The ongoing commitment to ensure women’s voices are heard

Women are being silenced, violated and gaslit. And not just in Sarah Polley’s brilliant, Oscar-nominated film, Women Talking. In recent weeks, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon announced their resignations, citing, in part, the toll that being viciously trolled and attacked was taking on their lives. Here at home,…

Northern voices must shape Arctic shift to greener energy

When it comes to infrastructure, Canada’s North is lagging behind the rest of the world. Focusing on energy infrastructure in comparable regions throughout the circumpolar Arctic, we see countries that have successfully harnessed alternatives, such as nuclear and geothermal energy, to power communities in northern and remote areas. In stark contrast, all 25 of Nunavut’s…

It’s time we listen directly to the voices of disabled persons living in poverty – Canada Disability Benefit bill moves to the Senate for consideration

Late last year, a federal government committee met to hear directly from persons with disabilities living in poverty. One hundred and fifty-three separate submissions were provided in support of the need for the federal government’s proposed Bill C22, also known as the Canada Disability Benefit, which would provide a much-needed income supplement to Canadians with…

Disability policy tested Canadian values in 2022

It’s perplexing for us disabled people and advocates that so many media headlines point to the extreme financial struggles of people with disabilities in our inflationary economy while the powers that be continue debating details. What details? Our Parliamentarians are busy parsing the words of the proposed federal Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) as it wends…

Can philanthropy reduce inequality?

One of Canada’s largest meetings on philanthropy takes place this month as foundations, corporate donors and government funders gather for Philanthropic Foundations Canada’s annual conference. It comes as a question reverberates across the field: Can institutional philanthropy, itself a product of money and power, actually help to alleviate inequality and advance justice? For women and…

“Brave Spaces” launches new podcast series

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a new Brave Spaces Podcast series on the theme of diversity. The Podcast series is hosted by Dr. Margarida Garcia, 2004 Scholar and Chair of the Foundation’s Advisory Committee on Diversity. During these conversations, at times uncomfortable but nevertheless necessary, Dr. Garcia explores with the…

Why is no one talking about for-profit homecare?

The global pandemic drew attention to decades-long problems in long-term residential care in Canada – resulting in tragic loss of life for thousands, and loss of quality of life for the many more who experienced isolation and inadequate care during pandemic lockdowns. Research has demonstrated that COVID-19 related mortality and inadequate care during the pandemic…

Overshoot Day: a sustainability metric that you should know

On July 28, the Think Tank Global Footprint Network announced Overshoot Day for theyear 2022. Overshoot Day is when the world’s population has consumed all the natural andrenewable resources made available for the year by the planet. This metric was designed in 1990 by Mathis Weckernagel, PhD Student at University of British-Columbia. He is now…