Press releases
NEWS RELEASE
Compassionate bereavement leave one step closer to reality for Canadian employees
May 12, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA, ON – MP Matt Jeneroux’s Private Member’s Bill to extend bereavement leave to 10 days for Canadian employees has successfully passed in the House of Commons.
Bill C-220, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (bereavement leave), proposes to give all Canadian employees whose job falls under the Canada Labour Code 10 days of bereavement leave following the death of a family member.
The bill passed unanimously in the House of Commons today.
“Everyone has unfortunately had to grieve a loss, and my colleagues felt that this bill was something we could all support to make things easier for Canadian workers who are grieving,” said Jeneroux, who represents the riding of Edmonton Riverbend.
The bill will now go to the Senate, where it will repeat the same steps of three readings and a committee study.
Alberta Senator Paula Simons will sponsor the bill in the Senate, marking the first time an Independent Senator has sponsored a bill introduced by a Conservative Member of Parliament.
“I’m looking forward to advocating for this bill in the Senate of Canada because I believe it is straightforward, sensitive and sensible legislation,” said Simons, who also lives in Edmonton.
If the bill passes in the Senate and receives Royal Assent, it will become Canadian law. The provisions in the bill would come into force three months after Royal Assent to provide employers sufficient time to adjust their workplace policies and work with unions to modify collective agreements to align with the changes.
“Throughout this process, I’ve heard from people all across the country that having time off work to grieve the loss of a loved one is extremely important,” said Jeneroux.
“In this time of national mourning, I’m proud to champion a bill that would give workers more time to deal with all the emotional and practical challenges that follow the death of a close family member,” said Simons.
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For more information:
Alanah Duffy
Office of MP Matt Jeneroux
Alanah.Duffy.718@parl.gc.ca 613-992-3594
Cynthia Wagner
Office of Senator Paula Simons
Cynthia.Wagner@sen.parl.gc.ca 343-550-6170
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Independent Alberta Sen. Paula Simons announces season two of Alberta Unbound podcast
Edmonton, January 22, 2020 — Alberta Independent Senator Paula Simons announces the return of Alberta Unbound – her popular podcast, which interrogates her home province’s culture and identity.
In this second season, Sen. Simons continues to debate and deconstruct some of the myths that define and bind her province. Over the course of nine episodes, she examines the issue of Alberta identity and what it means to be a “real” Albertan – this time, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests of the summer, and through the prism of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This season, you’ll meet Dr. Alika Lafontaine, an Indigenous anesthesiologist from Grande Prairie; Dr. Yasmeen Abu-Laban, a professor of political science at the University of Alberta; Calgary writer Tomi Ajele, editor of Afros in Tha City; Barry Morishita, the mayor of Brooks, Alberta; Natalie Pon, an Edmonton political commentator; Dr. Chaldeans Mensah, a political science at MacEwan University; Lourdes Juan, a Calgary urban planner and entrepreneur; Avnish Nanda, a civil rights lawyer; and Aaron Paquette, an Edmonton city councillor.
Their provocative, in-depth conversations about Alberta identity, Alberta mythology, and Alberta’s complicated relationship with the rest of Canada may challenge all your stereotypes about Alberta and the people who call it home.
Alberta Unbound is available on most major streaming services, including Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Google, iHeartRadio, Amazon and PodBean. Clips are available upon request.
The Honourable Paula Simons was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2018. Born and raised in Edmonton, she’s a graduate of the University of Alberta and Stanford University. Before joining the Senate, she spent 30 years working as a journalist – including 23 years with the Edmonton Journal, where she was an award-winning political columnist and investigative reporter. She’s also been a playwright, a podcaster, a CBC documentary producer, and a passionate amateur historian. She’s a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, and the Senate Standing Committee on Transportation and Communications. She spends an inordinate amount of time on Twitter, @Paulatics
To arrange an interview with the Senator or to receive more clips, contact:
Ameya Charnalia
Ameya.Charnalia@sen.parl.gc.ca
Phone number: (343) 551 1178
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Alberta Senator implicated in fowl play
EDMONTON, AB: Henday, the papier-mache chicken, is eggcited to have come home to roost in Edmonton after a prolonged absence.
After delighting Edmontonians in August 2013 by taking them on a popular poultry-themed Yegquest, Henday has hatched a plan to bring some much-needed festive cheer to cooped-up Edmontonians after a trying 2020. That’s why she’ll be helping residents eggsplore their city, scrambling to solve her dozen clues —this time over the 12 Days of Henday.
For 12 days, beginning December 25, Henday will post a picture of herself on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, each time in a different part of the city. Using the provided clues, Yegquesters will then have to find the outdoor mystery spot where Henday was perched, and share a photo of themselves - following public health protocols - nesting in the same place and position. The photos should be hashtagged #yegquest and/or #12DaysofHenday
So why did the chicken cross the city?
“The first Yegquest was designed to help people break out of their shells, and become free-range Edmontonians, discovering parts of their city they might never have visited before,” says Independent senator Paula Simons, who created the original Yegquest when she was a columnist with the Edmonton Journal.
“I felt Henday needed to return to us now, with a family-friendly game we could all play safely during the pandemic. There are so many holiday activities we can’t do this season. I hope this digital scavenger hunt will help people to stretch their wings and feel reconnected with their community. And I hope it’s a way for us to show the rest of the country just how beautiful Edmonton can be in the winter.”
While the first Yegquest did offer prizes, this time, people will be playing for fame, glory, and bragging rights, with social media laurels and senatorial certificates for the most creative photos and for the first person who solves all the clues.
So prepare to get cracking, as Henday eggs you on to see Edmonton with fresh (laid) eyes.
To follow Henday’s clues:
Instagram: @hendayyegchick
Twitter: @Paulatics
Facebook: @SenatorPaulaSimons
The Hon. Paula Simons was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2018 as an Independent Senator representing Alberta. Senator Simons was born and raised in Edmonton, and attended the University of Alberta, Stanford University and the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Before joining the Senate, she spent 30 years working as a journalist – including 23 years with the Edmonton Journal, where she was an award-winning political columnist, investigative reporter, and social media maven. (The original Yegquest social project won a silver medal at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards in 2014.) You can follow her Senate adventures on Twitter, @Paulatics.
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For more information, or for an interview with the Senator:
Email: paula.simons@sen.parl.gc.ca
Tel: 343-551-1178
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Sen. Paula Simons announces new podcast
Edmonton, May 11, 2020 — Alberta Independent Sen. Paula Simons announces the launch of Alberta Unbound – a new podcast focusing on unpacking her home province’s culture and identity.
In the five-episode series, Simons sets out to debate and deconstruct some of the myths that define and bind her province. If someone asked you to imagine a typical – or a stereotypical – Albertan, who would you picture? A rancher? A rigger? A cowboy? A construction worker? Alberta Unbound challenges five distinct, diverse Albertans to consider what it means to be Albertan in 2020 – and what they want their province to be in the future.
In this podcast, you’ll meet Dr. Jared Wesley, a professor of political science from the University of Alberta; Shannon Stubbs, the Conservative MP for the northeastern Alberta riding of Lakeland; Dr. Diana Steinhauer, the president of Yellowhead Tribal College, and an elder from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation; award-winning Edmonton journalist and author Omar Mouallem; and Doug Griffiths, a writer, economic consultant, and former Progressive Conservative provincial cabinet minister.
Come eavesdrop on their provocative discussion of Alberta identity, Alberta mythology, and Alberta’s complicated relationship with the rest of Canada.
Alberta Unbound is available for streaming on major streaming services such as Spotify, Google Play and PodBean. Clips are available upon request.
The Honourable Paula Simons was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2018 as an Independent Senator representing Alberta. Senator Simons was born and raised in Edmonton, and attended the University of Alberta, Stanford University and the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Before joining the Senate, she spent 30 years working as a journalist – including 23 years with the Edmonton Journal, where she was an award-winning political columnist and investigative reporter. She’s also been a playwright, a podcaster, a CBC documentary producer, and a passionate amateur historian. She spends a lot of time on Twitter, @Paulatics
- Senator Paula Simons
Associated Links
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For more information:
Ameya Charnalia
Office of Senator Paula Simons | Senate of Canada
343-551-1178 | ameya.charnalia@sen.parl.gc.ca
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Alberta Unbound: What does it mean to be Albertan in 2020?
Ottawa, February 26, 2020 — Sen. Paula Simons is hosting a public panel discussion in Edmonton at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, that will feature a diverse group of Albertans to talk about Alberta’s culture and how we define it.
This panel will take the long view –an opportunity to look past the political squabbles of the moment, and take a deep, hard look at our history and our future.
The five panelists come from a wide range of backgrounds and careers. They are journalist and author Omar Mouallem, University of Alberta political scientist Jared Wesley, former Alberta PC cabinet minister Doug Griffiths, Diana Steinhauer, president of Yellowhead Tribal College, and Shannon Stubbs, Conservative MP for Lakeland.
The panel will take place at the ATB Financial Arts Barn’s Studio Theatre at 10330 84 Ave. There will be light refreshments, including bison sliders and perogies on a stick – in keeping with the cultural theme of the event. Admission is free.
The Honourable Paula Simons was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2018 as an Independent Senator representing Alberta. Senator Simons was born and raised in Edmonton, and attended the University of Alberta, Stanford University and the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Before joining the Senate, she spent 30 years working as a journalist – including 23 years with the Edmonton Journal, where she was an award-winning political columnist and investigative reporter. She’s also been a playwright, a podcaster, a CBC documentary producer, and a passionate amateur historian. She spends a lot of time on Twitter, @Paulatics
- Senator Paula Simons
ASSOCIATED LINKS
• RSVP: https://tickets.fringetheatre.ca/performances.php?eventId=601:3287
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For more information:
Ameya Charnalia
Office of Senator Paula Simons | Senate of Canada
343-551-1178 | ameya.charnalia@sen.parl.gc.ca