Last year, some may remember some major breaking stories in The Globe and Mail and the Manitoulin Expositor about contract negotiation and other serious issues surrounding the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (FNIPP). Essentially, three First Nations police services, the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service, Treaty Three Police Service and the Anishinabek Police Service, had stopped receiving funding because of their refusal to accept an imposed “take-it-or-leave-it” contract that...

The Finance Minister has signaled that the next Federal budget will be released on April 16th. She has indicated that the topline focus of the budget will primarily be on affordability issues, which should come as little surprise to anyone, but as always, the devil will be in the details.

Recently, a Federal Court judge signed off on a class-action settlement between Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) that will see taxpayers’ foot the $1 billion bill for a minor accounting error.

At the end of last week, Canadians received news that a deal had been reached between the government and New Democrats that would finally establish a framework for a Canadian pharmacare system. This is an historic step toward a universal, public pharmacare program that will deliver concrete measures to help Canadians who are struggling with the costs of prescription medication. Continuing progress towards a universal national pharmacare program was one of the foundations of the Supply and...

Recently, Bell Media gave layoff notices to an astonishing 4,800 people across their broadcasting arms in television and radio and also announced it would be selling 45 of its 103 regional radio stations. To call this a dark day for regional news and journalism to pad corporate profits would be downplaying the severe impact these cuts will have. Not only are 4,800 people out of work, impacting their families and local communities, but Canadians across the board will feel the impacts of reduced...

Earlier this week, Auditor General Karen Hogan released her long-awaited report on the costs associated with the development of the much-derided ArriveCan app. The report is a scathing indictment of the government’s procurement process during the early Covid-19 pandemic, and their reliance on expensive consultants that don’t give Canadians value for the money spent.

Last week, Manulife, Canada’s largest insurance company, made headlines across the country by telling customers that coverage for 260 specialty prescription drugs would only be filled at Loblaw-owned pharmacies, chiefly Shoppers Drug Mart. It was a move that was roundly and swiftly condemned by independent pharmacies, health care groups, unions, and consumers across Canada. That condemnation forced Manulife to quickly backpedal and announce they would reverse course on this foolhardy idea...

If there’s one thing in politics that is sacrosanct, it’s the right to vote. Voting is the most fundamental expression of what a person wants out of their local representative, as well as the direction they want the country to move towards. However, for some, the limited number of ways we can express our opinions through our vote can lead to frustration, and in a worst-case scenario, even prevent people from exercising this fundamental right. So let’s make it easier.

Over the years, the Federal government has increasingly relied on outsourcing to private companies to get work done. While there will always be outsourcing of services that the government is ill-equipped to do themselves, the rate in which they, and by extension taxpayers, are using private firms to do government work has swelled in recent years. So much, in fact, that the Treasury Board has issued guidelines on reducing outsourcing and expensive consultancy work in recent months. It’s...