Equality and moving forward
In the life of a country, as in our own personal lives, what we are and what we wish to become are often marked by moments in time when decisions are taken that forge our path forward. The current debate on the issue of civil marriage is one such moment for Canada. Throughout history, the […]
If it turns into another social conservative freak show, Paul Martin wins, and he isn’t even a delegate: Kinsella
Liberal Policy Convention POWERS: The Liberal Convention was overshadowed by the murders of the four police officers. A sombre mood gripped the convention hall on Thursday evening when the event kicked-off. Both Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan and keynote speaker Michael Ignatieff reflected that sadness in their offertory comments. There was nothing real about the […]
This just in… Senators do some of the best work done in Ottawa, too often anonymously
Since 1968, five Prime Ministers, three Liberals and two Conservatives, have appointed 227 Senators. Just 16 of those wore different party colours from the man picking the winners in the great Canadian political lottery. That consistent and precarious tilt toward partisan reward contributes mightily to the Senate’s status as the least loved, least legitimate federal […]
CBC, THE POST, REGAN’S PARTY AND MORE
CBC finds viewers bored with Ottawa… The unusual saga of the Official Opposition sitting on its hands to avoid seeing the government fail over a budget vote didn’t get a mention on national CBC television news last week. And it was not the only story from the Hill not to get news play in recent […]
Enter Canada’s Amb. to U.S. McKenna, stumbling: Canadians need a reality check regarding our bilateral economics
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Honestly, the next news I expect to hear of newly-minted Ambassador Frank McKenna is that he is lying flat on his face in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue with his shoe laces tied together. The first objective for a politically-appointed ambassador is to demonstrate that he has the full trust of and access to […]
THE SPIN DOCTORS: “What will be the major story line to come out of the Conservative Party’s first policy convention this weekend in Montreal?”
“God love Stephen Harper! He provides me endless fodder for this column… “Well, it wasn’t a pretty week for the Conservative leader. His decision to have a mass abstention on the budget vote was perhaps the worst example of Parliamentary cowardice in the history of this country. Kudos to Gilles Duceppe for the best line […]
Government’s use of personal information II: Toward an information charter
Last week, in this space we argued that the case-by-case approach to giving government permission to use our personal information was too restrictive to be workable. A change in our thinking around privacy and the right to control our personal information was needed if we were to achieve real progress on integrating or personalizing services. […]
Veteran Grit Senator Smith says Libs are more ‘inclusive,’ but Kinsella doesn’t see it: Top strategist David Herle says PM will govern for a ‘full term,’ but Libs preparing now
The Liberals’ new National Campaign Committee reflects that Prime Minister Paul Martin and his team are trying to be more “inclusive”in the next run at the polls, says Liberal Sen. David Smith, who was named to the campaign team last Sunday. But some Liberals say the party is divided, badly damaged by the Gomery Inquiry, […]
Autism lobby group uses NDP MP Stoffer’s Hill office as home base: Group wants changes to Canada Health Act to include Intensive Behavioural Intervention therapy as a medically necessary treatment for autism
Under the shadow of the Peace Tower and amid the furore of last month’s budget day, a group of parents rallied on Parliament Hill to call attention to the plight facing families of children with autism. The following day, the group held a press conference that brought together not only parents and children affected by […]
Fisheries Minister Regan urged to kill B.C. gold mine plan: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging Fisheries Minister Regan to reject DFO’s environmental assessment
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Geoff Regan is facing a mountain of opposition over his department’s recent decision to green light an environmental assessment for an access road leading to a controversial mining project in Northwestern British Columbia. Thousands of objections were lodged with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) last month, many of them […]
