Canada’s premiers met with prime minister Justin Tru-deau for a first ministers meeting in Ottawa Nov. 23 — the first time such a meeting has happened in seven years. The first minsters conference came just days before world leaders are to descend on France Nov. 30 for the highly anticipated COP21 climate conference. Canada’s premiers […] Read more
Stories by Kelsey Johnson
Cabinet ministers’ job description vague on some issues
Prime minister Justin Trudeau has issued his marching orders to the country’s new federal cabinet ministers. In a series of mandate letters released to the public Nov. 13, Trudeau outlined his priorities for each of his 30 cabinet ministers. Many items included in the letters, which averaged about four pages in length, are expected to […] Read more
New tone on the Hill set by Liberals, followed by Conservatives
On the day that the federal cabinet was sworn in, as the hustle and bustle of the day wound down, an unfamiliar sight graced the hallways of Parliament Hill. Prime minister Justin Trudeau left the building using the front door, bidding “good night” to the handful of reporters still meandering the hallways. On the surface […] Read more
Breath of fresh air on Hill if Trudeau gov’t fulfils promises
Questions are swirling about the kind of tone and direction the new Liberal government will choose to take in Parliament. All eyes are on the members of prime minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, but what about all those who weren’t appointed to the cabinet? Will they start to matter again? Above all, will Parliament itself start […] Read more
Who in Liberal party will become next agriculture minister?
Canada will have a new agriculture minister on Nov. 4. In a news conference Oct. 20 prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau told reporters he would take the next two weeks to decide who would sit in his government’s inner circle. It was the first time a prime minister had held a news conference in the National […] Read more
Plenty on PM’s ‘to do’ list, including TPP, climate change
It’s over. At the time of writing, Canadians from coast to coast were heading to polling stations to cast their ballots, and the election’s outcome was still hours away. The longest federal election campaign in modern Canadian history had come to an end. So now what? There was much speculation about the possible outcomes in […] Read more
Liberal victory redraws political landscape
It was a stunning victory. After nearly a decade in political office, prime minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives were relegated to opposition benches Monday night, unseated by Justin Trudeau and the Liberals who surged to a 184-seat majority. It was a swift and decisive win. The Liberals breathlessly swept entire regions of the country. […] Read more
Parties unveil platforms, including ag, as election winds up
After two months on the campaign trail, Canada’s federal leaders are about to make their final vote pitches to Canadians — in a race that remains too close to call. As of Oct. 9 the polls showed a two-way race emerging between the Conservatives and the Liberals, thanks to slipping NDP support. Two-thirds of those […] Read more
Opposition on attack as Liberals capitalize on trade agreement
The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal has been finalized in Atlanta after years of negotiations, delays and an all night bartering session. Details were still emerging about the proposed trade at the time of writing. A final draft of the test is still in the works and has not been released. At first glance, Canada appears […] Read more
Supply management becomes hot potato among politicians
Yet another round of Trans Pacific Partnership talks are underway, this time in Atlanta, Georgia, as chief negotiators and trade ministers attempt to nail down a final trade deal. No deal had materialized at the time of writing, and talks among the 12 participating countries were just getting underway, with dairy and auto still sticking […] Read more
