Journalists love a good stunt, an eye-catching novelty
It is with deep feeling we mourn the passing of the timeworn Indignant Man With A Prop routine, to the sorrow of ex-Mint president David Dingwall. It’s sad, really; this is what it must have been like the day vaudeville died. Journalists love a good stunt.They’ve invented a few of their own. But a stunt, […]
Will the Liberal Party reign over us forever? [The Big Red Machine]
Stephen Clarkson’s new book, The Big Red Machine, investigates why the Grits have ruled for every three out of four years since Confederation, sort of like the PRI in Mexico. It was Stephen Clarkson and his late wife Christina McCall, who gave us the memorable political phrase, “He haunts us still” in their prize-winning biography […]
House Access, Privacy and Ethics Committee soldiers on with or without Justice Minister Irwin Cotler’s help
The House Access Committee is poised to pass a motion requesting the House to order Justice Minister Irwin Cotler to appear before it sooner rather than later. Justice Minister Irwin Cotler’s bumpy relations with the House Access, Privacy and Ethics Committee continue. It started last April with an 11th hour pro-secrecy discussion paper on the […]
Tory Obhrai says he is ‘on top of the world’ over RCMP probe: Conservative threatening to sue federal ethics commissioner for going public with details on investigation
While some might get nervous about the Mounties knocking on their door, Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai is ecstatic. Mr. Obhrai (Calgary East, Alta.) is expecting the RCMP will do a better job looking into allegations he was paid $40,000 to fast-track immigration paperwork for a relative than Federal Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro who conducted a […]
Indian Affairs keeping aboriginals in a box, complains NDP
Rookie NDP MP Charlie Angus said he’s happy with the government’s response last week, but he also said it took national media attention for the government to move on any action. The Department of Indian Affairs has left aboriginals boxed-in, says NDP MP Charlie Angus. “That’s the way the bureaucrats have been operating in dealing […]
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
On flip floppers and floor crossers Regarding last week’s Spin Doctors question (The Hill Times, Oct. 24). Leslie Swartman’s viewpoint that floor crossing is simply a personal choice by an incumbent MP reeks of political careerism and opportunism. Nowhere in her logic does she mention the democratic voice of the constituents other than they may […]
Backbench Liberal on hot seat for criticizing young staffers: Tempers flare at House Public Accounts Committee
A backbench Liberal MP found himself in some hot water last week after his temper got the better of him. In the heat of a fiery exchange between Liberals and Bloquistes at a Public Accounts Committee hearing, Gary Carr (Halton, Ont.) suggested the opposition party’s political aides were too young to do their job properly. […]
Canadians tend to look to Ottawa in times of crisis and at such times, voters also usually prefer activist governments
From one incident to the next, the Martin team has become more adept at tailoring its response to the national mood, not necessarily to the most pressing needs in the afflicted areas. To Paul Martin and Stephen Harper, a crisis is a leadership vote at their party conventions or a confidence motion in the Commons. […]
Labour force training: the federal government has to respect the jurisdiction of Quebec and the other provinces
Education and the vocational skills of workers are fundamental labour market issues in a knowledge-based society like ours. We have to use our full array of tools – from literacy to continuous training in the workplace – to ensure that our labour force remains internationally competitive.That said, it is vital that in Quebec and in […]
Grits fast-tracked nomination of Mint chairman: Conservatives: Applications sent to Privy Council Office ‘were just trashed,’ says Conservative MP Gary Lunn
The Liberal government fast-tracked the nomination of Max C. Lewis as the new chairperson of the Royal Canadian Mint, the opposition Conservatives said this week. “The Privy Council Office apparently received five or six applications. They were just trashed,” said Gary Lunn (Saanich-Gulf Islands, BC). “The nomination committee never even received those. All they got […]
