Finally, some real meat to chew on
Let the games begin… Now that Paul Martin is PM and has appointed his Cabinet, the media finally have some real meat to chew on. At last, Mr. Martin is actually running the country. The buck stops with him. And he will be judged with a far more critical media eye. The Cabinet lineup is […]
Giant sucking sound from China
Within a decade, quite possibly in only a year or two, a book written in a tone of alarmist urgency and with an oddly familiar title, will be published and will go straight to the top of the best-seller lists. That book’s title will be, China As Number One. The earlier — mid-1980s — tome […]
Some of MP’s arguments valid
TORONTO–Everybody knows about Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre Alliance MP Larry Spencer’s (in)famous interview with the Vancouver Sun and the predictable fall-out from it. Spencer — who quickly apologized — said it was a “mistake” to legalize homosexual acts and talked about a “conspiracy” of homosexual activists recruiting school children to push their agenda. As he must have […]
The bartender keeps his job, or else
Don’t shoot the barkeep… You can fire Cabinet ministers, reporters, even heads of corporations who happen to be British peers. But when it comes to veteran bar tenders, watch out. The National Press Club made the mistake of laying off Denny Tang late last month. The senior barkeep is the club’s longest serving employee with […]
Paul Martin’s elegant Cabinet-making affairs: battle between Sheila Coppsand Tony Valeri likely to get ugly
TORONTO–People like to talk a lot about “ministers with experience,” but I’m always baffled by that. And these days, there is even more talk about “ministers with experience” in anticipation of Paul Martin’s first government. But does anyone really believe that you need experience to be part of the Cabinet? Do you really believe that […]
The stuff of dreams: the making of a new PM
As Friday Dec. 12 looms and, with it, the installation of a new government, I’ve been thinking about what it must feel like to be Paul Martin — as well as the much easier matter of what it feels like to be anyone else but Paul Martin. [Graph Not Transcribed] At Rideau Hall, he will […]
The spin doctors
“What do you make of the latest SOM poll putting the Liberals at 57.5 per cent support nationally, the NDP at 17.5 per cent and the new Conservative Party at 12.6 per cent?” Leslie Swartman Liberal Strategist “Canadians are in a mood for change — all you have to do is look across this country […]
MPs need more cash to be more relevant, need bigger budgets: parliamentary secretaries won’t be rotated every two years under Paul Martin’s government
MPs should get a boost to their Members’ Operating Budgets so they can hire more research staff to help them play the more independent role expected of them under Paul Martin’s government which has made fixing the so-called democratic deficit a major priority, says Liberal MP Stan Keyes, the party’s national caucus chair. Last week, […]
Manley’s not the man to be ambassador: major allies now want ambassadors with direct political connections to leadership
WASHINGTON, D.C.–John Manley as ambassador in Washington would be no favour — to the U.S., to Canada, or to himself. Much as career professional diplomats regret the circumstances, major allies now frequently want ambassadors with direct political connections to leadership. Thus, Canada’s choice of ambassador to the U.S. over the past several administrations has been […]
PMO staffers in final week of work too
It’s Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s last historic week in office and senior PMO staffers who have been with him for years also are making final preparations this week to start new careers. Liberal insiders say Prime Minister-in-waiting Paul Martin, who will take over as Canada’s 21[Symbol Not Transcribed] Prime Minister on Friday, Dec. 12, is […]
