Justin Trudeau

This article highlights an issue that we have flagged for #CdnPoli in a letter to its fall consultation on foreign interference: https://ow.ly/ZPEJ50StIeb We've also identified foreign interference as a trend to monitor in our submission, Modernizing the Municipal Elections Act for the 21st Century: https://ow.ly/xF2H50StIu2 #OnMuni elections are run well but there are opportunities to strengthen the electoral process. https://ow.ly/KkQU50StHOp

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#DYK the 🇨🇦 federal government budget includes several different kinds of transfers to provinces and territories? Here’s a breakdown of federal transfers over the years. 📼 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gA62AN2Y #cdnpoli #budget

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Provincial Property Taxes (Officially known as Grants in Lieu of Property Taxes) I’ve been getting a lot of calls/emails from people asking about the provincial government not paying their property taxes and how they can take action. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi has put together a site (link below) that you can visit to learn more about how Edmonton is not being fairly compensated. There is also a tool you can you to send a letter to Premier Smith and Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver. On Friday, Council unanimously passed a motion to make it clear that if the provincial government pays the over $80 million that we haven’t received since 2019/2020, and reinstates that funding on an ongoing basis, that we will use every penny of that to help reduce any property tax increase in 2025. This would allow us to reduce any possible increase by approximately 2% in 2025 which is critical at a time where so many people are struggling to cover their bills. This is an issue being faced by every municipality in Alberta but Edmonton is disproportionately affected because we are the provincial capital and have the largest amount of provincial buildings in Alberta. Municipalities across Alberta are advocating to see that funding reinstated. That includes over 95% of members at the recent Alberta Municipalities | Strength in Members Convention approving a resolution asking for the provincial government to pay its fair share. Please take a minute to visit the website below and add your voice to the advocacy. #yeg #yegcc #Edmonton

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All my procurement friends, be sure to check out our refreshed website to learn about how we can assist you in your purchasing needs. The Resource page is a one stop library for the latest procurement news. #gpo #kineticgpo #grouppurchasing #contractmanagement #bps

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Here are some comments I made about B.C.'s deteriorating fiscal situation on Conversations Live with Stuart McNish on Monday evening. As recently as 2021, B.C. had one of the best fiscal settings of any province with a long track record of balanced budgets or small operating deficits, the lowest debt load in the country, and a top-tier credit rating. Today, B.C. is running the largest deficit in the country relative to the size of its economy, has seen debt levels surge faster than any other comparable jurisdiction, and seen repeated credit rating downgrades that raise the cost of borrowing to fund the government’s operating deficit and capital plan. The combination of higher global interest rates, soaring borrowing needs, and lower credit ratings are seeing the province’s debt servicing costs surge. The province will spend $4.4 billion on debt servicing in 2024/25 (up from $4.1 billion in February’s budget), representing 4.8% of expenses. Debt servicing costs will climb to 6.3% of expenses by 2026/27. In inflation-adjusted terms, it will cost about $600 per British Columbian per annum to service provincial government debt by 2026/27. The amount the B.C. government is now spending on debt servicing is equal to about half of the K-12 school education budget. Like having a lower personal credit score, a lower credit rating means the government has to pay more to borrow to fund its operating deficit and capital spending. As recently as July 2021, the province had a AAA credit rating from S&P Global. B.C.'s credit worthiness has been downgraded thrice in 3 years by S&P and is now rated "AA-" with a negative outlook. Moody's has also issued a negative outlook for the province's credit rating. S&P and Moody's control about 80% of the international credit ratings business. Notably, in its press release, S&P Global commented: “We believe the province is at a turning point with respect to the management of its finances..." and “With operating deficits of more than 5% of operating revenues and after-capital deficits of about 20% of total revenues, B.C.'s budgetary performance will be the weakest of its peers, both domestically and internationally.” #prosperity

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**Hot Docs’ Statement on Federal Budget 2024** The federal government did not include Hot Docs in its $38 million relief package for significant cultural institutions in Budget 2024, putting the future of the organization in jeopardy. The federal government has picked winners and losers in Canada’s cultural landscape. The federal government's decision is putting the future of an important theatre and cultural hub at risk, despite ongoing calls for support from our community. Hot Docs requested a couple million in emergency support from this Budget, a fraction of the amount allocated for others. For more than 30 years, Hot Docs has advanced and celebrated the art of documentary, a unique artistic endeavour that brings diverse perspectives on important world issues. Year-round we create production opportunities for filmmakers, lead educational programs in classrooms, and welcome tens of thousands to Toronto annually for the Hot Docs Festival. Hot Docs has been vocal about the enormous post-pandemic challenges it faces and its urgent need for financial support from the Government of Canada. We will proudly deliver an exceptional festival that kicks off on April 25, but we fear it will be the last unless the federal government steps up to the plate.

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Join us, October 28th, for a fascinating webinar with Commissioner Konrad von Finkenstein. Discover how he and his team navigate complex ethical challenges and ensure accountability in federal government. Register today and understand the inner workings of Canadian government ethics! https://bit.ly/3NELID8

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Last week, on April 16, the Government of Canada released the Fairness for Every Generation #Budget2024. The budget outlined promising investments related to #foodsecurity which support #Inuit harvesters and local food producers. The budget made specific reference to ITK’s Inuit Nunangat Food Security Strategy (https://lnkd.in/dPHgMgmk), which prioritizes support for harvesters and community food programs. However, the budget did not specify how it would support Inuit food security priorities. Here are some of the key takeaways related to Inuit food security: - $2.8 million over three years to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) Action Plan Measures to bolster the policy and engagement capacity among Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Inuit Treaty Organizations to co-develop legislative and policy options to facilitate the production, sale, and trade of traditional and country food (p. 293). - $23.2 million to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Canada for Nutrition North Canada’s subsidy program to lower the cost of nutritious food and other essential household items (p. 292). - $101.1 million over three years to support the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Program Fund and promote Indigenous communities in implementing culturally appropriate, local solutions to address food insecurity (p. 292). - $14.9 million over three years to renew and expand the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives Fund to all regions of Inuit Nunangat to support local and Indigenous food production systems, including innovative northern food businesses, which contribute to food security in the North (p. 293). - $62.9 million over three years to renew and expand the Local Food Infrastructure Fund to support community organizations across Canada to invest in local food infrastructure, with priority to be given to Indigenous and Black communities, along with other equity-deserving groups. Part of the expansion will support community organizations to improve infrastructure for school food programs as a complement to the National School Food Program (p.141). - Lastly, there was no information on Inuit allocations for the Inuit-Nunangat #SchoolFoodProgram in the Budget 2024 funding of 1 billion over five years to create a #NationalSchoolFoodProgram.

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🇨🇦Weekly Update By Leah: Key Milestones this Week! 🇨🇦 This week in Ottawa, we took meaningful action to improve the lives of Canadians. From protecting our brave firefighters to addressing housing needs, here’s what we’ve accomplished: 🔴 Launched the National Framework on Cancers Linked to Firefighting, ensuring better protection for our #firefighters. 🔴 Added 14 new federal properties to the Canada Public Land Bank, driving efforts to build 4 million new homes by 2031. 🔴 Announced funding to support #CanadianFarmers as they adapt to #climatechange with sustainable practices. 🔴 Recognized World Mental Health Day, focusing on equitable access to #mentalhealth services, especially for youth and underserved communities. Together, we’re building a more inclusive and resilient #Canada. Let’s keep moving forward! 🇨🇦 What issue matters most to you? Let me know in the comments below. 👇 #PolicyInAction #Leadership #StrongerCanada

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“Red tape” — it’s an OECD-leading problem in Canada. We all want reasonable protections from harm. However, the creation and amendment of regulations can take years and is commonly only tangentially connected to those required to comply with the regulations. Too often, the result is duplicative, complex and burdensome regulations that don’t keep up with rapid changes in technologies and business models. There must be a better way. In June 2024, Senator Woo and I hosted a workshop to discuss the use of standards as a tool to accelerate the modernization of regulations in Canada. This meeting was part of a continuing effort to find new ways to accelerate Canada’s regulatory modernization processes. [For an overview of this process, see a my Feb ‘23 OpEd in The Hill Times: https://bit.ly/4bovIzX] Workshop attendees included public servants from federal and provincial governments, standard development organizations and other regulators. We were grateful that Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor du Canada Minister Anita Anand provided opening remarks, and encouraged the exploration of new approaches to modernizing regulations across Canada. [Note: as a next step, we intend to engage civil society and regulated industries, large and small.] There was broad consensus that regulatory modernization is critical and urgent. The report on the meeting (below) offers perspectives and avenues for future discussion. What is clear is that a failure to act is not only undermining Canada’s economic prosperity, but also our ability to innovate, and our ability to respond in a crisis. There is an urgent need to embrace the use of any effective tools that will better enable us to manage evidence-based risks, with a focus on defining the desired outcome(s) rather than the process for achieving that outcome. This is because regulations that prescribe a specific process virtually eliminate opportunities to innovate. My personal hope is that we can get to a place where Canada uses voluntary, consensus-based standards, codes-of-practice and certifications by default, and regulate by exception. Modernizing Canada’s regulations at all orders of government in Canada (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal) needs to become a priority. There is urgency, but we can’t downplay the challenge of transforming the public service towards a less risk-averse mindset. Currently, there is little political will, as evidenced by our legacy of anti-competitive inter-provincial regulations that act as domestic trade barriers, and of heavy regulatory burdens that too often create unnecessary barriers-to-entry, protecting incumbent oligopolies from the threat of innovative new entrants. Prioritizing regulatory modernization would be ideal (vs the current Regulatory Modernization Act, Bill S-6, stalled in the House), but in the meantime the greater use of certain tools and some targeted burden reduction could provide an incremental stopgap.

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Important and crucial investments as AI continues to advance.

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Protect Canada's Constitutional Integrity and create a Safeguard against Quebec's unilateral amendment of the Canadian constitution. https://gofund.me/74618e57 We are seeking your support to challenge Quebec's unilateral amendment to the Canadian Constitution. This unprecedented move threatens the very fabric of our federation and requires immediate legal action. Our first milestone objective: Raise $12,000 to fund a comprehensive legal opinion by Maître Michael Bergman of Bergman and Associates, laying the groundwork for a constitutional challenge. Why This Matters: Quebec has unilaterally amended the Constitution Act, 1867, potentially setting a dangerous precedent This action challenges the proper constitutional amendment process outlined in the Constitution Act, 1982 The integrity of Canada's constitutional framework is at stake Key Legal Issues: The constitutionality of a province unilaterally amending the Canadian constitution The scope and definition of a "provincial constitution" The impact on Canadian federalism and national unity Urgency: Time is of the essence. Swift action could: Guarantee that all MNAs to swear the oath to the monarchy Which can Potentially halt the current legislative session Put a hold on future Quebec laws until proper procedures are followed How You Can Help: 1. Direct Donations: Checks can be made in trust directly to Maître Michael Bergman, ensuring donor anonymity 2. Business Expense: Receipts available upon request for potential business expense claims 3. GoFundMe: This campaign where funds transferred directly to Bergman and Associates Important Note: Marc Perez, the initiative organizer, is not profiting from this campaign. All funds go directly to legal fees. Next Steps: 1. Raise $12,000 for the initial legal opinion 2. Based on the opinion, proceed with fundraising for the full lawsuit 3. File the constitutional challenge promptly Your contribution, no matter the size, is crucial in defending the integrity of our Constitution. Act now to protect Canada's constitutional framework and the rule of law. For more information or to donate, please contact Marc Perez at 514-963-7685 or by email at [email protected] Together, we can safeguard the foundations of our democracy. https://gofund.me/74618e57

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"The problem is not the level of B.C.’s debt, but how quickly it is rising. S&P calls that trend “a turning point” for the province’s finances, noting that the “size and persistence of material after-capital deficits differentiate B.C. from its peers.” The words are measured, but the warning is clear: B.C.’s finances are headed in the wrong direction. The fiscal plan is likely understating the problem. Health spending, for instance, is to increase by 14.9 per cent in the current year, but that growth suddenly decelerates to 2.6 per cent and 1.6 per cent in the following two years. That would result in reduced health care funding, once adjusted for population growth and inflation. The same pattern shows up for the education and social services budgets. Is the NDP contemplating a period of relative austerity? Or are those numbers understated to keep the deficit and debt picture from looking even more gloomy?" https://lnkd.in/gJYWaYfc

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Election integrity is at the core of what we do at Elections BC. Visit our website to learn about the processes that protect provincial elections in BC, and how you can help: https://lnkd.in/g4t77rRZ

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I attended WatSPEED at the University of Waterloo's annual TechHorizons conference yesterday with Canada School of Public Service | École de la fonction publique du Canada. Amongst the many interesting topics and guest speakers was Francis Bilodeau from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada | Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada talking about responsible use of AI. https://lnkd.in/eDkEvQwN One of the key messages from a panelist in the financial sector that stuck with me the most was that "imagination is missing" - #AI requires a rethink of ways of working and not just a focus on being bigger, faster, and more productive in what you do today.

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Effective laws need effective enforcement. In our pre-budget submission, CAMP is asking the federal government to provide the Competition Bureau with more resources to protect competition and affordability in Canada.

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Ensuring Albertans are kept safe is a priority for Alberta’s government which is why it introduced and passed the Police Amendment Act, 2022 in the Fall session of 2022. This important piece of legislation is strengthening RCMP ties to the communities they serve and improve police accountability by mandating civilian governance bodies for municipalities policed by the RCMP. An Order in Council for the legislation was signed today, with the new regulations coming into force set for March 1, 2025. The creation of the municipal and regional policing committees and the Provincial Police Advisory Board will ensure large and small municipalities have a role in setting province-wide policing priorities and performance goals for the RCMP to ensure service delivery reflects and addresses local needs. Alberta’s government is working to improve police accountability by reforming policing practices and strengthening law enforcement’s ties to the communities they serve. Amendments to the Police Act will ensure all RCMP-policed communities have a voice in setting province-wide policing priorities and performance goals by creating municipal and regional policing committees, as well as a provincial police advisory board.

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I fully support Bernie Farber he/him/his (he/him) and Jaime Kirzner-Roberts in their call to release the Deschenes report to address past injustices. However, the Government of Canada must also seize the opportunity to help stop the ongoing killings of innocent children and civilians in Gaza. There is still time to act with honour and prevent a potential crime against humanity. 👉 "It’s time for Canada to stop concealing the truth and release the Deschênes documents, fully and unconditionally. If the documents embarrass our country, so be it. These documents hold stories of atrocities committed in Europe, lives lost and justice denied. But they also hold the potential for education and healing — a way forward to confront uncomfortable truths about our nation’s past." 👉 "Only by revealing the past can we begin the work of reconciliation, educating future generations and building a more just and principled nation. It’s an imperative that Canada can no longer ignore." https://lnkd.in/ebAPdQGx

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