Bordering on the ridiculous: Canada’s taking lethargic response to problems at Canada-U.S. crossings, says Sen. Kenny
Turn your mind to targets in Canada. If terrorists really wanted to bring Canada to its knees, where would they hit? Where could they ratchet up the greatest devastation? The Parliament Buildings? The Pickering nuclear reactor? The big buildings of Bay Street? Pearson International Airport? If someone really wanted to lay waste to Canada’s political […]
Former Mulroney PMO staffer Masterson returns to Hill: Guest leaves PMO ‘to rest and take on some public policy issues from outside government’
Aveteran Hill staffer who worked in former prime minister Brian Mulroney’s PMO has returned to the Hill to work for Peter MacKay, the deputy leader of the Conservative Party and his party’s critic for public safety and emergency preparedness. Shaun Masterson, 51, joined Conservative MP Peter MacKay’s (Central Nova, N.S.) Parliament Hill office as chief […]
End prohibition, legalize marijuana: Libs’ youth: Senate and House committees have advocated for a loosening of marijuana laws for years
Over the past number of days, Canadians and the national media have started to take a sober second look at Canada’s policy on illegal drugs – particularly marijuana. Earlier this month, on behalf of the Liberal Party’s Alberta wing, we presented a policy in support of legalizing marijuana at the Liberal Party’s national convention in […]
‘Do you feel safe working in the West Block?’
The Hill Times recently broke the story that an independent firm, Golder Associates Ltd., recently released a 300- page report saying the West Block is a “health risk” and should have been vacated three months ago because of the exterior masonry, mechanical air systems and asbestos fireproofing which the firm said are all in a […]
It’s not Jean Lapierre’s fault: We have bigger problems than that, like where is the vision for the future of this country?
TORONTO – Should Jean Lapierre, Canada’s federal minister of Transportation, resign over the Jetsgo fiasco? This surreptitious question was asked frequently in the last couple of weeks by journalists to experts, to politicians and was asked to readers through many popular electronic polls on the internet. There is no doubt that there is a problem […]
TB estimates director steps down
Don’t tell Bob Mellon public servants are lazy. After more than 30 years in the federal bureaucracy, he says he’s never worked with any who are and therefore rejects the popular stigma outright. In fact, he’s personally had enough of the hectic pace and has decided to retire so that he can “decompress,” as he […]
Behind the wizard’s curtain, an interview with new Lobbyist Registrar Michael Nelson: New Lobbyists Registrar says administration of lobbyists is better, ‘there is a wonderful clarity’
Tucked away in a glass-walled corner office overlooking Sparks Street and the Confederation Building in Ottawa, for nearly six months, Michael Nelson has held the position of Lobbyists Registrar for Canada. For nearly a decade, the registrar’s job was held by former Ethics Counsellor Howard Wilson, who reported directly to former prime minister Jean Chretien, […]
House Sgt.-at-Arms Cloutier battling illness: Cloutier, powerful figure on Parliament Hill, power to make things happen within his jurisdiction
The House Sergeant-at-Arms, the illustrious retired Maj.-Gen. Gus Cloutier, has been on sick leave since late January, the House Speaker’s Office confirmed last week, battling a serious illness. Heather Bradley, the House Speaker’s director of communications, told The Hill Times that Mr. Cloutier and his family do not want to reveal Mr. Cloutier’s illness. Mr. […]
Parliamentary secretaries get $90,000 boost in budgets
Prime Minister Paul Martin recently authorized a budget increase of $2.5-million, or $90,000 for each of the 28 Parliamentary secretaries, in response to a longstanding promise to bring in extra resources for the Cabinet ministers’ Parliamentary secretaries. The Parliamentary secretaries can use the money to hire exempt political staffers and to pay for other operating […]
No help for children with autism
I am the mother of a three-and-a-half year old girl from Langley, B.C. My daughter was diagnosed last September. It was easily the worst day of my life and my husband’s life. At the time that this devastating diagnosis was made, there was no help made available to us.The developmental pediatrician gave us a phone […]
