A referendum on voting system would be undemocratic and immoral
TORONTO—The Conservatives and their media supporters have spent the summer beating the referendum drum, insisting than any change to Canada’s voting system must be approved by the electorate in a national vote. To its supporters, the position is so obviously the right one, they respond with incredulity when anyone raises objections. But holding a referendum […]
Partisan rancor suspended in Commons as MPs say goodbye to Jason Kenney
Partisan swords were sheathed in the House of Commons Thursday as Liberal and NDP MPs joined in with the Conservatives to praise long-serving Conservative MP Jason Kenney—once dubbed the “minister for curry in a hurry” for his outreach to Asian Canadian communities as immigration minister—on his final day in the House of Commons. Mr. Kenney, […]
Lisa Raitt signals more interest in Conservative leadership bid
Former transport minister Lisa Raitt signalled on Wednesday that while still considering entering the federal Conservative party leadership race, her interest has reached a new level. Ms. Raitt, whose name has been near the top of the potential contenders list since last February, told The Hill Times she is still in decision-making mode, but also […]
Obama’s right, Libya became a ‘shit show.’ We need an inquiry into our role
OTTAWA—Last week, a British parliamentary committee published a report that roundly condemned former prime minister David Cameron’s role in the 2011 international intervention in Libya. Rather than complying with the United Nations resolution authorizing NATO to protect Libyan civilians from reprisals, the report concludes that Cameron instead embarked upon the misguided path of assisting Libyan […]
Ex-PMO aide Bruce Carson’s conviction for illegal lobbying sheds light on disclosure rules
OTTAWA—The successful prosecution last week of Bruce Carson on illegal lobbying charges should further dispel confusion about what’s necessary to trigger reporting requirements under the federal Lobbying Act, according to Ottawa lawyer and lobbyist Scott Thurlow. Mr. Carson, a former top adviser to prime minister Stephen Harper, was found guilty last week of three counts of illegal […]
MacKay’s opt-out likely benefits Bernier most
MONTREAL—With Peter MacKay and Jason Kenney on the sidelines of the Conservative leadership battle, a critical number of votes are up for grabs in the campaign to find a successor for Stephen Harper. When the party gathered for a national convention last spring, most of the delegates were not ready to commit to then-declared candidates […]
Parties’ governing approach similar, but Liberals know how to communicate
TORONTO—If I had to associate the federal political parties with professions, I would compare the Conservatives to a dentist talking about a root canal, the Liberals to a travel agent talking about sunny destinations, and the NDP to a CSIS secret agent talking about secretive things. They’re all talking about things that exist, but that you don’t […]
Conservatives line up to run for nomination in Harper’s Calgary Heritage riding
The Conservative nomination for Stephen Harper’s old Calgary Heritage, Alta., riding is scheduled for Oct. 22, but three candidates have so far emerged and more are expected to run in one of the safest Tory seats in the country. “We have no idea what the prime minister will do in calling the byelection. We didn’t […]
New to Ottawa? Here’s what you need to know
For an ambassador, high commissioner, or any other diplomat new to a posting, there are certain things about a political landscape that can only be learned through experience, trial and error, and months of schmoozing. That’s why after the summer shuffle, The Hill Times asked three veteran ambassadors, as well as a prominent departmental insider, what […]
Tories can learn from PQ’s charter bungle
MONTREAL—Three years ago this fall, the Parti Québécois set out to affirm Quebec’s secular character through a so-called charter of values and the imposition of a secular dress code on the province’s public service. It was the sovereigntist party’s most ambitious identity-related project since the introduction in the late 1970s of the French-language charter, a […]
