Kirby’s Senate Committee looking into mental illness and addiction
Thank you for inviting the chair and deputy chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology to provide an overview of their work in the important field of health and health care. The committee has been very busy over the last three years dealing with critical issues surrounding health and health […]
Could this be PM’s last three weeks in the House?: meanwhile, Martin to hold another Caucus meeting on Tuesday night
With the government giving every indication it plans to shutdown Parliament three weeks from now, Prime Minister Jean Chretien will have a major fight on his hands to get many of his priority bills through the House in the face of mounting opposition from both sides of the Chamber. Legislation such as the highly-touted Cannabis […]
Powerful pharma companies opposed to humanitarian aid
It’s not surprising that one of the most important health-care considerations facing Canadians these days is also the most complex and difficult to explain, let alone resolve. This is the world of prescription drugs, a medical necessity for millions, subject to intense regulation by government, the object of study by the bureaucracy and a Parliamentary […]
One major crisis already awaits future Prime Minister Martin: ‘it would be bomb in Paul Martin’s lap when he opens up Parliament’: John Williams
It is looking increasingly likely that Paul Martin will spend his first days in Parliament as the country’s new Prime Minister having to handle a mismanagement crisis of Radwanski-like proportions. At least that’s the outlook for now as Parliament gears up to rise next month about four weeks earlier than scheduled. The early adjournment will […]
What’s up with the democratic deficit anyway?: life under Prime Minister Martin will be hard work for backbenchers, no slouching around
TORONTO–It’s called the “democratic deficit,” and it’s the symbol of Paul Martin’s future administration as Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party. According to many, this “deficit” has crippled the otherwise successful leadership of Prime Minister Jean Chretien and has helped Paul Martin’s agenda. Many MPs are now excited about the prospect of removing […]
Merger nothing more than a ‘shotgun wedding’: Grits
Last week’s historic deal to create a new Conservative Party between the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance is being met with a mixture of apprehension and bravado among Grit MPs and insiders. While some party members dismissed the deal as nothing more than a “shotgun wedding” that will pose little threat to the governing […]
Canadian foreign policy: on course but needs fine tuning!: we’re equally effective to help resolve conflicts in Central Africa
How should the world view Canada? What kind of image does Canada reflect on the international stage? That is the challenge and task of a nation’s foreign policy. In the case of Canada, its current foreign policy accurately reflects the values it practices at home. These are not a nebulous set of values, but highly-respected […]
Tory MP Brison denies he’s in Liberal talks with Martin’s team: popular Bluenose MP Scott Brison says he wants to shape a single Conservative Party
With his name being freely bandied about as a potential leader of the new Conservative Party, last week Scott Brison spoke out against persistent rumours and speculation that he has been actively engaged in talks with Liberal strategists, including Paul Martin advisers, about crossing the floor to join the Liberals. “I haven’t, nor has anybody […]
B.C. MPs blast B.C. government for going after The Georgia Straight: ‘I’ll read a story in the Citizen and see the same story in The Vancouver Sun’: NDP MP Libby Davies
VANCOUVER–Critics say the British Columbia government’s recent threat to shut down one of the province’s only independent newspapers shows how easily independent media could be eliminated in B.C. and across Canada. “At the stroke of a pen, it could have been gone,” said NDP House Leader Libby Davies (Vancouver East, B.C.). “It’s very fragile, very […]
Paul Martin’s shameful health-care legacy: Merrifield: consequences of Martin health-care cuts are still very much with us today
As Paul Martin prepares to move into 24 Sussex, Canadians have noticed a distinct lack of clarity as to where he stands on the key issues of the day. It falls, then, to look back on his record as finance minister and right-hand man of the outgoing Prime Minister for a possible preview of what […]
