Outgoing Grit Sen. Kolber calls ’em likes he sees ’em: ‘there’s no room for grudges in politics, you’ve got to bring everyone into the tent’: Leo Kolber
Leo Kolber, who was born in the Depression a block away from St. Urbain Street in a Jewish neighbourhood in Montreal, promised himself he would never rely on his own two hands to make a living after watching his father, a dentist, spend the last two years of his life on a disability insurance cheque […]
Even Alliance MP Moore lines up for a pic with outgoing Prime Minister Jean Chretien
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… As if it isn’t bad enough having advertising media and stores bombarding us with Christmas messages before the trick-or-treat loot has even been counted, now our politicians are at it. Who can blame the Canadian Legion for being upset that the Parliamentary Christmas trees were up last […]
Serson retires after 30 years in public service: ‘the best thing about public service is that you get to make a contribution’: Serson
Say you’ve been a public servant for 30 years and are only days away from your retirement. What do you do now? [Graph Not Transcribed] [Graph Not Transcribed] If you’re Scott Serson, you take a few days off and then promptly embark on your next career which is what he will do after Nov. 19. […]
Can Paul Martin make government-service rewarding and exciting again? I think so
As Prime Minister, Paul Martin will face many challenges. Few of them will be as difficult — yet perhaps none will have longer-term consequences — as that of changing the attitudes of Canadians about government, politics, public administration and the citizen’s role in the nation’s business. We needn’t waste much time here regurgitating theories and […]
Mahoney girds for Ottawa-Centre nomination: ‘everybody is waiting to see what Ed Broadbent does’
Liberal Party members will be duking it out at a nomination meeting next month for the highly-coveted riding of Ottawa Centre, Ont., left vacant by former Grit MP Mac Harb when he was summoned to the Senate recently. Two Liberals are vying for the nomination to be held on Dec. 1 with Nov. 24 as […]
The ballad of Jack and Dennis: race in Toronto-Danforth, Ont., could have a profound effect on outcome of national campaign
TORONTO-“Jack, I believe we have to go at it,” said Dennis. “No problem Dennis, I’m ready,” said Jack. Jack is, of course, the leader of the federal NDP, Jack Layton, and Dennis, of course, is Dennis Mills, the Liberal MP for Toronto-Danforth, Ont. The conversation between the two popular politicians took place a couple of […]
Manitoba NDP MP Pat Martin hires a new assistant: ‘chocolate-covered espresso beans are absolute magic’ for filibustering: MP Pat Martin
NDP MP Pat Martin, who represents the riding of Winnipeg Centre, Man., has hired a new Parliamentary assistant. Crystal Graber started her new job as Parliamentary assistant last September replacing Leslie Robertson. [Graph Not Transcribed] [Graph Not Transcribed] [Graph Not Transcribed] Ms. Robertson, who worked for Mr. Martin as Parliamentary assistant for three years, was […]
A lifetime ago I met Jean Chretien and I haven’t looked back: Joe Clark’s speech and Roy MacGregor’s Globe column made me cry, says Kinsella
A lifetime or so ago, I was a litigation lawyer at an Ottawa law firm located at 99 Bank Street. Next door, at 50 O’Connor Street — which was connected by a concourse to my workplace — was the law firm of Lang Michener. [Graph Not Transcribed] Every once in a while, I’d see a […]
Kazakhstan’s chairman of Lower House comes to Ottawa: Zharmakhan Tuyakbai meets House Speaker Milliken, Liberal MP Adams and Grit Senator Kenny
Zharmakhan Tuyakbai, the chairman of the Lower House of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Parliament, the Majilis, says his visit to Canada’s Parliament will prove instrumental in establishing intra-Parliamentary relations between the two countries. Mr. Tuyakbai was in Canada last week on a five-day official visit with six other members of the Majilis on the invitation […]
Why we should care about the ‘democratic deficit’: cost of operating a more empowered House could rise from 2.8 cents per Canadian per day
Much of the current discussion of the “Democratic Deficit” has in my opinion missed the point. In the rarefied Ottawa air we have become consumed with the six “plumbing” recommendations that Paul Martin made in his speech a year ago and we have ignored the first half of that speech in which he made the […]
