Lobbyists, Non-Profits Clamour to Be Heard P. 6

Home , Annie Koutrakis, Don Davies, Garnett Genuis, Larry Bagnell, Marcus Powlowski, Matt Jeneroux

Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 Coming out on the other sideofCOVID-19 critics, advocates response, say feds’ COVID-19 ‘missing piece’ in Mentala health News THIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO.1715 A W fi keeping Canada-U.S. trade open key to Food supply, emergency vehicle repair: News ‘imminently.’ health, which oneadvocate says should come ‘extraordinary response’ andsupportsfor mental NDP MP DonDaviessays the situationcallsfor an likely toface. the mentalhealthtollmoreare say now isthetimetoaddress isolation measures, advocates after thecountry adoptedstrict VID-19, morethantwo weeks Canadians affectedby CO- health andeconomicneedsof border commerce tobehalted. Canada-U.S. trade istoovitalforcross- United States, industry stakeholders say BY NEIL MOSS & MIKE LAPOINTE BY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN be heard clamour to non-profi Lobbyists, ght against COVID-19, say stakeholders responds totheimmediate s thegovernment rapidly rus pandemichaving shiftedtothe ith theepicentreofcoronavi- Trade Health care free virtualmentalhealthtoolin the government would launch a to requestsconfirm thedetails. Superior North, Ont.)responded ter Patty Hajdu(Thunder Bay- Health CanadanorMinis- “imminently,” thoughneither they expectanannouncement On March 25, Ms. Hajdusaid At leastoneorganization said p. 6 ts distancing instructionsbefore announc- Trump publiclyfloated ending physical being exempted, U.S. President Donald barred sinceMarch 17, with commerce Canada andtheUnitedStates hasbeen While non-essentialtravel between Continued onpage16 C ANADA Continued onpage 15 ’ S P OLITICS Andrew Meade Times photographby 'imminently.' should beannounced which onegroupsays COVID-19 response, as partofCanada's mental healthtool working onavirtual federal governmentwas on March25thatthe Hajdu toldSenators Health MinisterPatty

AND G The Hill OVERNMENT P House committee, say someMPs called for yet, but should bere-examined by Introduction ofelectronic, remote voting not News they’re ﬁne witharrangements sofar, MPs who spoke withThe Hill Times say from theHouseofCommons, andwhile keeping MembersofParliament away BY LAURA RYCKEWAERT at dampeningCOVID-19’s spreadare hysical-distancing measuresaimed COVID-19 N EWSPAPER Wage subsidies critical for post- businesses survival, say coronavirus that [how MPsvote] beingone aspectof can modernizetherulesof House, mitment oflookingat how itisthat we tronic voting down theroad. whether tointroduce remoteandelec- some thinktheHouseshould reconsider “I would like toseea renewed com- WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1,2020$5.00 Continued onpage 14

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how the Canadian government will respond The program was initially funded to international air tragedies in the future, through an annual bash hosted at the according to a March 31 press release. Blacksheep Inn in Wakefi eld, Que., but “The Ukraine International Airlines since the internship has become self- tragedy should never have occurred, and suffi cient, the fundraiser now goes towards Heard on the Hill the families and loved ones of the victims fi nancing a political journalism internship. deserve to know how and why it happened. While we work to get them the account- by Neil Moss ability, justice, and closure they deserve, we also need to develop a strategy on how Some Conservative MPs to best respond to international air disasters,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in eschew pay raise, vow to a statement. donate hike Ralph Goodale tapped “I am confi dent that Ralph Goodale has the experience to help us identify best practices, and support efforts to ensure that families are properly compensated,” he added. as special adviser on Mr. Goodale was the public safety minister from 2015 until losing his seat in the 2019 election. The longtime Liberal MP has previously served in cabinet in a wide Flight 752 downing variety of roles, including as minister of public works and government serves and as fi nance minister. ormer Liberal cabinet minister Ralph In his new advisory role, Mr. Goodale Goodale is being brought back into the F will work with Foreign Affairs Minister Conservative MP John Brassard, pictured with fold as the new special adviser for the fed- François-Philippe Champagne and Trans- then-governor general David Johnston in 2017, eral government’s response to the downing port Minister Marc Garneau. has vowed to donate his salary increase to charity. of Flight 752. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia The Ukrainian commercial airline fl ight was shot down by Iranian authorities on Jan. 8 shortly after its takeoff from Tehran, Jaimie Anderson As Canadians struggle with the new killing all 176 on board, including 55 Cana- economic reality brought on by the coro- dians and 30 permanent residents. Parliamentary Internship navirus pandemic, some Conservative MPs The Canadian government has been are pledging to donate a scheduled salary urging the Iranian government to transfer Program placed on pause raise to charity. the fl ight’s black box to another country, due to COVID-19 The pledge was kicked off by Conserva- as Iran lacks the expertise to download the tive MPs John Brassard and Doug Shipley, data. Tehran agreed to hand over the black who represent ridings in Barrie, Ont. box, but according to a CBC report that In a March 27 statement, Mr. Brassard process was delayed due to COVID-19. said that little could be done to stop the pay In his new post, Mr. Goodale is being raise, which stems from a Paul Martin-era tasked with assessing the lessons that have act giving MPs a raise every year on April 1. Ralph Goodale, who served as public safety been learned from the downing of Flight Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer minister from 2015 to 2019, was in the Liberal also plans to give his pay increase to char- 752 and other air disasters—including the HuffPost Canada caucus from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1993 crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in ity, according to a report, until he was defeated in last October’s election. 2009 and the bombing of Air India Flight as do Conservative MPs Blaine Calkins, Earl The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade 182 in 1985—to serve as a framework to Dreeshen, Philip Lawrence, and Scott Reid. “Individual MPs cannot refuse it,” Mr. Reid tweeted. “But we get paid more than Bruce Anderson is pictured with Peter enough. I’ll be following the example of Mansbridge at a fundraising bash at [Mr. Scheer]: donating mine to a COVID- Blacksheep Inn in Wakefi eld, Que., which in related charity in the riding.” the past raised money for the Jaimie Anderson Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was Parliamentary Internship Program before the asked about the raises during his daily internship became self-sustaining. The Hill press conference at Rideau Cottage on Times fi le photograph March 30. He responded that he hadn’t heard that Parliament was having discus- An annual program that places three sions about foregoing the raise, but added paid interns in Hill offi ces has been “I’m sure they will refl ect on it now” that scrapped for this year in the midst of the the question has been asked. COVID-19 outbreak in Canada. “It is with deep regret that we must suspend the @jaimiesinterns program for this summer, to avoid any potential risk to Relief fund to give Canadian health,” tweeted Jaimie Anderson Parlia- mentary Internship Fund co-chair Bruce writers grants of $1,500 Anderson on March 29. “Be assured that the internship will be back up and running As the impacts of the coronavirus pan- for the summer of 2021.” demic affect all facets of Canada’s econo- The program was set up in honour of my, a fund has been announced to provide Jaimie Anderson—the niece of Mr. Ander- economic relief for writers who have been son and daughter of former Reform Party hurt by the downturn. national campaign manager Rick Ander- The Writers’ Trust of Canada and The son—who died from cancer at the age of Writers’ Union of Canada have partnered 23. Ms. Anderson was a former staffer to launch the relief fund, announced on to then-natural resources minister Gary March 30, which will give struggling writ- Lunn and former Conservative MP Diane ers grants in amounts of $1,500. The fund Ablonczy. has an initial pool of $150,000. Serving with Bruce Anderson as co- “Writers, whether veterans or novices, chair for the program’s fund is former cobble together income from a variety of The National anchor Peter Mansbridge. sources,” Writers’ Trust’s executive direc- Recently departed PMO communications tor Charlie Foran said in a statement. “This czar Kate Purchase, who was Jaimie An- leaves them especially vulnerable during a derson’s cousin, serves on the program’s public health crisis the magnitude of CO- board along with Rick Anderson and other VID-19. We are grateful to have partners so family members. committed to supporting our authors.” “Very disappointing to share this news,” Applications for the fund are currently Ms. Purchase tweeted of the program’s open to working writers who can detail a total hiatus, “but it does give me an extra year loss that is greater than the grant amount and to make epic lists of things to do with our meet the minimum publishing barrier of one 2021 interns!” book or three works in “fee-paying magazines The three interns are placed in MP or anthologies” over the last fi ve years. offi ces across party lines. In 2018, for Members of the The Writers’ Union of example, interns were hosted in the offi ces Canada who were surveyed are projecting a of now-Small Business, Export Promotion, loss of $1.86-million or $3,267 per individu- and International Trade Minister Mary Ng, al, on average, according to a press release. Conservative MP Michael Chong, and past [email protected] NDP MP Murray Rankin. The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 3 COVID-19

Prime Minister be able to afford to do that—and Justin Trudeau keep those people off the [em- says ‘if your ployment insurance] roll,” said business’ Ms. Pohlmann. “But ultimately, for revenues have us, at the end of the day, it’s about decreased by that keeping that connection, be- at least 30 per cause once you lay them off, you cent because don’t know if you’re going to get of COVID-19, them back.” you will be According to Ryan Nearing, eligible for this press secretary for Ms. Ng, if an subsidy,’ that employee works for a company will see up to that has been impacted by COV- 75 per cent of ID-19, the government will cover some salaries up to 75 per cent of their salary covered by the for the fi rst $58,700 they earn. government. “That means up to $847 a The Hill Times week. And this will be backdated photograph by to March 15,” said Mr. Nearing. Andrew Meade The government is also counting on businesses that can afford to pay their employees to continue to do so, trusting them to do the right thing. “If you have the means to pay the remaining 25 per cent that’s not covered by the subsidy, please do so,” said the prime minister. “And if you think this is a system you can take advantage of or game, don’t. There will be serious consequences for those who do.” ‘We’ve got to restore Wage subsidies ‘critical,’ a ‘lifeline’ for normalcy,’ says chamber head “Sooner or later, the pandemic businesses to survive pandemic, says will end, and we’ve got to restore normalcy—or at least some sem- blance of it,” said Mr. Beatty. “If we have hundreds of thousands of Chamber of Commerce president small businesses going into bankruptcy, there wouldn’t be jobs for people to go to after the pandemic wages, up from the initial 10 per disasters, whether they’re climate can’t go more than two months,” was under control and the impact ‘This subsidy will cent described on March 18, for disasters or cyberterrorism or said Ms. Pohlmann. on our economy—because about up to three months. pandemics, strike.” Those timelines are for busi- 90 something per cent of our busi- make a real diff erence “If your business’ revenues Many small businesses don’t nesses with already “very thin nesses in Canada are SMEs—the have decreased by at least 30 per have the cash to let them survive profi t margins,” often in the heav- impact on the economy would in your lives and help cent because of COVID-19, you very long with their doors closed, ily affected sectors like hospital- have been enormous. And it everyone aff ected will be eligible for this subsidy,” he said. “The majority of them ity or personal services, such as would have left us with massive Mr. Trudeau said on March 27, have a very hard time lasting massage therapists and hairdress- structural unemployment.” bridge to better adding that eligibility is not more than about three weeks. ers, she said. Pedro Antunes, who is the determined by the number of And many of them, much less “The money is needed now. chief economist at the Confer- times,’ said Prime employees a business has, and time than that.” The cash fl ow is needed now. And ence Board of Canada, said he Minister Justin that it would ap- so if those wage thinks the government is trying to ply to non-profi t Perrin Beatty, subsidies and other lighten the burden of administer- Trudeau on Friday, organizations and president and measures can fl ow ing programs, “because there’s charities. chief executive quickly, it’s going only so much you can manage.” March 27. This subsidy offi cer of the to be the big dif- “And they want to do that by will make a real Canadian ference. We also limiting the number of people difference in your Chamber of have rent payments being laid off, and hopefully what BY MIKE LAPOINTE lives and help Commerce, coming up now, they can do with this is a more everyone affected says small and that’s the other generous program, in terms of he federal government’s bridge to better businesses in issue.” wage subsidies,” said Mr. Antunes. Tincreased wage subsidy an- times,” said Mr. other countries Ms. Pohlmann “Hold back the number of poten- nouncement was “critical” if small- Trudeau. have been the said the govern- tial layoffs that would happen and and medium-sized businesses are Finance Min- hardest hit ment’s recent have subsidies going to fewer en- going to come out alive on the ister Bill Morneau by COVID-19. announcements terprises that could then manage other side of the coronavirus pan- (Toronto Centre, Photograph are important to let their employees and their staff.” demic, say business leaders. Ont.) and Small courtesy of small employers “The idea here is you want “It’s a lifeline for hundreds of Business Min- Twitter hold on to as many to make sure that the public has thousands of small- and medium- ister Mary Ng people as they can. confi dence that we can adminis- sized businesses that employ mil- (Markham–Thorn- “Putting people ter these programs effectively and lions of Canadians,” said Perrin hill, Ont.) were on the unemploy- in a timely way to make sure that Beatty, president and CEO of the scheduled to make ment line isn’t the income is there for house- Canadian Chamber of Commerce. an announcement outlining the fi ne Corinne Pohlmann, senior necessarily a solution. If we could holds,” said Mr. Antunes. “What “Without it, our main streets print of the program on April 1. vice-president of national affairs fi nd a way to help them keep we’re trying to do with all of this would have remained dark, long Small businesses across the at the Canadian Federation of those people so that when things is shut down the economy for after the pandemic was over.” world have borne a heavy weight Independent Business, said her turn around, they have those a couple of months, because of As the federal government from the fallout of COVID-19, organization has done some sur- people that are ready to hit the these social distancing measures, continues to roll out unprec- said Mr. Beatty. veying on this issue already, and ground running and get the busi- fl atten the curve or kill the prog- edented fi nancial measures to “The experience in China, has found that about one-quarter ness back up and running more ress of this epidemic, and make help families and businesses Italy, South Korea has been that of business owners said they will quickly,” she said in an interview sure we that don’t see a lot of contend with the fi nancial fallout small businesses have been the not be able to make it a month with The Hill Times. bankruptcies for households and from COVID-19, Prime Minister ones that are the most hard hit without going under. The initial reaction to the for businesses,” said Mr. Antunes. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) throughout the pandemic,” said “So 25 per cent cannot survive Liberals’ wage-subsidy announce- “What we want to avoid are announced on March 27 that his Mr. Beatty. “For a number of less than a month under the cur- ment was positive, she said. these problems having some government would boost a previ- reasons—the fi rst is that larger rent condition, because their busi- “Business owners are already contagion effect into the fi nancial ously announced business-assis- organizations have done business will just not work anymore. saying they’re going to rehire markets.” tance program so that it covered ness continuity plans in advance And then if you go further, it’s back people they’d already laid [email protected] up to 75 per cent of employees’ and are better prepared when actually closer to 60 per cent that off, because this allows them to The Hill Times 4 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES THE HILL TIMES | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 5 COVID-19 COVID-19

Other legislation affected by C-13

• Income Tax Act • Canada Labour Code Bill C-13: COVID-19 Emergency Response Act • Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act (new) • Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2 • Public Health Events of National Concern Payments Act • National Housing Act (new) • Patent Act Finance The Food • Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act • Canada Student Loans Act Minister Bill What’s in the bill? and Drugs • Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Act • Farm Credit Canada Act Morneau Act was • Export Development Act • Canada Student Financial Assistance Act tabled Bill • Introduces a one-time additional payment under the GST/HST tax changed so • Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act • Business Development Bank of Canada Act C-13 in the credit. that cabinet • Financial Administration Act • Apprentice Loans Act House of • Provides temporary additional amounts under the Canada Child can regulate • Borrowing Authority Act • Employment Insurance Act Commons Benefit. who has • Food and Drugs Act — Source: Library of Parliament on March • Reduces required minimal withdrawals from registered retirement to provide 25. The income funds by 25 per cent for 2020. information Hill Times • Provides eligible small employers a temporary wage subsidy for a to Health photograph period of three months. Minister by Andrew • Enacts the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act to authorize the Patty Hajdu. Oversight Committees Meade making of income support payments to workers who suffer a loss of The Hill Times income for reasons related to COVID-19. photograph On March 25, the House of Commons agreed that while the Chamber is suspended, its standing • Enacts the Public Health Events of National Concern Payments Act, by Andrew Health and Finance committees would meet at least once per week “for the sole purpose of receiving which authorizes payments to be made out of the Consolidated Meade evidence concerning matters related to the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Revenue Fund in relation to public health events of national concern. It also provides for the repeal of the Act on Sept. 30, 2020. • Amends the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act to allow the finance minister to increase the deposit insurance coverage limit until Sept. 30, 2020. House Finance Committee Canada Emergency Response Benefit • Amends the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Act to autho- International Trade Minister Mary Ng has a broader range rize the finance minister, with the approval of the governor-in-council, of Export Development Canada transactions she can to make payments to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Created to replace the Emergency Care Benefit and • Wage earners and self-employed individuals, authorize under Bill C-13. The Hill Times photograph by Emergency Support Benefit previously announced out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of increasing including contract workers, who would not oth- Andrew Meade on March 18, the Canada Emergency Response erwise be eligible for Employment Insurance. the Corporation’s capital. Benefit was created with the passage of Bill C-13 on • Amends the Export Development Act to broaden the purposes for March 25. Other business support measures which Export Development Canada is established and to permit the financial system in Canada. Finally, it makes related amendments to • Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy: provides up to finance minister, until Sept. 30, 2020, to determine the amount of Ex- the Borrowing Authority Act and a consequential amendment to the Wayne Easter (chair) Pierre Poilievre (vice-chair) Gabriel Ste-Marie (vice-chair) Michael Cooper It provides a taxable benefit of $2,000 per month for 75 per cent of salaries for qualifying businesses on port Development Canada’s authorized capital as well as the amount Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act. Malpeque, P.E.I. Carleton, Ont. Joliette, Que. St. Albert–Edmonton, Alta. up to four months to: the first $58,700, or up to $874 per week, for three of certain limits applicable to Export Development Canada. It broadens • Amends the Canada Student Loans Act to provide that, during the • Amends the Apprentice Loans Act to provide that, during the period • Amends the Food and Drugs Act to, among other things, authorize Liberal Conservative Bloc Québécois Conservative • Workers who made at least $5,000 the months, retroactive to March 15. Available to busi- the transactions for which the international trade minister, with the the governor-incouncil to make regulations requiring persons to period that begins on March 30, 2020 and ends on Sept. 30, 2020, no that begins on March 30, 2020 and ends on Sept. 30, 2020, no year prior and must stop working due to nesses, non-profits, charities whose revenues have concurrence of the finance minister, may grant an authorization. It also provide information to the health minister and preventing shortages of interest is payable by a borrower on a guaranteed student loan and no interest is payable by a borrower on an apprentice loan and no COVID-19 and do not have access to paid decreased by at least 30 per cent, irrespective of the provides for the suspension of certain provisions of the Export Develop- therapeutic products in Canada or alleviating those shortages or their amount on account of principal or interest is required to be paid by the amount on account of principal or interest is required to be paid by leave or other income support. number of employees. ment Canada Exercise of Certain Powers Regulations. effects, in order to protect human health. borrower. a borrower. • Workers who are sick, quarantined, or • Canada Emergency Business Account: provides • Amends the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act to authorize • Amends the Canada Labour Code to, among other things, create a • Amends the Farm Credit Canada Act to authorize the finance minister • Amends the Employment Insurance Act to give the employment and taking care of someone who is sick with small business and not-for-profits with interest-free additional payments to the provinces and territories for the fiscal year regime which provides for a leave related to COVID-19 of up to 16 to determine the limit on the amounts that the he may pay to Farm social development minister the power to make interim orders for the loans of up to $40,000. Up to $10,000 of the loan is COVID-19. beginning on April 1, 2019. weeks. It also amends that Act to provide for the repeal of that regime Credit Canada out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund. purpose of mitigating the economic effects of COVID-19. forgivable for anyone who repays it by Dec. 31, 2022. • Working parents who must stay home • Amends Part IV of the Financial Administration Act to authorize the and to provide for a quarantine leave under the medical leave regime. • Amends the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act to provide that, • Provides that every reference in any provision of the Employment Insur- without pay to care for children that are • Export Development Canada loans: the agency will James Cumming Julie Dzerowicz Peter Fragiskatos Sean Fraser work with financial institutions to issue new operat- finance minister, until Sept. 30, 2020, to borrow money under that • Amends the National Housing Act to increase, for a period of five years, during the period that begins on March 30, 2020 and ends on Sept. ance Act and of regulations made under it to a certificate issued by a sick or need additional care because of Act for certain payments without the authorization of the governor-in- the maximum total for the outstanding insured amounts of all insured 30, 2020, no interest is payable by a borrower on a student loan and medical doctor or other medical professional or medical practitioner Edmonton Centre, Alta. Davenport, Ont. London North Centre, Ont. Central Nova, N.S. school and daycare closures. ing and credit and cash flow term loans of up to Conservative Liberal Liberal Liberal $6.25-million to small and medium-sized businesses. council, and it also amends that Part to extend the time for the tabling loans. no amount on account of principal or interest is required to be paid by or by a nurse practitioner is deemed to be of no effect and that any • Workers who still have their employment • Business Development Bank of Canada loans: a of the report on that minister’s plans in relation to the management • Amends the Patent Act to, among other things, provide that the Commis- the borrower. benefit that would have been payable to a claimant had such a certifi- but are not being paid because there is co-lending program for small- and medium-sized of the public debt. It also amends that Act to authorize that minister sioner must, on the application of the health minister, authorize the Govern- • Amends the Business Development Bank of Canada Act to authorize cate been issued is payable to the claimant if the Canada Employment currently not sufficient work and their enterprises, teaming up with financial institutions to to make payments to an entity and to procure the incorporation of ment of Canada and any person specified in the application to make, the finance minister to determine the limit on the aggregate of the Insurance Commission is satisfied that the claimant is entitled to the employer has asked them not to come to offer loans of up to $6.25-million. a corporation or establish an entity, other than a corporation, for the construct, use and sell a patented invention to the extent necessary to paid-in capital—and any related contributed surplus—of the Business benefit. work. — Source: Finance Canada purposes of promoting the stability or maintaining the efficiency of the respond to a public health emergency that is a matter of national concern. Development Bank and any proceeds prescribed as equity. — Source: Library of Parliament

Peter Julian Annie Koutrakis Michael McLeod Marty Morantz New Westminster– Vimy, Que. Northwest Territories Charleswood–St. James–As- A timeline of Canadian COVID-19 developments Burnaby, B.C. Liberal Liberal siniboia–Headingley, Man. NDP Conservative from some to push off the March 25 deadline. • Mr. Trudeau announces a $5-billion credit package for the farming industry, with loans there would be a public health justification for you to take this action.’ ” The U.S., in for employees who need to claim Employment Insurance sickness benefits on account JAN. 25, 2020 to be dispensed through Farm Credit Canada. That includes a six-month deferral for response, appears to back off. of being quarantined or having to self-isolate. MARCH 17, 2020 • Canada records first“presumptive positive” case in Ontario, a man in his 50s who fell the repayment of existing loans, amounting to $173-million. He also pledges another • Following the PM’s videoconference with G20 counterparts, the multilateral group ill after returning from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak started. MARCH 13, 2020 • Mr. Trudeau announced Parliament will be recalled for an emergency session to pass $192-million to fund efforts to fast track the development of a potential vaccine. announces $5-trillion in global stimulus to help other countries battling COVID-19. legislation and that the government would announce a major economic aid package • Parliament agrees to suspend for five weeks until at least April 20 after unanimous • The feds’ COVID-19 ad campaign starts airing. • Citing the pandemic, the Conservative Party’s Leadership Organizing Election Committee JAN. 28, 2020 on March 18 to help workers. House Health Committee agreement among all parties. • The prime minister schedules a call with premiers to discuss the possibility of decides to suspend the leadership race indefinitely after resisting numerous calls to do so. • B.C. records its first case of the virus, and within a week, several more are confirmed, • A fifth Canadian person, a 77-year-old man, dies with COVID-19 detected post- • Senate is recalled to sit on Friday (after it adjourned the day before) to finish business, enforcing the Emergencies Act, which would temporarily grant the federal government but all who had been connected to people who had travelled to or visited from the mortem, the first in Ontario. MARCH 27, 2020 most notably to pass the new NAFTA. the authority to, if necessary, curtail movement within the country to curb the spread affected region in China. • After mixed messaging, the government walks back its initial plan to tax the Canada • Canada upgrades advice that international travellers should self-quarantine, but MARCH 18, 2020 of COVID-19. He says no province has “formally” asked it to invoke the act. FEB. 6, 2020 Emergency Response Benefit. over the weekend, some passengers coming from abroad said they weren’t properly • The new border measures come into effect, with only four airports in Toronto, MARCH 24, 2020 • Ottawa begins repatriating what will eventually be hundreds of residents, chartering screened, prompting some provinces—like Quebec, Alberta, and Nova Scotia—and • Mr. Trudeau ups the federal wage subsidy from 10 per cent to 75 per cent for small- Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary accepting international flights. • The House emergency sitting to consider the COVID-19 bailout bill stalls as opposition two planes to China and airlifting others from Japan on board the Diamond Princess Montreal city officials to send their own personnel to make sure the federal job was and medium-sized businesses. It will be backdated to March 15. GST and HST tax • Canada and the U.S. announce that non-essential travel between the two countries parties balk at conditions that gave the Liberal cabinet unfettered spending powers. payments on imports will also be deferred until June. cruise ship. The Diamond Princess had been quarantined off the coast of Japan since being done. will be barred, not including trade and commerce. Feb. 3 with about 3,700 passengers on board. It wasn’t until early March when • Mr. Trudeau says provinces have “largely” decided that it’s unnecessary at this stage • The government introduces the Canada Emergency Business Account, through which • Treasury Board Secretariat issues directive to federal public servants permitting them • Mr. Trudeau announces $82-billion support package, which includes two packages nearly Ron McKinnon (chair) Matt Jeneroux (vice-chair) Luc Thériault (vice-chair) Don Davies Canada’s public health officer started warning Canadians to “think twice” about to invoke the federal Emergencies Act. banks will offer up to $40,000 in interest-free loans for the first year, $10,000 of to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic, per their managers’ discretion. totalling $15-billion of employment insurance support for Canadians facing unemployment Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam, B.C. Edmonton Riverbend, Alta. Montcalm, Que. Vancouver Kingsway, B.C. cruise travel. which will be forgivable, depending on the business’ eligibility. • The prime minister’s wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, who returned from a trip to the who are not eligible for EI, as well as $300-million to address “immediate needs” in Indigenous MARCH 25, 2020 Liberal Conservative Bloc Québécois NDP • Mr. Trudeau also signals that a package is in the works for youth, marginalized FEB. 26, 2020 United Kingdom, was tested after having flu-like symptoms, and by evening, the PMO communities, and a six-month moratorium on student loans, among other measures. • The House stalemate ends in the early-morning hours and the Senate later sits, and reported she had tested positive. communities, and those in poverty. • Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo tells the House Health Committee • Deadline for Canadians to file taxes is extended from April 30 to June 1. without amendments passes Bill C-13, passes the $107-billion aid package. • Bank of Canada cuts key rate to 0.25 per cent, marking its third cut this month. that the government is looking at the possibility of calling for social-distancing • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau starts 14-day self-isolation, but with no symptoms, • COVID-19 deaths in Canada increase to nine with seven dead in British Columbia, • Mr. Trudeau announces a $2,000-a-month benefit for workers who don’t have a measures, which would involve the cancellation of mass public gatherings. Such officials said meant he would not be tested. The in-person First Ministers’ Meeting, one in Ontario, and one in Quebec—the province’s first. paycheque, promising the money will come within 10 days and would be ongoing MARCH 28, 2020 planned for the same day, was cancelled, with Mr. Trudeau instead speaking with measures are outlined in the government’s pandemic influenza plan. over four months. • Mr. Trudeau gives 48 hours’ notice that the government now expects airline, train premiers over the phone. MARCH 19, 2020 • Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault says support for media will come in the form MARCH 4, 2020 operators to screen would-be passengers travelling domestically for COVID-19 • The impact of the outbreak, combined with diving oil prices, helped push the • Mr. Trudeau announces that closure of the Canada-U.S. border to discretionary travel of a $30-million ad buy to raise awareness on efforts to fight the pandemic. The symptoms. • Bank of Canada cuts interest rates by 50 basis points to 1.25 per cent amid Canadian stock market to its worst one-day plunge in eight decades. will likely take effect on Friday night, March 20. government also says it is working to rollout the previously announced tax credits for • He also pledges $9-million for United Way Canada’s senior-focused efforts, and coronavirus concerns, following in the U.S. Federal Reserve’s footsteps, in an effort to • He says the U.S. and Canada have also struck a deal to temporarily extend the Safe qualifying media outlets. Darren Fisher Tamara Jansen Mike Kelloway Robert Kitchen soften the economic impact. MARCH 15, 2020 $7.5-million for the Kids Helps Phone. Third Country Agreement to unofficial ports of entry. That means refugee claimants • Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne participates in a conference call • Emergency cabinet meeting held in Ottawa where ministers said new measures were Dartmouth–Cole Harbour, N.S. Cloverdale–Langley City, B.C. Cape Breton–Canso, N.S. Souris–Moose Mountain, Sask. • Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland is named chair of a new cabinet committee will not be allowed to cross the border and remain in Canada while their claim is with his G7 counterparts. The group fails to issue a joint communiqué over the Trump MARCH 30, 2020 coming, but rebuffed reporters’ questions about why the government was waiting, Liberal Conservative Liberal Conservative tasked with managing the federal response to the outbreak, convened to heard, a reversal from the government’s position. administration’s insistence on referring to the pandemic as the “Wuhan virus,” despite • Mr. Trudeau says that employers, regardless of the size of their business or and why there was insufficient screening at several airports. “complement” the work of the Incident Response Group that typically meets during the WHO’s guidelines discouraging nations from linking it to a place or animal. organization, can recoup up to 75 per cent of their employees’ salaries on the first a crisis. • Canada’s public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam warns the window to flatten the curve is closing. MARCH 21, 2020 • Ms. Hajdu announces all returning travellers—except essential workers—will be $58,700 earned, if they can demonstrate they have lost at least 30 per cent of their • Canada-U.S. border closes to non-essential travel for a period of 30 days, with the under mandatory 14-day quarantine. revenue (or operating costs, for non-profits). MARCH 8, 2020 MARCH 16, 2020 possibility of an extension. • First COVID-19 death recorded when a B.C. resident in a nursing home died. Officials • Mr. Trudeau announces major new measures, including banning entry to most foreign • Ontario MP Kamal Khera, who re-registered as a nurse, tests positive for COVID-19. • Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says that 24,000 reserve and regular troops are ready said the man was in his 80s and had other underlying health issues. nationals, except for U.S. citizens. Anyone with symptoms, regardless of citizenship, MARCH 22, 2020 to be deployed, should the need arise. MARCH 26, 2020 will also be denied boarding of flights to Canada. • Health Minister Patty Hajdu warns that the feds could impose criminal penalties if MARCH 11, 2020 •Mr. Trudeau participates in a call with G20 leaders, and is officially clear to leave APRIL 20, 2020 • Canadian death toll rises to four, and all are connected to the B.C. nursing home travellers continue to defy advice to self-isolate after returning home from abroad. Rideau Cottage after his 14 days in self-isolation. • The House is tentatively scheduled to return. • World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic. where the first Canadian victim died. • The government announces it is launching an ad campaign, which will begin airing on •Ms. Freeland says the government has pushed back against the Trump administration’s • The federal government announced a $1-billion fund aimed at mitigating the spread • Conservative Party says leadership race and rules will go forward, but it would give March 23, to appeal to Canadians to practice social distancing and good hygiene. SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 Marcus Powlowski Sonia Sidhu Tony Van Bynen Len Webber suggestion to deploy troops to the border, as the number of cases in the U.S. climbs of the coronavirus, including $500-million in support to provinces and territories, an leadership candidates online tools to support efforts to canvas members from a safe • The government’s power to spend unlimited, without parliamentary oversight, expires Thunder Bay–Rainy Brampton South, Ont. Newmarket–Aurora, Ont. Calgary Confederation, Alta. MARCH 23, 2020 to more than 75,000: “What we have said is, ‘We really do not believe at all that additional $275-million in funding for research, and waiving one-week waiting period social distance, including making easier to gather online signatures, but declined calls this day. River, Ont. Liberal Liberal Conservative Liberal 6 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES COVID-19 Lobbyists clamour to get voices heard on COVID-19

BY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN on our situation, but the situation of other was boosted from its initial 10 per cent last Canada Pilots Association each have & BEATRICE PAEZ countries from where students come from,” week amid criticism that it would not be several fi les, for example), entertainment he said. “What is very clear to us is that enough to prevent massive layoffs, is open (Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, obbying groups lining up to infl uence without some type of intervention, it will to non-profi ts, charities, and other busi- which has laid off almost all of its staff), federal decisions on Canada’s CO- take many years for us to recover.” nesses, regardless of their size. food and beverages (Kraft Heinz Canada, L Mr. Peralta said Bruce MacDonald, Labatt Breweries of Canada), and a broad VID-19 response are vying to ensure that Health Minister he has been in touch president and CEO of swath from the health sector. their sector’s concerns are refl ected, with Patty Hajdu, with Global Affairs Imagine Canada, said As for subjects they want to discuss, health some warning that they may fall through pictured in a and the offi ce of Small while it’s “welcome is mentioned in 61 of the fi lings, followed the cracks even as they say Ottawa has Feb. 6 press Business and Interna- news,” much still by employment and training (37), economic made time for consultations. briefi ng, tional Trade Minister needs to be worked development (37), industry (35), international Beyond particularly hard-hit industries oversees fi les Mary Ng (Markham- out in terms of how trade (32), and taxation and fi nance (26). such as the airline and tourism sectors, that are among Thornhill, Ont.) for the non-profi t sector Canada’s fairs and exhibitions are also there are organizations such as Languages those lobbyists fi nancial relief, noting can track and prove among those sounding the alarm, warning Canada, an association that represents lan- most often that efforts to free that its revenue has that they are at risk of closing “forever” due guage schools that rely on a steady stream plan to target up credit for busi- declined by 30 per to the pandemic, even as they, along with of foreign students, which are concerned on COVID-19. nesses are helpful, but cent, and to ensure Health Charities, praised the government about their survival amid the pandemic, The Hill Times won’t be suffi cient to that it isn’t “uninten- for expanding the wage subsidy. which has battered their bottomline. photograph by stave off the threat of tionally” left out. Christina Franc, executive director of Ca- Gonzalo Peralta, the association’s Andrew Meade executive director, said since COVID-19 closures. “Our revenue nadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, took hold in China, which represents the Some groups, cycles are different said the organization is trying “to get ahead” third-largest source country after Japan including the charitable sector, are eyeing [than sales],” he said. “In the case of the of the impact to make sure some of the 700 and Brazil for these schools, the group has the feds’ 75 per cent wage subsidy optimis- charitable sector, with many being reliant members don’t become “one of the unin- noticed a precipitous drop in enrolments tically, but are awaiting further clarity on on event fundraising, we may be expect- tended consequences” of the outbreak—in that has now extended to other countries. its implementation. ing, anticipating a revenue stream that their case, the survival beyond the year. Given the border closures across differ- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papine- won’t actually occur for a little while. The “We want to make sure our voice is ent parts of the world, including in Canada, au, Que.) on March 30 outlined the eligi- question is how do we estimate revenue heard now so that we can make sure our he said in-person recruitment has been bility requirements for the wage subsidy declines in anticipated revenues.” members can access the services they need paused indefi nitely. program, saying that employers who can At the same time, he said, the govern- in order to continue to be viable,” she said, “On the very optimistic end, we’re look- demonstrate they have lost at least 30 per ment’s effort to include charities and adding it’s been diffi cult to get a response ing at a 50 per cent loss for this year, but cent of their revenue can recoup up to 75 non-profi ts in its relief response refl ects from a number of departments that touch we estimate it will actually be closer to 75 per cent of their employees’ salaries on the a recognition that the sector is not only their sector, though she had a meeting with per cent, because we don’t depend only fi rst $58,700 earned. The program, which a purveyor of services, but also one that Rural Economic Development Minister employs some 2.4 million Canadians. The Maryam Monsef’s (Peterborough–Kawar- group is still crunching the numbers on tha, Ont.) offi ce on March 31. Organizations registered to lobby on COVID-19 how much the pledged support will help. Ms. Franc noted that with most festivals Mr. MacDonald said the pandemic has and fairs planned from May to October, it Organization Last updated Number of fi lings on COVID-19 exposed the vulnerability of the sector, may be diffi cult to demonstrate a drop in 3M Canada Company 3/25/2020 1 which, for the most part, lacks fi nancial 30 per cent of revenue to apply. Many of AbCellera Biologics Inc. 3/26/2020 1 reserves to stay afl oat amid a downturn. “In the events are based in rural communities Agropur Dairy Cooperative 3/20/2020 2 fact, for years, some funders have penalized and with organizations that are “older than Air Canada Pilots Association 3/27/2020 3 those [organizations] building reserves.” Canada itself” and an “integral part” of their Airbnb Canada Inc. 3/18/2020 2 In a letter to the government, Imagine culture, added Ms. Franc. Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP) 3/23/2020 1 Canada estimated that registered charities will Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation 3/27/2020 2 likely lose between $9.5-billion and $15.7-bil- Feds ‘quite responsive,’ Baxter Corporation 3/19/2020 1 lion, resulting in layoffs between 118,000 Bayer Inc. 3/27/2020 1 and 194,000. To head off those scenarios, Mr. lobbyists say Bell Textron Canada Limited 3/30/2020 2 MacDonald said the sector is asking in part for Connie Côté, CEO of the Health Chari- Best Medicines Coalition 3/23/2020 4 an $8-billion stabilization fund, which would ties Coalition of Canada, said the coalition Boat Rocker Media 3/20/2020 2 include grants worth at least 90 per cent of that has been “pleased” with interactions from British Columbia Maritime Employers Association 3/5/2020 1 amount to cover community programs and MPs and offi cials, who have been respond- Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL–CIO, Canadian offi ce 3/24/2020 1 purchase personal protective equipment for ing “quite appropriately.” Government Canadian Association of Broadcastersn 3/23/2020 1 frontline workers, among other needs. relations has become “a little more chal- Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions 3/25/2020 2 lenging,” she said. With the loss of face-to- Canadian Chamber of Commerce 3/16/2020 1 face meetings, it’s more diffi cult to have Canadian Dental Association 3/9/2020 1 Disclosure fi lings on COVID-19 patients tell their stories, for example. Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association 3/12/2020 1 Canadian Pharmacists' Association 3/23/2020 1 explode Chartwell Retirement Residences regis- Chartwell Retirement Residences 3/23/2020 4 Within the last week, the number of tered four consultant lobbyists on March 23 Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group 3/25/2020 3 disclosure fi lings on the federal lobbyists’ to speak with offi cials about getting health- Conseil des professionnels en services fi nanciers 3/27/2020 1 registry showed a signifi cant uptick in sector specifi c changes to Employment Flair Airlines Ltd. 3/27/2020 6 registrations connected to the coronavirus. Insurance for staff at some of its 200-plus GlaxoSmithKline Inc. 3/27/2020 3 There have been 90 registrations for 55 seniors homes in four provinces, which Health Charities Coalition of Canada 3/23/2020 1 organizations, as of March 31, indicating range from assisted living to long-term care. Husky Oil Operations Limited 3/27/2020 3 their interest in connecting with federal “The government has been quite respon- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers First District 3/1/2020 1 offi cials on issues ranging from policy to sive and we are engaging to see how we International Union of Operating Engineers 3/23/2020 1 funding. can best work together to ensure we all get Keurig Canada 3/18/2020 1 Such federal lobbying fi lings have through this safely,” said Sharon Ranalli, Kohl & Frisch 3/19/2020 1 jumped compared to the 57 entries just a vice-president of marketing, over email. Kraft Heinz Canada ULC 3/19/2020 2 few days before from those who disclosed Despite the workload, Kevin Desjardins, Labatt Breweries of Canada 3/19/2020 1 their desire to speak with offi cials. The the Canadian Dental Association’s director Languages Canada 3/19/2020 1 target of their attention starts at the top, of public affairs, said it’s his sense that of- Mastronardi Produce Limited 3/17/2020 3 with 81 of the 90 listing the Prime Minis- fi cials are responding by phone and email Mastronardi Produce Limited 3/21/2020 5 ter’s Offi ce, followed by 63 for the House of more quickly than in the past. Muslim Association of Canada 3/24/2020 5 Commons, which captures MPs and their “I think everyone is trying to do the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association 3/20/2020 1 Optel Group 3/25/2020 1 staff. Some of the registrations, updated or best that we can given the circumstances,” Organigram Inc. 3/23/2020 1 created in the last week in the federal lob- said Mr. Desjardins, and while government Pearson Education Inc. 3/27/2020 3 byist registry touch on policy outside of the relations work is certainly different—not a Precision Biomonitoring Inc. 3/22/2020 1 coronavirus which may broaden the insti- six-month consultation, as in some cases— Protect-YU Inc. 3/23/2020 1 tutions they reach out to and on what sub- most see that the government has to work Registration Sysco Canada Inc. 3/16/2020 1 jects. The other departments that are top of quickly and then make the necessary Restaurant Brands International Inc. 3/13/2020 1 mind include Finance Canada (mentioned adjustments. For example, the government Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory 3/24/2020 1 in 61 registrations), Innovation, Science, fi rst came out with two employee emer- Sandoz Canada Inc. 3/25/2020 1 and Economic Development Canada (57), gency benefi t programs and then changed Sunwing Travel Group Inc. 3/16/2020 2 the Senate (46), Health Canada (43), Global it into the single benefi t. Swissport Canada Inc 3/23/2020 1 Affairs Canada (37), and Employment and “It shows that there’s a willingness Sysco Canada Inc. 3/17/2020 3 Social Development Canada (34). to take action but course-correct … if it Teva Canada Ltd. 3/27/2020 1 The companies, associations, and indus- doesn’t feel as though it’s the right ap- Toyota Canada Inc. (through Casacom) 3/27/2020 3 try groups come from a number of sec- proach.” Ultra Electronics TCS 3/24/2020 1 tors facing increased economic pressure, [email protected] Viral Me 3/30/2020 1 including airlines and travel (Flair Airlines [email protected] Whirlpool Canada LP 3/18/2020 1 Ltd., Sunwing Travel Group Inc., and Air The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 7 Comment

Safety nets were chopped and now we’re screwed trying to respond to the ‘equal opportunity virus’

Cardi B is one of those few intersectional voices leading the communication of the consequences of this virus to those who mainstream media news broadcasts cannot reach, writes Erica Iﬁ ll. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Frank Schwichtenberg

and Instagram infl uencer, turned globalization, free trade, austerity, as a whole. Only, it doesn’t work where it’s just a carcass among The employment hit femcee, turned political and and reductions in government out this way. These supply-side the debris of political and eco- social commenter, is one of those spending to increase the role of economic strategies don’t amount nomic mendacity. All this done in insurance program few intersectional voices leading the private sector in the economy to anything more than large holes the name of “tax cuts” or “effi cien- the communication of the con- and society. Originally buoyed in government budgets (see: the cies” or “small government”—or can barely function sequences of this virus to those by the political fallout of two Kansas City experiment). Also my personal favourite, “balanced when we need it most who mainstream media news oil crises in the 1970s and the note that tax cuts amount to budgets”—at a time when massive broadcasts cannot reach. After political economy of Thatcherism government spending, much like legislative changes must be made because politicians all, COVID-19 should be known and Reaganomics, trickle-down direct spending on social pro- for the rebranded employment in- as the “equal opportunity virus,” economics—neoliberalism’s grams (it’s the opportunity cost surance (EI) to cover the majority stole from workers to one that doesn’t care about your fi rst wave—remains the biggest of it all). of the labour force. age, your education, your postal economic lie ever told. Even the In the tenor of supply-side UI used to be a shared cost make their books look code, or your status. In fact, it’s International Monetary Fund economics/neoliberalism, the fi rst amongst the federal govern- balanced. Indeed, as remarkable how many privileged, (IMF) stated the ineffectiveness of instinct of the federal government, employers, and employees. monied, and powerful people this piece of economic dogma in ment during the coronavirus crisis However, in 1990, the federal is the custom of the have contracted this virus: Tom its 2015 report on global income was to lower interest rates, in an government removed its fi nan- Hanks, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, inequality, already low-interest rate environ- cial responsibility, making the fi rst of April, we were Idris Elba, Prince Albert of Mo- “Specifi cally, if the income share ment. Sure. I guess. But did any- rebranded EI a self-fi nancing naco, U.K. Prime Minister Boris of the top 20 per cent (the rich) one at the Bank of Canada look program whose fi nancial liabili- fooled. Johnson, and Prince Charles, to increases, then GDP growth actually at the fact that lowering interest ties were to be borne solely by name a few. The irony of million- declines over the medium term, rates may exacerbate an afford- employers and employees. The aires and billionaires being more suggesting that the benefi ts do not able housing epidemic where only reason there are EI surpluses susceptible to this virus than trickle down. In contrast, an increase homelessness and home insecurity is because the federal government previous outbreaks is, frankly, in the income share of the bottom 20 are rising? What happens to those just passed the puck to the rest of unprecedented. This may be due per cent (the poor) is associated with people, who are more likely to be us. What is most egregious, how- to the concentration of wealth higher GDP growth. The poor and precariously unemployed, who ever, is that starving EI wasn’t and privilege—the one per cent, if the middle class matter the most for may also be increasingly suscep- enough—Jean Chrétien and Paul you will—that has grown over the growth via a number of interrelated tible to the coronavirus if they are Martin stole money from the EI past 40 years. economic, social, and political chan- also deemed essential workers? surplus (what else do you call It is in this timeframe that nels,” the report said. Nobody thought about this? Oh. taking something that’s not yours Erica Ifi ll we have coincidentally ravaged Word. Property owners over the without permission?) to fund Bad+Bitchy the welfare state to the point But we don’t make policy populace. social programs and it is under where it is just a shell of itself; for the poor, or the middle Conversely, labour will always this ruse that Martin earned his it’s reminiscent of a Jenga tower class (whoever they are), or the suffer the fate of being an after- reputation as a defi cit slayer. TTAWA—The entire Western that wobbles more destructively marginalized, we make policy thought—if at all—in government That the $54-billion was never Oworld was feelin’ itself until with each block removed from its to make sure that corporations policy. The 1971 Unemployment recovered, even with the election the novel coronavirus hit. Now, structure. The eventuality is al- and oligarchs are in the prime Insurance Act greatly expanded of Stephen Harper, is grotesque. we’ve been humbled like Justin ready pre-ordained. The Canadian position of fi nancial health, so unemployment insurance (UI) So here we are with a program Trudeau on his blackface apology social safety net, or the welfare that their profi ts and the ben- almost to the point of universal- that can barely function when we tour. state, we have now is no match efi ts that result can trickle down ity (it covered 96 per cent of the need it most because politicians Every time I type the name for the damage the coronavirus to society as a whole. This is labour force) with: a 75 per cent stole from workers to make their of this pandemic, all I can hear will infl ict on all of us. And we done mainly through tax policy, wage replacement rate, cover- books look balanced. Indeed, as is is Cardi B’s coronavirus rant on did it to ourselves by worship- namely, cutting taxes for the age until 70 years of age, and a the custom of the fi rst of April, we Instagram that has been chopped ping at the altar of the neoliberal wealthiest and the corporations, maximum duration of benefi ts were fooled. and screwed into a remix that’s ideology. who will then invest in labour and at 51 weeks. Since the mid-1970s And these are your political blazing up the charts. (The inter- Neoliberalism is gener- capital with the extra money, and (coinciding with the period of the heroes? I’d rather listen to Cardi B. net remains undefeated.) ally associated with policies of whose increased production and oil shocks), successive Conserva- Erica Ifi ll is a co-host of the It’s no surprise that a former economic liberalization includ- resource allocation resulting from tive and Liberal governments have Bad+Bitchy podcast. dancer, turned reality show star ing: privatization, deregulation, this investment benefi ts society shanked this program to the point The Hill Times 8 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES

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Editorial Letters to the Editor Turning away asylum seekers is turning back Trusting in science the only way to go on most vulnerable in global time of need e: “Help Canada’s workers now—but of households come out ahead, a fi nding early two weeks ago, on March 20, Asked about the reports that the U.S. Rdon’t lock us into a high-carbon confi rmed by the Parliamentary Budget NPrime Minister Justin Trudeau an- would be deporting the people who had future,” (The Hill Times, March 25, p. 9). Offi cer and others. nounced a major departure from his gov- been turned away at the Canadian border, Recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau We are most likely heading into a ernment’s stance on people who cross the Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland praised the youth of Canada for all they recession, if not a depression. When he Canada-U.S. border irregularly—they’re said on March 27 it was something the are doing to help their parents during this regained power in 1935 during the Great no longer welcome, in the age of the novel government was “discussing urgently pandemic and for “trusting in science.” We Depression, then-prime minister William coronavirus. with [its] American partners.” She said it’s must show our youth by example that we Lyon Mackenzie King implemented relief The issue of asylum seekers who made important for Canada to abide by interna- trust in science, too. programs such as the National Housing their way into Canada on foot outside of tional commitments, and that it was aware I agree with Richard Florizone that Act and National Employment Commis- the regular border crossings has been a of problems, but it “continues to be impor- supporting people during the COVID-19 sion, similar to or even modelled after the longstanding political hot potato. tant for Canada to have assurances that pandemic “does not mean cutting car- New Deal of then-U.S. president Franklin The Safe Third Country Agreement is a that would not happen to people returned bon taxes, as some have suggested.” D. Roosevelt. pact struck in 2002 between Canada and to the United States.” Since September 2010, I have been The objective was to put money in the United States, that came into force in She also added that the government highly involved with the Citizens’ Climate the pockets of the common people, and 2004 and compels refugee claimants to was “clearly alive to those concerns at Lobby. Our focus has been Carbon Fee it worked. We need to do the same again make their claim in the fi rst country along the time that these agreements were an- and Dividend: an incrementally rising th today. the 49 parallel that they arrive in. The nounced.” price on carbon pollution where 100 per If governments expect Canadians to agreement has pushed refugee claimants Despite continued questions at sub- cent of the fees collected are returned self-isolate for extended periods of time, to cross the Canada-U.S. border irregular- sequent press conferences, Ms. Freeland to citizens. Canada’s national backstop then those Canadians must be provided ly as the pact is in place at recognized land wasn’t able to provide any updates to carbon-pricing policy is a form of Carbon with money adequate to cover their crossings, at train stations, and at airports. those urgent discussions, but said again Fee and Dividend. Tellingly, 27 Nobel needs. The fossil fee dividend or carbon Up until mid-March, Public Safety on March 31 that “Canada will never do Prize-winning economists and thousands tax rebate in the federal backstop policy Minister Bill Blair was saying that those anything to go against” those international of economists worldwide support Carbon is a step in that direction and must be crossing the border irregularly would still obligations. Fee and Dividend as well. preserved, if not expanded. be allowed in the country, but would be While the move is being touted as Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a network Also, Canada’s carbon-pricing policy taken into custody, screened, and quaran- temporary, in the name of protecting of climate leaders in 57 countries around could be an important stepping stone tined if necessary. Canadians and public health, it’s hard to the world. Our international colleagues towards universal basic income. Evidence But a few days later, Mr. Trudeau square the circle when politicians say that tell us all the time that Canada is a world is mounting that universal basic income changed tack, after hashing out details the move is aligned with their long-touted leader in carbon pricing. The fact is, the will become necessary to help people with his American counterpart about the values, as the prime minister said. countries with the best climate policies cope with the transition to an economy overall closure of the Canada-U.S. border Advocates are sounding the alarm over that include carbon pricing will be better dominated by automation and artifi cial to all except essential travellers. The an- this move by the government. In a March poised to capture part of the $26-trillion intelligence. Perhaps now is the time to nouncement itself, tacked onto the end of 21 press release, Amnesty International in opportunities in climate-smart growth begin that transition. an update about repatriation and the U.S. Canada called it a “a shameful breach by 2030. When we come out of the COVID-19 border generally, almost seemed like an of international law that risks further Now is not the time to cut the carbon crisis, the world is going to be a dramati- afterthought. endangering lives during the COVID-19 tax. Gas prices are currently at record cally changed place. This is a time where “Further, today, Canada and the pandemic.” lows. The 6.7 cents per litre of gas at $30 Canada can shine and show the world the United States are announcing a recipro- Yes, these are strange and unprec- per tonne carbon price in 2020 will not way forward. cal arrangement where we will now be edented times, but when the time comes to be a burden. On the contrary: Canada’s Cathy Orlando returning irregular migrants who attempt analyze Canada’s response, it will be dif- carbon-pricing policy puts money in Citizens’ Climate Lobby international to cross anywhere at the Canada-U.S. bor- fi cult to justify why the government stood people’s pockets. The fact is, 80 per cent outreach manager and Canadian director der,” Mr. Trudeau said briefl y on March 20, idly by and essentially turned a blind eye before moving on to other topics. to some of the most vulnerable.

Don’t waste the opportunity to transition to a cleaner future, says reader

e: “Help Canada’s workers now—but With gas prices at record lows, now is Rdon’t lock us into a high-carbon fu- not the time to scale back on the federal gov- ture,” (The Hill Times, March 25, p. 9). The ernment’s carbon-pricing backstop, which COVID-19 crisis has delivered one more delivers money to Canadians living in prov- severe body blow to Canada’s oil indus- inces with no legislated carbon pricing. try. It is a stark reminder of the precari- I urge the government to extend the ous nature of this sector and the urgent rising fee to 2030, which will send a price need to diversify our economy. signal for businesses and households to Government dollars directed at the continue to produce and invest in carbon- sector must ﬁ rst and foremost support the free products and services. workers as they transition to new lines of The COVID-19 crisis presents us with work, and not be used to prop up dying an opportunity to transition our economy and carbon-intense products. Any subsi- to one that is resilient, equitable, and dies to companies must come with a strict sustainable. Let’s not waste it. caveat: invest in clean tech alternatives Cheryl McNamara such as solar, wind, and the like. Toronto, Ont.

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and disguise yourself as a shrub stead, watch the speeches of his We’re all survivalists now: indigenous to your local biome. predecessor, especially the crisis Wearing a dinosaur costume, as management ones, to remind one thwarted Spaniard learned, yourself that America had a will do you no good, as police sane commander-in-chief before Coronapocalypse Adaptation are just as quick to arrest eejits the pre-pandemic pandemic of as joggers and septuagenarian bullsh*t got so miasmic. nless you have a history Pokémon Go addicts. 4. There’s no “I” in social order. Uof hoarding canned goods, 2. Since we’re not allowed, in In a context in which you can burying 200-gallon steel drums Canada, to orbit each other at any be arrested for loitering in a full of water in your backyard, or distance closer than the length of Halloween costume and oppor- securing the perimeter of your a hockey stick, zip on your shrub tunistic larceny includes every- bungalow with concertina wire suit and go buy a hockey stick thing from failing to self-isolate and fougasses, managing the to brandish at daredevil pedes- to hijacking loo roll shipments, more existential aspects of our trians and frozen-food-section be your own Stasi. Memorize current pandemic may not be heretics. Per rule 10.1 of the NHL Emily Post’s Etiquette: Man- second nature to you. Hereby, a Rulebook, it must be regulation ners for a New World or, better helpful primer on how to mobi- length, not exceeding 63 inches. yet, Czeslaw Milosz’s The Cap- lize your inner prepper for the I have no idea why there’s no tive Mind. Be polite at all times, non-medical exigencies of our minimum length requirement or do not publicly (the defi nition of current siege: why hockey sticks are measured “public” could evolve rapidly … 1. DON’T GO OUT THERE! in inches and not centimetres. Google regularly for updates) Per the arcane and arbitrary Unlike mastering teleportation, question authority, and have a rules for social isolating as learning new things about hockey plan for when the performative prescribed by the International isn’t one of my self-isolation anarchy kicks in. A little com- Society for COVID-19 Orwellian projects. mon courtesy goes a long way in Buggery, based on a formula in- 3. Since maintaining a posi- an apocalyptic hellscape. volving variably weighted inputs tive attitude is a key predictor of 5. Stockpile essential items. adjusted for national, regional, surviving any cataclysm, even I am watching the survivalist We’re living in a context in which you can be arrested for loitering in a one whose potentially dystopian classic Move Over Darling while Halloween costume, as one Spaniard, pictured, learned. So if you must go out, and local jurisdictions, you can now get arrested just for walk- economic, political, and social writing this, and Doris Day leave your phone at home and disguise yourself as a shrub indigenous to your consequences depend on the somehow managed to MacGyver local biome, writes Lisa Van Dusen. Screenshot courtesy of Twitter/MurciaPolicia ing down the street. In Spain, the cops busted an orgy last Friday whims of both a googolplex of false eyelashes on a desert island. night and more than 1,000 people pleomorphic spherical particles Let that be your standard and Hunkering down amid a have been arrested for violat- with bulbous surface projec- don’t be caught with the wrong ing national lockdown rules in tions and one lunatic game show shade of lip gloss when SHTF just global pandemic whose a crackdown of such granular, host, try to keep your spirits up. because your alpha strategy was surveillance-assisted fervency First and foremost, avoid any full of holes. containability depends that if it weren’t, ironically, for exposure—even fl eeting—to 6. Chin up and stay well. the pandemic and the lockdown the last-responder stylings of a Lisa Van Dusen is associate on your latitude, restrictions, people would be certain president whose appar- editor of Policy Magazine and fi lling the streets in righteous ent mission in the content sphere was a Washington and New York- longitude, and head of indignation. Whatever you do, is to misrepresent every threat, based editor at UPI, AP, and ABC. do not engage in orgies of more backtrack on every edict, com- She writes a weekly column for government requires Lisa Van Dusen than one person and, if you must pound every crisis, and double The Hill Times. mad adaptation skills. What Fresh Hell go out, leave your phone at home down perpetually on chaos. In- The Hill Times

of health speculated there could That is unacceptable. Marie be 4,000. One of those unknown Curie once said, “Nothing in life This pandemic must be cases, a friend of mine in his 40s, is to be feared: it is only to be was never tested; he is now fi ne. understood.” In order to protect He had a dry cough and fever that the most vulnerable, the public turned into a severe pneumonia. needs to know who will get sick. understood, not feared, and It had to be COVID. I am concerned people are being While Canada lacks data, our panicked into a less-nuanced neighbour to the south is in the understanding of this virus that’s why good data is crucial dark. Without proper testing or because government thinks it’s quarantines, American numbers the only way to get them to act are doubling every three days: by responsibly. In time, that strategy TTAWA—It’s all about the fected and the elderly were dying. the end of April, there could be will fail: people will tire of being Marie Curie once Onumbers. In the past few At the same time, the major- 32 million. If the U.S. experiences harangued, and will disobey. weeks, we have been inundated ity were surviving: this was not the lowest projections (30 per cent While our current quarantines said, ‘Nothing in life is by data associated with CO- Ebola, with a 60 per cent mortal- morbidity and one per cent mor- appear to be working, the long- VID-19. Some make sense, some ity rate. tality, or 0.3 per cent of the popula- term consequences of a continued to be feared: it is only don’t, some is irrelevant or fake. Then it hit Italy, and the tion) 750,000 Americans will die. lockdown will be enormous job to be understood.’ In When I worked for the World elderly population in the north In Canada, that’s 77,000 dead. losses, extreme mental health Health Organization as an infor- began to die in huge numbers. My boomer generation, and problems, and deaths by suicide. order to protect the mation offi cer in the late 1990s, Research revealed a signifi cant those a decade or two older, Not to mention a crippling defi cit. my teachers were the best doctors number of the dead had prior will be hit hard. We have to be If people are tested effi ciently— most vulnerable, the in the world. There was a rigorous health conditions. The numbers hopeful, resilient, and smart, but in drive-through facilities, arenas, discipline to be respected, and the and the symptoms were relatively choices will be made if the worst anywhere—we can identify who is public needs to know data we used had to be precise. consistent with China. comes: many may have to sign ill, who is vulnerable, and ensure who will get sick. Because both the public and When COVID-19 arrived “Do not resuscitate” orders if their the public is safe. That is how it is professionals around the world here, most of the information prognosis isn’t good and ICUs are being done elsewhere, with real depended on it. was fl awed. In Taiwan, South fl ooded. results. While Canada is making I dealt with Ebola, tubercu- Korea, and Germany, everyone The young may survive the some progress in “fl attening the losis, heart disease, and HIV/ was being tested. In Canada, few virus, but they can be carriers and curve,” offi cials have to be creative AIDS, which all involved death. were being tested and we had a are not invulnerable: smokers, if they want to get the country My colleagues’ research sought to backlog. Potential morbidity was vapers, or those with asthma are back on track as soon as possible. determine how people died and “guesstimated” at 30 to 70 per cent potential victims. Numbers from Andrew Caddell is retired from why, in order to ensure more did of the population. When data was the Public Health Agency bear Global Affairs Canada, where he not. It was fascinating. fi nally provided on March 29, that out: only 12 per cent of those was a senior policy adviser. He I have been following the we discovered of 200,000 people who have died are under 40. But previously worked as an adviser story of COVID-19 since Decem- tested, more than three per cent the numbers between 20 and 40 to Liberal governments. He is a ber. And throughout, the chal- were positive, around 90 per cent are not available. As if to empha- fellow with the Canadian Global Andrew Caddell lenge has been reliable informa- negative, three per cent were size that point, two deaths were Affairs Institute and a principal of With All Due Respect tion. When the outbreak hit in critical, and one per cent fatal. announced in Ottawa this week, QIT Canada. He can be reached Wuhan, China, preliminary data And yet, with 70 known cases but for privacy reasons, their ages at [email protected]. indicated children were not af- in Ottawa, the medical offi cer were not divulged. The Hill Times 10 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES COVID-19

ever asked how in the hell all ment law enforcement, then the these horses and men would put question begs just what role would Humpty Dumpty back together people like to see them perform? All the king’s horses again, but it did give the impres- At present, and for the foresee- sion that at least the king was able future, the global supply attempting to do something about chain remains functioning with the broken-egg crisis. no predicted critical shortages of and all the king’s But Trump’s presumption that essential goods. There is also no stricken Canadians would at- shortage of transportation and tempt to illegally cross the border delivery means available. While to enter the already overloaded it might be visually reassuring to men and women U.S. health-care system simply see army trucks and uniformed makes no sense. soldiers delivering supplies to However, on the subject of COVID-19 test centres, this would Humpty Dumpty syndrome, it be a completely unnecessary mis- shouldn’t be putting turns out that Canadians are use of our military resources. no more immune to it than our The civilian delivery system is southern neighbours. more than capable, and replacing A recent poll conducted by them with soldiers would only the coronavirus egg the Conference of Defence As- be another kick to one of the few sociations Institute and IPSOS, sectors of our economy that is determined that nine out of every still functioning. 10 Canadians believe that the Ca- This applies also to the sug- nadian Armed Forces should be gestion of using transport aircraft back together again deployed to play a role in combat- Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of the from the RCAF to repatriate ting the COVID-19 pandemic. defence staff, says the Canadian stranded Canadians who remain While it is admittedly a refresh- Armed Forces has plans in place and trapped in locked down foreign TTAWA—Late last week, ing vote of confi dence in the pro- troops sequestered in anticipation of countries. A premature, public OU.S. President Donald Trump fessionalism of the CAF, this poll being called upon to assist with the As long as civilian charter relations optics-only caused a diplomatic fl ap when result also illustrates just how out COVID-19 response. The Hill Times fl ights can be arranged, it means he proposed sending American of touch the public is with regards photograph by Andrew Meade our battered airline industry still deployment of the troops to the Canadian border. to the role, responsibility, structure, gets the cash fl ow, albeit a non- Trump was, of course, simply and equipment of our military. COVID-19 battle, such resources sustaining minuscule drip feed. CAF is not going to pandering to his voter base by It is true that Chief of Defence simply do not exist in Canada. That said, I count myself acting as some great protector, Staff General Jonathan Vance has To date there has been no among the one in 10 Canadians help fi x this broken deploying combat soldiers to keep put 24,000 troops on standby to indication of civil disobedience that does not want to see our COVID-19-infected Canadians mobilize, and to date, some mili- or violent chaos in the streets. By military employed to battle CO- egg called COVID-19. from sneaking across the mutual tary personnel and facilities were and large, a petrifi ed Canadian VID-19. boundary. employed in repatriating Canadi- population has unquestioningly If it does come down to As soldiers with weapons ans from foreign countries. abided by the strict rules of self- Canada employing our resource cannot stop a virus that has al- However, the limited scale of isolation and quarantine. Any of last resort—the CAF—then we ready taken hold in the U.S., this the CAF means that it does not minor transgressions have been will need those personnel to re- deployment of Trump’s martial have much of a surplus of medical easily quelled by local police forc- main healthy. A premature, public might would have been for purely resources beyond what is neces- es or in many instances unarmed relations optics-only deployment diversionary optics. sary to protect and treat its own security guards such as those of the CAF is not going to help fi x This can be described as the serving personnel. who are now employed by liquor this broken egg called COVID-19. “Humpty Dumpty” syndrome, Unlike the Chinese and U.S. stores in Ontario to ensure physi- Scott Taylor is the editor and wherein when a giant egg breaks, militaries that contributed 4,000 cal distancing between clients. publisher of Esprit de Corps Scott Taylor the king marches around with military medical staff and 2,000 So if the CAF is not deployed to magazine. Inside Defence all his men and horses. No one ventilators, respectively, to the administer health care or to aug- The Hill Times

president emoted for a while about Much presumably will depend quickly ending the current restric- on how bad the sickness, death, tions hurting the economy and and economic destruction in the The U.S. heads into the abyss seeing everyone back in church U.S. become, and whether voters together for a glorious April 12 will remember that Trump’s mis- Easter celebration. And in the midst handling of the crisis in January There’s speculation over His lies, bewildering non- of the catastrophe, Trump has been and February made it a lot worse sense, rancour, lack of awareness crowing that his daily bragging ses- than it might otherwise have how the U.S. election of what is going on, and inap- sions have earned the same cable been. As the virus spreads into propriateness defy description. TV ratings as the season fi nale of Trump country, it may dampen will be handled in the That he has rendered useless any The Bachelor. On March 29, he his supporters’ blind loyalty. The age of the pandemic. concepts of leadership, public crossed into new territory, saying if implications going forward will deportment, accountability, and the death toll in the U.S. stays at or also hinge on the ability of the The prevailing view reasonable political discourse is below 100,000, “we all together (will) Democratic presidential candi- driven home almost hourly. have done a very good job.” date to tie Trump to the crisis. Joe is that the president The misinformation and twisting Even given the usual rally- Biden, the party’s presumptive would not be able legally of the facts come so fast and furious ‘round-the-fl ag support afforded candidate, has been somewhat that the fact-checkers are left in a leader in this kind of situation, lacklustre in that regard so far. to postpone the vote, the dust. With thousands of lives it is bizarre in the extreme that But the election is still seven at stake, Trump has picked public Trump’s approval ratings in late months away, and it’s unclear although, with Trump, fi ghts with governors because, as he U.S. President Donald Trump delivers March were actually rising on how long the pandemic will last, who knows? acknowledged, they didn’t “appreci- remarks at the White House Coronavirus the basis of his unhinged per- how vast will be the damage, and ate” him enough. He argued that Task Force update briefi ng on March formance. The fact that half of how long it will take the economy New York, at the centre of the crisis, 29. The fact that half of Americans Americans can fi nd something and the stock market—once the was exaggerating the need for can fi nd something to approve in his to approve in his performance main elements of Trump’s re-elec- ventilators, later accusing New York performance shows how much he has shows how much he has convert- tion message—to show signs of health-care workers of stealing face converted his leadership into a cult, ed his leadership into a cult. Pre- recovery. How the president will masks. At a moment when drastic write Les Whittington. White House viously, his behaviour on almost fare is anyone’s guess, as the situ- action was needed by the federal photograph courtesy of Andrea Hanks any single day in the past month ation in the U.S. will be anything government, Trump explained he would have been enough to have but politics as normal. For now, had lapsed into his beloved deal- existent cures. And, playing to his Americans up in arms demanding there is even a lot of speculation making mode and put off an agree- foreigner-hating base, he couldn’t the president’s ouster. about how the election will be ment with private companies to pass up the chance to muse about Of course, Trump has reshuf- conducted, mail-in ballots being Les Whittington produce 80,000 ventilators. putting troops on the Cana- fl ed the entire U.S. political deck. one option. The stage is arranged Need to Know He has refused to accept dian border, suggesting Canada But, even if he has now set things for a chaotic process of historic responsibility for his disastrous shouldn’t be treated differently up to lay some of the blame for proportions. In that context, the response to COVID-19, trying, than Mexico and accusing Canada a worst-case COVID-19 scenario prevailing view is that the presi- TTAWA—As the COVID-19 despite being in offi ce for three- of allowing goods dumped by on state governors, the president dent would not be able legally to Ocrisis has gained momentum, plus years, to blame it on previous China into the U.S. Muddying the has taken an enormous risk in postpone the vote, although, with Donald Trump has reduced the of- administrations (“We took over waters as usual, he said “we had personalizing and owning the Trump, who knows? fi ce of the U.S. president to a kind an empty shelve”) or journalists some troops up in Canada.” administration’s halting, politi- Les Whittington is a regular of endless, theatre-of-the-absurd trying to hurt his election chances. As the U.S. virus toll climbed cally calculated, and ineffective columnist for The Hill Times. talk show routine. He has stoked hope for non- toward the worst on the globe, the anti-virus campaign. The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 11 Comment

allows time to retool on that front and beg the party to have a longer window to get people to become party members. The previ- Pausing CPC race was the right ous, now invalid, cut-off date for member- ship sign-ups had been April 17. Finally, hopefully, the pause in the campaign will allow the candidates to move, and campaigns should come back with a focused pitch, not to just to Conservatives, but to Canadians in the tough new world we fi nd ourselves in. What worked prior to the pandemic in terms of tone and temperament may be seize the chance to retool much less appealing when it’s done. They should all park the notion fl oated terns of behaviour in the campaign Team became prime minister in 2006. Harper prior to the pandemic that in the fall the Hopefully, the pause in the MacKay will want to get under control. was unafraid to be brutally refl ective in defi rst order of business will be a confi dence There were some poorly timed tweets termining what he had to improve. MacKay vote. What Canada needs from the Con- campaign will allow the launched by the MacKay campaign during has to do the same. servatives in the next six to 12 months is the rail blockades earlier in the year, and Credit to Erin O’Toole for having the a political party that is offering a strong candidates to come back other tweets that were more partisan, more sense to call for a delay. His campaign has critique of government, one that is look- with a focused pitch, not to biting, than I know MacKay to be. Also, the generally been well run. I am sure, as in the ing for legitimate ways to co-operate, and shut down of the interview with a CTV re- case of the other two remaining candidates, one that can put its own ambitions on hold just to Conservatives, but to porter and other little missteps that, again, Leslyn Lewis and Derek Sloan, that it wasn’t until 2021. go against the grain of who people know entirely altruism driving their motivations Tim Powers is vice-chairman of Summa Canadians in the tough new MacKay to be. for a delay as there has been a lot of chatter Strategies and managing director of All political campaigns have missteps to suggest that, given what the country has Abacus Data. He is a former adviser to world we fi nd ourselves in. and leaders make mistakes. Stephen been going through, it has been tough to sign Conservative political leaders. Harper made plenty of them before he up members. A postponement of the contest The Hill Times

Tim Powers INFRASTRUCTURE Plain Speak Publication date: April 22, 2020 | Advertising deadline: April 17, 2020

TTAWA—The Leadership Election OOrganization Committee (LEOC) of As of December 2019, the Canada Infrastructure the Conservative Party eventually made the right decision last week in deciding Bank (CIB) had nine projects across Canada. The CIB to postpone the leadership vote originally focuses on four main sectors: public transit, trade and scheduled for June 27. transportation, green infrastructure, and broadband The offi cial reasoning the party provided was that staff resources and logistical infrastructure. Is Canada getting good value? Are the challenges made it impossible to continue. projects in the public interest? It is right the party is making the health and well-being of its team a priority, along with that of electors. However, it would not One key to how the federal government’s infrastructure have hurt them to be a bit more emphatic, policy is shaped is the need to navigate the chasm between to state more forcefully, that now is not the how much money needs to be spent and what funding time for politics as usual. It is easy to be an armchair quarter- is actually making it out the door. What is Canada’s back and question the LEOC’s decision. infrastructure gap and is it any closer to being closed? Having previously been a member of the LEOC during the 2004 leadership race, I know it happened frequently to me, as This briefing will also take a look at the Federation of well as my fellow committee members Canadian Municipalities’ fall report that said Canada’s at the time. There are good and capable public infrastructure is “at risk” unless some key people on this LEOC, Lisa Raitt and Dan investments are made. Nowlan among them. They are people of integrity, who I believe do always try to act not just in the best interests of Conser- It will also explore the federal Gas Tax Fund, and whether vatives, but also the country as a whole. it lives up to its promise of providing predictable, long- They got to the right place in coming to a decision about postponement, and much term funding for local governments (a $2.2-billion one- of this will be irrelevant when the race time transfer was allocated in Budget 2019). starts again. Readers of this column will know Peter MacKay is a friend, and I believe he is an Finally, in this briefing, we’ll take a look at the progress extremely capable person who has the of the government’s drive to expand high-speed skills necessary to be a strong leader. But broadband access for all Canadians, especially those in it is clear that MacKay and his team need to take the time during this pause to refl ect rural areas of the country. on some of their strategic approaches if they want to be successful when the race Be a part of this timely and relevant briefing. resumes. Though I imagine it was a pressure tactic to infl uence the LEOC’s thinking on whether or not to postpone the June leadership vote, the MacKay team’s plea to view electing the leader of the opposition as an essential service and to press forward in this unprecedented crisis was a risky pitch that produced no reward. For more information or to reserve your government relations and public affairs In the end, MacKay and his team took some deserved criticism for taking that advertising space, contact The Hill Times display advertising department avenue, and rightly so. When the race [email protected] • 613-688-8841. recommences, this will likely be a distant memory, but it does speak to some pat- 12 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES COVID-19 Does the coronavirus contain a silver lining?

This way, corporate taxes could be con- If this crisis is to produce tained, or even reduced, and regulations, a positive turning point many of which were adopted following the 2008 fi nancial crash, could be eliminated, and not an apocalypse, thereby unleashing the fabled dynamism and market effi ciencies of privately led governments must quickly economic growth. At least that is what conservatives, Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News reverse course. and his U.K.-based publications, as well as the leaders of the fi nancial, industrial, and Joseph Ingram pharmaceutical sectors, contended. Indeed, Opinion this storyline has been the bedrock of the Donald Trump administration policies in the U.S., and of Boris Johnson’s govern- n a 2012 Huffi ngton Post column (“What ment in the U.K. I2012 can learn from 2011”)—thought by In contrast, others viewed the threats many at the time to be the year of the apoc- more as dangers to the global commons, The U.S. President Donald Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson governments’ failures to alypse—I observed that it might instead requiring a multinational or global re- recognize the need for widespread co-operation will only exacerbate the impact this pandemic will prove to be the year of a global awakening. sponse. Global warming, migration, fi nan- have on both the health and the economies of their citizens, writes Joseph Ingram. White House A positive turning point in history when cial fl ows, and pandemics are ultimately photograph by Joyce N. Boghosian and Flickr photograph by Arno Mikkor a critical mass of citizens, confronted by not confi ned to single nations and their global challenges and connected by social borders, or stopped by physical walls. In- of austerity and Brexit in the U.K., and a ing hands and social distancing) than to media, would demand that their govern- stead, this group advocated strengthening retreat into unilateralism and zero-sum follow WHO or EU guidelines. That hasn’t ments do more to meet their needs and key public institutions, more strategically nationalism in the U.S. Forward-looking worked out well, however, for either the concerns. I suggested that humanity would targeted regulations on the fi nancial sector, governments, with visions of global devel- prime minister or his health minister, both be confronted by crises that affect all of more progressive tax codes, and curtail- opment based on an empirical understand- of whom have since tested positive for the us—from climate change to widening in- ment of corporate welfare so as to fi nance ing of the past and a comprehension of the coronavirus. come equality and migration, doubts about the strengthened public services needed inexorable trends we face as a planet, are We will see what the results of these dominant economic and political models, to effectively address such threats. Many gone. Now, we have governments in both unilateral policies will be in both the U.K. and yes, global health threats. also urged increased support for special- countries that seek to recreate a mythical and the U.S., countries in which income The common reaction to such threats ized international institutions such as the past, with corporate elites effectively for- inequality has widened to obscene propor- would be a growing uncertainty and fear World Health Organization (WHO) and mulating our laws (and providing the ma- tions with almost 45 per cent of families of unintended consequences. Some would its 2005 International Health Regulations, jority of our senior government offi cials) to in both countries with incomes under the favour dealing with them through exclu- which, amongst others, were then seen as favour their companies and shareholders. equivalent of $35,000 per year. We will sively home-grown and nationally targeted ill-equipped to deal with these new-order The prevailing ideology asserts that such see how far that takes those affl icted with policies—strong controls on immigration risks. an approach is best at creating equality of the virus and without health insurance or and higher levels of trade protection—leav- What we now have, in the U.S., the U.K., opportunity and national welfare. access to adequate testing and treatment ing the private sector to generate creative and in a number of other major economies, But what has that approach looked from under-resourced public health institu- work and economic growth, rather than a is the election of nativist governments like in reality and what has it actually tions, or indeed how many of them will more robust and proactive public sector. with policy fi xes that have favoured years produced? Since taking offi ce in 2017, even have jobs in what are proving to be consistent with long-standing Republican deeply distressed economies. We will see if ideology, the Trump administration has the early assurances and wilful inconsis- sought to reduce the delivery of public tencies from both Trump and Johnson as to goods by government and replace it as the ephemeral nature of the virus bear out. ȶȉȦȟ3SZIP(SVSREZMVYW (4:.)Ȧȟ much as possible by private sector provi- Current trends in the U.S. suggest other- sion—in education, in transport, public wise. My guess is that both their political utilities, and in health care by seeking to ideologies and the vapid comprehension What you need to know replace Obamacare. This, while simultane- of the need for greater multinational co- ously eliminating regulations that were operation will fail them, and many of their adopted to protect the general public from citizens will continue to die needlessly as to help you and your the predatory, profi t-maximizing practices a result. of the banking sector that led to the 2008 If this crisis is to produce a positive fi nancial collapse. In addition, refl ecting turning point and not an apocalypse, family stay healthy. Trump’s unilateralism, the administration governments must quickly reverse course. has proposed substantial cuts to interna- They have to recognize that public policy tional organizations and to U.S. foreign must be based on solid research and em- aid. These included an almost 60 per cent pirical evidence that demonstrate which • Only visit an assessment centre if you have reduction in funding to the WHO for 2021, measures actually work in an increasingly while also eliminating in 2018 the pandem- complex and globalized environment. been referred by a health care professional. ic unit in the White House that the Barack They need to recognize that their playing Obama administration created following fi elds are less and less national and that, • Avoid non-essential travel. the SARS and Ebola pandemics. For the on an interlinked planet, desired outcomes latest budget, Trump had also proposed must include multinational approaches • Monitor for symptoms after travel. 30-40 per cent cuts to the Department of that respond to the needs of multiple ac- Health and Human Services (HHS), the tors. • Avoid large gatherings. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the This should be done through close National Institutes of Health (NIH)—a step co-operation amongst governments and • Be prepared, but avoid panic stocking. too far even for his congressional Repub- multilateral organizations, allowing the lican allies. Most recently, the administra- work of the planet’s best minds and shared tion has refused to accept protective gear experiences, regardless of nationality, to • Caring for those who are ill? Take precautions. offered by the WHO for frontline medical determine best practices.The Trump and staff to offset current U.S. shortages. Pre- Johnson governments’ failures to recognize • Clean high-touch surfaces regularly. sumably, the reasoning is that a ramped-up these realities will only exacerbate the U.S. private sector can do this more ef- impact this pandemic will have on both the • Order your prescription medication. fi ciently than having to rely on the charity health and the economies of their citizens. of a multinational organization. We can no longer afford leaders who • Practice cough and sneeze etiquette in transit. Across the pond in the U.K., the tradi- are incapable of understanding global tion of conservative myopia seems just trends and the bigger picture. What we as entrenched, with the crisis revealing desperately need are politicians who how poorly resourced the National Health recognize that in today’s globalized world, If you have symptoms, take the self-assessment Service (NHS) has become following years other than in sports, success can rarely be at ontario.ca/coronavirus. Or call Telehealth of Conservative austerity. God forbid the defi ned in zero-sum terms. Boris Johnson government have to deal Joseph Ingram is the chairman of Capi- Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007) with the threat by following EU guidelines, talis Partners, a former president of the or your public health unit. especially with Britain having just re- North South Institute, and a former World gained from Europe its “sovereignty.” Better Bank special representative to the United the urgings of nationalists like Dominic Nations and the World Trade Organiza- Cummings and Fox News’ Steve Hilton tion. He is an expert adviser to the Global (a former advisor to David Cameron) to Growth Dialogue and a fellow of the Cana- Paid for by the Government of Ontario pursue a “nudging strategy” (eschewing any dian Global Affairs Institute. shutdowns and relying solely on wash- The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 13 COVID-19

Heritage Minister Its many faults notwithstand- Steven Guilbeault, ing, the CBC seems like the only pictured Feb. viable candidate for the job. The How to save the 3 in the West package could look something like Block, announced this. Ottawa provides the CBC with measures meant to an extra $1-billion. The CBC would support Canadian use the money to hire ailing news- media during papers and broadcasters as con- Canadian media the COVID-19 tract content providers—basically pandemic. That and wholesale freelancers. These “free- the government’s lancers” would use their current wage subsidy staff to deliver the goods, thereby industry from program won’t be keeping journalists employed, and enough, writes more importantly, reporting. Daniel Bernhard. Here’s the key: the funding must The Hill Times come with the condition that all photograph by content be made freely available mass extinction Andrew Meade for any news organization to use. This would allow the publishers and Make no mistake, failing a the U.S. government faced a similar the debts were owed. broadcasters to keep publishing— sizeable and swift intervention, Ca- problem. Major fi nancial institutions The plan had serious moral and keep selling ads. If they can nadian media face mass extinction. required major cash infusions— limitations. But it worked. It retain talent and keep publishing And if that happens, the conse- quickly. The government’s initial was a focused intervention that while still earning some revenue, quences for Canadian democracy, offering, the Troubled Asset Relief used one company with existing they might just live to fi ght another now, and after the recession, would Plan (TARP), bought some time, but government funding as a conduit day. Are there problems with this be devastating and permanent. it was not enough. The banks needed to bail out hundreds of other com- plan? Of course. But this is a matter The federal wage subsidy will further support to stave off mass panies using existing networks of life and death and we don’t have Daniel Bernhard buy some publishers some time, bankruptcies, but Americans were and infrastructure. It was the only time to bicker. Perfection cannot be Opinion but support for a mere 14 weeks understandably reluctant to give the way to get enough money into the the enemy of survival. just isn’t enough. Even if it provides billionaire bankers who caused the system, quickly, while avoiding Government is notoriously ORONTO—If current trends a bridge, the scale of the much- mess even more public money. Even the diffi cult ethical challenge of slow to set up new programs in Tcontinue, Canada’s news me- delayed media bailout announced worse, the banks didn’t know which giving the likes of JP Morgan yet normal times. There’s no way dia will not survive the COVID-19 in November 2018 is just too small. assets were dragging them down, another taxpayer rescue package. they’ll be able to cook up some- recession. Even during the boom Much more needs to be done—fast. and there was simply no way to The CBC could and should thing brand new during this crisis. years of 2009-2019, nearly 300 Industry sources estimate that we identify them fast enough to prevent play the role of AIG in a bailout of That’s why this plan is worth con- Canadian outlets shut down and have between six and eight weeks collapse. the media sector. sidering. No matter its shortcom- 16,000 journalists were laid off. to stave off the worst. The solution was to run a sec- We need to pump about $1-bil- ings, the CBC already works with But the good times, if you can Our challenge is clear: fi nd ond bailout through AIG, the once- lion to hundreds of Canadian hundreds of freelance contractors. call them that, are over. a way to pump a lot of money— mighty insurance company that media outlets, within weeks, before They have the contracts and pay- In the last two weeks, nearly likely about $1-billion—into the had taken bets with the big banks, they die. The AIG case suggests we ment infrastructure in place. 500 more journalists have been Canadian media sector, in three lost most of them, but found itself can pull this off by fi nding a single It’s time to give this plan serious axed, mostly in Quebec and the to four weeks, while avoiding too broke to pay its debts. AIG had benefi ciary with existing govern- consideration. Because without it, Maritimes. Advertising revenues are the ethical problems inherent to already received TARP money, but ment funding that is capable of mass failure faces Canada’s media. reportedly down 60 per cent. Many government picking and choos- the second bailout wasn’t meant getting the money into the system Daniel Bernhard is the ex- papers in small- and medium-sized ing which media outlets get saved for them. Its purpose was to give fast, using existing networks and ecutive director of FRIENDS of centres may simply stop publishing and which are left to die. AIG the ability to repay its debts, relationships, in a way that shelters Canadian Broadcasting. Follow next week. Larger outlets are not The situation is not unprecedent- thereby channeling more govern- government from directly deciding Daniel @sendinthewolf. far behind. ed. After the 2008 fi nancial crash, ment money to the banks to whom the fi nal placement of funds. The Hill Times

potential to worsen economic inequality and injustice, despite the COVID-19 illuminating challenges best intentions to the contrary. Fiscal fl exibility, income support, mortgage management, and business assistance to keep workers, for instance, have considerable of democratic governance distributive implications. Leaving no one behind, and not counting and technological contagions. These istrations. In the name of urgency, Confi nement, curfews, or limits anybody twice, is paramount. wide-ranging implications illustrate political and legal arbitrations may on gatherings, or the distance al- COVID-19 has also raised the need for appropriate and well- be weakened or sacrifi ced during a lowed, and the reasons for daily awareness among cybersecurity managed fi rewalls and bridges. crisis. travel are often sources of potential experts that the internet, local net- The potential victims of cri- Three areas of crisis manage- tension between the parties who works, communication platforms, ses, beyond those affected by the ment, among others, deserve manage and those who suffer from applications and devices are not original shock, are undoubtedly the particular attention with regard a crisis. quite ready for a global digital losses of collateral damage, that to the protection offered by law: Law-enforcement control society. is, the law and other vulnerable respect for human rights; economic protocols, in dealing with special Such vulnerabilities were known people. governance, including the distribu- or exceptional situations, to name long before COVID-19, but the Pascal Desbiens In armed confl icts, collateral tion of support to affected parties; a few, only add to the challenges. latter undoubtedly reinforced this Opinion damage affects civilians not partici- and technological matters. The separation between public and observation. There is nothing better pating in hostilities in need of physi- On the issue of human rights, private spaces, and the rules that than a concrete case to focus the cal protection and humanitarian COVID-19 has triggered serious apply to each, are other sources of attention of policy-makers and to s COVID-19 a blessing in dis- law. In natural disasters, civilians restrictions, in terms of confi ne- misunderstandings. help them consider carefully their Iguise? Patients infected or dying need protection from those taking ment, displacement, and, in some These measures become less response affecting society more from COVID-19 are the least likely advantage of their privileged posi- cases, methods of enforcement and effective in a context of democratic broadly. to think so. This virus has shaken tions to exploit economic and social sanctions. These are lawful, as pub- governance motivated by consent, Arguably, COVID-19 is a bless- a number of concepts that many opportunities. In a pandemic, it lic authorities are vested with the and contribute to authoritarianism ing in disguise for shedding more citizens of democratic societies take depends how the crisis is managed. power to take suitable and prompt moreover compensating for laxity light on the challenges of demo- for granted. Several bodies, including the legal measures to protect the com- in normal times. cratic governance, and on other Reviews of how this crisis has United Nations, have published mon interest. In the absence of arbitration economic and public communica- been handled by governments, fi rst-rate studies on the economics Restrictive measures are not channels, crises can feed the best tion issues. Despite adversity, it can and global efforts at bracing for its of war, which, arguably, apply to problematic when it comes to broad and the worst of citizens who take also have a positive side, if it helps impacts, will likely continue to fuel other calamities. Crises create gov- principles affecting collective be- sides, and interpret laws and rules to better prepare in case something controversy. ernance distortions that affect the haviour, as promoted by legitimate according to their own understand- worse happens. Pascal Desbiens is a former However, the management of allocation of resources, the setting public institutions. ing of instructions and their limits. counsellor at the permanent mis- the COVID-19 pandemic also serves of priorities, and the interpretation However, challenges emerge On the economic front, mea- sion of Canada to the UN, foreign as a timely reminder that global of laws that restrict or guide the arguably from their methods of sures such as the European Union’s and defence policy adviser in the emergencies are triggered by a spe- behaviour of citizens. implementation and the treatment suspension of the Stability and Privy Council Offi ce, and policy and cifi c original shock, which quickly Public decisions in emergencies of so-called offenders. The latter Growth Pact, a set of fi scal rules program planner and manager at spreads in society. are sometimes made quickly, gener- sometimes have no immediate re- governing spending, in Europe, or the former Canadian International For a virus, it is viral contagion. ally affect a wide range of society, course for ill-conceived methods of Canada’s economic response plan Development Agency. For governance, these are eco- and are not always based on sound implementing otherwise legitimate for Canadians and businesses, are The Hill Times nomic, social, legal, information, analysis or tested in public admin- restrictive actions. vital responses, but have enormous 14 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES COVID-19

It did so a year later, after ing up the Standing Orders to the Liberal House leader put introduce electronic or remote Introduction of electronic, out discussion paper in March voting, for similar reasons to 2017 outlining a number of ideas why Conservatives shut down to reform the Standing Orders, such attempts during the last including introducing electronic Parliament. remote voting not called voting, calling the “ringing of bells “When you open up the Stand- and taking of recorded divisions” ing Orders it has the potential to a “time-consuming exercise” and open up just a myriad of options, suggesting that electronic vot- and we believe that it is a slippery for yet, but should be ing would allow MPs to “record slope, as to proxy for votes, as their vote and then resume other well as what can be considered political and constituency work.” on the record in the House,” said At the same time this paper was Ms. Kusie. re-examined by House released, a Liberal MP tabled a The House will have only lost motion at PROC with suggestions two planned sitting weeks (last along similar lines. week and the current one) if it Those proposals were met returns as currently planned on committee, say some MPs with extreme opposition, in April 20. particular from Conservatives, “Once we have a better time who accused the government of frame as to that [how long the Chamber as each caucus stands the meeting to happen within fi ve attempting to unilaterally change isolation period will be], we can Conservative MP to be tallied. days of receipt. the rules of the House and in turn reconsider the necessity of open- Last week, 32 MPs out of 338 Changes to the House of Com- launched a committee fi libuster ing up the Standing Orders, but I Stephanie Kusie says were chosen by their respective mons’ rules would be required to that ultimately lasted more than don’t believe we’re there yet,” she she doesn’t think such leadership teams to return to Par- introduce electronic or remote 80 hours. In the end, a slimmed- said. liament Hill on March 24 to vote voting. While remote voting down version of changes were “If we get through this sum- a reconsideration is on Bill C-13, legislation—since necessarily refers to a Member of adopted by the House—including mer, when Parliament generally passed—to enact government Parliament voting from outside of giving the Speaker the power to recesses, and we get into the fall warranted yet, but measures aimed at addressing the Parliamentary Precinct, elec- break-up omnibus bills for the and we are still in this isolation the COVID-19 emergency. The tronic voting could be done either purpose of voting—with electron- period, I think that’s when we could be if COVID-19 House had adjourned on March remotely, or within the Chamber ic voting left off the list. have to consider looking at the 13 until April 20, as a result of the itself. But during the debate that Standing Orders again, but just keeps Parliament COVID-19 pandemic. Liberal MP Larry Bagnell (Yu- resulted, MPs across party lines given the time frame now, I don’t away into the fall. In the end, 33 MPs voted: kon) said aside from saving time were divided on the idea of think it’s a necessity.” 14 Liberals, 12 Conserva- in normal circumstances, elec- introducing electronic, or remote, Ms. Kusie, who was not in tives (though only 11 had been tronic voting within the House voting. Many who were against Ottawa last week, said she felt Continued from page 1 planned, one MP, Lanark-Fronte- could help in a situation like now, it spoke of the signifi cance of she was “briefed signifi cantly” by it,” said Liberal MP Kevin Lamou- nac-Kingston, Ont.’s Scott Reid, by making the process faster and physically standing in the House her caucus ahead of the March reux (Winnipeg North, Man.), independently opted to attend), potentially eliminating the need Chamber and being seen casting 25 vote, in particular regarding who also serves as parliamen- three Bloc Québécois, three New for all MPs to be in the Chamber their vote, while others fl agged aspects relevant to her post as tary secretary to the government Democrats, and one Green MP. to stand for votes all at once. concern over the potential for caucus critic for families, chil- House leader and has previously A motion adopted on March Mr. Bagnell said he hopes the votes to be cast under duress if dren, and social development, and spoken about ideas to reform 25 also sets out terms by which Procedure and House Affairs Com- MPs are enabled to vote remotely. praised Conservative Whip Mark and modernize how the House of two House of Commons committee (PROC) discusses both ideas The idea of needing electronic Strahl (Chilliwack-Hope, B.C.) Commons operates. mittees—the Health Committee once it resumes normal operations. voting in, for example, the event in particular for his outreach to The current caucus. circumstances that “But, as I said, this Parliament, and all of is an evolving situation Canada, fi nds itself in and just as the crisis are “really unfortunate” evolves, our legislative and not something capacity will have to anyone “would have constantly be evaluat- predicted,” said Mr. ed and evolve as well,” Lamoureux, but for she said. him, do “highlight the Either way, Ms. Ku- need for moderniza- sie said when Parlia- tion.” ment returns—when- “What we’re wit- ever that is—she’s nessing today is so confi dent lots of time unique, you have to will be spent evaluat- go back to the time of ing the government’s war when the House response and “planning of Commons was put for future possible in such a position,” scenarios.” he said. “I don’t want “I wouldn’t be sur- to try to exploit this prised to see electronic current situation, [but] voting come up again suffi ce it to say that, at that time,” she said. yeah, I think that if While Mr. Bagnell we had modernized said he’d like to see our rules or Standing PROC once again Orders, I don’t believe study the idea of intro- we would have had a ducing electronic or re- situation like what we mote voting options, he have today in terms of said he doesn’t think MPs not being able to Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux, left, Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie, centre, and Liberal MP Larry Bagnell, right. Mr. Lamoureux remote voting should be engaged.” and Mr. Bagnell both say they’d like to see the House Affairs Committee once again discuss the idea of changing how the House ever become “routine,” That said, Mr. votes when Parliament returns to normal—a discussion Ms. Kusie says she expects will happen as part of a larger post-pandemic re- and instead should Lamoureux said he evaluation. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and courtesy of LinkedIn only be considered for felt “very comfortable” “emergency purposes.” that he was kept up to Mr. Bagnell said speed with decisions made in the and the Finance Committee—will The House Affairs Commit- of a global pandemic prompting he had no concerns with the ar- House last week, noting MPs are hold virtual meetings, by video- tee has looked into the idea of the need for wide-spread physical rangements thus far to get needed in “constant contact” with their conferencing or teleconferencing, reforming how the House votes on distancing and isolation was not legislation passed—namely, hav- caucuses. to scrutinize government mea- multiple occasions, including twice considered in either instance. ing a limited number of MPs, pro- Mr. Lamoureux has pitched a sures, and by default, gives them during the last Parliament, fi rst in “It’s probably something portional to party standing in the number of ideas for reforming the permission to do so. In turn, no 2016 as part of its study aimed at someone should have been House, from as close to Ottawa as House in recent years, including changes to the Standing Orders making the House more family brought up, but I don’t think possible convene. reforms to voting in the context were required, though one rule friendly. That study considered the it came up” in either study last “I’m very agreeable with the of freeing up more time for MPs has been modifi ed to allow four idea of introducing absentee vot- Parliament, said Mr. Bagnell, who House being fl exible, as it was to do other work, namely meet- MPs on a committee to request ing—looking at both proxy voting was committee chair at the time. this time, to do whatever it has ing with constituents, rather than a meeting within 48 hours of the and electronic voting—but ultimate- Conservative MP Stephanie to do to carry on, but to carry on having time eaten up by the pro- clerk receiving the request by ly didn’t recommend any changes, Kusie (Calgary Midnapore, Alta.) safely,” he said. cess of ringing bells for votes and email. Normally, such a request saying instead that it might “revisit said, as things stand now, her [email protected] then having all MPs wait in the would be made in writing, with this topic in further study.” caucus isn’t interested in open- The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 15 COVID-19

Prime to be on that pathway—we have Minister to make sure that there are means Justin to ensure adequate testing is done Trudeau is and that people that are coming pictured with in and out are being screened U.S. Vice- properly,” he said. President So far, Mr. Kingston said, the Mike Pence, government has done a great job who now balancing the need to curb the heads the spread of COVID-19 while pro- White House tecting commercial links. Coronavirus “We are a trading nation and Task Force, have to continue to be able to on May 30, move goods and services across 2019. The borders because without that Hill Times the economic situation, which is photograph already very dire, will only get by Andrew worse,” he said. Meade While nothing can be predicted about the trajectory of COVID-19, Canadian Steel Producers Association president Catherine Cobden said that governments at all levels will do everything they can to keep the trade routes open. “We have to continue to supply key infrastructure and critical … point of concern right now,” is “mak- Automotive Industries As- essential things that need to keep ing sure that we keep those ship- sociation of Canada president moving in a virus,” Ms. Cobden ments of fresh vegetables and other Jean-François Champagne said said. “Our need for energy, elec- Food supply, commodities rolling in by truck emergency vehicles can’t be re- tricity, transportation, defence, across the border, truck or train.” paired without cross-border trade. etc., doesn’t go away, in fact it “The normal industrial ex- “We are now telling Canadians might be intensifi ed in a time of change, the just-in-time inven- to limit the use of public transit, a virus.” emergency vehicle tory, I’d be surprised if much of so we have now even a greater Canadian Agri-Food Trade that is even functioning now, just reliance on personal automobiles, Alliance executive director Claire because the industrial facilities delivery vehicles, truck delivery, Citeau said, as circumstances are non-essential services and are and the very fl eet of fi rst respond- permit, it will be important to repair: keeping mostly shut down in both coun- ers are all maintained by our establish a pathway back to the tries,” said Mr. Manley. industry,” he said. normalization of border opera- “It’s the hierarchy of needs, we “Our capacity to maintain the tions. have to have food. We grow some fl eet of vehicles, specifi cally those Ms. Citeau said it’s a positive Canada-U.S. trade ourselves in greenhouses in win- used by fi rst responders and sign that both the Canadian and ter, but much of our food supply essential services, would not be the U.S. governments have been now is imported,” he said. possible if the border was closed working together to ensure that On March 21, Agriculture for any length of time,” Mr. Cham- the border remains open for agri- open key to fi ght Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau pagne said. culture and food trade. (Compton-Stanstead, Que.) He added that Ms. Freeland— Pedro Antunes, chief econo- sought to “reassure farmers and who chairs the cabinet com- mist at the Conference Board of good businesses that foreign mittee tasked with tackling the Canada, said physical distancing against COVID-19, workers will be allowed to enter virus—has a “great understanding measures need to be successful Canada provided they observe a of the integrated nature” of the both in Canada and the U.S. for 14-day period of supervised isola- North American market given Canada to be able to move on tion.” her responsibility overseeing the and see some light at the end of say stakeholders Regarding border policies renegotiation of NAFTA. the tunnel, “in the sense that we generally, a spokesperson for the “I think she is very much have a bit of a rebound in the offi ce of Public Safety Minister familiar with the importance of third quarter and hopefully in the importance of it and said they’re Bill Blair (Scarborough Southwest, maintaining commerce with the fourth quarter this year.” The ‘biggest point committed to keeping it fl uid.” Ont.) said that the government is U.S.,” Mr. Champagne said. “We need the U.S. economy While numerous industry “constantly evaluating the situa- But he said the future of the to be doing well for us to be able of concern right groups say the Canadian govern- tion and considering next steps.” Canada-U.S. commerce relation- to continue to see our exports now’ is ‘making sure ment understands how important “Over the past few weeks, in ship still remains an issue. fl ow into that market,” said Mr. it is for trade to continue across collaboration with our international Potential cases of truck drivers Antunes in an interview with that we keep those the border, no promises have partners, our government has intro- returning from the United States The Hill Times, citing the close been provided. duced progressively more restric- after contracting COVID-19 could connection of Canada’s auto shipments of fresh Industry associations have tive measures at our borders. These lead to public pressure to close manufacturing industry with the been taking part in nearly daily decisions have not been made the border to essential border U.S. vegetables and other briefi ng calls with relevant gov- lightly, but we know that they are crossing, a possibility Mr. Cham- “What we’re seeing right now ernment departments, some of necessary to keep Canadians safe.” pagne said is “a great concern.” and in almost all parts of the commodities rolling which include the presence of a “Canada and the United States Others said they didn’t see a world is really a self-imposed in by truck across cabinet minister. recognize the need to maintain case where Canada would ever demand shock. We are not travel- Mary Robinson, president supply chains between our two reach a point where they wouldn’t ing or not shopping, we are not the border, truck of the Canadian Federation of countries. These supply chains allow trucks and trains to travel getting out of the house, and Agriculture, said she hasn’t heard ensure that food, fuel, and life- across the border. we’re not generating product for or train,’ says John “any indication” that the federal saving medicines reach people on Brian Kingston, vice-presi- a lot of things because the work government is reconsidering its both sides of the border. Supply dent of international and fi scal environment is not essential, or Manley. decision to keep cross-border chains, including trucking, will not policy at the Business Council of the certain products are not es- commerce unabated. be affected by these restrictions. Canada, said there is an under- sential.” “I think that it’s fair to say that Essential travel will continue un- standing of how integrated the “So, in that respect, I haven’t Continued from page 1 our government understands the impeded,” the spokesperson said. Canadian economy is with the seen it as much as a supply ing on March 29 that those guide- importance of the integrated North Deputy Prime Minister Chrys- United States. shock,” said Mr. Antunes. “But if lines would be extended until the American agri-food market that is tia Freeland (University-Rosedale, “The last thing we need is we do get to a situation where of end of April, including travel to the reality of today,” she said. Ont.) told reporters last week that additional damage done to the course we start to see issues with Canada. At times, the fast-moving the government “constantly” reviews economy through border thick- borders closing or with the in- Canadian Canola Growers nature of the coronavirus pan- additional measures on an hourly ening and other measures,” ability of us to get product across Association president Rick White demic has resulted in government basis, including those measure per- Mr. Kingston said, adding that the borders, I do think that would said the government has commit- changing course, such as on its taining to the Canada-U.S. border. Canada’s GDP decline could be something to add on top of ted to do everything it can to keep decision to bar non-essential trav- reach between 15 and 20 per cent, the long list of concerns that we the border open. ellers from entering Canada. Ability to keep emergency with unemployment “potentially” already have.” “They’re well aware of the Former foreign affairs minister reaching 15 per cent. [email protected] problems that would be created if it and deputy prime minister John vehicles on the road “The key point will be … for [email protected] does close,” Mr. White said. “That’s Manley told The Hill Times that will be threatened with government to ensure that, as this The Hill Times about the only assurance that we most of Canada’s food comes from evolves in the U.S., and if cases have—that they recognize the the United States, so the “biggest border closure continue to grow—and it appears 16 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES COVID-19 Mental health a ‘missing piece’ in feds’ COVID-19 response, say critics, advocates

NDP MP Don Davies they expect more announcements Independent will come. says the situation calls Senator Chantal Even in the best of times, Petitclerc raised Canadians do not have enough for an ‘extraordinary concerns about funded access to properly care for mental health mental illness, most commonly response’ and supports with through assessment diagnosis, Health Minister medication, and psychotherapy, supports for mental Patty Hajdu when said Karen Cohen, a member of health, which one she appeared the Canadian Alliance on Mental before the Upper Illness and Mental Health. She’s advocate says should Chamber on March long advocated for insurers to 25. The Hill Times increase coverage so that people come ‘imminently.’ photograph by get the evidence-based care they Andrew Meade need, and while it’s hard to quan- tify the impact of COVID-19, she Continued from page 1 said she expects the crisis will “the days to come,” in response to put more pressure on an already- concerns raised by Independent underfunded system. Senator Chantal Petitclerc. “Stressors build on other stress- “We need to make sure the ors, so if [someone is] already deal- services are available,” explained ing with mental health challenges, Sen. Petitclerc (Grandville, Que.) that could put you at greater risk in a phone interview March 31, to for more. Physical distancing is those whose mental health might tough for people, and if you have worsen in these new conditions, challenges that you’re living with like isolation and the inability and the ways you normally cope to access services they might are overturned or upended or be used to. “That’s going to take changed in some way, you have to funding, but that’s also going to come up with other coping mecha- take making sure that we see nisms,” said Dr. Cohen, who is also it coming… Not everybody is CEO of the Canadian Psychologi- equipped the same to face such a cal Association. challenge. It would be a tragedy Still, she noted worry is a that already vulnerable Canadi- natural response to an event of ans don’t have what they need this scale and said people are to make sure that they can go sessions just to get over the crisis. exacerbate the mental health “There’s a missing piece to resilient—a word renowned psy- through as best as possible.” So we’re very happy to see that needs of Canadians, we obviously [the COVID-19 response] and that chiatrist and Independent Senator Ms. Hajdu told Senators, support. I think that is fantastic,” need an extraordinary response is mental health,” he said. Stan Kutcher refers to frequently recalled to the Upper Chamber on said Ms. Eaton of the expected and I don’t see that extraordi- As part of its response, the fed- when explaining the mind’s March 25 to vote on the govern- announcement to be made “immi- nary response announced by the eral government can also direct responses to these unusual and ment’s $107-billion COVID-19 nently,” declining to say more. federal government yet,” said Mr. Canadians to existing resources, stressful circumstances. emergency response bill, that the Neither Health Canada nor Davies, adding he planned to said Sheryl Boswell, executive It’s also important to make tool would help Canadians “at Ms. Hajdu’s offi ce responded to raise the issue at the March 31 director of Youth Mental Health the distinction between the “very least be able to learn some skills a request for comment on the House Health Committee, its fi rst Canada, pointing to its mental normal” responses tied to fear that could help reduce their anxi- federal government’s mental of weekly briefi ngs with govern- wellness workbook as one place of a very real threat, and those ety and their fear.” health response, or to confi rm ment offi cials. for people and parents struggling who have mental illness, said Such a tool will be very help- those estimations. A Health Outside of the pressures with where to turn for support. Sen. Kutcher (Nova Scotia). The ful with Canadians fl ooding the Canada spokesperson instead COVID-19 brings—job losses, in- Many mental health organiza- former should not be directed to phone lines of the Canadian Men- instructed The Hill Times to reach come insecurity, isolation, health tions have created resources spe- an already overburdened health- tal Health Association’s (CMHA) out to each jurisdiction’s College worries, to name a few—Canada’s cifi c to the pandemic. The CMHA, care system when information 75 branches, said its CEO Marga- of Physicians, saying the “actual mental health system is already for example, answers key ques- and community support might be ret Eaton, noting there has been provision of mental health ser- overburdened and chronically tions around areas that might more suitable to address a natural a roughly 50 per cent increase in vices falls under the practice of underfunded, advocates say, espe- cause anxiety to Canadians, emotional state, and with the lat- calls for support. medicine.” cially in the area of mental health. including where to get reliable ter, it shouldn’t be assumed those “We’re seeing where the gaps Many have long called for that information, how to speak with with mental health challenges are,” she said, with staff managing Mental health response a portion of health-care funding to children about COVID-19, how can’t also be resilient. calls from people struggling with increase, from about seven per to support upset loved ones and “Just because you have a men- mental illness and those in the ‘missing piece’ cent to a minimum of nine per endless discussions on worst-case tal illness doesn’t mean you can’t general public who are wonder- The talk of that online tool and cent by 2022, as recommended by scenarios, loneliness, managing emotionally respond to a threat ing how to manage. Some people a potential hotline, while good, the Mental Health Commission of anxiety while awaiting a test, and effectively. … That being said, are calling every day, with many is not enough of a response for Canada, with Mr. Davies saying what do when tested positive. it is more diffi cult and people vulnerable people, like seniors, NDP MP Don Davies (Vancouver Canada is not on track to meet may need support,” he said, and living alone and without interac- Kingsway, B.C.), who said his that and “it’s particularly impor- ‘If there’s not the action, the health-care system has long tion. “The pandemic is really shin- takeaway remains that there’s no tant that we focus on that now.” had a “capacity problem” for ing a light that we need mental promise of new funding. That’s after a 2017 investment it’s just lip service’ rapid access to the best available, health services.” He’s not alone—with the announced in the Liberal budget It’s “crucial and critical and evidence-based treatment. The government put out a call government rolling out billions in that year for $5-billion specifi cally essential” for mental health to Outreach and enhancing the for proposals to invest substan- aid, advocates said mental health for mental health and addiction be integrated with support and resources in our society, espe- tially in online resources and should be in that mix. While none initiatives, handed to the provinces action around physical health, cially for those most vulnerable, crisis services, said Ms. Eaton. were critical of the government’s and territories over 10 years begin- added Ms. Boswell, but she said is the top priority, he said. CMHA has participated in the timing, saying it makes sense ning with $100-million in 2017-18. that’s long been a gap in the ap- If those who are feeling upset, proposal writing process and has ministers addressed essential He and his Conservative proach. worried, fearful, or overcome been consulted on the tool Ms. critical health and economic in- health critic counterpart, Matt “We’ve normalized the talk “start to turn to mental health- Hajdu hinted at during her Senate frastructure fi rst, they said mental Jeneroux, both praised that about mental health and wellness care services for those normal appearance, and Ms. Eaton said health must also be among the investment but said more likely and we’re talking about it now existential concerns, the services she’s “encouraged” the response suite of responses. needs to be done. during this global pandemic but if are going to be swamped,” said is likely to include a psychosocial While health care is at a Mental health should be one of there’s not the action then it’s just Sen. Kutcher, who added the piece. provincial and territorial level of the “key factors” the government lip service,” she said. context of COVID-19 “throws a “[Health Canada] estimates responsibility, Mr. Davies said it’s should be focusing on now, said On March 29, Prime Minister harsh light on the reality” of what that 11 million Canadians will no question that the feds have a Mr. Jeneroux (Edmonton-River- Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) is needed and missing already access online services, but about leadership and co-ordinating role bend, Alta.), who said the critic announced $7.5-million to Kids to care for people with a mental two million Canadians are going with mental health. role has been “all-consuming” Help Phone, which has seen an illness. to need one-on-one support, so “When you have a pandemic since he took it on earlier this uptick in demand for counselling [email protected] short-term therapy, two to four and a national crisis that will year. services, and some advocates say The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 17

Harrison Ruess, a former producer with Christopher Sun Media who briefl y served as a digital Henein content manager in Mr. Harper’s PMO, is Mr. has exited his post as associate director of Scheer’s new hill climbers digital media to Mr. Scheer. executive Leslie Kellestine, who’d been in the assistant. OLO since the fall of 2017, last as assistant Photograph by Laura Ryckewaert manager of digital media, has also left. courtesy of Daniel Schow is no longer Mr. Scheer’s LinkedIn English press secretary. A former assistant to Conservative MP Garnett Genuis, he’d started out as both press secretary and executive assistant to the leader in August Diving into the 2017. Rounding out the list of OLO departures Daniel is media monitor Nathaniel Dueck, who’s Schow is no now doing research and development for longer Mr. The News Forum in St. Catharines, Ont. 76-member Scheer’s Now, on to the current team: Christo- English press pher Henein, a recent graduate of Tyndale secretary. University, a Christian university in Toron- to, is Mr. Scheer’s new executive assistant. Photograph courtesy of Conservative OLO Denise LinkedIn Siele is Mr. Scheer’s new English press secretary. team: Part One Photograph courtesy of Charlie Beldman, a former assistant LinkedIn Hill Climbers has tallied a tive MP Alice Wong, Ms. Anderson became to Mr. Scheer as the Conservative MP for a caucus liaison and regional adviser for Regina-Qu’Appelle, Sask., who joined his total of 19 staff departures B.C. and the Territories in the fall of 2017 OLO in the summer of 2018 and was last and about a year later was promoted to executive assistant to the leader, has left from Conservative Leader manager of caucus tour. the Hill. He’s now busy as a junior assis- Supporting her is Brad Davey as associ- tant to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Andrew Scheer’s team since ate director of caucus services. He’s been Veteran Hill staffer Elecia Elliott, who the 2019 election, and 14 in the offi ce since 2008, according to his previously spent years as an executive Denise Siele has been hired on as Eng- LinkedIn profi le, starting as a caucus liai- assistant to then-Conservative minister lish press secretary to the leader, while Jo- recent hires. son and regional adviser for Ontario, and Julian Fantino through multiple portfo- sée Morissette is Mr. Scheer’s new French last as manager of caucus services. lios, is no longer in the OLO, where she’d press secretary. Overall, the OLO has seen 19 staff de- been scheduler to the leader and special A former director of stakeholder and N APARTMENT NEAR PARLIAMENT part since the end of the last Parliament— assistant to his principal secretary, Kenzie community relations for Equal Voice, Ms. AHILL—Conservative Leader Andrew including the already reported exits of Potter. Siele unsuccessfully sought the Conserva- Scheer will be at his party’s helm a little former chief of staff Marc-André Leclerc Ms. Potter, it’s worth noting here, re- tive Party’s nomination in Nepean, Ont., while longer after its recent decision to and former communications director Brock mains in place. She’s been working for Mr. ahead of the 2019 election, and went on suspend the ongoing leadership race due Harrison. Scheer since 2011, when she took over as to become a principal with Tactix. Ms. to COVID-19, and supporting him is a chief of staff in his offi ce as House Speak- Morissette was a press aide for Quebec 76-member team led by acting chief of staff Rudy Husny er. Ms. Potter has also worked in the offi ces for the Conservative Party during the 2019 Martin Bélanger. left the of the then-Conservative government election. Originally scheduled to conclude June OLO team House leader and chief government Whip. Mr. Scheer’s former French press 27, a new date for the race has yet to be set, to run as a Karly Wittet, who’d been busy as a secretary, Virginie Bonneau, who was also with the party waiting to see where things Conservative press secretary for the Conservative shad- associate director of communications, has stand come May 1. leadership ow cabinet, has left. A former assistant to since switched roles and is now associate At present count, 14 new hires have candidate. Conservative MP Diane Finley, she’d been director of parliamentary affairs in the joined the OLO since the 2019 election. Photograph hired on to the OLO as a communications OLO—but more on that team later. That list includes the already reported courtesy of assistant at the start of 2018. Christine Wylupski, who was previously addition of former Conservative Party LinkedIn Michael Eugenio has left his post as tour manager of fi nance, human resources, executive director Ian Brodie, who’s also a and event planner in the OLO to become an events, and Mr. Scheer’s offi cial residence former chief of staff to then-prime minis- assistant to Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne as opposition leader, now has a more se- ter Stephen Harper, as an adviser to Mr. Findlay. He’d been working in the OLO nior title: director of fi nance and adminis- Scheer. At 76 staff, the team is roughly the since August 2017, starting as a caucus liai- tration. She was previously an executive same size as it was during the last Parlia- Among the list of departures is former OLO son and Quebec regional adviser. assistant to Mr. Scheer during his time ment. director of issues management, research, and as Speaker, and an executive assistant to Given the size of the opposition leader’s stakeholder relations Rodolphe “Rudy” Husny. Ashley Cain then-trade minister Ed Fast before that. offi ce (OLO)—referring here to both the Mr. Husny left to run in the ongoing Conserva- has left Nancy Bishay, who had been director of specifi c leader’s offi ce and the correspond- tive leadership race. Ultimately, he was one of the Hill. strategic planning in the OLO since August ing research bureau, which work in close two candidates who failed to meet the required Photograph 2017, now holds the title of director of conjunction—Hill Climbers is breaking up thresholds to become an offi cial, verifi ed can- courtesy of special projects. She’s a former Harper-era its coverage, with this column focused on didate by March 25. He’d been among those LinkedIn staffer, having been communications direc- departures, executive staff (those directly calling for the race to be suspended. tor to then-fi sheries minister Gail Shea. supporting Mr. Scheer and with general of- Simon Jefferies, who’d stepped in as Lynn Kreviazuk continues as executive fi ce oversight), and administrative staff. acting director of communications after Mr. assistant to Mr. Scheer’s chief of staff— For detail-oriented readers: the Con- Harrison’s departure, has since left the Hill. A now Mr. Bélanger—and has also taken on servative caucus has a new name for its former director of media relations to Ontario the role of scheduler to the leader. research offi ce as of this year. Previously Premier Doug Ford, Mr. Jefferies had re- Jordyn Ham and Deanna Pieterman are called the Conservative Resource Group joined Mr. Scheer’s team as associate director both new to the OLO as administrative as- (CRG), it’s now Conservative Caucus Ser- of media relations in June 2019—having sistants. Ms. Ham is currently a student at vices (CCS). worked in the OLO before his time at Queen’s Administrative assistant Angela Meier Carleton University and lent a hand to the With longtime caucus services head Mr. Park. Mr. Jefferies is now a senior vice-presi- has left the OLO, as has Ashley Cain, a for- Conservative Party’s 2019 national cam- Bélanger now acting chief of staff to the dent with Jenni Byrne & Associates. mer correspondence writer in Mr. Harper’s paign, according to her LinkedIn profi le. leader, Hannah Anderson has been made Veronica Green is no longer associate PMO and a writer and executive assistant Ms. Pieterman interned in the offi ce last executive director of the CCS. A former director of strategic communications. Like to Mr. Bélanger since the beginning of summer and has previously volunteered in assistant to British Columbia Conserva- Mr. Jefferies, she joined Mr. Scheer’s team 2016. Ms. Cain is now a communications Conservative MP Blaine Calkin’s offi ce. in June 2019 straight from Mr. Ford’s offi ce, adviser with the Correctional Service of Sean Calder continues as the OLO’s Hannah where she’d spent almost a year as deputy Canada. workgroup administrator, and Amy Dock- Anderson director of communications. Ms. Green is French writer Frédéric Lamontagne has steader remains resource co-ordinator for is now in now a development co-ordinator with Slate left the OLO to become a French editor the caucus services team. Heather Egan, charge of Asset Management in Toronto. with the offi ce of the federal privacy com- who had been an administrative assistant, Conservative Paul Terrien, a former speechwriter to missioner. is now offi ce manager. Caucus Mr. Harper who joined Mr. Scheer’s team Elvanee Veeramalay exited as a stake- Finally—for this column at least—Fran- Services. in early 2019 as a special adviser, has left. holder relations adviser to Mr. Scheer çois Goulet continues as Mr. Scheer’s Photograph Policy adviser Mark Johnson, a former after the 2019 election and briefl y worked offi cial driver, having previously done the courtesy of Harper-era cabinet staffer, left the Hill in as an assistant to Conservative MP Kyle same for Rona Ambrose during her time LinkedIn March and is now director of strategic Seeback before leaving the Hill altogether as interim leader and as health minister planning to Ontario Finance Minister Rod last month to became a policy and public before that. Phillips. He’d been working in Mr. Scheer’s affairs offi cer with the Canadian Urban [email protected] OLO since April 2018. Transit Association. The Hill Times 18 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES CLASSIFIEDS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 CJF Awards Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence in Journalism—The Canadian Journalism Foundation Awards will be held on June 10, 2020, at the Ritz- Carlton, Toronto, Ont., hosted by Rick Mercer, former PM, ministers host of The Rick Mercer Report. The CBC’s Anna Maria Tremonti will be honoured. Tables are $7,500 and tickets are $750. For more information on tables and sponsorship opportunities, contact Josh Gurfi nkel at continue daily jgurfi [email protected] or 416-955-0394. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 Canada’s Foremost Fintech Conference FFCON20— Featuring high-growth start-ups and leading industry experts across fi ntech sectors including digital briefi ngs banking, P2P fi nance, AI, capital markets, Wealth- tech, payments, crypto, and blockchain. July 8-9. Speakers include: Robert Asselin, senior director public policy, BlackBerry; Paul Schulte, founder and editor, Schulte Research; Craig Asano, founder and during CEO, NCFA; George Bordianu, co-founder and CEO, Balance; Julien Brazeau, partner, Deloitte; Alixe Cormick, president, Venture Law Corporation; Nikola Danaylov, founder, keynote speaker, author futur- ist, Singularity Media; Pam Draper, president and COVID-19 CEO, Bitvo; Justin Hartzman, co-founder and CEO, CoinSmart; Peter-Paul Van Hoeken, founder & CEO, FrontFundr; Cynthia Huang, CEO and co-founder, Altcoin Fantasy; Austin Hubbel, CEO and co-founder, Consilium Crypto; Patrick Mandic, CEO, Mavennet; shutdown Mark Morissette, co-founder & CEO, Foxquilt; Cato Pastoll, co-founder & CEO, Lending Loop; Bernd Deputy chief public health offi cer Howard Njoo, left, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos Petak, investment partner, Northmark Ventures; Ali speak at an Ottawa press conference about the government’s response to COVID-19 on March 27. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade Pourdad, Pourdad Capital Partners, Family Offi ce; Richard Prior, global head of policy and research, FDATA; Richard Remillard, president, Remillard Consulting Group; Jennifer Reynolds, president & CEO, Toronto Finance International; Jason Saltzman, partner, Gowling WLG Canada; James Wallace, co- Parliamentary Estonia celebrates national day chair and co-CEO, Exponential; Alan Wunsche, CEO & chief token offi cer, Tokenfunder; and Danish Yusuf, Calendar founder and CEO, Zensurance. For more information, in pre-social distancing days please visit: https://fi ntechandfunding.com/. The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia SATURDAY, OCT. 3 Green Party Convention—The Green Party will hold its convention and elect a new party leader Oct. 3-4, at the Delta Hotels Prince Edward in Charlottetown, P.E.I. For more information, contact 613-562-4916. THURSDAY, OCT. 15 PPF Testimonial Dinner and Awards—Join us at the 33rd annual event to network and celebrate as the WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 Public Policy Forum honours Canadians who have House Not Sitting—The House has been suspended made their mark on policy and leadership. Anne until Monday, April 20. It is then scheduled to sit for McLellan and Senator Peter Harder will take their four straight weeks until May 15. It will take a one- place among a cohort of other stellar Canadians who week break and will resume sitting again on May 25 we’ve honoured over the last 33 years, people who and will sit straight through for the next four consecu- have dedicated themselves to making Canada a better tive weeks, until it’s scheduled to adjourn on June place through policy leadership and public service. 23. The House adjourns again for three months and The gala event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15, at will return in the fall on Monday, Sept. 21, for three the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front St. Sherry Tross, High Commissioner of Saint Kitts and W., Toronto. straight weeks. It will adjourn for one week and will sit Nevis; Piret Lukk, wife of the Estonian ambassador; Brian R. Naranjo, minister counsellor for political affairs at the U.S. again from Oct. 19 until Nov. 6. It will break again for SATURDAY, OCT. 24 one week and will sit again from Nov. 16 to Dec. 11. and Estonian Ambassador Toomas Lukk celebrate Embassy; Victoria Eriksson, wife of the Finnish ambassador; Finnish And that will be it for 2020. Estonia’s national day at the Rideau Club on Feb. 26. Ambassador Roy Eriksson; and Slovak Ambassador Vit Koziak. Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner—The Parlia- Senate Not Sitting—The Senate has also been mentary Press Gallery Dinner happens on Saturday, suspended due to the COVID-19 virus. When it’s Oct. 24, in the Sir John A. Macdonald Building on scheduled to return, the possible sitting days are April Wellington Street. 20, 24, 27, and May 1. The Senate is scheduled to THURSDAY, NOV. 12 sit April 21-23 and April 28-30. The possible Senate sittings are May 4, 8, 11, 15, 25, and 29. The Senate Liberal Party National Convention—The Liberal is scheduled to sit May 5-7 and May 12-May 14. The Party of Canada announced the 2020 Liberal National Senate will break May 18-22. It is scheduled to sit Convention will be hosted in Ottawa, from Nov. 12-15. May 26-28. The June possible sitting days are June For more information, please contact: media@liberal. 1, 5, 8, 12, 15 and 19. The Senate is scheduled to ca, 613-627-2384. sit June 2-4; June 9-11; June 16-18; and June 22, Conservative Party National Convention—The 23, it breaks June 24 for St. Jean Baptiste Day; and Conservatives will hold a convention in Quebec City it’s scheduled to sit June 25 and June 26. The Senate from Nov. 12-14. For more information, please contact breaks from June 29 until Sept. 22. The Senate’s 1-866-808-8407. possible September sitting days are Sept. 21, 25, 28. The Parliamentary Calendar is a free events listing. It’s scheduled to sit Sept. 22-24 and Sept. 29-Oct. Send in your political, cultural, diplomatic, or govern- 1, with a possible sitting day on Friday, Oct. 2. The mental event in a paragraph with all the relevant details possible Senate sitting days are Oct. 5, 9, 19, 23, under the subject line ‘Parliamentary Calendar’ to 26, and 30. It’s scheduled to sit Oct. 6-8; it takes a Kairi Hemingway, of the Estonian Central [email protected] by Wednesday at noon before the break from Oct. 12-16; it will sit Oct. 20-22; and Oct. Council in Canada; and Anne-Ly Ader, deputy Ms. Lukk and Kathleen Billen, Monday paper or by Friday at noon for the Wednesday 27-29. The November possible Senate days are: Nov. head of mission at the Estonian Embassy. wife of the Belgian ambassador. paper. We can’t guarantee inclusion of every event, but 2, 6, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30. It’s scheduled to sit Nov. we will defi nitely do our best. Events can be updated 3-5; it will take a break from Nov. 9-13; it will sit daily online, too. Nov. 17-19; and Nov. 24-26. The possible December The Hill Times Senate sitting days are: Dec. 4, 7, and 11. The Sen- ate is scheduled to sit Dec. 1-3; Dec. 8-10 and it will sit Dec. 14-18. Extra! Extra! MONDAY, MAY 4 International Day of Pink—In celebration of the 50th RReadead the full anniversary of the Stonewall Riots/Pride; and the 30th anniversary of the International Day Against Homopho- ParliamentaParliamentaryry bia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, we are proud to invite you to Stonewall 50 across Canada, in Vancouver, CCalendaralendar Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and Cape Breton, from May 4-21, featuring Stonewall online riot activist Martin Boyce. Stonewall 50 across Canada is a free speakers’ series in cities across the country featuring Stonewall Riot activist Martin Boyce. Boyce is among a handful of surviving Stonewall activists whose Apostolic Nuncio Luigi Bonazzi, Tunisian Ambassador Mohamed Malaysian High Commissioner Noraini Binti contributions have had a signifi cant impact on our Imed Torjemane, and Cameroon High Commissioner Solomon Abd Hamid, Kazakh Ambassador Akylbek communities. Join us as he shares his stories of upris- Anu’a Gheyle Azoh-Mbi. Kamaldinov, and his wife Olga Kamaldinova. ing and rebellion, what motivated him that night. The Hill Times is offering free access to all our coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. For the next few weeks, The Hill Times is offering free access to all our news and analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. We are also expanding The Hill Times’ print edition in PDF format to all elected provincial officials, provincial cabinet ministers, and their respective staff across Canada. The Hill Times is taking extra steps to ensure the print edition in PDF format is delivered to all senior decision-makers, in isolation or not. 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EnergyEnergy policypoliiccy Which federal departments briefifi ng saw pp.pp. 1515-26-26 DeborahDeborah CarloCarloss RRiRichardich Philippe results? HarfHarfordord A. MuMurillouririlllloo CCaCanningsann Le Billon pp. 6-7 We’re adding to Transportation crisis in relationship policy briefi ng: with Indigenous THIRTY-FIRSTTHIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO. 1710 CANADAANADA’S POLITICSOLITICS ANDA GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020 $5.00

Hill NewsNews Conservative lleadershipeadership racracee News House committees Todd Doherty, Ashley Morton, Philip Cross, Climbers peoples: Pedro Antunes, Roger Francis, No committee pp. 17-25 p.38 Rose Lemay Sara Kirk, & Alec Soucy Party p. 4 DeadlineDeadline loomslooms fforo low-proﬁ le or caucus roles, Central longtime p.37 CPCCPC candidates,candidates, wwho say party Tory MP Scott Reid still HOH needs more fresh faces,f ideas sidelined after p.2 The ‘traditional playbooksplaybooks of smaller ggovernment,overnment, lower taxes, ttough on crime,’ won’t work to widen the blue breaking rank

tent, says one candidate. ‘We need to break the ceiling and win tthe support of more Canadians.’ BY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

RTY-FIRST YEAR, NO. 1705 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020 $5.00 fter being stripped of his Acritic duties during the last Parliament for voting against the party line, longtime Conservative s Wet’suwet’enNews Prime Minister News NAFTA 2.0 MP Scott Reid has been entirely left off of House committee mem- bership lists this time around. Downe calls Up until this Parliament, Mr. NDRIP Reid had spent 15 years as a Trudeau’s handling of for Parliament member of the Procedure and ovides ‘guide’ House Affairs Committee (PROC). to have power “I did not request to be free resolving Wet’suwet’en blockades critical from a committee assignment,” Mr. Reid (Lanark-Frontenac- to amend new Kingston, Ont.) said in an email nsions among response to questions from The NAFTA, Liberals Hill Times. digenous to his political credibility, Mr. Reid declined an interview by phone during the break week pledge to share last week on the subject, and did mmunities not respond when asked whether reconciliation, say former objectives of There are ﬁ ve lesser-knowns running to be Conservative Party leader, including, from left, Jim Karahalios, Derek Sloan, Rick Peterson, Rudy Husny, and Leslyn he believed his lack of committee er questions LeLewis.wis. Photographs courtesycourtesy of Jim Karahalios, RickRick Peterson, RudyRudy Husny, Twitter,Twitter, and FacebookFace assignments this Parliament was down to continued punishment futureTo trade subscribe, call 613-288-1146 or emailBYBY SAMANTHASAMANTHA WRIGHTWRIGHT ALLEN ttoo [email protected] of the lesser-known leader-leader- Beyond Mr. MacKay, Mr. have struggled to get much air for his having previously voted authority, cabinet minister, pollsters against the party line and for sshiphip candidates who say the front- O’TooO’Toolele (Durham,(D Ont.), and two- time in a race that was ramping talks with House he Conservative Party needs runners, fformerormer cacabinetbinet ministers term ConConservative MP Marilyn up even before the federal elec- speaking out about it. y experts a new face, fresh ideas, and to Peter MacKay and Erin O’Toole, are Gladu (S(Sarnia—Lambton,a Ont.), “Unfortunately, responding greement #40068926 T to these questions would involve A

BY NEIL MOSS l sstoptop rerehashinghashing ooldld ffeuds,euds, accoraccordingding operating by tthehe old playbooplaybook.k. ﬁ ve other declared candidates Continued on page 12 EATRICE PAEZ a breach of the conventional he power of American lawmak- practice of caucus conﬁ dentiality,” ers to modify trade agreements he wrote. gislation that would imple- T ications Mai

bl As caucus whip, Conservative ment the UN’s declaration has inspired their Canadian counter- u NewsNews PPhoenixhoenix pay systesystemm Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 P A ndigenous rights provides a parts to look for more of their own MP Mark Strahl (Chilliwack– Hope, B.C.) oversees the commit- de forward” in reconciling inﬂ uence over the trade negotiation tee assignment process. Asked ensions at play between the process,To say some parliamentarians. advertise, call 613-688-8841 or email [email protected] about Mr. Reid’s lack of assign- CSG Senator Percy Downe ‘Everything we ddidn’tidn’t ddoo with PhPhoenix’:o feds tap SAP for Continued on page 28 ments, and whether it was part (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) said the work of continued punishment, in an workwork on llonong-awaite-awaitedd Phoenix rreeplacement pilot project email Mr Strahl said“Mr Reid is