Mike Lapointe

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Mike Lapointe.

‘Historic,’ first female chief of defence staff Carignan has steep road ahead in recruiting and procurement, say military experts

‘Historic,’ first female chief of defence staff Carignan has steep road ahead in recruiting and procurement, say military experts

Defence procurement and personnel challenges will be high on Canada’s new chief of defence staff Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan’s list of priorities when she assumes the role on July 18, say experts. Carignan is the first woman to hold the title as top military commander.

‘We wanted answers’: federal public service unions protest government’s return to workplace policy

‘We wanted answers’: federal public service unions protest government’s return to workplace policy

Canada’s biggest public service unions are fighting back against the government’s requirement that public service workers return to the workplace three days a week beginning Sept. 9, and according to a recent Angus Reid poll, balance between work in-office and at-home has become a source of dispute between employees and employers.

Ottawa Centre MP Naqvi says ‘no consensus’ on return-to-office issue from constituents following Treasury Board’s decree

Ottawa Centre MP Naqvi says ‘no consensus’ on return-to-office issue from constituents following Treasury Board’s decree

Following Treasury Board’s decree that federal public service workers would have to return to the office three days a week and executives expected to return four days a week, Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi, who represents Ottawa Centre, Ont., says “there is no consensus on the issue” from his constituents.

Unions, experts call into question feds’ move to divest 50 per cent of property holdings while also calling for back-to-workplace policies

Unions, experts call into question feds’ move to divest 50 per cent of property holdings while also calling for back-to-workplace policies

The government is looking to divest half of its property holdings at the same time as it tries to accommodate workers who have already been dealing with space issues over the last couple of years during the pandemic, according to public service unions.

Public service unions sound alarm over feds’ plan to trim bureaucracy by 5,000 jobs through ‘natural attrition’

Public service unions sound alarm over feds’ plan to trim bureaucracy by 5,000 jobs through ‘natural attrition’

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s federal budget, released on April 16, promised to shrink the federal public service by 5,000 jobs via to “natural attrition” over the next four years, projecting $15.8-billion in savings down the line. But the three largest federal public service unions are wary that federal employees will be asked to do more with less, noting that some...

‘The mainstream is still trying to be civil, but we’re getting beat’: political cartoonist de Adder delivers 2024 Kesterton Lecture

‘The mainstream is still trying to be civil, but we’re getting beat’: political cartoonist de Adder delivers 2024 Kesterton Lecture

Political cartoonist Michael de Adder, who has lost four jobs, has won a National Newspaper Award for editorial cartooning, seven Atlantic journalism awards, a gold Innovation Award for news animation in 2008, as well as the Order of Canada for his 'artistic contributions and pointed commentary.'

‘We still only have a fragmented picture’: new report on COVID response finds critical institutions exposed both strengths and weaknesses in the federal system

‘We still only have a fragmented picture’: new report on COVID response finds critical institutions exposed both strengths and weaknesses in the federal system

As the COVID-19 crisis unfolded in 2020, four critical institutions, including public health, the public service, federalism and democracy were put to the test, and demonstrated “how our institutions can be agile and nimble” but also exposed weaknesses that should be addressed, according to a new report analyzing the performance of Canada’s institutions throughout the pandemic.

Oliphant’s leaked private conversation could have a ‘chilling effect’ on MP-constituent relations, say some Liberal MPs

Oliphant’s leaked private conversation could have a ‘chilling effect’ on MP-constituent relations, say some Liberal MPs

The leaked audio recording of Liberal MP Rob Oliphant’s private conversation with a constituent on the government’s response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, reported by CBC News, will have a detrimental effect on MPs’ willingness to hold candid conversations with constituents on issues that affect them on a daily basis, say some Liberal MPs.

‘Unparalleled opportunity’: Public Policy Forum report urges Canada to take greater leadership on Paris Agreement, global carbon market

‘Unparalleled opportunity’: Public Policy Forum report urges Canada to take greater leadership on Paris Agreement, global carbon market

The COP28 climate summit that began this week provides a perfect opportunity for Canada to become a global leader in the development of an international emissions trading system that has been “as enticing it is elusive” for the country so far, according to a new report from the Public Policy Forum (PPF).