Liberal brass talks leadership review soon
The Liberals’ powerful national executive will discuss this weekend in Ottawa the timing of the governing party’s next biennial convention and a possible leadership convention in a pre-emptive strike against calls by some Paul Martin supporters for a quick leadership review. Finance Minister Paul Martin (LaSalle-Emard, Que.) is the perceived front-runner in a future Liberal […]
Jean Chretien warms up to Martinites: PM could open up cabinet to Martinites in June
Prime Minister Jean Chretien could be more open to the idea of widening his cabinet to so-called Martinites in the next shuffle, expected in June, sources say. Mr. Chretien (Saint-Maurice, Que.), better known as “King Jean” for winning an historic third straight Liberal majority, apparently feels more confident about the internal situation in the Liberal […]
Rookie Bloc MP Paquette touted as a “rising star” in Hill caucus
Toeing the party line shouldn’t be much of a problem for new Bloc Quebecois MP Pierre Paquette (Joliette, Que.), considering he helped write many of the policies as the party’s vice-president. While most of the new MPs are quietly learning the ropes, the 45-year-old former union leader and television host on Tele-Quebec is ready to […]
Speaker’s race has new dynamic as rabble-rouser White enters
It’s a mug’s game trying to predict who will win the House Speaker’s race and the latest candidate to enter, Canadian Alliance MP Randy White, promises to complicate things a little more. While the Liberal vote will be divided amongst at least seven declared candidates, the rabble-rousing Mr. White (Langley-Abbotsford, B.C.) can likely count on […]
He wins, he scores and he quits! Bouchard exits political game
QUEBEC CITY–In the last couple of months, three Quebecers have caused major surprises each in their own field, catching most people off guard and capturing the headlines everywhere. First, Prime Minister Jean Chretien who after calling a general election two-thirds of the way into his second mandate and despite uncertain polls, managed not only to […]
House keeps MPs’ legal fees secret in Hill: Robinson challenges Day to open Commons Board of Internal Economy
NDP MP Svend Robinson says Stockwell Day should prove his commitment to openness by fighting in Ottawa for full disclosure of the secret payouts made by the Commons Board of Internal Economy to cover MPs’ legal bills and out-of-court settlements. Mr. Robinson (Burnaby Douglas, B.C.) has criticized the Commons Board of Internal Economy’s practice of […]
Chief scientist to meet Health Canada’s disgruntled scientists: and with Dodge gone from deputy ministers’ community, PCO reviewing membership to DM committee
Canada’s new Chief Scientist Dr. Kevin Keough foresees smoother relations at Health Canada between management and scientists — just don’t call him on ombudsman. With David Dodge leaving his post as Health Canada’s DM to take over as governor of the Bank of Canada, the Health Department is under new management. High-ranking Privy Council Office […]
Rod Love’s lessons from Campaign 2000? It was American-style: and it wasn’t pretty fighting a federal election campaign in the midst of a vicious national newspaper war
Come on, consider the circumstances: A new, untested leader of the Official Opposition. He brings with him a fresh new set of policies, a new staff and a team of eager and energetic candidates, many of them new. There is rising popularity in the polls for the newcomers and shaky poll numbers for a tired […]
“Merchant of Mud” still emerged in American-style election ads: desperate for attention, Conservatives’ spots dished up negativity rarely seen in Canadian politics
When it came to campaign advertising, the 2000 federal election saw the major parties bring new firms on board, employ different strategies from the ones that they had used previously — and, in some cases, get more aggressively negative than ever before. As was the case in the 1997 election, two well-financed parties were able […]
MPs to be moved into spiffy Justice Building as early as April
MPs could be moving into the newly-renovated Justice Building as early as the Easter break in April. Rene Crete, Public Works director general of Real Property Services for the Parliamentary Precinct, told The Hill Times that his department expects to have the Justice Building renovations completed by the end of February. The building will hold […]
