ArtifiArtifi cialcial IntelligenceIntelligence andand 5G5G policy briefi ng pp. 13-19 THIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO. 1714 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 $5.00 News Legislation News Public service Chief HR offi cer COVID-19 bailout bill bogged works to quell confusion, asks down, after opposition rejects wide- departments to identify, ranging new government powers update ‘critical’ What was supposed to be a quick, co-operative sitting of the House turned into a negotiating stalemate. services lists BY MIKE LAPOINTE Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet he federal government has offers his party's House Toffered up some clarity to leader, Alain Therrien, departments and public service hand sanitizer as the unions after confusion over what House of Commons opens constitutes “critical” versus “es- its sitting after Parliament sential” work arose following an was recalled to discuss initial directive to all public ser- emergency measures to vice departments to allow staff to help Canadians with the work from home where possible. effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 24. Continued on page 12 The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade News NAFTA 2.0 Start date for new North American trade pact could be pushed back amid coronavirus pandemic, says Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 NAFTA Council member BY NEIL MOSS s the White House seeks to have the new North Ameri- BY PETER MAZEREEUW ment’s proposed bill to respond to The opposition rejected the to implement its $82-billion A the COVID-19 emergency, stretch- government’s proposals to in- fi nancial bailout package for the can trade deal in force by the ing what was supposed to be a clude wide-ranging new powers country announced March 17. beginning of June, a member of iberal and opposition MPs the government’s NAFTA advi- Lstruggled on March 24 to fi nd a short sitting of Parliament into an for itself through the bill, above compromise on the Liberal govern- hours-long negotiating stalemate. and beyond the changes needed Continued on page 20 Continued on page 23 2 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES In a tweet that evening, Mr. Trudeau encouraged Canadians to tag their friends Peace Tower bells to be and remind them to stay home. The friends the PM tagged in his own tweet: actor silenced Ryan Reynolds and singer Michael Bublé. Heard on the Hill “I think in times of crisis, I think we all With life on the Hill know, it’s the celebrities that we count on dramatically changed most,” Mr. Reynolds quipped on Twitter. due to COVID-19, the by Neil Moss “They’re the ones that are going to get us Peace Tower carillon through this.” will be added to the list “Right after health care workers of of cancellations, accord- course, fi rst responders, people who work ing to a CTV report. in essential services, ping pong players, The performance Trudeau calls on some takes place on every mannequins—they’re great—childhood imaginary friends, sure, like 400 other weekday throughout the types of people.” year, from 12 to 12:15 “Look, stay at home, practice social p.m. Performances are celebrity friends to urge extended in July and distancing, wash your hands. We are going to get through this thing,” the Deadpool August to a full hour star said. The Peace Tower from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Soon, Canadian celebrities of all sorts carillon typically But, given the Canadians to stay inside takes place every were calling for Canadians to “plank the construction to Centre curve” on Twitter, including Jann Arden, weekday throughout Block, Dominion Seth Rogen, Hayley Wickenheiser, Steven the year, from 12 to Carillonneur Andrea Page, and Tom Green, among others. 12:15 p.m. The Hill McCrady needs to Times photograph be escorted through by Andrew Meade the building and with COVID-19 social Green Party lowers distancing requirements in place, having two people in the elevator that leads to the leadership contest barriers carillon is unsafe, according to the report. The carillon has 53 bells ranging in size, with the largest at 10,090 kilograms— known as the bourbon—and the smallest weighing in at 4.5 kilograms. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, centre, recently reached out to singer Michael Bublé, left, and PSPC, fi rms behind Senate actor Ryan Reynolds, right, on Twitter to encourage Canadians to practice social distancing. The of Canada Building reno Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons win architecture award fter a day spent imploring Canadians “Go home and stay home. This is what Ato stay inside, Prime Minister Justin we all need to be doing, and we’re going to Trudeau took to Twitter to encourage some make sure this happens, whether by educat- Hollywood friends to share the message. ing people more on the risks, or by enforc- Earlier in the day on March 23, Mr. ing the rules, if that’s needed. Nothing that Trudeau told the Canadian public “enough could help is off the table,” he said from his is enough.” self-isolation hideout at Rideau Cottage. The Senate of Canada Building has won 10 awards since its renovation was completed in late 2018. Green Party interim leader Jo-Ann Roberts says The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade that her party’s leadership convention has not been suspended, but a delay remains an option. The federal department and contracted The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade fi rms responsible for the recent renovation of the Senate of Canada Building won the As the Conservative Party debates 2020 Civic Trust Award earlier this month. whether its leadership vote will be moved Public Services and Procurement due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Green Par- Canada, Diamond Schmitt Architects, and ty is making changes to ease roadblocks KWC Architects were awarded the prize in for its leadership candidates to make the Manchester, England on March 6. ballot. “This award demonstrates our ability The party announced in a March 23 to successfully deliver complex rehabilita- tion projects which support the evolving press release that the 100 signatures re- st quired for each leadership candidate to be needs of a 21 -century Parliament,” Public offi cially nominated can now be gathered Services and Procurement Minister Anita online. Anand said in a press release. The fee for candidates has also been The Civic Trust Award is given to projects lowered to $30,000 from the original that show excellence in “architecture, sustain- $40,000. But the deadline for both will ability, inclusiveness, and universal design.” remain the same: June 3. The renovation transformed Ottawa’s Interim Green Party leader Jo-Ann old train station, which had been used as a Roberts announced that, as of yet, her conference centre since the 1960s. Now, the party’s October leadership convention has building hosts a temporary Senate Cham- not been cancelled, but said in the release ber, offi ces, and three committee rooms that “remains a possibility if members are as Centre Block undergoes a more than not able to travel or gather in large groups.” decade-long renovation. The convention is scheduled for Oct. 2 to 4 “The architects behind the Senate of in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Canada Building balanced conservation “We are not suspending the leadership and innovation to transform a century- contest at this time because we realize how old landmark into a modern home for important leadership is during a crisis and Canada’s Upper Chamber, and a space for this is an opportunity for those seeking all Canadians to enjoy,” Senate Speaker this position to demonstrate their values to George J. Furey said in the release. members in this diffi cult time,” Ms. Roberts The Senate of Canada Building was said in a statement. also nominated for the Selwyn Goldsmith Current Green Party leadership candi- Award for Universal Design—the only dates include Judy Green, Amita Kuttner, North American project to be nominated. Dimitri Lescaris, David Merner, Annamie Since renovations to the building com- Paul, and Alex Tyrell. The six individuals pleted in 2018—at a total estimated cost of $219-million—it has been given 10 awards. are seeking to be the fi rst leader of the [email protected] party since 2006, when now-parliamentary The Hill Times leader Elizabeth May took the helm. THE HILL TIMES | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 3 COVID-19 infrastructure underneath the northern end of Parliament’s Great Lawns ahead of the deeper excavations required to build the fi nal phase of the new Visitors’ Welcome Centre is also underway. The East Block building won’t be fully renovated until after work on the Centre Block completes—and is currently still occupied by some 40-plus Senators and staff—but some work has been bumped up out of necessity in the meantime, in- cluding exterior work to restore masonry and install seismic upgrades, particularly on the building’s southern ends and tow- ers. Helping to keep moving work along is the fact that, even in regular circum- stances, construction workers are required to don safety gear to protect them from the dust and dirt swirling around as a result of renovations. “As a general construction requirement, all workers are required to wear personal protective equipment at all times to per- form their work, which includes gloves. The nature of the work performed, as well as the large footprint of the construction sites, enables social distancing to be ap- plied on site,” said Ms. Roy. Construction teams are now being “lim- ited in size and are not working in close proximity,” she said.