Federal Politics

William Fernie died at the age of 84. (Fernie Free Press)

The Old West: Disaster, devastation and recovery in early Fernie

A column by Bruce Uzelman

 

Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne takes part in a news conference in Ottawa, on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. Dufresne and a government official are warning legislators to dramatically narrow the scope of a Senate bill proposing to block minors from accessing “sexually explicit material” online, warning it could apply to streaming services like Netflix. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Internet age verification law could apply to Netflix, privacy czar says

Officials weigh on legislation aimed at preventing kids from accessing ‘sexually explicit material’

 

B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon Tuesday (May 14) confirmed the existence of talks to find “common ground” with the Conservative Party of B.C. to defeat the B.C. NDP government. Falcon was responding to earlier comments from Conservative leader John Rustad. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Political Spin: Current polls show an endangered BC United

A column by Bruce Uzelman

 

Speaker of the House of Commons Greg Fergus takes part in the Speakers Parade prior to question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Opposition seeks to oust Speaker again over Liberal post attacking Poilievre

Conservatives, backed by Bloc Québécois, accusing Speaker of partisan behaviour

Speaker of the House of Commons Greg Fergus takes part in the Speakers Parade prior to question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during a news conference on safety in hospitals in Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

No illicit drug use in B.C. hospitals ‘ever’, Poilievre pledges

Conservatives to introduce bill to end the federal health minister’s power to grant exemptions

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during a news conference on safety in hospitals in Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
Giacomo Bossi store at the corner of Johnson and Store Streets, Victoria; left to right, Angelica Bossi, Americo Bossi and Giacomo Bossi. Circa 1870s. (BC Archives)

The Old West: Governor James Douglas and Colonial Victoria

A column by Bruce Uzelman

Giacomo Bossi store at the corner of Johnson and Store Streets, Victoria; left to right, Angelica Bossi, Americo Bossi and Giacomo Bossi. Circa 1870s. (BC Archives)
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh rises during during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, April 29, 2024. Singh is warning Conservatives to back down from attempts to block pharmacare legislation, as the House of Commons prepares to vote on the bill for the first time. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

NDP, Liberals, lob barbs at the Conservatives as Pharmacare nears reality

Key plank to deal propping up the federal government undergoing scrutiny in the house

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh rises during during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, April 29, 2024. Singh is warning Conservatives to back down from attempts to block pharmacare legislation, as the House of Commons prepares to vote on the bill for the first time. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Advocates are calling on Ottawa to profoundly change the powers of its watchdog who monitors Canadians corporations operating abroad, as the Liberals review how a new ombudsman should take on the job. Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), Sheri Meyerhoffer, holds a news conference in Ottawa, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

As feds replaces watchdog for firms operating abroad, advocates urge reform

Advocates say Canadian companies causing human rights and environmental harms abroad

Advocates are calling on Ottawa to profoundly change the powers of its watchdog who monitors Canadians corporations operating abroad, as the Liberals review how a new ombudsman should take on the job. Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), Sheri Meyerhoffer, holds a news conference in Ottawa, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre delivers a speech at the Canada Building Trades Union conference, Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in Gatineau, Quebec. Poilievre tells business leaders to fight their own battle against a proposed increase to how capital gains are taxed, his office is keeping tight-lipped about how his own party will vote. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Poilievre tight-lipped on what party might do with capital gains tax changes

Conservative leader hasn’t said whether his government would support the measure or not

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre delivers a speech at the Canada Building Trades Union conference, Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in Gatineau, Quebec. Poilievre tells business leaders to fight their own battle against a proposed increase to how capital gains are taxed, his office is keeping tight-lipped about how his own party will vote. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A protester rests in their tent in a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on the University of Toronto campus in Toronto on Thursday, May 2, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Encamped universities have to balance safety, free speech: Trudeau

A number of protest camps have sprung up on Canadian campuses in regards to Gaza conflict

A protester rests in their tent in a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on the University of Toronto campus in Toronto on Thursday, May 2, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
A public inquiry has found foreign meddling attempts didn’t change who won the last two elections, but it may have changed the result in one riding in 2021. Commissioner Justice Marie-Josee Hogue listens to a lawyer speak during the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, in Ottawa, Thursday, March 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Foreign interference may have ‘impacted’ election result in 1 B.C. riding

Inquiry finds ‘reasonable possibility’ it cost 2021 Steveston-Richmond East candidate Chiu a seat

A public inquiry has found foreign meddling attempts didn’t change who won the last two elections, but it may have changed the result in one riding in 2021. Commissioner Justice Marie-Josee Hogue listens to a lawyer speak during the Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, in Ottawa, Thursday, March 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Couple on Dewdney Trail between Rossland and Trail, July 1900. (Rossland Museum)

The Old West: The Dewdney Trail and Fort Steele – Part 2

A column by Bruce Uzelman

Couple on Dewdney Trail between Rossland and Trail, July 1900. (Rossland Museum)
Federal public servants will have to work from their offices at least three days a week as of Sept. 9. President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Thursday, April 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrick Doyle

3-days-in-the-office mandate blindsides federal government workers

Public Service Alliance of Canada outraged about new policies regarding work from home

Federal public servants will have to work from their offices at least three days a week as of Sept. 9. President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Thursday, April 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrick Doyle
Leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre rises in response to the Speaker asking him to withdraw language during Question Period, Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Conservatives say Trudeau stepped over the line, speaker should resign

Opposition wants Greg Fergus to step aside after he allowed comments by PM, booted Poilievre

Leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre rises in response to the Speaker asking him to withdraw language during Question Period, Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland waits for the start of a TV interview after tabling the federal budget on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Freeland tabled a motion to introduce the federal budget in the House of Commons today, but the document does not include the government’s proposed capital gains tax changes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Capital gains changes not included in Freeland’s proposed budget legislation

Changes expected to come in separate legislation, forcing to opposition to address them directly

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland waits for the start of a TV interview after tabling the federal budget on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Freeland tabled a motion to introduce the federal budget in the House of Commons today, but the document does not include the government’s proposed capital gains tax changes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period, Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Poilievre tossed from the house after calling Trudeau a ‘wacko’

Speaker ejected opposition leader after giving him multiple chances to withdraw comment

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period, Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Construction of the Dewdney Trail near Rossland c. 1865

The Old West: The Dewdney Trail and Fort Steele – Part 1

A column by Bruce Uzelman

Construction of the Dewdney Trail near Rossland c. 1865
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period, Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Ottawa. The federal Conservatives are pushing the Liberals to end allowing drug use in public places after British Columbia announced it wants to scale back its pilot on decriminalization. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Push mounts for Ottawa to support B.C. drug decriminalization reversal

Feds evaluating B.C. request for an ‘urgent’ change to a Health Canada exemption

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period, Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Ottawa. The federal Conservatives are pushing the Liberals to end allowing drug use in public places after British Columbia announced it wants to scale back its pilot on decriminalization. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a press conference in Oakville, Ontario, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Trudeau turns to podcasts in bid to get his message to take hold

PM recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a press conference in Oakville, Ontario, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is flanked by Minister of Housing Sean Fraser, right, and Treasury Board President Anita Anand, left, during a press conference in Oakville, Ont., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes the government’s federal budget. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Trudeau pokes Poilievre over Alex Jones endorsement

Far-right U.S. commentator known for calling Sandy Hook shootings a hoax

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is flanked by Minister of Housing Sean Fraser, right, and Treasury Board President Anita Anand, left, during a press conference in Oakville, Ont., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes the government’s federal budget. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston