and taking a free trip to the Aga strategic decision not to run in the about his interference in the jus- for predicting victory. In the 2017 Harper gone, and no candidate Khan’s Island. 2015 election. In the business, it is tice system—a move that almost CPC leadership, Maxime Bernier in the fi eld representing Western He disappointed a lot of voters called keeping your powder dry. cost him the government. had almost no caucus support, Canada, who in the race will when he stood down on elec- MacKay knew that prime min- Through an over-abundance of but led the leadership vote on 12 appeal to the party’s hard-right toral reform and strong action on ister Stephen Harper had worn caution, Peter MacKay let his best of 13 ballots. value system? climate change. Had he paid as out his welcome with Canadians, chance to become party leader In that same race, O’Toole had MacKay is known as a moder- much attention to Jody Wilson- and that the CPC would almost and prime minister slip by. He one-third of the caucus behind ate within the party, a trait a lot Raybould and Jane Philpott as certainly go down to defeat in the made the standard move to Bay him, but fi nished third behind of people think is exactly what he did to his funky socks, he may general election of that year. He Street to spend more time with eventual winner Andrew Scheer, the CPC needs. But he is also well have still been leading a didn’t want to be associated with his family, and watched the game and second-place fi nisher Max- the one who said he was sick majority government. that loss. unfold from the sidelines. As ime Bernier. As the CBC’s Éric of having the “stinking alba- And then early in his second The former Harper defence Trudeau stumbled, MacKay must Grenier points out, endorsements tross” of Andrew Scheer’s social term, this so-so prime minister and justice minister was right. have groaned at conservative who had become low hanging The new kid on the block, Justin the lost oppor- values around fruit for every caricaturist in the Trudeau, not only vanquished the tunity. the party’s neck country was lifted by the im- heavy-handed Harper, he came There is a during elections. mortal lines from Twelfth Night. all the way from third place in cost of being a It was the cheap “Some are born great, some the House of Commons to win couch-soldier shot that was achieve greatness, and some have a majority government. By not when your heard around greatness thrust upon them.” CO- running, MacKay avoided the risk mates are fi ght- the world. VID-19 put Justin Trudeau in the of being just another Tory statistic ing a war. While Alberta latter category. in that remarkable rout—and the MacKay was Premier Jason When Canada and the world prospect of occupying those hard waiting for the Kenney, who were struck by the pandemic, Opposition benches for years. right moment to may or may not very few countries, including this Nor did MacKay enter the make his move, have the stature one, smelled the smoke in the fray in the 2019 general election. other Tories who to be a king- barn quickly enough. More strategic thinking. It had didn’t leave the maker during But once the gravity of what been the conventional wisdom kitchen when this summer’s was happening sunk in, Trudeau that Trudeau would be PM for it got too hot, leadership race, acted with dispatch, compassion, two terms—and vulnerable at the battled on. One struck back with and decisiveness. There has been polls only if he went for a third of those people a vengeance. broad fi nancial support for citi- term. Then and only then, would is now MacKay’s He endorsed zens and business, daily briefi ngs the guy who now signs his public principle oppo- the candidacy from the PM himself on the battle letters “co-founder” of the CPC nent for the par- of Erin O’Toole, against the virus, which include make his move. ty leadership— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured with Government House Leader saying that he questions from the press, and the Of course, nobody could have Erin O’Toole. Pablo Rodriguez on April 29, 2020, in the House. When Canada and was “true blue kind of calmness in crisis that foreseen that Trudeau would be The Ontario MP the world were struck by the pandemic, very few countries, including and could get puts people at ease—as much as highly vulnerable to defeat after remains popular this one, smelled the smoke in the barn quickly enough. But once the things done.” anyone can be at ease when the only one term in offi ce. No one with his caucus gravity of what was happening sunk in, Mr. Trudeau acted with dispatch, As for sky is falling. could have foreseen major broken mates. compassion, and decisiveness, writes Michael Harris. The Hill Times MacKay’s dubi- It is that Justin Trudeau who promises on the environment and So does photograph by Andrew Meade ous use of the will be running in the next elec- electoral reform. MacKay, or imagery from tion whenever it comes, tougher, As for the SNC Lavalin at least he does, according to do give a small boost to a candi- Coleridge’s The Ancient Mariner more mature, and tested under scandal, it was unimaginable the number of endorsements date, but not a defi nitive one. to describe the party’s values, fi re. that Canada’s fi rst feminist PM the long-time Central Nova MP Of far greater signifi cance in Kenney had this to say: “No As I said, poor Peter MacKay. would tar and feather two of his gathered when he fi rst launched the Game of Thrones now under- one will have their deeply held Michael Harris is an award- star female cabinet ministers for his leadership campaign. But en- way in the renewed Tory leader- beliefs dismissed as stinking winning author and journalist. the high crime of telling the truth dorsements are a dubious metric ship is the issue of ideology. With albatrosses under Erin O’Toole’s The Hill Times 12 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES Politics

this week. By mid-May, fi shing and golfi ng will be allowed. As of June 1, provincial parks will open, but only We’re crazy with confi nement, to Saskatchewan residents. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is set to open non-urgent surgeries, dental, and other medical services today with but does that mean we’re ready? parks, retail, day-care and other en- terprises to follow in stages through- out May. His province is still dealing When it comes to Quebec with spot outbreaks in food pro- Premier cessing plants, and elsewhere, but, when and how fast François overall, the trend has been encourag- Legault, ing and Alberta, unlike Quebec, has we should resume pictured been testing more extensively than in this fi le most provinces. quasi-normal life as photograph, As to the federal government, announced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pandemic infection last week that been, until now, letting provinces rates slow, the answer elementary take the lead on resuming quasi- schools and normal activities, which makes probably depends on child-care sense, given the different faces of centres outside the epidemic in different provinc- how old you are, how of Montreal es—and within those provinces— would reopen and the unstated belief that, for all broke you are, and May 11, with premiers, the health of their popu- the Montreal- lations is their primary concern. where you live. Or so area following Quebec’s “risky” plan is the fi rst you would think. suit on May crack in that consensus but, apart 19. Photograph from sparking a constitutional and courtesy of political crisis at a most inoppor- Instagram tune time, there is little the federal government can do but what it is doing: continue to urge patience, to underscore the need for physical conditions, will not return imme- normal life. He also repeats that virus, is marked. Ontario Premier distancing and respect for science. diately. But while science sug- infection rates have stabilized in Doug Ford, too, has announced a The federal COVID-19 guidelines gests the virus is not dangerous to most of the province (outside of phased return to post-pandemic issued last week amount to “prin- young children, it is still unclear Montreal) and that 95 per cent of normal, but without fi xed dates. ciples”—more a science-based wish to what extent they can pass it to Quebec’s fatalities involve people He calls it “a roadmap, not a cal- list, than a national edict. adults—including their teachers, over 65 (so, you know, only them.) endar.” And last week, he outlined This leaves two worrying Susan Riley parents, or grandparents. In his airy closing argument, he strict health guidelines surround- problems. As the crisis wears Impolitic While that remains an open concludes: “Nothing is perfect, ing the opening, including extra on, and weather improves and question, many Quebecers argue nothing in life is 100 per cent, staff to enforce compliance. outdoor patios, parks, and golf it is unwise to launch such a but we calculate, with the help of It starts with allowing small courses begin to open, distancing HELSEA, QUE.—When it social experiment, especially public health, that it’s better for gatherings, including funerals, will become literally and psycho- Ccomes to when and how fast with only a few weeks of school children to return to school.” opening select businesses, some logically harder. People will touch we should resume quasi-normal year remaining. Yet, both Legault This, despite the fact that parks, and restoring non-urgent their faces. They’ll be careless with life as pandemic infection rates and Quebec’s director of public new cases, in the hundreds, ap- surgeries in hospitals. If that their masks. They’ll slip back into slow, the answer probably de- health, Dr. Horatio Arruda, sound pear every day in Quebec, that proves safe, the next step would the old, easy ways, not from defi - pends on how old you are, how sanguine about the prospect of the province’s testing system is be more gradual resumption of ance, but from habit. The virus will broke you are, and where you further spread economic activ- continue to strike, even in reduced live. Or so you would think. to vulnerable This strategy ity, including numbers, more people will die and, Yet Quebec, with more than populations. is disputed by service industries until there is a vaccine, nothing will half of the 50,000-plus cases in “I hope not Canada’s Chief and restaurants, really be “normal.” Following strict the country—and a horrendous too many people Public Health with the proviso protocols at the height of the pan- death toll in long-term care resi- will die,” said Offi cer Dr. that employers demic, when it was new and fear dences—is the most ambitious, Dr. Arruda last Theresa Tam, follow the usual was rampant, is one thing; making even impatient, about re-opening week. “We know pictured April 2, health protocols, these habits part of daily routine its schools, its economy, and its it is a risky bet. 2020, and others, including physi- will not come easily. manufacturing sector. Quebec Pre- But we can’t who argue that it cal distancing, Second, prohibitions on in- mier François Legault announced eliminate this is still not known masks and hand- terprovincial travel will begin to last week that elementary schools virus. It will if having the washing. Large look political, not science-based, and child-care centres outside of circulate. The disease ensures outdoor gather- and that will exacerbate ten- Montreal would reopen May 11, question is: how immunity for ings, including sions between people in different with the Montreal-area following do we balance those who survive Ford’s beloved provinces—as they already are in suit on May 19. Storefront retail is everything?” it, and, if it does, CFL games, the national capital region. Flying scheduled to resume today outside This echoes the for how long. won’t resume from Ontario to British Columbia, of Montreal, with the hardest-hit “herd immunity” The Hill Times until there is a for instance, to visit aging parents city in Canada to re-open the approach, the no- photograph by vaccine. or attend a daughter’s graduation, following week. (Despite this, tion that if kids Andrew Meade As for will continue to be restricted, with Quebecers will still be prevented get mild cases of schools, Ford was the implication that the Ontario from travelling to Ontario for non- the virus now, the adamant: “I’m resident is somehow contaminated essential business, a particularly population as a whole will even- abysmally inadequate (closer to not going to put our children in a because they come from a prov- senseless disruption in the inte- tually become mostly immune. 6,000 daily than the 15,000-20,000 crowded classroom. I’m just not ince with a higher rate of disease, grated national capital region.) This strategy is rejected by recommended) and that Montre- going to do it.” notwithstanding an individual’s Legault’s plan includes cave- Canada’s Chief Public Health al’s emergency rooms are already Other provinces, with much low- own scrupulous behaviour or the ats, and, if infection rates spike Offi cer Dr. Theresa Tam, and overtaxed. Apart from exhausted er rates of infection than Ontario fact that their particular neigh- further in coming days, reopening others, who argue that it is still parents in the “regions,” especially and Quebec, are also taking baby bourhood is virus-free. Until every will be delayed, he insisted at a not known if having the disease those who have been working steps out of COVID containment— traveller can be tested for expo- late-week press conference, after ensures immunity for those who through the crisis, or will soon be and expressing more prudence sure, these restrictions will rankle. a new outbreak in north Mon- survive it, and, if it does, for how returning, it is hard to see who than Quebec. New Brunswick, after It is going to get harder now, treal. As well, parents will not be long. Then there are the addi- will benefi t from this gamble. several days with no new cases, not easier. We have to hope the required to send their children tional deaths that will occur if the Yet polls suggest Quebecers are, will start with opening golf courses, gradual opening of life as we back to school. Classrooms will virus is allowed to run its course. overall, less fearful of the virus beaches, and parks and allowing once knew it doesn’t provoke the be limited to 15 students who will After endorsing this bloodless than in other provinces and more two families to dine together. closing of hearts and minds. practise physical distancing— strategy in an early press confer- ready to re-engage. The premier Saskatchewan, another low- Susan Riley is a veteran politi- sure, they will!—and teachers ence Legault prevaricated last also remains very popular. infection province, is allowing cal columnist who writes regu- and children who live with people week, emphasizing the benefi ts The contrast with Ontario, with dentists, optometrists, chiropractors larly for The Hill Times. over aged 60, or have underlying to children in resuming almost- the second highest toll from the and other professionals to reopen The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 13 Opinion

Even as recently producer can cover its costs at that price, as February which is why some companies are cutting of this year, back production even though the costs of Alberta Premier cutting back are also high. Jason Kenney In many respects, we are paying the was banking on price for the vision of Canada, fi rst set rising oil prices out in 2006-07, as an energy superpower, to balance based on the vast size of Canada’s oil- the province’s sands reserves. Canada set out to attract budget. Kenney’s investment from around the world to build March budget, oilsands plants, with plans for two big assumed oil pipelines to the B.C. Coast, the Keystone prices averaging XL Pipeline to take oil to Texas, and even a US$62 a barrel pipeline to take oil sands oil right through this year and to the Atlantic Provinces. Little attention US$63 a barrel was paid to the economics of oil, the as- next year. These sumption apparently being that oil would were higher be in the $80-$100 range and that the world than private- was facing a shortage of oil. sector forecasts. Nor was much attention paid to the The Hill Times threat of climate change; the oil industry photograph by supported groups that dismissed climate Andrew Meade change as a threat or dismissed the science as just a theory. Even as recently as February of this year, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was banking on rising oil prices to balance the province’s budget. Kenney’s March budget, assumed oil prices averaging US$62 a Days of fossil fuels aren’t over, barrel this year and US$63 a barrel next year. These were higher than private-sector forecasts. Oil sands oil, in particular, is both high- cost and represents some of the world’s but for Canada they are shrinking dirtiest oil in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. If the market for oil is levelling The question of what governments struct its expansion. Alberta is doing some- off and is projected to decline over the next Ottawa’s role should be to should do is far from resolved. The most thing similar. It is putting up US$1.1-billion two decades, then oil sands oil will be one immediate challenge is to support the in equity and guaranteeing a $6-billion of the casualties. help Western Canada make workers and their families who have been loan— roughly 85 per cent of the costs—to There will be more calls for help by the affected. Albertans whose jobs are linked build the Keystone XL Pipeline, which is industry—as Derek Burney, our former the transition to a low- to the oil industry will qualify for the vari- owned by TC Energy Corp. of Calgary. ambassador to the U.S. and more recently carbon economy, and that ous federal programs already announced. In fact, investors for some time have a director of TC Energy, argues, “we should On top of that, the federal government been wary of putting up capital for oil- abandon the ostrich-like mentality that should be Jason Kenney’s has announced close to $2.5-billion in fed- sands and other oil projects. Oil stocks had assumes the age of fossil fuels is over” and eral subsidies that will create jobs for oil been the worst stock market performers aim for 100 per cent use of Canadian oil role as well. industry workers—$1.7-billion in Alberta, even before the pandemic hit. in Canada by building a pipeline from Al- Saskatchewan and British Columbia to One reason is that while there will still berta to the Atlantic Coast. But he does not clean up inactive or orphan wells and be an ongoing demand for oil over the next address the economics of such a project or $750-million to cut emissions of methane, a 20 years, oil demand is not expected to what oil price would be necessary to make serious form of greenhouse gas emissions. show much growth as the world transitions it pay—or what federal subsidies would be These are costs that should normally be to a low-carbon energy future. needed. paid by the industry itself. Oil producers will be competing for But should we be putting even more To what extent the industry will recover market share—that is what the Russians money into costly and polluting oil projects is far from clear. But if investors and fi - and Saudis are doing with their oil strate- or using the capital to advance our transi- nancial markets are any guide, attracting gies. The Russians, in particular, are taking tion to a low-carbon economy. The real fresh capital will be diffi cult. Oil prices and aim at U.S. shale oil production, which has ostriches are those who want to ignore the demand will pick up as economies return been taking market share from other pro- huge and costly threats to human life if we David Crane to some kind of recovery towards the end ducers. The current oil price war is already fail to deal with climate change—including Canada & the 21st Century of the year. But it will be a different kind pushing shale oil producers into bankrupt- the risk of more pandemics. When the pan- of future. Prices will rise, but will they rise cy, undercutting the U.S. goal of energy demic is over the climate change thereat enough to make oilsands oil production independence and, if prolonged, could do will still be here. ORONTO—As the International Energy profi table? That is far from certain. the same for some Canadian producers. Ottawa’s role should be to help Western TAgency says, “the global oil industry is Taxpayers are already making big bets The Western Canada Select, the price Canada make the transition to a low-car- experiencing a shock like no other in its on projects that the private sector will not Canadian oil producers get for exports to bon economy, and that should be Kenney’s history.” The collapse in prices and dramat- fund because they are too risky and fi nan- the U.S. (and roughly 80 per cent of what role as well. The days of fossil fuels are not ic cuts in demand, with ongoing produc- cial returns are not assured. One example we produce goes to the U.S.) temporar- over. But for Canada they are shrinking. tion having no place to go, has devastated is the federal government’s purchase of the ily slipped into negative territory and is David Crane can be reached at crtane@ Alberta and Newfoundland, prompting Trans Mountain Pipeline for $4.4-billion currently below $12 a barrel, compared to interlog.com. desperate cries for federal help. and a commitment of $12.6-billion to con- about $54 a barrel a year ago. No oilsands The Hill Times

BROKER C. 613-889-3457 JOSH EYKING RE/MAX HALLMARK REALTY GROUP O. 613-236-5959 [email protected] 610 BRONSON AVENUE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AND RESIDENT REALTOR EYKINGOFHOMES.COM OTTAWA, ON. K1S 4E6

Josh of Eykingofhomes will help make the most of your Selling/ Buying experience.

Specializing in all your real estate needs in the capital region.

#1 INDIVIDUAL AGENT RE/MAX BRONSON* 1% Remax Hallmark 2018 14 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES Global Is this really a turning point?

A young lad, Last year saw an pictured on the unprecedented Hill on May 3, 2019, at a protest upsurge in public calling on the Canadian federal concern about climate government to take action on climate change—Australian change. There’s no wildfi res, record time for climate this year, and last fl oods all over the year’s climate momentum will place, Extinction not automatically return when the Rebellion, Greta virus is under control. Momentum Thunberg—but all takes time to build, that has now been and we are running out of time. There pushed aside by the is no magical deliverance on coronavirus. Global the way, and on balance the current heating and its health emergency is setting back associated disasters the cause of will kill far more climate sanity, not advancing it, people in the long writes Gwynne Dyer. The Hill Times run, but COVID-19 is photograph by killing them now. Andrew Meade

regimes across the world. Don’t Many papers have died, almost afterwards on some web host- Another positive change expect any better from this crisis. all have downsized, and that hit ing site for the widely distributed coming out of this emergency is Moreover, they say, most my own income hard. My solution audience. They would never have that we are fi nally beginning to people can only process one prob- was to do more speaking engage- accepted that arrangement two take a chunk out of our biggest lem at a time, and that has the ments, which involved more time months ago. Now there is no alter- problem: our heavy dependence unfortunate ring of truth. away from my real job and a lot native, so we’re back in business. on oil. Coal, the dirtiest of the Last year saw an unprece- more travel. No show, no dough, Some of this business will go fossil fuels, has been declin- dented upsurge in public concern so I did it—but then came coro- back to the old model when nor- ing fast as an energy source for about climate change—Australian navirus, social distancing and a mal service is restored, but I sus- years in most places, but oil, the Gwynne Dyer wildfi res, record fl oods all over temporary halt to air travel. End pect quite a lot of it will not. This is second-worst fossil fuel, just kept Global Aff airs the place, Extinction Rebellion, of that solution. What to do next? happening all across the business going up. Greta Thunberg—but all that has In January, the world was now been pushed aside by the pumping and burning 100 million ONDON, U.K.—People who coronavirus. Global heating and barrels of oil a day. (That’s about Llook for silver linings (a.k.a. its associated disasters will kill two litres a day for every man, optimists) think that COVID-19 far more people in the long run, woman and child.) Demand this might be the infl ection point but COVID-19 is killing them month has fallen to 70 million where we start getting serious now. bpd, and while some of it will about our relationship with the There’s no time for climate return when the coronavirus is planet. There’s no direct link this year, and last year’s climate contained, it will probably never between coronavirus and climate momentum will not automatically see 100 million again. The inexo- change, but if a tiny virus can return when the virus is under rable decline of oil has begun. bring our whole bustling civiliza- control. Momentum takes time to But those are about the only tion to a halt, then how vulner- build, and we are running out of bright spots. This year is forecast able will we be to a disordered time. There is no magical deliver- to be the hottest ever, and the environment driven by out-of- ance on the way, and on balance major climate summit that was control global heating? the current health emergency is scheduled for November has been Just in time we are being setting back the cause of climate postponed until next year. Total taught humility and perspective, sanity, not advancing it. annual emissions may be down the optimists say. Even better, Nevertheless, we can take by a few percentage points this some of the things we urgently some comfort from the fact that year, but most of the decline is needed to do are now happen- behavioural moulds are being only temporary. ing without our help. People are broken all over the place, and Do not despair. The planet learning to work from home, air several generations are learning is now hot enough to produce sev- travel has been closed down, the together that disruptive changes, eral major local calamities every oil industry is collapsing, etc., etc. even very big ones, can be ac- year, so we’ll quickly get re-moti- By contrast, the pessimists cepted by most people if they vated to worry about global heat- (who often refer to themselves understand the need. The Canadian Forces, pictured on April 30, 2019, were called in to help stop ing once the current emergency is as realists) believe that crises A small example from my own the fl ooding on the Ottawa River in Constance Bay, just outside Ottawa. The past. Although, probably not fast don’t make people behave better. trade: this column has appeared Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade enough to save us from having to The Great Depression led to the in newspapers all over the world resort to geo-engineering by the Second World War, 9/11 led to for decades, but the relentless re- So I put my talks on video and world, and will mean permanent, 2030s. wars all over the Middle East, the treat of the print media before the offered them to the usual sus- signifi cant change: more working Gwynne Dyer’s new book is Crash of 2008 led to ‘austerity,’ online onslaught has eaten deeply pects—universities, schools, librar- from home, less commuting, more ‘Growing Pains: The Future of slow growth, mounting popular into the revenue base of the press ies, conference organizers—saying teleconferencing, less travel. And Democracy (and Work)’. anger and the rise of populist everywhere. I could do a live Q&A session lower greenhouse gas emissions. The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 15 Global If Canada wants UN Security Council seat, it should stop being shy about championing human security

has a lock on one seat. Canada is battling A few votes, one way or with Ireland, a strong contributor to the UN’s peacekeeping forces, for the other. the other, will determine Neutral Ireland is perennially popular. Canadian Foreign Minister François- Canada’s fate in the current Philippe Champagne says Canada de- election. Canada needs to serves the seat because of our longstand- ing record of strong multilateralism (all but Canada’s bid for a prized seat on the UN Security Council seat is now at a precarious moment. The shuck off its moderateness the Harper years, I think he means), and he outcome may well depend on our response to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’, pictured, has turned that into a platform revolving pleas for a global ceasefi re and for governments to spend an extra $2-billion to help fragile and show its compassion around gender equality, economic security, countries deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, writes Doug Roche. Photograph courtesy of United climate change and sustainable peace. Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus for a suff ering world in a Canada does have bragging rights. In dramatic way. line with our feminist foreign General Guterres wants a herculean effort The pandemic is showing us that nations policy, we now have an Ambassador for to stop wars and divert money spent on must cooperate in building a new security Women, Peace and Security, Jacqueline arms to saving millions from the pandemic. system. Less money for arms and more for O’Neil (though little is ever heard of her). In February, Canada provided $2-million development should be Canada’s rally- Ambassador Marc-André Blanchard chairs to the World Health Organization to help ing cry for election to the Security Council, the important UN Peacebuilding Commis- vulnerable countries deal with COVID-19 and this action should start at home. sion, a feather in Canada’s cap. Not the and in March added $50-million for more Instead of being obsessed with U.S. least feature of our new attractiveness is medical supplies and services. Canada’s President Donald Trump and his crazy de- Canada’s switch last December from cus- total aid budget is $6-billion annually. mand that NATO members spend two tomarily pro-Israel votes at the UN to vot- These amounts are but a small fraction percent of GDP on defence, Canada should ing for the right of the Palestinian people of Canada’s military spending, now at inject life into the words of an earlier U.S. president, Theodore Roosevelt: “Our chief usefulness to humanity rests on combin- Canadian Douglas Roche ing power with high purpose.” There is Foreign Opinion no “usefulness” in governments spending Minister $1.9-trillion this year on armaments, an François- all-time high. Diverting just 10 per cent of Philippe DMONTON—Canada’s bid for a prized that amount could provide $190-billion to Champagne seat on the UN Security Council seat is health and the other infrastructures for hu- E says Canada now at a precarious moment. The outcome man security. That is an idea worthy of the deserves may well depend on our response to UN values of Canada and one that rises to the the seat Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ pleas COVID-19 challenge. In our case, Canada because of our for a global ceasefi re and for governments could easily lead the way and switch 10 per longstanding to spend an extra $2-billion to help fragile cent of our planned military budget to the record of strong countries deal with the COVID-19 pan- post-COVID-19 world. multilateralism, demic. Canada’s most successful period on the and he has In the 75-year history of the UN, Can- UN Security Council was in the 1999-2000 turned that ada has six times served a two-year term term when it pioneered the idea of the into a platform on the UN Security Council. In our last try, “responsibility to protect,” a mechanism to revolving in 2010, we were voted down, so it is now protect the victims of genocide. This was a around gender more than 20 years since Canada belonged big step for the UN to take and Canada led equality, to the main UN body charged with main- the way. It illustrated, as Adam Chapnick economic taining peace and security in the world. pointed out in his new book, Canada on security, The current campaign—the election the United Nations Security Council, how, climate change was scheduled for June 17, but discus- with the right leadership, a country “could and sustainable sions to postpone it are being held—is leverage a seat on the Security Council to peace. The by far the most diffi cult.The ravages of effect transformational change.” Hill Times COVID-19 have shut down meetings at the A few votes, one way or the other, will photograph by UN, and Canadian authorities are divided determine Canada’s fate in the current Andrew Meade on whether to step up a virtual campaign, election. Canada needs to shuck off its risking the appearance of callousness in moderateness and show its compas- the face of so much dislocation and suf- sion for a suffering world in a dramatic fering, or coast on the pre-ballot count way. COVID-19 has brought us to a new they now have, which indicates Canada to self-determination. That move undoubt- $21.9-billion and slated to rise to $32-bil- understanding of human security and might pull off a slim victory. The Western edly ticked off the U.S., but it sewed up a lion by 2027. Canada should stop being shy about allotment in the council has two seats open chunk of non-aligned votes. Is this the kind of old-school thinking championing it. for the 2021-2022 period. Norway and Ire- Displaying ourselves as a good multi- Canada will bring to the Security Council, Former Senator Douglas Roche chaired land are Canada’s two competitors. lateral player is what I would call standard assuming it is elected? More armaments the United Nations Disarmament Commit- Norway, an undaunted champion of thinking. It doesn’t rise to the challenge will not beat COVID-19 and its succes- tee in 1988 as Canada’s ambassador for the UN and a big favourite for its mas- presented by COVID-19, which is turning sors. The anguish of today cries out for disarmament. sive aid programs to the poor countries, political systems upside down. Secretary- a whole new approach to common security. The Hill Times

Now offering Laser Therapy - Kanata Our expert team can help. TCM Acupuncture - All locations WOMEN’S

613.714.9495 HEALTH physiocarephysiotherapy.com Now serving 4 locations: Carling Ave - Hazeldean Rd - Greenbank Rd - Innovation Dr - Free Parking 16 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES News Canadian economy Unprecedented federal defi cits sustainable in short term, say economists, but ‘exit Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on April 28, 2020, during one of his daily media availabilities at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa to update Canadians on the government’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade ramp,’ post-pandemic former chief economic analyst at GDP ratio similar to 1995, which Statistics Canada. took 30 years to achieve.” Mr. Cross said the PBO report Once defi cits are incurred, is “likely” an underestimate, as it they’re very diffi cult to unwind planning needed now doesn’t include the latest emer- for political reasons, “not eco- gency measures announced by nomic reasons, because people the government as well as future become attached to the spending measures for sectors like the that’s driving the defi cit,” accord- $510-billion and budgetary rev- remained low with three rate airlines industries and aid to ing to Prof. Lee. “If there isn’t an ‘It’s not yet clear’ what enues dropping to $280.8-billion. reductions by the Bank of Canada struggling municipalities. exit ramp out of a quarter of a The government has rolled in March alone, bringing the “The federal government’s trillion dollar annual defi cits, and the post-pandemic out a slew of budgetary measures overnight lending rate down going to end up writing a very big there’s no serious conversation economy will look to weather the economic fallout to 0.25 per cent. That leaves an cheque to either cities directly or about how to wind it down, then associated with the pandemic anticipated $23.3-billion public to provinces to pass on to cities,” I think that down the road—and like, says economics crisis since mid-March, the debt charge, a reduction from Mr. Cross said. I’m talking three or four or fi ve largest of which are the $76-bil- the $23.7-billion the year before, years from now—we could be in professor Kevin lion Canada Emergency Wage according to the PBO report. As a Defi cits ‘very diffi cult some serious fi nancial diffi culty.” Subsidy (CEWS), the $35.5-billion percentage of the GDP, the public to unwind for political The Finance Department did Milligan. ‘We don’t Canada Emergency Response debt charge will be 1.2 per cent in not return requests for comment know what will be left Benefi t (CERB), and the $9.1-bil- 2020-2021 compared to 1 per cent reasons,’ says business prof before press deadline. Finance lion Canada Emergency Business in the two previous fi scal years. Ian Lee, a professor at Car- Minister Bill Morneau (Toronto standing when this is Account (CEBA), all of which Prof. Milligan said unlike dur- leton University’s Sprott School Centre, Ont.) was also unavailable have been costed by the PBO. ing the Chretien years, Canada can of Business, told The Hill Times for an interview. done,’ says economist The “great challenge and borrow at a locked-in interest rate he’s not worried about the gov- Economist Armine Yalnizyan, the great diffi culty” of planning of 1.2 per cent for 30 years, where- ernment of Canada’s fi scal stabil- currently an Atkinson Foundation Armine Yalnizyan. for a post-pandemic economy as in the mid-1990s, Canada’s debt- ity or solvency, as Canada has “a fellow and former chief econo- and removing some emergency to-GDP ratio was around 65 per long history of sustained, solid, mist at the Centre for Policy Al- measures is that it is not yet clear cent and bond interest rates—the low infl ationary growth, and The Hill Times Continued from page 1 ternatives told that what that economy will look like rate at which the government pays we’re going into this crisis with “we still have got a long way to go As the government ramps up in the end, Prof. Milligan said. back some of its lenders—around one of the lowest federal debt-to- before we get past the virus—this spending to address the eco- “If we are in an economy where 9 per cent. He added that the cost GDP ratios.” is a health disaster, this is not an nomic crisis brought on by the we’re running, but only at half to fi nance the $252.1-billion defi cit “So we were in good shape—al- economic disaster.” COVID-19 pandemic, its revenue speed, and that continues for a will only be around $2.7-billion. though I do think that overstates “I don’t think economics 101 is expected to drop, as thousands long time, that could be quite tricky “Will interest rates go up?” the situation,” said Prof. Lee. He and the concerns about defi cits of Canadians have lost their because it would harder to shut off Prof. Milligan remarked. “Some also said the federal debt-to-GDP and debt and export-led growth, jobs (and ability to pay taxes) as the emergency programs,” he said. people seem to think the 1990s fi gure is “very misleading.” and that whole narrative of the a result of physical distancing “That’s why I am encouraged was the norm [and] that we’re “When you include federal, almost half-century, is going to orders. An eye-catching rise in the by seeing provinces that are do- going to go back to it. I’m much provincial, and municipal [debt], be the go-forward narrative,” said federal debt has some Canadians ing well … beating the curve of less convinced of that. In the his- which is the normal way that the Ms. Yalnizyan. “I don’t know what worried, and the federal Conser- the pandemic down [and] starting tory of modern capitalism over OECD and IMF quote govern- it will be, but something is end- vative Party ringing alarm bells. to discuss plans for delayer- the last few hundred years, it’s ment debt—total government debt ing, and what is about to happen Professor Kevin Milligan of ing various constraints on our actually rare to have interest rates as a percentage of the economy, hasn’t started happening yet.” the Vancouver School of Econom- economy, because we’ll see how that high and its more normal to because there’s only one tax- Ms. Yalnizyan was also includ- ics at the University of British much economic activity can be have interest rates lower than the payer—when you look at that, ed in Mr. Trudeau’s “stock take.” Columbia said that the debt is sustainable with the virus being growth of the economy.” we’re at 90 per cent debt-to-GDP,” She characterized the current sustainable in the short term, around,” Prof. Milligan added. Prof. Tombe said if Canada said Prof. Lee. “The idea that the economic situation as being “in the even if additional spending pro- Prof. Milligan was included in gets back to a normal fi scal state provincial debt is completely middle of the bombing,” and also grams are announced. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s by 2024 the debt-to-GDP ratio will separate from the government of questioned the usefulness of dis- “We have a tremendous amount (Papineau, Que.) “stock take,” or a begin falling on its own and not Canada, I’ve argued, is nonsense,” cussions around economic down- of borrowing room for one-time “time to take stock of the situa- require similar cuts seen during said Prof. Lee. turns, recessions and debt-to-GDP measures,” he said, adding that tion” with top aides, according to the Chretien era. It took nearly three decades ratio before the smoke clears. Globe and Mail there is “fi scal room” for additional a report. “The question is how quickly do of defi cit spending by the federal “We don’t know what will be left one-time measures for provinces, Trevor Tombe, a University we want to get debt-to-GDP back government, from 1970 up until standing when this done. We don’t municipalities, and businesses. of Calgary economics professor, to the pre-pandemic levels,” he said. the mid-90s, for the debt-to-GDP know what is the economy on which “Where we do not have fi scal echoed Prof. Milligan’s thoughts, If Canada returns to normal fi s- ratio to reach its peak of 72 per we rebuild,” said Ms. Yalnizyan. room is to have these extraor- saying that the defi cit is sustain- cal policy by 2024 and makes no tax cent in 1995-96, prompting what “People are talking about a dinary measures continuing able for this year. increases or spending reductions, Prof. Lee called “the biggest Marshall Plan,” she said, referring into the future. We cannot run “A lot depends on how quickly then it would get back to a debt-to- downsizing in Canadian history,” to the multi-billion dollar foreign a $250-billion defi cit into the the government can unwind all of GDP ratio of around 33 per cent by by the government of then-prime aid program to rebuild West- future,” he said. these emergency income support the late 2030s, Prof. Tombe said. minister Jean Chrétien. ern European economies after A report from Parliamentary measures,” he said. Philip Cross, a Macdonald- “If you look at the current World WarII. “How do you know Budget Offi cer (PBO) Yves Giroux “If the budget can return to Laurier Institute senior fellow, numbers, and assume that the what needs to be rebuilt? We’re anticipates that the federal debt normal fi scal policy in 2021 and said while the interest rate is low $250-billion defi cit is fairly accu- nowhere near done the bomb- will rise to $962.3-billion in the beyond, then [the] debt-to-GDP for the federal government, that rate, and assume as I did, for the ing, we’re just starting to see the 2020-2021 fi scal year, up from ratio will begin declining once isn’t true for everyone, such as purposes of my calculation, that devastation, ” $710.2-billion the year before. again and that’s the key measure the provinces, and he added that it’s going to be repeated at least Ms. Yalnizyan also noted that al- That would mean the percentage of sustainability—whether debt as the economy improves Canada two more years after that because though there’s “no functional limit of debt-to-GDP would rise 17.6 grows without bound or grows would want private borrowing to it’s going to very hard as we come to the fi scal capacity of the federal points to 48.4 per cent. faster than the economy,” he said. crowd out public borrowing. out of coronavirus crisis, it’s go- government right now,” there “are In total the report projects The focus should be on The 48 per cent debt-to-GDP ing to be very hard to take that functional and fi scal limits to what that in the current fi scal year, the whether the additional debt can isn’t currently at a “crisis level,” money back right away,” said Prof. the provinces can do.” federal government will have a be serviced, Prof. Tombe said. but the combination of the falling Lee. “In about three years time, [email protected] defi cit of $252.1-billion with pro- While the debt has risen, GDP and rising debt is increasing I calculate, approximately, that [email protected] gram expenses totalling nearly federal interest charges have the ratio rapidly, said Mr. Cross, a we’re going to achieve a debt-to- The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 17 Money & politics News With political fundraising mostly suspended, some MPs fl oating idea of reviving per vote subsidy

MPs and political pandemic and other priorities, but said the subsidy program should parties have be looked at in the next Parlia- ment. either suspended “It should never have been cut in the fi rst place, but that’s his- fundraising or tory now,” said Mr. Easter. “It’s worth considering. … have scaled it back We’ve got plenty of things on our signifi cantly because plate without worrying about po- litical fundraising at the moment. of COVID-19 and That’ll be the bottom line for me,” Mr. Easter said. they say they don’t NDP MP Brian Masse (Wind- sor West, Ont.) said that his know when regular party would support the idea of reintroducing the per-vote fundraising will subsidy program. He said the restart. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Québécois subsidy model played a key Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Green Party Parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May. All major federal political parties role in keeping the infl uence of and MPs have either suspended their fundraising or have scaled it down signifi cantly because of COVID-19. Some MPs big money and multinational are now fl oating the idea of resurrecting the per vote subsidy program for all parties to make up for the revenue loss corporations out of politics and Continued from page 1 and to keep it in place going forward. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade said if the government decides about going back to the per vote to resurrect the per vote subsidy subsidy that existed way back in parties need multi-millions of expenses. For example, if a candi- or have scaled them down law, the New Democrats would the day,” said Liberal MP Ken Har- dollars and MPs need thousands date spent $100,000 in his or her signifi cantly during this global support it. die (Fleetwood-Port Kells, B.C.), of dollars. In the last federal elec- election campaign, Elections Can- pandemic because now is not the “The old model at least pro- in a phone interview with The Hill tion, the spending limit for each ada would pay $60,000 in rebates. right time to be asking Canadi- vided some sanctity in the sense Times. “I believe that’s a very equi- of the four mainstream national So, the party would keep $30,000 ans to donate to political parties. that there was accountability table way, particularly for parties political parties was $29,060,308. and the candidate would get the MPs said they’re focusing only on where the money came from—per like the Greens who garner a lot of The spending limit for candi- remaining $30,000. In the case helping their constituents to deal vote subsidy from the public—and votes but don’t necessarily elect a dates depends on the population, of the Liberals and the NDP, the with the COVID-19. Liberal MP also accounting practices to show lot of people. It’s one way of mak- of the riding, geography, and party would claw back $36,000, Judy Sgro (Humber River-Black where the money was spent,” said ing those votes count.” the duration of the writ period. and the candidate $24,000. Creek, Ont.) told The Hill Times Mr. Masse. “That kept a certain The per vote subsidy came into In the last election, the riding of Elections Canada pays 15 per that she’s only raising funds for element of our democracy in effect in 2004 as part of the politi- Charlottetown, P.E.I., had the low- cent of the riding spending limit charities in her riding to help check.” cal fi nancing reforms passed in est spending limit of $86,542 in to candidates within a few weeks people deal with coronavirus. But Conservative MP Michael 2002 when then-outgoing Liberal the country while the Kootenay- after the election, and the remain- MPs said that they don’t know Cooper (St. Albert-Edmonton, prime minister Jean Chrétien for Columbia, B.C., had the spending der is reimbursed upon a review when will they be able to restart Alta.) said he never supported the fi rst time limited individual limit of $145,436, the highest in of all expenses by auditors to en- fundraising efforts because no the per-vote subsidy program donations to political parties up the country. sure all fi led claims were in com- one knows when this crisis is go- when it was fi rst started in 2004 to $5,000 and corporate and union Other than raising funds on pliance with the Elections Act. ing to be over, or if there’s going and agreed with Mr. Harper’s donations to $1,000. The subsidy their own from constituents, the Elections Canada sends rebates to be a second or third wave of decision to eliminate it. Cur- provided a little over $2 per year only other source of income for to the offi cial fi nancial agent of the pandemic. They said money rently, he said the government to political parties for every vote riding associations is the rebates each candidate and cheques are is critical for their re-election debt has reached $200-billion they garnered in the previous from Elections Canada. However, deposited in the campaign bank chances, especially in swing and he wouldn’t want to support election. Political parties received party headquarters of the three account. ridings but are choosing not to another program that would add millions of dollars each year major parties claw back 50 per After the 2015 election, the talk about it openly at this time more burden on the taxpayer. between 2004 and 2015 each year cent to 60 per cent of the rebates Conservative Party candidates out of fear that it could backfi re Mr. Cooper said the government because of the per vote subsidy. from each as millions of is already providing support to When Stephen Harper’s Con- candidate. The Canadians are political parties in the form of servatives came to power in 2006, Conservatives worried about election rebates, and tax deduc- they banned corporations and take a cut of 50 their health tions to political contributions, unions from making any political per cent while and economic and as far as he’s concerned, that donations and individual contri- the Liberals and security. is good enough. butions were capped at $1,100. the NDP keep 60 Mr. Har- “The last thing taxpayers’ dol- Currently, the individual donation per cent. die and other lars should be used for is to give limit is $1,625. For the Liberal MPs more money to support political Mr. Harper also phased out the incumbent Con- said that they parties,” said Mr. Cooper, also a per vote subsidy after winning a servative MPs, are not making member of the House Finance majority in 2011 and completely another compli- any fundraising Committee. eliminated it in 2015. cating layer now calls, but said “There’re already tax incen- According to a 2018 report by is that if they their regular tives in place and with running the parliamentary budget offi cer, want to carry donors who a tax defi cit of $200-billion and if the government decided to res- the party’s ban- have pledged to perhaps even more, this is not the urrect this subsidy again, it would ner in the next donate money time to be spending taxpayers’ cost $45.2-million per year. election without on a monthly dollars on the parties,” Mr. Cooper Since Prime Minister Jus- a nomination basis, are still said. tin Trudeau’s (Papineau, Que.) challenge, they donating money. The Conservatives have been Liberals have been reduced to a will have to Mr. Hardie said outperforming all parties in fun- minority government in the 2019 raise $15,000 by these regular draising for years. Even though federal election, it means an elec- December. And donations are the Liberals won the 2015 and tion can theoretically happen at if any MP is un- small, but still at 2019 general elections, still the any time because the government able to achieve Liberal MP Ken Hardie, left, pictured with former Liberal MP Dan Ruimy. Mr. Hardie the end of every Conservatives are out-raising the needs the support of at least one the target by is in favour of restarting the per vote subsidy program. The Hill Times fi le photograph year add up to other parties. other political party to pass any that time, they about $6,000 in In 2019, the Conservatives bill. Of the 338 seats in the last will have to raise his case. raised $31-million, compared election, the Liberals won 157, $25,000 by April, and if any MP received $16,778,265 in rebates in Veteran Liberal MP and to $21-million for the Liber- the Conservatives 121, the Bloc fails to meet these two deadlines, total; the Liberals $14,146,482; the former cabinet minister Wayne als, $8-million for the NDP and 32, the NDP 24, the Greens three then the incumbent’s riding will NDP $9,469,792; the Bloc Québé- Easter (Malpeque, P.E.I.), now $6.5-million for the Greens. In and one Independent MP was be open for nomination chal- cois $1,406,006; and the Green the chair of the powerful House the fi rst quarter of this year, the election. lenges. Party $773,165. Finance Committee, told The Hill Conservatives raised $3.8-million, If the Liberals lose even one After every federal election, MPs and the spokespeople of Times that he would support re- the Liberals $2.8-million, the NDP confi dence vote, an election will all candidates who receive 10 per the three major parties inter- starting the per vote subsidy pro- $963,000, and the Green Party be triggered. cent or more of the votes in their viewed for this story said that gram, but not in this Parliament. raised $576,000. To run a vigorous and a win- ridings are reimbursed for 60 they have either suspended He said the government’s plate [email protected] nable campaign, all political per cent of their eligible election fundraising activities altogether is full right now dealing with the The Hill Times 18 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES News Gun control

Sen. White. Small-time criminals the border, then you have to be Mr. Van Loan introduced those Ballistic tracing and can be pressured to cut a deal with able to say, balancing all of the penalties into law during his time prosecutors and help police to fi nd priorities the government has, do as public safety minister, but they the smugglers who brought their they have the resources for this were deemed unconstitutional by joint operations guns into the country. priority of fi rearms?” the Supreme Court in 2015 and “Once you’re across that border taken off the books. with a fi rearm, very few of them Liberals reverse course, “Simple possession of an illegal ever get caught once they sell them, handgun becoming punishable by key to slowing because we’re not able to trace ban ‘military-style’ rifl es imprisonment made a huge differ- them back well enough,” he said. without legislation ence,” said Mr. Van Loan. Successive Liberal and Con- The government announced cross-border gun servative governments have re- late last week that it was using Gun homicides rose in fused to obligate police forces to an order in council to ban new enter ballistic data into the CIBIN sales of military-style semi-auto- recent years There was an average of 184 system, he said. matic rifl es, and buy back those smuggling, say gun homicides in Canada per Tougher penalties for gun currently owned by Canadian year between 2002 and 2018, smugglers would also help, he said. residents. Owners will have a the most recent year for which Conviction of knowingly two-year amnesty period in which data was available, according to former top cops smuggling a gun into Canada they can sell their weapons back Statistics Canada. There were 223, comes with a steep penalty— to the government, but can not 267, and 249 gun homicides in three years in prison, minimum, use or transport them. Canada in the three most recent within a police force that deal for a fi rst time offence, and a Friday’s announcement The Nova Scotia shooter years, following the Supreme with guns, she said—for example, maximum of 10 years. However, contradicted what Mr. Blair and Court’s decision to strike down drug and gun units. many people caught smuggling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got some of his weapons mandatory minimum penalties The government can also guns into Canada end up plead- (Papineau, Que.) had said days for possession of a gun. illegally from the United make a dent in the problem if it ing guilty to more minor offences, earlier—that the ban and buyback Gun homicides dropped brings into force a part of its last said Sen. White. would be enacted through legisla- from an average of 185 per year States, police say. gun control bill that would once “I think that our success prob- tion, not an order in council. By between 2002 and 2008 to 165 per again require gun retailers to keep ably is going to be hinged on the using an order in council, the year during the years in which records of their sales—also known fact that we’re actually making it ban and buyback won’t go under Continued from page 1 mandatory minimum penalties as “green books”, said CSG Sena- a serious crime to illegally trans- parliamentary scrutiny. for possession were in effect, The Liberal government has tor Vern White (Ontario), a former port fi rearms. Because it’s not “We will be moving forward including 2015. pledged once again to crack down Ottawa police chief and assistant that serious right now.” with legislation Mr. Van Loan said the govern- on cross-border gun smuggling as RCMP commis- to ban them,” Mr. ment could use the Constitution’s part of its upcoming gun control sioner. Trudeau said dur- notwithstanding clause to bring package, which will come in the Police offi cers ing an April 22 back those penalties, or change wake of the deadliest shooting working in the press conference. the penalties to satisfy the courts rampage in Canadian history. National Weapons “We intend to that they match the severity of the A 51 year old man killed 22 Enforcement Sup- bring forward both crime—possibly by having them people in Nova Scotia in both port Team used to regulation and only apply to second and subse- targeted and random shootings be able to track legislation that will quent offences. on April 18 and 19. He was even- weapons used to enable us to pro- tually killed by a police offi cer. commit crimes hibit military style The shooter, who did not have a back to their assault weapons,” End ‘rubber stamp’ fi rearms license, used both pistols manufacturer, and Mr. Blair said on and long guns during his attack, then forward to April 20. license renewals: Rathjen “We always support tougher including one assault-style rifl e. the last person to Mr. Blair’s offi ce measures at the border. It’s defi - Some of the weapons came from legally own them declined to com- nitely a problem, gun smuggling,” the United States, according to using the green ment last week said Heidi Rathjen, the coordina- the RCMP. books kept by gun when asked to tor of the gun control advocacy Public Safety Minister Bill retailers, he said. explain the quick group PolyRemembers, in an Blair (Scarborough Southwest, “That sys- about-face in how interview. Ont.) promised that new gun tem has been Former police chiefs and current Senators Gwen Boniface and Vern the ban would be The government should also control legislation was coming messed with White say there are plenty of things police and border offi cers can do implemented. invest more money to properly soon in the days following the because we got to slow the fl ow of guns across the border—if they have funding and A survey by screen those who apply for gun attack, and that it would include rid of the green direction from the government. The Hill Times fi le photographs the Angus Reid licenses and license renewals, she measures to “reduce the incidence books when the Institute at the end said. of smuggling of fi rearms across fi rearms registry of April found that four in fi ve Ms. Rathjen said some the border.” was taken out. There was a mis- Both Senator White and Senator Canadians said they supported provinces “rubber stamp” license Legislation can effect change taken belief that the green book Boniface said that authorities don’t banning civilian possession of renewals, without contacting an in a number of ways, includ- is a registry, and it really isn’t, it’s really know how many guns are assault weapons. applicant’s family members to ing by funding new government the bill of sale,” he said. smuggled into Canada each year. programs. The government has “If we’re going to start talking Shoring up the budgets of ask if he or she has a history of not yet announced details of its about gun control in Canada, fi rearms offi cers that track legal Bring back jail time for violence or mental illness. upcoming gun control package be- we need to re-institute the green and illegal guns in each province illegal gun possession: “They don’t check the refer- yond its move to ban assault rifl es. book fully, obligate provinces to would also help to get better ences,” she said. Simply changing the laws go back to maintaining green information to police and border ex-minister Van Loan The government should run a controlling the border probably books, which some provinces and offi cers, said Sen. Boniface. Find- Trying to put a stop to gun public education campaign about won’t do much to change the gun many stores still do.” ing illegal guns and tracing where smuggling along the border will the risks posed by guns, and the smuggling business, said Inde- The Liberals’ last gun control they came from will help authori- inevitably involve more govern- importance of contacting police if pendent Senator Gwen Boniface bill, C-71, requires gun retailers to ties to catch the smugglers when ment spending, said former Con- a gun owner is behaving violently (Ontario), a former commissioner maintain green books, but it still they come back to the border. servative public safety minister or displaying signs of mental ill- of the Ontario Provincial Police hasn’t been brought into force “If you can start plugging the Peter Van Loan in an interview ness, she said. The Hill Times and president of the Canadian after it was passed last summer. loopholes in the system, then you with . “They need to alert police, and Association of Chiefs of Police. “Getting that in place I think can start squeezing where…orga- “The only answer is always police have to investigate,” she said. “You may tinker with legisla- will help law enforcement when nized crime or gangs have fi gured more and more resources. That Sheldon Clare, the president of tion in terms of the border, but I’d it comes to guns that are legiti- out how to work it through the costs more money, and that’s… pro-gun lobby group the National suspect they have the legislation mately in Canada and legally, at system,” said Sen. Boniface, adding a bit of a mug’s game, because Firearms Association, said that they need [already],” said Sen. some point, owned by people in that unoffi cial border crossings are you could never spend enough to trying to stop gun smuggling Boniface in an interview. Canada,” said Sen. White. frequently used by smugglers. actually catch everything without won’t work if there is still a de- More funding and coordination The government should also The CBSA has seized 647 shutting down the border,” said mand for illegal guns. between police and border au- require police agencies to start fi rearms so far in the 2019-2020 Mr. Van Loan, who served as the “Regardless of what it is, if thorities is the best way to tackle entering the ballistic “fi ngerprints” fi scal year. The agency seized 696 public safety minister between people want something, there will the problem, said Sen. Boniface. from every seized gun into the fi rearms in all of the last fi scal October, 2008 and January, 2010, be those who will supply it, illicit “What you really have to Canadian Integrated Ballistic year, and 751 the year before that. and now works as a lawyer for or not,” Mr. Clare wrote in a state- look at is how you integrate Identifi cation Network (CIBIN), The government also has to the fi rm Aird Berlis in the Toronto ment to The Hill Times. the multiple agencies that are said Sen. White. That database send a signal to police forces that area. “I believe we have seen efforts dealing with—and put a focus was rolled out in 2004, and keeps stopping smuggling is a top prior- “There’s no magic silver bullet, at prohibition fail for alcohol and that is primarily or signifi cantly a record of the unique marks ity, and send the funding to match, otherwise it probably would have cannabis—why would fi rearms around—the groups that traffi c in each gun leaves on bullets and she said. A lot of police resources been done a long time ago.” be any different? Civil disarma- fi rearms,” she said. brass casings when it fi res. were shifted to counter-terrorism Mr. Van Loan said that bringing ment campaigns don’t tend to That includes offi cers on both The CIBIN helps police to link following the 9/11 attacks in the back mandatory minimum penal- stop criminal activity and poor sides of the Canada-U.S. border, guns seized in connection with United States, she said. ties for illegal possession of a hand- choices,” he wrote. as well as different Canadian po- one crime to bullets or casings “If you want to seriously tackle gun would be the best way to cut [email protected] lice agencies, and different units found at the scene of others, said the issue of guns coming across down on gun violence in Canada. The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 19 Senate News Opinion Senate oversight A guaranteed basic committees aim to income program is start meeting this week no substitute for a Independent Senator Donna Dasko says she wants the Senate Social Affairs Committee to take good employment a look at some of the data collected by Statistics Canada on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Canadians. She insurance program and the other members of the committee are ready to start their study of Continued from page 2 weekly benefi t amounts to $454. It should government’s relief effort. be noted that only 58 per cent of male The Hill Times photograph would replace provincial welfare programs benefi ciaries and 34 per cent of female by Andrew Meade and would apply to everyone uncondition- benefi ciaries receive the maximum weekly ally. According to some, the GBI would amount. also replace Employment Insurance, Old In addition, a worker temporarily Age Security and many other programs. receiving EI benefi ts may have to partially Before going any further, it is worth repay them if their annual income ex- noting that advocates for a basic income ceeds $66,000 (30 per cent reimbursement defi ne it differently, and fi gures range for every additional dollar). Clearly, the from $10,000 to $22,000 for a single adult EI program does not meet the objective aged 18 and older. Cost estimates for such of protecting the standard of living—it a program vary from $60-billion to more barely protects workers against the risk of than $600-billion, depending on the benefi t poverty. amount and the chosen formula. These are In many countries, income protec- very high costs when we compare them to tion programs in case of unemployment the federal government’s total expenditure cover about 75 per cent of one’s salary. Independent Senator Chantal Petit- budget of approximately $300-billion for Representatives of employers and employ- The Senate’s Finance and clerc (Grandville, Que.) is expected to be the year 2019-2020. ees such as employers’ associations and re-elected as the chair of the Social Af- Moreover, according to the OECD, it is unions participate actively in the man- Social Aff airs committees fairs Committee, after serving in that role not clear that a GBI would reduce poverty agement of these programs which is not for part of the last Parliament, multiple in all cases as it also depends on the ben- the case in Canada. They include many are preparing to start their sources told The Hill Times. efi t levels, the formula used and the fund- skill development initiatives, training and studies of the government’s Canadian Senators Group Sen. Diane ing strategy. In addition, as indicated by employment assistance services, which Griffi n (P.E.I.) and Conservative Senator the Parliamentary Budget Offi ce’s analysis, are referred to as active employment mea- COVID-19 relief eff ort. Rose-May Poirier (Saint-Louis-de-Kent, the experiences of the GBI in Canada and sures. Many programs also include partial N.B.) are expected to round out the Social around the world demonstrated that such unemployment provisions that were the BY PETER MAZEREEUW Affairs steering committee, said Sen. Dasko. a program reduces the number of hours inspiration behind the new Canadian As of last week, Sen. Petitclerc had al- worked by at least nine per cent, which wage subsidy program. he two Senate committees overseeing ready begun to meet with the deputy chairs in turn would result in a lower national Employment insurance programs Tthe government’s COVID-19 response and to ask for feedback from other mem- income. administered by labour market partners in are aiming to begin meeting virtually this bers of the committee on how it should Another major hurdle: such a program other parts of the world have demonstrated week, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s conduct the study, said Sen. Dasko. would most likely be considered uncon- their value. They allow measures that give Liberals continue to roll out a relief effort Sen. Dasko, a former professional poll- stitutional unless it receives unanimous greater fl exibility for companies to adapt that the parliamentary budget offi cer says ster, said she hoped the committee would provincial support. In fact, a GBI program while providing more economic security will likely push Canada’s defi cit above spend time examining some of the surveys would interfere with provincial legislation for their employees. A look back at the eco- $250-billion this year alone. conducted by Statistics Canada on the pan- on social assistance and labour which are nomic history of the past 40 years shows The Senate Finance Committee is plan- demic’s effect on Canadians, including on areas of exclusive provincial jurisdiction. that these programs have enabled coun- ning to begin its study of the government’s vulnerable groups, the labour market, and On the other hand, a comprehensive tries like Germany and Scandinavian na- fi nancial response to the pandemic with a differences between the provinces. review of EI does not present unsurmount- tions to recover faster from crises notably review of the Finance Department’s latest “I think that kind of an overview just able problems and would be benefi cial to due to major investments in active labour biweekly report to Parliament, according gives us a very fi rm basis for looking at Canada. market policies. to the offi ce of Independent Senator Éric other issues,” she said. Social insurance programs, such as EI, In Canada, investments in employ- Forest (Gulf, Que.), the deputy chair of the As of April 29, COVID-19 had killed have two objectives: fi rstly, to protect the ment measures are signifi cantly below the committee. more than 2,900 Canadian residents, and standard of living acquired through paid OECD average. It does not suffi ciently ad- That report covers the government’s more than 50,000 cases had been con- employment and, secondly, to prevent dress the issue of skills development such actions under three sections of Bill C-13— fi rmed, according to Theresa Tam, Canada’s poverty. The underlying principle behind as up-skilling and re-skilling. And yet, con- passed into law on March 25—which gave chief public health offi cer. them is that joining the active labour force siderable challenges remain in this area. the government broad powers to spend, Projections last week showed that is always the preferred choice. Considering the social and economic borrow, or transfer money, and change pro- Canada has slowed the spread of the virus Social insurance programs are the imperatives after COVID-19, as well as grams under the Employment Insurance within its border, Dr. Tam said in a press building blocks of most income security technological change, climate change and Act during the pandemic. conference. systems in industrialized countries. Their the aging workforce, the federal govern- The committee hopes to start by calling “Things are looking better though we’re origins date back to Bismarck, who intro- ment must carry out an in-depth reform of witnesses from Finance Canada, the Cana- not entirely out of the woods yet,” she said. duced contributory programs in the late EI to meetst the labour market challenges of da Revenue Agency, and Employment and “We have to remain mindful that our pro- 19th century to protect citizens’ living stan- the 21 century. The government must do Social Development Canada for a briefi ng, jections are only as reliable as our actions dards in the event of illness or a workplace so in collaboration with the labour market according to Sen. Forest’s offi ce. now and going forward.” accident. Social insurance in the event of partners that contribute to the plan. Conservative Senator Percy Mockler Canada’s parliamentary budget offi cer, involuntary unemployment made its ap- EI is and remains the best policy choice to (New Brunswick), who chairs the com- Yves Giroux, said in a report last week pearance in the 1930s in several European encourage a sustainable labour market inte- mittee, did not respond to requests for an that he expected Canada’s federal defi cit countries. These contributory programs gration, occupational and labour mobility, and interview about the committee’s work. to hit $252.1-billion this year, thanks to have evolved considerably over time in the protection of a decent standard of living. The Senate’s Social Affairs Committee a combination of the government’s hefty accordance with the changes in the labour As for the best way to ensure a basic has also been asked to meet virtually to over- relief spending and an economic contrac- market, but they still play a central role in income for Canadians, it is largely the re- see the government’s public health response tion caused by the temporary shutdown of the income security framework. sponsibility of the provinces. However, the during the pandemic. That committee is also many businesses amid the pandemic. In Canada, social insurance plans are federal government may certainly engage aiming to begin meeting next week, said In- As of last week the government had generally less generous than those of other in a discussion with the provinces to sup- dependent Senator Donna Dasko (Ontario), announced well over $100-billion in direct industrialized countries. For example, the port together the pursuit of a sustainable a member of the committee. spending as part of its COVID-19 relief ef- EI program provides a maximum benefi t plan to reduce poverty in Canada. However, Senate leaders were still fort, and tens of billions more in loans and of 55 per cent of a person’s earnings up Quebec Senator Diane Bellemare is an negotiating over when exactly the oversight deferred tax and duty payments. to a maximum of $573 per week. Recent economist and part of the Independent committees would begin meeting as of mid- [email protected] data from the Canada Employment Insur- Senators Group. way through last week, said Sen. Dasko. The Hill Times ance Commission shows that the average The Hill Times 20 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES Opinion

such an arrangement with the no- tion of parliamentary privilege. Senate must be better prepared Furthermore, all of this would be considered while keeping in mind the temporary procedural changes and safety measures needed to support Senate pro- for emergency situations ceedings and to protect the health of Senators and employees. Canada’s situation is not Members of the Senate's Internal unique and other countries are The ultimate goal of this study is to propose to Economy Committee, pictured May conducting similar studies. For 9, 2019. The Canadian Senators example, the House of Lords in Senators over the next months the implementation Group (CSG) has introduced a the United Kingdom issued a guid- motion in the Senate on April 11, ance document on April 16, 2020, of a contingency plan allowing the Senate to 2020, to institute a review of the such that when it reconvenes, rapidly adapt its rules and practices, as well as best-suited technological options measures will have already been to ensure the continuity of the implemented to balance constitu- the use of technologies and safety measures, for a Red Chamber proceedings during tional requirements for minimal emergency situations, such as this physical presence in the Chamber potential second wave of COVID-19 cases later this pandemic, writes Senator Scott with technology that facilitates Tannas. The Hill Times photograph virtual proceedings and protects year or future emergencies. by Andrew Meade the safety of members and staff. within our democracy, whether in This motion would direct the The CSG’s motion will be But adjust they have. Aided by normal times or during a crisis. interim clerk of the Senate and debatable once the Senate is the technology that enables much Parliament is not some busi- the clerk of the Parliaments to back for its regular sittings. The work to be performed remotely, ness that can simply send its review and report on available ultimate goal of this study is to Canadians and businesses are members home with a laptop to technological options that ensure propose to Senators over the next adapting and getting the job done perform all their duties remotely. the Senate can continue to oper- months the implementation of a as best as they can. Pandemic or That said, the current pandemic ate and fulfi l its parliamentary contingency plan allowing the not, Canada carries on. has exposed a weakness in the and constitutional duties. Senate to rapidly adapt its rules It is in that spirit that the Ca- institution. It has clearly not The review would include the and practices, as well as the use nadian Senators Group (CSG) has kept pace with the technological best technological practises being of technologies and safety mea- introduced a motion in the Senate progress of the 21st century. For adopted in other Commonwealth sures, for a potential second wave Scott Tannas on April 11, 2020, to institute a example, something as simple as parliaments and whether they of COVID-19 cases later this year Opinion review of the best-suited tech- electronic voting, currently used would be applicable here. or future emergencies. nological options to ensure the in both Europe and the United The current context requires In both cases, Canadians continuity of the Red Chamber States, is currently not possible in that multiple elements be exam- expect that the Senate be bet- anadians’ lives and work have proceedings during emergency Canada. Over the last few weeks, ined such as the constitutional ter prepared to respond to these Cbeen turned upside down in situations, such as this pandemic. the Senate has been forced to rights and responsibilities of the extraordinary situations. recent weeks, as the effects of Our system requires a robust curtail its sittings, and many com- Senate, the technological consider- Alberta Senator Scott Tannas the COVID-19 pandemic imposed Parliament, including the Senate, mittees are not meeting at all. The ations of providing secure commu- is the interim leader of the Cana- changes on our country that were which can serve its vital role of CSG fi nds this totally unaccept- nication links to senators working dian Senators Group. unthinkable just a few weeks ago. holding government to account able. remotely, and the compatibility of The Hill Times

Singapore and Taiwan are doing tion or quarantining in the interests it. So is South Korea. And Paki- of national health. The tricky part is Surveillance and COVID-19: stan. These states appear to have how to do this well. concluded that the pandemic is There is a tendency for states a very real national security and to not give back extraordinary public safety threat (the two are powers once they are granted what if some of the cures raise not synonymous) and that severe and for some to use those powers measures must be implemented. in the furtherance of parochial Not surprisingly, some civil rather than national interests. equally challenging issues? liberties advocates are up in arms Perhaps our existing security (in my humble opinion, some of services can provide some guid- these are always up in arms about ance. CSIS, for example, has an act Service of James Bond fame, something or other, and not always that both allows and restricts what Perhaps our existing security services can although his movies are much less realistically). They warn of the it can do. It has to go to court, for tied to the real world). abuse of personal data, asking that instance, to intercept communica- provide some guidance. CSIS, for example, One of the aspects of “doing” if a state is to monitor those who tions under warrant. It is subject to intelligence in the U.K. is the incred- are ill with COVID-19 it must at review agencies. All this together, has an act that both allows and restricts what ibly important benefi t of CCTV least anonymize the data (but then serves as a necessary oversight so it can do. It has to go to court, for instance, to cameras. London, especially, but I how do we know who is a carrier?). that our spies don’t go “rogue.” imagine other parts of the country Errol Mendes of the University of Is some rubric possible for this intercept communications under warrant. It as well, are blanketed with them, Ottawa has noted that “the dan- time of pandemic? There should affording spy services a wealth of ger is that supposedly democratic be a way to do this properly. Let’s is subject to review agencies. All this together, data to use in the furtherance of governments that get total control hope we can fi gure this out. their investigations. In episode after of large parts of society as a result As an aside, the Canadian serves as a necessary oversight so that our episode of MI5, the members of the of measures to contain COVID-19 Internet Registration Authority spies don’t go ‘rogue.’ service regularly get access to near may be tempted to do the same with and the Communications Security real-time images and videos which the key democratic institutions.” His Establishment (CSE) have teamed allow them to catch the bad guys. concerns are real in a country like up on the CIRA-Canadian Shield, I confess to being a fan of We in Canada do not have any- Hungary whose leader, Viktor Orban, a protected domain name system the British TV series MI5, which thing even close to such a system has already taken steps to undermine (DNS) service, that prevents is not strangely about MI5, the and I am not sure Canadians want that nation’s democratic system. Canadians from connecting to British Security Service (BSS). one. There is a certain level of What then is the answer? Can malicious websites that might This intelligence agency’s closest distrust in the state at any given governments monitor and collect infect their devices and steal equivalent in this country is CSIS, time and average citizens are right data on the spread of the virus to their personal information. This one of my former employers, to ask what the government would help “fl atten the curve”? Doing noth- is seen as even more necessary although perfect analogies are do with this information, let alone ing does not seem to be an option: than normal, insofar as COVID-19 rare in the spy business for many their ability to keep it safe. hence all the ideas being fl oated to is opening the door to all kinds reasons (legislation, history and What, then, to make of an idea get this country back to as near a of malicious online actors. And, Phil Gurski culture, to name, but three). put forward by the Trudeau govern- state of normal as possible. they are making it free for all National Security Yes, I know it is fi ction, but the ment to use cellphone data to en- I would like to think that we can Canadians. Now that’s how our show is quite good. Furthermore, force quarantine of those affected by use the technology available to us to nation’s spies can help during the as my friends in the U.K. who used the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)? do this effectively and within both pandemic. TTAWA—Governments to work for MI5 tell me, it does a In this, Canada would not be the law and Canadians’ sense of pri- Phil Gurski is the director of Oaround the world are strug- pretty good job at accuracy as well, alone. Other countries are lever- vacy. One thing is certain, however: the security program at the Uni- gling to deal with the novel coro- right down to the strained relation- aging cellphone or other data no one has the right to pretend they versity of Ottawa and a former navirus: what if some of the cures ship with its crosstown “partner” to monitor who has the virus. are not affected by COVID-19 or analyst at both CSE and CSIS. raise equally challenging issues? MI6 (the British Secret Intelligence China does it. Iceland does it. ignore rules that mandate self-isola- The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 21

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured hill climbers April 29, 2020, giving by Laura Ryckewaert a thumb’s up in the House of Commons Chamber ahead of the committee New Quebec, Ontario of the whole meeting. The Hill Times photograph desks among notable by Andrew Meade PMO staff moves degree in women’s studies and feminist PMO press secretaries currently remain: alongside fellow Ontario desk Angad Dhil- research from Western University. Alex Wellstead and Ann-Clara Vaillan- Plus, Natacha Engel has lon. As reported by Hill Climbers, Michael court—both new additions since the 2019 Mr. Valois has spent the last few months Milech has also recently joined the PMO election. exited the top offi ce to as director of parliamentary affairs and as a policy adviser, arriving straight from become a senior policy issues management to Indigenous Services Public Safety Minister Bill Blair’s offi ce. Daniel Minister Marc Miller. Before the 2019 elec- Kathleen Davis has been promoted. Pascucci, adviser to Small Business, tion, he’d done the same job for the veter- Previously a special assistant for policy pictured ans affairs minister since December 2015, in the PMO, Ms. Davis is now a senior with Prime Export Promotion, and starting under then-minister Kent Hehr issues adviser for Global Affairs, report- Minister and ending under current Veterans Affairs ing, ultimately, to Brian Clow as executive Justin International Trade Mary Ng. Minister Lawrence MacAulay. He’s also a director of issues management, parliamen- Trudeau. former assistant to then-Liberal MPs Eve tary affairs, and Canada-U.S. relations, and Photograph N APARTMENT NEAR PARLIAMENT Adams, Frank Valeriote, and Mario Silva. Maxime Dea as unit director. courtesy of AHILL—The (metaphorical) revolving Working alongside them to provide re- Ms. Davis has been working in the LinkedIn doors of Parliament Hill continue to turn, gional advice in the PMO is Sangeeta Lalli, PMO since February 2018, and while part and there are a few new staff who’ve made regional adviser for British Columbia; of the offi ce’s policy team had focused on their way into the Prime Minister’s Offi ce Katherine O’Halloran, regional adviser for the global affairs fi le. A former freelance to note, including Anson Duran, who’s the Atlantic; and Mackenzie Hird, regional journalist with a background in law, she’s been hired as the top offi ce’s new Quebec adviser for the Prairies and North. They all also previously been a communications regional affairs adviser. report to Matt Stickney as executive direc- and parliamentary affairs adviser to then- PMO tour advance Daniel Pascucci Mr. Duran recently arrived straight tor of operations. justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould. made his exit in late February. A former from Transport Minister Marc Garneau’s Shehzad Sewani has been hired as ex- A number of other PMO promotions operations adviser to then-Ontario pre- offi ce, where he’d been working since ecutive assistant to PMO director of com- took place in January that are worth high- mier Kathleen Wynne, he’d fi rst joined Mr. January 2018 starting as a policy adviser munications Cameron Ahmad and team. lighting. Trudeau’s offi ce in September 2018. and ending as a senior policy adviser ear- Mr. Sewani has previously worked for the Rick Theis, who’s been a policy adviser Natacha Engel has also left her post lier this month. He spent the 2019 federal Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan, last as in the offi ce since April 2018, now holds as PMO deputy director of appointments election helping the Liberal campaign as a a programme offi cer for economic and the title of director of policy and cabinet and is now a senior policy adviser to Small fi eld organizer in Montreal. social connections, before which he was a affairs. A former chief of staff to Crown- Business, Export Promotion, and Interna- Before joining Mr. Garneau’s team, Mr. purchasing assistant with Amcan Bearing Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn tional Trade Minister Mary Ng. Duran spent almost a year as an assis- Company, as noted on his LinkedIn profi le. Bennett, he still reports to Marci Surkes as Ms. Engel had been working in Mr. tant to Gatineau, Que., Liberal MP Steven the PMO’s executive director of policy and Trudeau’s offi ce since the spring of 2016, MacKinnon. He’d been practicing law Alexandra cabinet affairs. when she was hired as a special assistant before that, having studied civil law at the Axiotis- Mr. Theis is a longtime Liberal staffer, for appointments. She’s a former lawyer University of Ottawa, as part of Montreal Perez including having been a policy adviser to with Norton Rose Fulbright’s Montreal of- fi rm Robinson Sheppard Shapiro’s busi- is Katie then-leader Michael Ignatieff and a senior fi ce and with McCarthy Tétrault. Between ness law department, according to his Telford’s adviser to Mr. Trudeau during his time as those fi rms she worked on intellectual LinkedIn profi le. new the third party Liberal leader. property law, commercial litigation, tech- Mr. Duran has executive Sébastien Belliveau, previously a legis- nology law, medical litigation, and interna- also previously assistant. lative assistant, is now deputy director of tional arbitration. been an assistant Photograph issues management. He’s been in the PMO She’s also been a vice-chair of the board to the director of courtesy of since November 2016. of directors for the Fondation de L’École business develop- LinkedIn A former special assistant in Mr. LeBlanc’s supérieure de ballet du Québec and a se- ment and mar- offi ce as government House leader, after the nior vice-president with the Junior Cham- keting at Game- August 2016 cabinet shuffl e Mr. Belliveau ber of Commerce of Montreal, amongst rizon Studio and briefl y served as communications director other past roles. during Quebec’s to Mr. LeBlanc as intergovernmental affairs In Ms. Ng’s offi ce, she’ll be working 2012 provincial minister before leaving for the PMO. under her former PMO colleague, Simon election ran as a Alexandra Axiotis-Perez is another new Geoff Hall, previously a senior man- Beauchemin, who recently took over Québec Liberal face in the top offi ce this year as execu- ager for scheduling and co-ordination, as director of policy to the minister. Mr. Anson Duran is a new Party candidate tive assistant to chief of staff Katie Telford. now wears the title of deputy director of Beauchemin left his post as manager of addition to the PMO. in the Montreal- She was previously a scheduling assistant scheduling and co-ordination. He was Canada-U.S. relations in the PMO to join Photograph courtesy of area riding of to then-intergovernmental affairs and fi rst hired on as a scheduler to the PM in Ms. Ng’s team in December 2019, as previ- Facebook Gouin, Que. Ulti- internal trade minister Dominic LeBlanc, January 2016 and is also a former special ously reported. mately, he came and before then, over the summer of 2018, assistant and scheduler to Mr. Ignatieff as Ricardo third with roughly 11.7 per cent of the vote, interned in the federal Liberal caucus’ leader, and a former special assistant to Souvenir has with Québec solidaire’s Françoise David research bureau. then-Liberal MP Paul Zed. also recently winning the seat. Previously, Brooke Malinoski was Also now among the PMO’s deputy di- joined Ms. He joins Jonathan Kalles, who took executive assistant to Ms. Telford, but rector ranks is Mr. Trudeau’s executive as- Ng’s team as over the PMO Quebec desk in April 2019, she’s now been bumped up to manager of sistant, Philip Proulx, who now also wears an adviser for after Marie-Lau- the chief of staff’s offi ce. Along with Ms. the title of deputy director of the executive social media rence Lapointe Axiotis-Perez, the team directly supporting offi ce. Dunerci Caceres, a former executive and issues exited to serve Ms. Telford also includes special assistants assistant to PMO’s team of senior advisers management. as the federal John Sinfield and Ron Angeli, and Elise since March 2017, is now manager of the He’s a former Liberal Party’s Maiolino. executive offi ce. fi eld organizer chief Quebec Ms. Maiolino was recently promoted There have also been a number of PMO for the federal organizer during to the title of senior gender and diversity staff departures over the last couple of Liberal Party the election. adviser, and before then had been a special months to note. in Quebec and Ricardo Souvenir has joined Jeff Valois assistant in the offi ce since the fall of 2017. Media advance and technical adviser a past presi- Ms. Ng’s ministerial team. has been hired She’s been tackling the fi le since joining Julie Tatone is no longer working in the dent of the Photograph courtesy of as a new Ontario the top offi ce, having previously taught PMO, having exited after almost four Young Liberal LinkedIn regional affairs courses on gender, politics, and society; Jeff Valois is now one of two years on the job, starting back in April of Canada’s adviser in Mr. race, class, and gender; and qualitative Ontario regional advisers 2016. Quebec wing. Trudeau’s of- research methods at the University of To- Media relations aide Amreet Kaur left in the PMO. Photograph Jason Easton is chief of staff to Ms. Ng. fi ce and is now ronto while completing a PhD in sociology ce in early February after roughly [email protected] courtesy of LinkedIn the offi working closely at the school. Ms. Maiolino has a master’s four years on the job. With her exit, two The Hill Times 22 MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES CLASSIFIEDS Information and advertisement placement: 613-232-5952 • [email protected]

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE HOUSES FOR RENT FINANCIAL SERVICES RARE FIND, RETREAT BEAUTIFUL HOUSE - VARS Have a

LOWER YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENTS AND house to rent CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT NOW!!! 1st, 2nd, 3rd MORTGAGES Debt Consolidation or sell? Refinancing, Renovations Tax Arrears, No CMHC Fees 10 mins from Ottawa, $279,000. 25 minutes from Ottawa in $50K YOU PAY: $208.33 / Idyllic Chelsea Village, 2 bedroom, Vars, 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bath- MONTH (OAC). No Income, Advertise them den. Close to supermarket, walk/ rooms, storage space, pool, ten- Bad Credit. Power of bike trail, world-class spa, restau- nis court, pond, hottub, 3-car Sale Stopped!!! BETTER rants, ski resort, schools. 29 mins garage, finished basement, 14 OPTION MORTGAGE. FOR in The Hill Times to airport. 819-827-0781 acres, perfect for families. gloud- MORE INFORMATION, CALL [email protected]. TODAY TOLL-FREE: 1-800- IS SELF ISOLATION MAKING 282-1169 www.mort- YOU CRAVE OPEN SPACES? FOR INFORMATION: APARTMENTS FOR RENT gageontario.com (Licence # 10969) [email protected] • 613-232-5952 2-BED 2-BATH UNIT AVAILABLE IN CENTRETOWN. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FINANCIAL SERVICES $$ CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT NOW $$ Publication date: May 6, 2020 | Advertising deadline: May 1, 2020 ATTN: ONTARIO HOME OWNER LOANS FOR INVENTORS!! ANY PURPOSE!! Pay down 3,500+ sq feet, 4 bedroom, 2 Need Inventing Help? Call other high interest debt! Bank fireplaces , unique open concept Davison!! Ideas Wanted! turn downs, Tax or Mortgage overlooking the Gatineau R, CALL DAVISON TODAY: arrears, Self-Employed, Bad with access, cul-de-sac, heated 1-800-256-0429 OR VISIT Credit, Bankruptcy - We Can PRIVACY AND SECURITY pool on an acre of land. 12 min- 1000+sqft. Built in 2019. US AT: Inventing.Davison. Help! Even in extreme situa- utes from downtown Ottawa. En-suite. Laundry. Dedicated com/Ontario FREE Inventor's tions of bad credit. Borrow: $799k for quick sale. Email: entrance. Separate heating. Guide!! $50,000 Pay Monthly: $268 [email protected] Furnished optional. $2400/ • Borrow: $100,000 Pay mo contact carlos@becauseh- Monthly: $537. LARGER IN THE DIGITAL AGE ecan.ca FINANCIAL SERVICES CONDOS FOR RENT AMOUNTS AVAILABLE!! FREE Decrease monthly payments. ARTICLES FOR SALE/WANTED CONSULTATION up to 75%!! Based on 1 BEDROOM IN 5% APR. OAC FOR MORE THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE $$ MONEY $$ • 1ST, WANTED: OLD TUBE 2ND & 3RD MORTGAGES INFORMATION OR TO APPLY AUDIO EQUIPMENT. FOR ANY PURPOSE • NOW BY PHONE OR ONLINE: 50 years or older. Amplifiers, DEBT CONSOLIDATION 1-888-307-7799. www.ontar- Is there truly privacy and security in the digital age, or has the development Stereo, Recording and • BAD CREDIT • TAX OR io-widefinancial.com ONTARIO- Theatre Sound Equipment. MORTGAGE ARREARS • WIDE FINANCIAL 1801347inc, of technology meant that we now allow the government further intrusion Hammond Organs, any DECREASE PAYMENTS UP FSCO Licence #12456, !! WE condition. CALL Toll-Free TO 75% • SELF-EMPLOYED ARE HERE TO HELP !! into our daily lives? 1-800-947-0393 / 519-853- • NO PROOF OF INCOME. 2157. We Can Help! Even in EMPLOYMENT extreme situations of FIREARMS WANTED FOR bad credit. FOR MORE DAVISON INVENTORS During a time of crisis, like COVID-19, do we allow the degradation of our JUNE 13TH, 2020 LIVE & 1 bedroom condo in the Golden INFORMATION OR TO WANTED! Triangle at 71 Somerset, unit ONLINE AUCTION: APPLY NOW BY PHONE OR Do you have a new prod- privacy for the perceived greater good? 1606. Steps away from the canal Rifles, Shotguns, Handguns, ONLINE: 1-888-307-7799. uct idea, but you’re not and dowtown with large balcony Militaria. Auction or www.ontario-widefinan- sure where to start? CALL and amazing views. Immediate Purchase: Collections, Estates, cial.com. ONTARIO-WIDE DAVISON TODAY: 1-800- occupancy. $1950/month includes Individual Items. Contact FINANCIAL. 1801347inc. 256-0429 OR VISIT US AT: When it comes to corporations, should they be utilities, appliances, 1 under- Paul, Switzer's Auction: Toll- FSCO Licence #12456. !! Inventing.Davison.com/ ground parking, and storage. Free 1-800-694-2609, sales@ WE ARE HERE TO HELP !! Ontario and get your FREE working harder to protect customer Contact Erin at 613 617 3746 or switzersauction.com or www. Inventor's Guide!! [email protected] switzersauction.com. information? And should the government increase the role of watchdogs to keep them on that path?

SNORING IS FUNNY This briefing will explore whether ... BUT NOT REALLY better encryption the answer to privacy and security issues. It will also look at what the SNORING MEANS YOU ARE government can to do HEALING LESS AT NIGHT curtail the use of intrusive data-collection strategies by app developers. SNORING MEANS YOUR BRAIN Be a part of this relevant AND HEART ARE HURTING and important briefing.

AND NOT GETTING GOOD OXYGEN TO HEAL AND FUNCTION

Call to consult • 613 234 5758 For more information or to reserve your government relations [email protected] • [email protected] and public affairs advertising space, contact The Hill Times display advertising department at 613-688-8841. THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 23 Events Feature House suspended until Monday, May 25, but Special COVID-19 Pandemic Committee to meet Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays

Deputy Minister of National Defence Jody Thomas, pictured Parliamentary on April 30, 2020, at a press conference on the Hill to provide Calendar an update on the Canadian Armed Forces helicopter that went down on April 29, 2020, killing six Canadians in international waters between Greece and Italy. The six include: Nova Scotia naval offi cer Sub.-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough; Capt. and pilot Brendan Ian MacDonald, who was originally from New Glasgow, N.S.; Capt. MONDAY, MAY 4 and pilot Kevin Hagen, originally from Nanaimo, B.C.; Capt. House Not Sitting—The House has been suspended Maxime Miron-Morin, orginally until Monday, May 25, and the spring schedule is still not from Trois-Rivières, Que.; Sub-Lt. confi rmed due to the global pandemic. However, during this Matthew Pyke, originally from adjournment time, a Special COVID-19 Pandemic Commit- tee has been established, composed of all members of the Truro, N.S.; and Master Cpl. House, to meet beginning on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Matthew Cousins, originally as of May 7, on Thursdays as well. The Wednesday meeting from Guelph, Ont. The Hill Times will be in person, while the Tuesday and Thursday sessions photograph by Andrew Meade will be held virtually. As per the original sitting calendar, if the House resumes on May 25, it will sit for four weeks, until its scheduled adjournment on June 23, but none of this has been confi rmed yet. The House was also scheduled to adjourn again for three months and to return in the fall on Monday, Sept. 21, for three straight weeks. It was scheduled to ad- journ for one week and to sit again from Oct. 19 until Nov. 6. It was scheduled to break again for one week and to sit again from Nov. 16 to Dec. 11. And that would be it for 2020. We’ll and Biphobia, we are proud to invite you to Stonewall 50 programming will be presented on virtual platforms. The SATURDAY, OCT. 24 update you once the House calendar has been confi rmed. across Canada, a free speakers’ series in Vancouver, Calgary, public is asked not to travel to the Tulip Gardens this year, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and Cape but instead to allow the Canadian Tulip Festival to bring Breton, from May 4-21, featuring Stonewall riot activist Mar- the tulips, and tulip-related activities and entertainment, tin Boyce. . Boyce is among a handful of surviving Stonewall into the comfort and safety of their homes. Festival-goers activists whose contributions have had a signifi cant impact will be asked to visit www.tulipfestival.ca to take a virtual on our communities. Join us as he shares his stories of upris- garden tour through the 300,000 tulip blooms in Ottawa’s ing and rebellion, what motivated him that night. Commissioner’s Park while also enjoying music, theatre, WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 and memories on the Festival’s TulipTV YouTube channel. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 Canada’s Foremost Fintech Conference FFCON20—Featur- ing high-growth start-ups and leading industry experts across fi ntech sectors including digital banking, P2P fi nance, AI, capital markets, Wealthtech, payments, crypto, and block- chain. July 8-9. Speakers include: Robert Asselin, senior ‘The Secret Bench of Knowledge,’ created by sculptor The West Block is refl ected in the windows of director public policy, BlackBerry; Paul Schulte, founder and Lea Vivot, picture April 1, 2020, outside the front the Sir John A. Macdonald Building in Ottawa, editor, Schulte Research; Craig Asano, founder and CEO, entrance of the Library and Archives Canada in pictured on March 27, 2020. The Hill Times NCFA; George Bordianu, co-founder and CEO, Balance; Julien Brazeau, partner, Deloitte; Alixe Cormick, president, Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade photograph by Andrew Meade Venture Law Corporation; Nikola Danaylov, founder, keynote Senate Not Sitting—The Senate has extended its suspen- speaker, author futurist, Singularity Media; Pam Draper, Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner—The Parliamentary sion due to the COVID-19 virus until June 2. The June president and CEO, Bitvo; Justin Hartzman, co-founder and Press Gallery Dinner happens on Saturday, Oct. 24, in the Sir possible sitting days were June 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, and 19. The CEO, CoinSmart; Peter-Paul Van Hoeken, founder & CEO, John A. Macdonald Building on Wellington Street in Ottawa. Senate was scheduled to sit June 2-4; June 9-11; June 16- FrontFundr; Cynthia Huang, CEO and co-founder, Altcoin FRIDAY, OCT. 30 18; and June 22, 23, it was scheduled to break on June 24 Fantasy; Austin Hubbel, CEO and co-founder, Consilium for St. Jean Baptiste Day; and it was scheduled to sit June Crypto; Patrick Mandic, CEO, Mavennet; Mark Morissette, CJF Awards Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence in Jour- 25 and June 26. The Senate was scheduled to break from co-founder & CEO, Foxquilt; Cato Pastoll, co-founder & CEO, nalism—The Canadian Journalism Foundation Awards will June 29 until Sept. 22. The Senate’s possible September Lending Loop; Bernd Petak, investment partner, Northmark be held on Oct. 30, 2020, at the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, sitting days are Sept. 21, 25, 28. It’s scheduled to sit Sept. Ventures; Ali Pourdad, Pourdad Capital Partners, Family hosted by Rick Mercer, former host of The Rick Mercer 22-24 and Sept. 29-Oct. 1, with a possible sitting day on Offi ce; Richard Prior, global head of policy and research, Report. The CBC’s Anna Maria Tremonti will be honoured. Friday, Oct. 2. The possible Senate sitting days are Oct. 5, 9, The tulips will be in bloom in Ottawa’s FDATA; Richard Remillard, president, Remillard Consulting Tables are $7,500 and tickets are $750. For more infor- 19, 23, 26, and 30. It’s scheduled to sit Oct. 6-8; it takes Commissioner’s Park, but visitors are being asked to Group; Jennifer Reynolds, president & CEO, Toronto Finance mation on tables and sponsorship opportunities, contact a break from Oct. 12-16; it will sit Oct. 20-22; and Oct. take in the Ottawa Tulip Festival from home from May International; Jason Saltzman, partner, Gowling WLG Josh Gurfi nkel at jgurfi [email protected] or 416-955-0394. Canada; James Wallace, co-chair and co-CEO, Exponential; 27-29. The November possible Senate days are: Nov. 2, 6, 8-18. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade TUESDAY, NOV. 3 16, 20, 23, 27, 30. It’s scheduled to sit Nov. 3-5; it will Alan Wunsche, CEO & chief token offi cer, Tokenfunder; take a break from Nov. 9-13; it will sit Nov. 17-19; and Nov. and Danish Yusuf, founder and CEO, Zensurance. For more U.S. Presidential Election—The U.S. presidential elec- 24-26. The possible December Senate sitting days are: Dec. A Critical Juncture in Fiscal Federalism?—The McGill information, please visit: https://fi ntechandfunding.com/. tion is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. U.S. President 4, 7, and 11. The Senate is scheduled to sit Dec. 1-3; Dec. Institute for the Study of Canada hosts a webinar, “A Critical FRIDAY, AUG. 21 Donald Trump is the Republican candidate and former 8-10 and it will sit Dec. 14-18. We’ll also update you once Juncture in Fiscal Federalism? Canada’s Response to COV- vice-president Joe Biden is the Democratic candidate. The the Senate calendar has been confi rmed. ID-19,” providing insights from historical institutionalism with Conservative Party Leadership—The federal Conser- winner is scheduled to be inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2021. recent economic and fi scal projections to explore avenues for Economic and Fiscal Implications of the COVID-19 Pan- vative Party’s Leadership Election Organizing Commit- THURSDAY, NOV. 12 demic and Oil Price Shocks—The Canadian Association reform in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Speakers include tee, also known as LEOC, announced on April 29 that for Business Economics hosts a webinar on “Economic Daniel Béland, director of the McGill Institute for the Study Aug. 21 is the deadline for mail-in ballots, after the Liberal Party National Convention—The Liberal Party of and Fiscal Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic and of Canada, McGill University; André Lecours, professor of leadership was suspended indefi nitely on March 26 due Canada announced the 2020 Liberal National Convention Oil Price Shocks” featuring Parliamentary Budget Offi cer political science, University of Ottawa; Mireille Paquet, associ- to the global pandemic. The party says the winner will will be hosted in Ottawa, from Nov. 12-15. For more infor- Yves Giroux. This event will take place online on Monday, ate professor of political science, Concordia University; and be announced once the ballots can be safely counted. mation, please contact: [email protected], 613-627-2384. May 4 at 1 p.m. Registration required. Trevor Tombe, associate professor of economics, University of THURSDAY, OCT. 15 Conservative Party National Convention—The Conserva- The Manufacturing Sector and COVID-19: How It Is Re-Tool- Calgary. This event will take place online on Wednesday, May tives will hold a convention in Quebec City from Nov. 12-14. ing To Fight COVID-19 and What This Means for the Long-Term— 6 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Advance registration is required. PPF Testimonial Dinner and Awards—Join us at the 33rd For more information, please contact 1-866-808-8407. Hosted by Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy, the virtual FRIDAY, MAY 8—MONDAY, MAY 18 annual event to network and celebrate as the Public Policy The Parliamentary Calendar is a free events listing. event will happen on Monday, May 4, at 2 p.m.-2:45 p.m. Forum honours Canadians who have made their mark on Send in your political, cultural, diplomatic, or governmental EDT. Participants include Liberal MP Ali Ehsassi, former Canadian Tulip Festival—The Canadian Tulip Festival, a policy and leadership. Anne McLellan and Senator Peter event in a paragraph with all the relevant details under the Liberal MP Frank Baylis, president of Baylis Medical, Jan not-for-profi t charitable organization, is dedicating its pro- Harder will take their place among a cohort of other stellar subject line ‘Parliamentary Calendar’ to news@hilltimes. Westcott, president & CEO of Spirits Canada; and moderator gramming this year to commemorating the role Canadians Canadians who we’ve honoured over the last 33 years, com by Wednesday at noon before the Monday paper or by Toronto Star Ottawa bureau chief Heather Scoffi eld. played in the Liberation of the Netherlands 75 years ago people who have dedicated themselves to making Canada Friday at noon for the Wednesday paper. We can’t guaran- International Day of Pink—In celebration of the 50th anni- while celebrating the Gift of Tulips that led to the Festival, a better place through policy leadership and public service. tee inclusion of every event, but we will defi nitely do our versary of the Stonewall Riots/Pride; and the 30th anniversary from Friday, May 8, to Monday, May 18. While the tulips The gala event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the best. Events can be updated daily online, too. of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, will still bloom in Commissioners Park, Tulip Festival Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front St. W., Toronto. The Hill Times Stay connected to decision-makers Inside Ottawa & Inside Canada Inside Now in stock Ottawa Directory Save time, have all political phone numbers and email addresses at your fingertips. Inside Ottawa includes:

• Federal riding profiles • MP contact details, both Hill and constituency • House committee clerks and membership • Senators’ contact details and committee membership • Current photos in colour • Prime Minister’s Office and Privy Council Office staff contacts • Ministers’ offices staff contacts • Speaker’s office contacts • Committee charts with current photos • List of shadow cabinet and opposition critics • Key political, government and media contacts • Sitting calendar 2020 • Renumeration • Session tip sheet Inside Canada includes: Contacts for every Province and Territorial Government: 2020 • Legislature key contacts • Members of the Legislative Assembly with photos • Cabinet ministers’ executive departments • Party and Government Posts (ministers and critics) • Opposition contacts • Agencies of Parliament • Media contacts • Remuneration • Committees members and clerks • Sitting calendars for 2020 • Seat breakdown by province • Next election forecast Order Now www.hilltimes.com/the-hill-times-store-package [email protected] • 613-688-8821