The coronavirus challenge to Canada's democracy – Who's in charge?

Prime ministers in Westminster systems have extraordinary power, so much so that they have sometimes been referred to as “elected dictators.” In this context, it is counterintuitive, to say the least, for a prime minister to voluntarily cede power to someone who could be a contender for the job. But this is precisely what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears to have done in appointing Chrystia Freeland as deputy prime minister and minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

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Coronavirus should not infect democracy. Let's boost our governance 'immune' system

Gregory Tardi, School of Policy Studies

The essence of democracy is reasoned political debate, bounded by constitutionalism and the rule of law.  Within these parameters, leaders in democratic countries have adopted a range of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Divergent courses of action based on local political consensus are legitimate.

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COVID-19 aftermath – the government can't keep improvising forever

Jong-Yong Yun, the long-serving CEO of Samsung, coined the phrase “innovation loves a crisis.” It’s a mantra applied to the business world but rarely to the public sector. In today’s federal government, however, we are seeing a degree of crisis-driven innovation unimaginable three months ago.

Read the full article on the Ottawa Citizen (subscription required).

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The great policy unwind – post-pandemic, Canada's leaders must decide how to tackle fresh challenges

Toby Fyfe, School of Policy Studies

During the pandemic, government policy initiatives have rolled out at lightning speed, with perfection set aside in the interests of efficiency and results.

Read the full article on the Ottawa Citizen (subscription required).

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After the pandemic – three challenges to the public service

Andrew Graham, Queen's University

The first rush of urgency is over. The second-guessing has already started, even as Canada’s public services continue to adapt and innovate in the moment. The question now is: Just what can come out of the pandemic crisis to make our public services better?

Read the full article on the Ottawa Citizen (subscription required).

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Post-pandemic, Canada will have to confront soaring provincial debt

Kyle Hanniman, Queen's University

Canada’s provinces entered the pandemic the most indebted subnational sector in the world. This burden poses few immediate challenges given low interest rates and the Bank of Canada’s recent efforts to support provincial borrowing. That’s good, because the last thing we need is for provinces to slash their deficits during a pandemic. But in the long run, provincial debts need to stabilize. What measures can Canadian governments take to ensure they do?

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Contagion Culture Lecture Series

Date

Tuesday April 19, 2022
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Location

“COVID-19 on the Inside: Degradation, Politics, and Future Action” 

APR 19, 2022
4:00 PM ET

  • Speakers:
    Jessica Evans, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, X University
    Linda Mussell, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Political Studies|Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies, University of Ottawa
  • Moderated by: Lisa Guenther, Professor, Queen’s National Scholar in Political Philosophy and Critical Prison Studies, Department of Philosophy, Queen’s University

This talk explains the situation inside and outside prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, we illustrate the degrading conditions experienced by those confined in provincial and federal adult and youth institutions. Second, we discuss the politics and governance of carceral institutions during the pandemic, and the response to efforts by people on the inside and outside to improve conditions including through decarceration. Lastly, we speak about future pathways, how activism and scholarship has changed around congregate settings during the pandemic, and what should be done next.

Free Public Online Lecture  - Registration is required.


The series is a Faculty of Arts and Science collaboration between the School of Policy Studies and Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Gender StudiesFilm and Media Studies, and Cultural Studies.

Queen's Contagion Cultures Lectures help make sense of this pandemic through the expertise and insights of Arts and Science faculty members. This public-facing series asks important questions and explores complex responses. It deploys the powerful tools of Arts and Science humanistic analysis to help society grapple with our turbulent times. 

The series will be presented via Zoom. Timings may vary.

  • Videos of past lectures can be found on our YouTube channel.

The Queen’s School of Policy Studies team wins Gold at the National Public Administration Case Competition

The Queen’s School of Policy Studies team won Gold at the National Public Administration Case Competition run by the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) jointly with the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC). The competition is designed to highlight the excellence of Canadian public administration programs and students, as well as provide a valuable learning experience for students.

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Learn here. Lead anywhere.

The School of Policy Studies offers a rich and rewarding learning experience that is unsurpassed in Canada and matched only by the best public policy programs in the world. Through high quality interactive teaching and integrated learning, we enhance leadership in public policy by providing students the inspiration, skills, competencies and connections to become better contributors to the public good. 

From Life Inside the Prime Minister's Office to the World of Government Relations

Date

Thursday January 15, 2026
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Location

Robert Sutherland Hall Room 202

Join us for a lively discussion with Jonathan Kalles, former adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He’ll take us inside the day-to-day reality of the PMO and reveal how those lessons now guide his career in government relations and lobbying.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to our guest during the session.

JONATHAN (JONO) KALLES is a former Quebec adviser to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, after previously serving as a senior Quebec adviser to a number of federal ministers. He has been active in political campaigns in Quebec for over 30 years and was senior member of the Quebec war room for the 2019 Liberal Party of Canada campaign team.  As a vice-president at McMillan Vantage, Jono leads client files across multiple sectors, sharing his expertise gleaned over two decades both in government and working in federal, provincial and municipal government relations and public affairs. Jono is a regular panelist on CBC’s Power & Politics and is also a contributor on CTV News and CJAD Radio in Montreal, as well as Radio-Canada in French. Jono holds a BA in Political Science and History and graduated with Common and Civil Law degrees from McGill University. He is also a member of the Quebec Bar and practiced corporate and commercial law in Montréal.