Les There are Blast Whittington political ties p.15 that could from unbind the Gar Pardy past p. 16 Hill Climbers DPM p.22 p. 21 Freeland Latvian envoy cheers three adds to years of Canada-led mission p. 14 Prairie file Bad +Bitchy p.10 THIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO. 1739 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020 $5.00 News News News Lobby groups Black businesses push feds to Canada in wait-and- say they’re left out pivot to recovery of procurement phase, say more opportunities, see mode as clock COVID relief despite cash needed for obvious gaps key sectors ticks down on trade BY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN BY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN lack-owned businesses say Bthey have been devastated by ssociations are pivoting to COVID-19 and the government Arecovery in their federal agreement with the U.K. needs to “step in,” both through advocacy asks, with those among funding directly to the commu- the most actively lobbying nity and by revamping a federal government in May pushing for procurement system that they say flexibility on some of the gov- ‘There needs to be a new bilateral arrangement in place by the end of is leaving them out. ernment’s emergency measures It’s heartbreaking to see so and calling for more funding to this year,’ says Mark Agnew of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. many businesses closing and protect at-risk industries. at risk, said Andria Barrett, The busiest groups lobbying president of the Canadian Black last month include members in Chamber of Commerce, which the post-secondary education, oil, Continued on page 19 Continued on page 6 News News Union heads Where’s the worry too money?: much left up to Questions loom ‘discretion’ in over need for public service better foreign back-to- policy funding Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 workplace plan BY NEIL MOSS ollowing Canada’s failure to BY MIKE LAPOINTE Fwin a seat on the UN Security U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured on June 23 inside No. 10 Downing Street, chairing the daily press Council, foreign affairs experts ollowing weeks of consultation conference on the COVID-19 pandemic. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Andrew Parsons/No. 10 Downing Street and former diplomats are rais- Fand the release of departmen- ing the concern that funding tal guidelines on the easing of BY NEIL MOSS United Kingdom, trade experts one says there needs to be a new for Global Affairs is insufficient workplace restrictions for tens of say Canada will have to wait until bilateral trade agreement in place despite budget increases over the thousands of public service work- ith the months ticking away its post-Brexit transition period by year’s end. last four years. Wuntil Canada is without a ends before work can move for- Continued on page 20 free trade framework with the ward on a free trade pact, but Continued on page 18 Continued on page 4 2 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES Ms. Freeland was awarded the Mark Senate Ethics Committee Palmer Prize by Freedom House for her work “championing democracy through suggests Lynn Beyak’s advocacy, journalism, and policymaking.” suspension be withdrawn The prize is named after former U.S. Heard on the Hill diplomat Mark Palmer, who served as America’s ambassador in Hungary from Following non-affiliated Senator Lynn 1986 to 1990 when the country was emerg- by Neil Moss Beyak’s apology and completion of anti- ing from the Iron Curtain. racism training, the Senate Ethics Com- “Mark Palmer was a brilliant diplomat mittee is recommending that the Ontario and a relentless, effective, and lifelong Senator be reinstated. advocate for democracy and human rights,” Ms. Freeland said in a press release. Lynn Beyak Senator Marilou “I am deeply honoured and humbled to has twice been accept this award, which I think reaffirms suspended our collective obligation to uphold human from the Senate rights everywhere and always; and to work for her failure McPhedran tables bill hard every day to build a world that is to apologize more democratic, more just, and more free,” for posting she added. letters to her Her work condemning human rights website that to lower voting age to 16 violations by the Chinese government in contained racist Hong Kong, the Rohingya crisis in Myan- statements mar, the democratic crisis in Venezuela, as about well as her support for Ukraine protests in Independent Indigenous 2014, and her championing for the release Senator Marilou peoples. The of Saudi dissident siblings Raif and Samar McPhedran says Hill Times file Badawi were noted for her winning the lowering the photograph voting age is award. ‘one of the key Past winners have included Organiza- steps towards tion of American States Secretary-General Sen. Beyak has twice been suspended Luis Almagro, past Canadian ambassador a more just, without pay from the Upper Chamber for sustainable, and to Afghanistan Deborah Lyons, former refusing to remove letters from her website U.S. ambassador to Libya J. Christopher high-functioning that contained racist statements about Canada for the Stevens (who was killed in attacks on the Indigenous peoples. Her first suspension American embassy in Benghazi in 2012), long haul ahead.’ was nullified at the call of the last election. The Hill Times and former Canadian diplomat Ben Row- When the Senate resumed sitting in the swell, now the president of the Canadian photograph by new Parliament, she was suspended again Andrew Meade International Council. in February. The award isn’t Ms. Freeland’s first The committee, chaired by Independent from a D.C.-based organization. In 2018, Senator Murray Sinclair, noted in a report she won Foreign Policy magazine’s diplo- that Sen. Beyak completed a four-day edu- mat of the year. cation program in May and has apologized for her actions. “While it will be for all Senators to Supreme Court Justice judge its sufficiency, your committee is ndependent Senator Marilou McPhedran executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of satisfied that, in her letter of apology, Sena- Rosalie Abella wins second- Iwants to see younger Canadians at the the United States. The pair were charged tor Beyak adequately acknowledges and voting booth. last week. understands the impact of her conduct and highest German decoration She tabled a bill in the Senate to lower offers thoughtful reflection on her educa- the voting age to 16 last week. tional experience and what she has learned The longest-tenured Supreme Court jus- “We already know that young people as a result,” the report reads. tice has been awarded Germany’s second- are leaders of today and tomorrow,” the After initial difficulty finding a course highest order of merit, The Globe and Mail Manitoba Senator said in a statement. “My for Sen. Beyak to take amid the CO- reported. generation is leaving a lot on their young VID-19 pandemic, she took a course led by shoulders and lowering the federal voting Jonathan Black-Branch, the dean of the age is one of the key steps towards a more University of Manitoba’s law school. For just, sustainable, and high-functioning completion of the program, Sen. Beyak had Canada for the long haul ahead.” 24 hours of coursework. The idea has been raised in the past, Prof. Black-Branch highlighted “ex- with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and amples of Senator Beyak’s co-operation Green Party parliamentary leader Eliza- and willingness to learn,” according to the beth May indicating support for the initia- report. But the report noted: “Dr. Black- tive prior to the last election, according to a Branch observed that attitudinal change on CBC report. cultural and social issues often takes time In 2018, Chief Electoral Officer Sté- and efforts ‘that are unlikely to be ascer- phane Perrault called the idea one that is tained within one stand-alone educational “worth considering.” unit.’” “I’m not the first Parliamentarian to try U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in for this transformational change, but this a statement that the charges against Michael is the first time such a bill has started in Kovrig and Michael Spavor are ‘politically Freeland awarded the Senate and we’re excited to galvanize motivated and completely groundless.’ The Hill inclusive democratic processes in this way,” Times photograph by Andrew Meade Freedom House’s Mark Sen. McPhedran said. In the past, the idea has been proposed Following the charges being brought, Palmer Prize in part to establish a voting culture in U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Rosalie Abella has been a Supreme Court younger Canadians that will continue tweeted that he shared Foreign Affairs A U.S.-based think tank has awarded justice since 2004. Supreme Court of Canada throughout their lives. In the last federal Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland photograph by Philippe Landreville election, a little more than two-thirds of “concerns” over the news. with a prize for her work in defence of eligible Canadians voted. “These charges are politically motivated global human rights. Rosalie Abella was awarded the Knight Sen. McPhedran has been working with and completely groundless,” Mr. Pompeo Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit her youth advisory group, Canadian Coun- said in a June 22 statement. with badge and star for her role highlight- cil of Young Feminists, to campaign for the U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab ing the need to defend minority rights initiative. wrote on Twitter that the “U.K. stands with and the justice system as learned from the our Canadian friends, and shares deep con- Holocaust, German Ambassador Sabine cern regarding China’s decision to charge Sparwasser told The Globe.