CRTC explores brave new world of electronic communications: Canada’s Internet service provider sector has a strong message for the CRTC: back off
The Canadian Radio-television Commission launches hearings this fall on the regulation of new media, looking into everything from Canadian content on the Internet to the ongoing battle between Internet providers and telephone companies over who own the wires. But when it comes to regulating Canada’s nascent Internet service provider sector, the industry has a strong […]
CBC’s politics a hit with MPs: from Sunday Edition to Le Point to The House, MPs fight to get on the airwaves
When the live feed crashed seconds before an interview between CBC anchor Don Newman and former Alberta Reform MP Jim Silye in the last Parliament, panicked production crews cut to a commercial to fill the dead air. Mr. Silye, a former professional football player, sprinted from the remote interview site of the Centre Block foyer […]
Grit caucas election turns into three-way race: MPs say caucus race has strong federal leadership undertones
The campaign for the national Liberal caucus leadership is turning into a three-way race with some strong undertones for the upcoming federal Liberal leadership. Government backbench MPs say the caucus chair race is breaking down along federal leadership race lines. Many government MPs, who did not want to be identified, told The Hill Times that […]
Freedom of the press belongs to who owns you
It has often been repeated that freedom of the press belongs first and foremost to the person who owns the press. While this is a somewhat cynical and simplistic view of the day-to-day operation of newspapers, when push comes to shove it’s true: the owner has every right to take whatever editorial stance he wishes […]
MPs take crusade to Price Club [Stores circulating petition on abolition of unelected Senate]
The two MPs crusading to abolish the Senate have taken their cross-country campaign to the land of litre tubs of mayonnaise and foot-high cans of tuna, the massive Price Club discount warehouse stores. Liberal MP Roger Gallaway (Sarnia, Ont.) and NDP MP Lorne Nystrom (Qu’Appelle, Sask.) are publicizing their campaign in the stores. The store, […]
Health Canada stonewalls Senate agriculture committee
When secret government documents were publicly released two weeks ago suggesting that far more research is needed before Canadian farmers are allowed to inject their cows with a controversial genetically engineered hormone that boosts milk production, behind the document search was a senator’s assisant. Barbara Robson, a former journalist who used to work in the […]
Bouchard’s cabinet shuffle a real yawner
Three things worthy of note have happened in La Belle Province in the last few days. First of all, Premier Lucien and his party once again clashed over the issue of when to hold the next referendum. A resolution was adopted ordering a PQ government to hold such a vote in its next mandate, assuming […]
[PC leadership plods on as best it can: Speakout 1998]
If a tree falls in the woods, does anyone hear it? Does anyone care? The PC Leadership contest plods on as best it can. And it’s a textbook case of how not to promote a political party in the plugged-in Information Age especially when it’s four middle-aged white guys vying for a job that many […]
New lobbying opinion could force senators who are corporate directors to register [Includes members of Senate banking committee and their directorships]
Senators who also sit as directors of corporations may have to watch their step to avoid running afoul of the latest advisory opinion issued by the Lobbyists Registration Branch. According to an opinion published last month, outside directors — those who are not employees of a company or organization — who undertake to meet with […]
The PM’s instincts of survival [Alberta and the election of senators]
Presumably, everyone in Alberta is hot under the collar because the prime minister appointed Douglas Roche to the Senate. This has spoiled their plan to elect their own senator in a province-wide election. Alberta’s Premier, Ralph Klein, has written the prime minister saying, “I think you have underestimated the depth of feeling on this issue […]
