Federal

An Overview of the 2019 Economic and Fiscal Update

On December 17, 2019 / Economy and Jobs, Federal, Federal Highlight, Finance, Institute, Our Thinking, Public Affairs

By Shiv Ruparell Yesterday, Minister of Finance Bill Morneau presented the federal government’s fall Economic and Fiscal Update, outlining for the first time since the election how the Liberal’s campaign promises stack up against Canada’s fiscal outlook for the next five years. The 2019 update focused on

A Review of the 2019 Speech from the Throne

On December 6, 2019 / Federal, Federal Highlight, Institute, Our Thinking

Four years ago, the brand-new Trudeau government offered a Speech from the Throne focused on a tax cut for the middle class and balancing a clean environment with a strong economy. It promised a new relationship with Canada’s Indigenous Peoples, while collaborating with the provinces. This time,

Trudeau’s Tightrope – Building a Cabinet that Can Survive Minority Politics

On November 20, 2019 / Federal, Institute, Our Thinking

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled his new Cabinet. Major key themes for the government include: A focus on economic anxiety and an attempt to address related regional tensions A policy focus on the interplay between climate and energy issues A recognition that Ontario and Quebec remain

Minority report: Can Trudeau recover?

On November 11, 2019 / Elections, Federal, Federal Highlight, Institute

By John Duffy Canada has considerable experience with minority governments. Over the course of 43 elections, our country has had 14 hung parliaments. That’s a big enough selection for some patterns to emerge. By their very nature, minorities are transitional. The entire political system palpably yearns for

Inflamed relations between Ottawa and the prairie premiers don’t even need oil and gas to ignite

On November 4, 2019 / Economy and Jobs, Elections, Federal, Institute, Natural Resources, Our Thinking

By Andrew Steele After Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party won re-election without any representatives from Alberta and Saskatchewan, all eyes are on the potential clash between those oil-producing provinces and the federal government over carbon action. But this is not the only confrontation that looms for Confederation. Behind

Federal Election Update for Week 4: Lights, Camera, Action!

On October 10, 2019 / Elections, Federal, Institute, Our Thinking

With just two weeks to go in the 43rd federal election, we are getting down to the final days of what still appears to be a tight two-way race between the Liberals and the Conservatives. The Consortium English debate happened on Monday night and the French debate

Moving Goalposts: Each Party’s Contradictory Stances in Election 43

On October 9, 2019 / Elections, Federal, Institute, Our Thinking

Right before an election begins, most political staffers and commentators can be heard saying “anything can happen in an election.” They say it because it’s true. This election, so far, has been no different – exhibit A, the events popularly known as the Brownface Scandal. However, this

Federal Election Update: Week 3: Another Week Down in the Seinfeld Campaign

On October 4, 2019 / Elections, Federal, Institute, Our Thinking

The third week of the 43rd federal election may prove to be when Canadians finally started tuning in. Coming off a surprising brownface/blackface scandal, the election returned to its prior course of hastily constructed policy proposals and digs at past leaders. The Liberals released their election platform

Forward: A Real Plan for the Middle Class – A Look at the Liberal Party 2019 Platform

On October 2, 2019 / Elections, Federal, Federal Highlight, Institute, Our Thinking

Justin Trudeau used the last Sunday of September to release his party’s election platform at the University of Toronto (Mississauga) campus. The document’s focus is on continuing economic growth and ensuring Canadians in the middle-class share in the benefits through government action. In particular, the Liberals focused

Canada Election 43: Campaigns try to gain a footing. Here’s what you need to know about week one

On September 18, 2019 / Elections, Federal, Institute, Our Thinking

Election 43: Week One The first week of the campaign did not move the dial on public opinion for any of the campaigns, with polling remaining static and within the margin of error. The Conservatives and Liberals remain essentially tied in the mid-30s. The focus has been