A fresh start begins with a refreshed agenda and here's where conservatives ought to focus their attention in 2016. The role of civil society is too often ignored or undermined by public policy. The expansion of the state in the second half of the 20th century came largely at the expense of civil society. Leviathan grew and civil society contracted.

If the inquiry itself starts in the summer, as recently indicated, because the government took the time to get the pre-consultation right, that would be a positive thing. If we don't consult properly now, we've sunk the inquiry before it begins. Let's all remember this.

Forget the election debate over budget deficits and tolerance of the veil. We have another deficit in Canada and it is neither looming nor veiled. We're in the midst of an incrementally created democratic deficit that after nine years of accumulated budget cuts, abuse of power, and muzzling diverse voices has now arguably put at risk our democracy's health and vigour.

Berlin -- Yesterday, Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians, challenged the Canada-European Union Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) and other trade deals in a panel discussion with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. During the panel, Chancellor Merkel presented her G7 presidency priorities.

Last week's Summit of the Americas in Panama signalled a new era of diplomacy and collaboration, with Cuba's first ever participation at the summit. The Summit of the Americas was a historic one, but it will only make history if leaders turn rhetoric into action.

While auditing your global supply chain may at first glance appear to be a costly, time consuming and seemingly insurmountable process, an existing infrastructure of widely available tools and resources affords companies the opportunity to do this audit efficiently and effectively.