A new report from the Senate’s Indigenous Peoples committee says curriculum changes, improved teacher training and additional funding and resources to support Indigenous students would help break down barriers and improve their experiences within traditional and non-traditional settings. Entitled, Celebrating Leadership in Indigenous Education, outlines what the committee heard from eight Indigenous youth leaders during two official … Read more
Alarmed by the prevalence of suicide and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Canadian veterans, the Senate’s Subcommittee on Veteran Affairs is urging federal, provincial and territorial governments to launch and fund a large-scale research program on psychedelic-assisted therapy. The subcommittee heard that military- or combat-related PTSD does not often respond well to psychotherapy and slow-acting antidepressants but that … Read more
Rampant Islamophobia is costing Canadian Muslims their peace of mind, their physical well-being and even their lives, the Senate Committee on Human Rights said in a report released on Nov. 2, 2023. The report, Combatting Hate: Islamophobia and its impact on Muslims in Canada, outlines the committee’s findings from its year-long study into the sources of … Read more
Senate Speaker Raymonde Gagné issued a statement: “It is with immense sadness that I inform you that the Honourable Ian Shugart, P.C. has passed away. Following a distinguished career in the public service spanning over 40 years, Senator Shugart was appointed to the Senate, representing the province of Ontario, on Sept. 26, 2022. Prior to … Read more
Quebec PSG Senator Michèle Audette is taking over the position of Government Liaison in the Senate. “I am honoured to pursue this passion in my new role in the Government Representative’s Office,” she said. “I will continue to draw on my Innu and Québécoise experiences for the benefit of the entire country.” Call 613-943-0126.
On Emancipation Day, the Senate Committee on Human Rights is amplifying calls to address reports of anti-Black racism at the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC). The committee began studying anti-Black racism, sexism and systemic discrimination at the CHRC in May 2023 following a federal government report that the human rights watchdog had discriminated against its Black and … Read more
The Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples released an interim report on the work of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the Office of the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools. Honouring the Children Who Never Came Home: Truth, Education and Reconciliation, provides an overview of a March … Read more
Senators for Climate Solutions, a non-partisan group focused on informing and supporting Canadian senators who want to address climate change, launched their website. The group’s co-chairs, ISG Senators Mary Coyle and Stan Kutcher, stated: “It is important to us, as legislators, that Canadians can easily access information on the work of Senators, including the work of non-partisan … Read more
Canada’s North is militarily exposed, economically underdeveloped and threatened by climate change — while world powers covet its rich resources and Arctic waterways, the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs said in a report released June 28. The committee’s report, Arctic Security Under Threat: Urgent needs in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape, looks at issues … Read more
Some humanitarian aid organizations can once more send much-needed assistance to vulnerable Afghans after Bill C-41, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, received Royal Assent on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. The Senate unanimously agreed to fast-track the adoption of the bill on June 15 to ensure Canadian aid organizations … Read more
