Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth is the woman behind the Harper government’s proposal to change the national anthem, O Canada, back to its original gender-neutral lyrics. The out-of-left-field idea was raised by Governor General Michaëlle Jean towards the end of yesterday’s Speech from the Throne.
Ontario Senator Ruth, who is unique in the Tory caucus in that she is a strong feminist who is also gay, has a column about the proposal that will appear in Monday’s Hill Times. Liberal Senator Vivienne Poy once had a similar private member’s bill asking Parliament to replace the words “in all our sons command” with “in all of us command.” The original Old English wording was the awkward, “True patriot love thou dost in us command.”
While no one is objecting to the idea, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff told reporters the government should be taking more substantive action on women’s issues.
A new study by Queen’s University Professor Kathleen Lahey found that women are getting the short-end of the stick from the government’s “Economic Action Plan” stimulus package. According to the study, women have only received from seven to 22 per cent of federal stimulus spending because they are under-represented in the construction, manufacturing and engineering industries.
Hey analysis also revealed that women are also not getting as much as men from billions of dollars in tax cuts the Harper government has undertaken, and despite representing 50 per cent of the population they are only receiving about a third of the improvements to the EI program.
I wasn’t planning on blogging until Parliament resumes tomorrow, but the not altogether surprising news that the omission of gay rights issues in Canada’s new citizenship guide for immigrants was more than an oversight has jolted me out of my prorogation slumber.
A while ago I did a story on how the new guide, which is commendably more fulsome than the old guide in many ways, ultimately paints a picture of a more conservative Canada. At the time Egale Canada’s Helen Kennedy said she didn’t think there was any anti-gay motivations behind the omission of the legalization of homosexuality and later same-sex marriage in the guide. But the discovery by The Canadian Press, through an Access to Information request, that senior bureaucrats urged the Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to include gay rights issues in the guide, and that he refused, might make her reevaluate her assessment of what went down.
If the Liberals are smart they will pounce on this issue the same way they did the Harper government’s decision not to fund access to abortions in developing countries. It reflected that the Grits are done being all things to all people and instead may start to try harder to be the de facto choice of anti-Harper people, presumably to the detriment of the other left-wing parties.
Many in Ottawa political circles would deride the “hidden agenda” fear-mongering that saved Paul Martin from defeat in the 2004 election as tired and trite. But while people in the bubble might be aware that the Prime Minister once called climate change a “socialist plot” and that Mr. Kenney once cited two gay MPs’ past heterosexual relationships as proof being homosexual is a choice, many in the Canadian public might not have known, or they’ve forgotten. Many voters would disapprove, and as before it might send them running into the arms of the Liberals for fear of a Harper majority.
If Ignatieff is smart he will use this and other issues to draw a line in the sand, and try and build himself up as the only option to replace Stephen Harper.
Parliament Hill-folk learned via a Tweet from Quebec Liberal Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette that starting March 10 the Parliamentary restaurant would offer seal meat on its menu, but not everyone shares the good Senator’s enthusiasm for the Arctic delicacy and one animal welfare group is fighting back with humour.
Ms. Hervieux-Payette, possibly lacking other more worthwhile diversions, has emerged as a strong voice in defence of the Canadian seal hunt, which was recently struck a blow when the EU decided to ban all Canadian seal exports. Who supports the seal hunt the most has become a multi-party competition in Canadian federal politics, and the puzzling phenomenon has riled animal rights groups. Recently Fisheries Minister Gail Shea had a tofu cream pie thrown in her face by a woman protesting the seal hunt.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare says they won’t resort to those sorts of tactics, but they promise Sen. Hervieux-Payette that she doesn’t need to kill an animal to have a good meal.
“Yes, vegetarian cuisine is extreme — extremely delicious” said Sheryl Fink, Senior Researcher with the International Fund for Animal Welfare. “I yam extending this invitation as a gesture of peas, even though it was leeked to the press. If it has bean a while since Senator Hervieux-Payette has had a vegetarian meal, she will be a-maized. There is so mushroom for creativity. If she will lettuce have the honour of her presence and turnip, we promise to beet and squash all corny vegetable puns. Or maybe she won’t carrot all?”
The invitation specifies that tofu cream pie will not be on the menu.
A-list Ottawa will gather at the National Arts Centre this Saturday for the annual Black and White Opera Soirée, hosted by former deputy PM Sheila Copps and former Cabinet minister Maxime Bernier. The event is being held to raise money for the NAC and in addition to a range of opera stars there will also be a bevy of politicos who in the absence of Parliament have more time to go to galas (although they get to their fair share of parties when the House is sitting too). Justin Trudeau, Thomas Mulcair, Bob Rae, Lisa Raitt, Elizabeth May, and Ottawa Mayor Larry O’Brien will all make appearances, and the NAC is also promising some “surprise guests.”
It’s unlikely there will be a repeat of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s memorable performance at the NAC, but perhaps Mr. Rae will do his prorogation song.
Things get started with a cocktail reception at 5pm, followed by a gourmet dinner prepared by NAC Executive Chef Michael Blackie, then the concert and a post-reception where partygoers can mix with the artists.
Today’s Globe editorial praises Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff for using the prorogation period to flesh out Liberal policy and plant the seeds for what may become “an overarching narrative of what 21st-century Liberalism stands for.” It also notes that the Conservatives have offered precious little about what it means to be a Tory, and said the March Throne Speech could fill in some of the blanks. But will it?
Over the weekend I had a long conversation with a Tory friend from the Reform side of the party who, like many of his ilk, is disappointed with how things have turned out for what was once known as “Canada’s New Government.” He was specifically dismayed at the Harperites’ lack of transparency and the undemocratic way they use the levers of government, and generally unhappy that they prefer to focus on the smaller aspects of their ideology and have failed to put forward anything approaching a conservative vision for Canada.
From talking to Conservative MPs it is clear they believe in the tenets of the Reform movement as much as ever. Ottawa has not made them more liberal, but rather it’s made them more complacent and comfortable in the corridors of power. I bet when Tory MP Jay Hill came rolling into town with Preston Manning and co. in the early ’90’s he would have been appalled at the idea of a newspaper profile of a $130,000 makeover he and his wife gave to their Ottawa home.
The Conservatives won the 2006 election by not talking about some of the more conservative aspects of their belief system, and now four years later they are still too scared to tell Canadians what it is they actually want to do because they think voters won’t like it. Instead they console themselves for their lost idealism by constantly reminding one another that Canada is a small “l” liberal country and that’s that.
Socially that is probably true (thank God), but I believe that rather than being liberals Canadians are mostly non-ideological pragmatists with certain basic centric values. In short, when provided with two options they will cast their votes based on who has the best ideas and who looks like they can best implement them. In the last election Stéphane Dion had by far the best ideas, but voters had doubts about whether he could implement them. This time, with the Liberals showing signs of competence and vision, the Tories better have something better than attack ads to put in the window.
Liberal MPs and staffers gathered in Leader Michael Ignatieff’s office in Centre Block for a party last night, where Mr. Ignatieff delivered a brief speech that one insider described as “inspirational.” The Grits have had a bit of a better time of it lately, ever since Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament proved unpopular enough to level the political playing field.
To capitalize on the public fury and show Canadians that “Liberals are working,” the party has held a series of 24 roundtables on a diverse array of policy topics from veterans to airport security. Mr. Ignatieff told the Grits gathered in his fourth floor office that he knows that when he makes a decision to hold 24 roundtables it’s the staff that make it happen, and expressed his gratitude.
Towards the end of his speech someone accidentally leaned against a light switch and for an instant plunged the room into darkness, prompting one partygoer to remark, “Harper’s cut off our power again!” Last month a Liberal caucus meeting was thrown into chaos when the power went out on Parliament Hill. Hilarity ensued.
The food, including vegetables, gourmet cheeses, and prosciutto, was served atop mirrors, spilling out onto the tables with the effect being harvest-type mounds of grub placed throughout the room. The event was well attended by mostly staffers, but also some members of the caucus including Scott Simms, Sukh Dhaliwal, Judy Foote, Carolyn Bennett, Senator Joyce Fairbairn, and Senator Joseph Day.
The last time the OLO had a party was the day after Iggy’s old team, most notably former chief of staff Ian Davey and director of communications Jill Fairbrother, were unceremoniously fired (the party had already been scheduled). At that shindig staffers, not knowing whether they still had jobs, partied well into the night. But the new OLO overseers, especially whip-cracking director of political operations Pat Sorbara, made sure everyone was out by 7:20, which one insider noted was still 20-minutes later than it was supposed to have ended.
An adept political observer just pointed out an article in Embassy newspaper (HT’s sister publication) in which CIDA Minister Bev Oda is quoted as saying the Conservative government’s child and maternal health strategy would not include supporting access to family planning and contraceptives, and abortion.
Whether or not the Harper government would include this in its plan was the subject of much debate recently after Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said contraceptives and abortion should be included in any strategy to improve women’s health in developing countries. It put the Tories in a politically difficult situation since many in the caucus are strongly anti-abortion (or “pro-life” as they like to call it), and public fears about a “hidden agenda” on things like access to abortion helped Paul Martin win the 2004 election.
Liberal CIDA critic Glen Pearson is quoted in the story, so while it slipped my notice obviously the Liberals are aware of it and therefore I’m quite puzzled as to why this revelation by Ms. Oda has not been a bigger deal. The Grits were all cheshire-cat like last week for throwing the Tories a curve-ball and distracting from Prime Minister Harper’s new-found passion for helping women and children in developing countries. So why aren’t the Grits dusting off the hidden agenda attack ads?
The article does note that some of the NGOs expected to receive government funding would likely provide contraceptives, although abortions are another matter.
In developing countries more than 500,000 women die each year in pregnancy, and nine million children die before the age of five. A recent report revealed 20-million unsafe abortions are performed each year, that kill 68,000 women.
In its Februrary issue, eclectic international magazine Monocle examines Canada’s changing national brand in the lead-up to the Vancouver Winter Olympics (you need to be a subscriber to read it). One aspect of our national character that Monocle, which is headed-up by Winnipeg-native Tyler Brûle, doesn’t mention is our collective titillation at being mentioned in international media, even when it’s bad (Eg. the glut of Canadian media coverage when The Economist recently wrote about the prorogation of Parliament).
One thing that struck me upon reading the analysis of Canada’s changing image is just how much of an impact the Conservative government has had since it came to power, in 2006. It discusses the new citizenship guide for immigrants, which was revamped by Immigration Minister Jason Kenney back in November. The new guide is commendable in that it sheds light on the darker moments of Canadian history, such as the Chinese head-tax, but also places greater emphasis on things that play to the Conservative Party’s view of the country, such as our military history, while ignoring things like universal healthcare and gay marriage.
In a lighter piece in the same section, Monocle flatteringly features Governor General Michaëlle Jean, praising her style acumen and of course discussing her famous (or infamous depending on who you talk to) consumption of a seal heart.
“Few state leaders have managed to carve a raw chunk of heart from the still warm carcass of a seal, swallow it, tidy their bloodied hands with a tissue, and look poised and pretty throughout,” writes Monocle.
The Harper Tories have made the North, and by extension defending the seal hunt, one of their stated priorities, and the magazine’s focus on Ms. Jean’s association with the seal hunt, and the revulsion of certain EU officials, is another indication that the Cons have left their mark.
With each passing day Justice Minister Rob Nicholson reminds me more and more of the old man from the Heritage Moment commercial about literacy who exclaims, “You’ll not bother me with that!” when the teacher tries to show him the text she’s been using to teach children to read. We learn at the end of the commercial that the poor old man is illiterate, and since Mr. Nicholson is a lawyer and Member of Parliament we must assume he can in fact read (this not being a requirement for all his colleagues on the Senate side). It would seem rather that he’s just selective about it and doesn’t allow himself to be bothered reading the multiple reports that confirm his approach to drug crime makes about as much sense as if it were conceived by someone who was on drugs.
The latest? The government wants to shut down Insite, Vancouver’s safe injection site, by appealing a court decision that said it should remain open. The government commissioned an independent report on the program that found the following, summarized in a story I wrote about this issue some time ago:
The report also concluded that Insite is cost effective; and that for every $1 spent on the centre, up to $4 of taxpayers’ money is saved. He found as well that the harm reduction facility lowered the risk of contracting diseases like HIV, which can be spread through needle sharing; that drug-users who visit Insite are more likely to enter treatment programs; and that deaths due to drug-overdoses have been averted because staff are on hand to intervene.
Mr. Nicholson just held a blink-or-you’ll-miss-it press conference on this issue where he repeatedly said drug dealers and people who produce drugs should be in jail. Although he never said how closing down Insite, where the most desperate and wretched people in society go to safely inject themselves while being offered rehabilitation treatment if they so choose, would do anything to crack down on the ones selling the stuff. It should be noted that virtually everyone, including the Vancouver police, support Insite staying open.
The government ignoring its own reports on drug legislation is nothing new. The Minister has been pushing his drug bill, C-15, as if the salvation of Canadian society depends on it, even though multiple reports have said its insistence of mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes is utterly half-baked. One such report Minister Nicholson helped write while he was a Mulroney-era backbencher.
Another milestone in Mr. Nicholson’s credibility narrative was a letter recently sent to him by Liberal Senate Leader James Cowan calling him out for essentially lying to Canadians about why the government’s justice legislation wasn’t being enshrined into law at a faster pace (the real reason rhymes with “brorogation”).
It’s likely Insite is probably safe because the Supreme Court will rule it should stay open, as lower courts already have. The Conservatives probably know this but it’s important for them to appeal to the kind of voters who have a guttural reaction to a place where heroine addicts can legally use drugs, and who don’t take the time to read the rest of the news article (likely they don’t read newspapers at all, and their information about this comes from Tory political flyers).
Dr. Harvey Schipper from the UofT just concluded his remarks by saying Premier Danny Williams’ recent surgery in the U.S’ is indicative of a loss of credibility in the system that needs to be restored. Zing!
Now Janet Hatcher-Roberts, executive director of the Canadian Society for International Health is talking. This committee is obviously much hotter. I’m wedged into a gaggle of reporters and i know if i got up to get a coffee at this point dirty looks would abound.
The witness is talking about the distinction between health and healthcare, which means stuff like preventative medicine so the healthcare system is less strained. This seems poignant in light of a study recently released showing Canada’s’kids are fatter than evee before.
Liberal docs Carolyn Bennett (GP) and Kirsty Duncan (ph.d.) Are presiding over the discussion.
We’ve just been joined by Dr. Louise Nasmith of UBC via satellite. She’ll be discussing health human resources, which apparently means shortages of doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers.
Other issues include the ageing population that they’re calling a “tsunami.” It also means that people with chronic conditions are living longer and therefore costing more.
What’s canada done on this file? Apparently a lot of provincial reports and the landmark Romanow report. Also, there are many different primary care reforms going on in different parts of the country.
Dr. Bennett has just told the room blackberries are messing up the satellite link, so i’ll be reverting to my notepad.
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