Hello,
Ottawa’s mayor says he has never lobbied the federal government to bring public servants back to their offices for a certain number of days.
But Mark Sutcliffe says there is a pressing need to deal with a depleted downtown core in Canada’s national capital that has not rebounded as much as other cities.
“I think it’s very urgent because these are not decisions and steps that we will take that are going to be implemented within weeks,” he said.
His comments follow promises of a “summer of discontent” by unions representing federal public servants over a move to order them to work a minimum three days a week in offices, up from a minimum of two.
At a news conference this week, union leaders blamed Sutcliffe and Ontario Mayor Doug Ford for the policy shift after they both previously praised the idea.
In an interview Thursday, Sutcliffe pushed back. “I wish I was that powerful. I wish I could just meet with the Prime Minister and, two days later, he would announce substantial changes to all kinds of different things, but it doesn’t work that way.”
“I’ve never asked the Prime Minister or any other member of his government to change the number of days that employees are coming downtown.”
But he said that doesn’t mean the move isn’t needed. “I’m not going to be disappointed if more people are coming downtown to work, whether they work for the federal government or for private businesses.”
At first glance, Sutcliffe said downtown Ottawa appears to be in good shape with stores and restaurants open. However, many of those businesses are struggling.
“The downtown recovery in Ottawa has happened at a much slower pace than in many other cities,” he said, noting transit use is still at 30-per-cent below prepandemic levels.
He said the slower recovery in Ottawa seems to be tied to the federal government’s decisions around not having employees in the office.
And complicating the issue, he said, is the federal government’s plan to unload a substantial number of its buildings to convert into housing, which could affect the number of employees coming into the core.
“If we don’t want to have a hollowed-out downtown core with boarded-up windows and empty buildings, we need to work with the federal government on a strategy for downtown Ottawa.”
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TODAY'S HEADLINES
Bank of Canada warns of steep jump in mortgage payments: Median monthly payments will increase by more than 60 per cent for those with variable-rate mortgages.
Former Ontario chief justice to lead Future of Sport in Canada Commission: Lise Maisonneuve will lead the commission looking into problems amid what Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough has called a safe-sport crisis in Canada.
Alberta plans to change fixed election date, citing disaster risks in spring: The province’s Public Safety Minister said the change is needed because of the number of springtime natural disasters over the years.
Canadian climate finance is ‘patchwork, delivered late, falling short,’ Carney says: The former governor of the Bank of Canada told a Senate banking committee that Canada is jeopardizing its competitive position by dragging its feet on major climate-related financial policies as allies quickly adopt global standards and green investing rulebooks.
Former journalist drops out of Conservative nomination race, claims the process has been ‘corrupted’: But CBC reports that a spokesperson for the party said Sabrina Maddeaux’s allegations about a competitor and the membership list are “completely false.”
Competition Bureau to launch market study into airline sector: The study will look into the state of competition in the airline industry and how governments can make improvements.
India says Canada yet to provide evidence of its involvement in Nijjar killing: India said today that no relevant information or specific evidence about its involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar has been shared by Canadian authorities.
Liberal MP apologizes for profane comments to witnesses on language committee: “Any witness who comes before this committee should feel free to have a conversation in a respectful environment. I didn’t do that on Monday,” MP Francis Drouin told at a meeting of the standing committee on official languages today. CTV reports.
Canadian diplomat, RCMP officer praised sanctioned Haitian businessman, e-mails suggest: The pair were supportive of a Haitian businessman Global Affairs accuses of gangland connections, after he allowed a helicopter airlift of Canadian citizens and police at his luxury golf course last month.
Who Owns Outer Space? wins Donner Prize for best public policy book by a Canadian: Co-authors Michael Byers and Aaron Boley, who both teach at the University of British Columbia, will split the $60,000 prize.
Thirteen Saskatchewan ministries refuse to comply with information commissioner’s decision: The move, says experts, points to a lack of accountability mechanisms in the province’s freedom of information system.
TODAY’S POLITICAL QUOTES
“It’s a good start and I’ll leave it there, but there’s a lot more work to do to ensure that people with disabilities live in dignity,” Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough on the new disability benefit that has been targeted by critics as inadequate. Qualtrough was speaking at a news conference in Ottawa today.
THIS AND THAT
Today in the Commons: Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, May 9, accessible here.
Deputy Prime Minister’s day: Private meetings in Ottawa, and Chrystia Freeland appeared before the Commons finance committee to discuss the Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1. Later, Freeland attended Question Period.
Ministers on the Road:
Commons committee highlights: This morning, Housing Minister Sean Fraser and Families Minister Jenna Sudds appeared before the human- resources committee on supplementary estimates, the process by which Parliament approves government spending. Several students and Nati Pressman, founder of the Canadian Union of Jewish Students, appeared before the justice committee on antisemitism. Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault appeared before the official-languages committee on federal funding for minority-language post-secondary institutions.
Former Mountie Elenore Sturko, a member of the B.C. United Official Opposition, appeared before the health committee on the opioid epidemic and the toxic drug crisis in Canada. Philippe Dufresne, Canada’s Privacy Commissioner, appeared before the access to information committee on estimates. Jerry DeMarco, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, was scheduled to appear before the environment committee on the environment and climate impacts related to the Canadian financial system. Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier and Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner Mario Pelletier were scheduled to appear on estiamtes before the fisheries committee.
Visit from Nigerian foreign affairs minister: Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly hosted Maitama Tuggar today as he began a two-day visit to Ottawa. There’s a federal overview of Canada-Nigeria relations here,
PRIME MINISTER'S DAY
In Ottawa, Justin Trudeau and Natan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, co-chaired a meeting of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee.
LEADERS
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was scheduled to attend a party fundraising event at a private home in North York.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May participated virtually in the House of Commons sitting.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh attended a pro-choice rally at Parliament Hill.
No schedule released for Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet.
THE DECIBEL
Tim Kiladze, financial reporter and columnist for the Globe, is on the podcast today to talk about TD Bank amidst news that TD is involved in a U.S. investigation of a US$653-million money-laundering and drug-trafficking operation. The Decibel is here.
TRIBUTE
Reid Morden: Lawyer Lawrence Herman reports in an X posting that the former head of CSIS has died. “A fine Canadian, he will be much missed,” Herman wrote.
PUBLIC OPINION
Not popular: Angus Reid reports that, as of April 2024, there has never been a time when leaders of all three parties simultaneously turn Canadians off to such an extent. The numbers are here.
OPINION
Canada is getting a foreign-agent registry (at last)
“Now, was that so hard? It’s been 39 months since the Trudeau government first floated the idea of a foreign-agent registry as a way to counter the under-the-radar activities of those acting at the behest of unfriendly countries. Since then, there has been hemming, hawing, foot-dragging, backtracking and, for good measure, baseless fearmongering by the Liberals. But this week, the government unveiled legislation that will, finally, set up a registry in Canada, just as Australia and the United States have done, and as the United Kingdom is in the process of doing.” - The Globe and Mail Editorial Board.
Who would ever want to be president of the CBC?
“Sparks fly whenever CBC president Catherine Tait appears before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, as MPs of all stripes seize on the growing politicization of the public broadcaster to engage in their very worst behaviour.” - Konrad Yakabuski.
The message from Ottawa is clear: Growing businesses should look elsewhere
“So why do we have a stock market dominated by old economy sectors that provide limited support for high-growth sectors such as technology, health care and sustainability? The reason is obvious to me. Unlike old economy industries such as banks, railroads and utilities, companies in our most dynamic growth sectors can find better opportunities to support their growth ambitions outside of Canada.” - Dan Daviau
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Ian Bailey