Liberals’ upcoming caucus committees to review issues before Cabinet does: ‘It really inserts the caucus committees into the legislative and policy development process’
In an attempt to empower Liberal MPs, Andy Savoy, chairman of the national Liberal caucus, is poised to announce the creation of three caucus committees which he says will “mirror” Cabinet committees. Moreover, Mr. Savoy says the Liberal caucus committees will deal with all important pieces of legislation or issues before they go to Cabinet […]
NDP stands up for public health care, not privatization: We don’t know where government is spending when funding has no accountability
If you don’t know where you are spending your money, you can’t manage it. It is the first lesson in Budget-Planning 101. And Canadians don’t know where the government is spending tax dollars when healthcare funding is given away with no accountability guarantees. The 2004 First Ministers’ Meeting on Health was supposed to fix health […]
Set up an inquiry to probe high number of inquiries: Make sense to spend $100-million to find out who mismanaged $100-million? Nope
We should ask the government to create an inquiry to conduct an inquiry into the high number of Canadian inquiries, and, more specifically, how they’re run. To date, there have been more than 440 commissions in the history of this country. Most are long-running and expensive. And the results are not always very forthcoming. Usually, […]
Former MP Joe Jordan joins Reg Alcock’s office as director of Parliamentary affairs
Former Liberal MP Joe Jordan, who lost his seat in the June 28 federal election, is working on the Hill as a political staffer. And he likes it so much, the former two-term MP says he likely won’t run in the next federal election. “You never say never, I don’t know.That remains to be seen,”said […]
Health care demands vigilance: Health Council of Canada report, released three weeks ago, recognized sluggish pace of change
One could be forgiven for thinking the Liberals have forgotten about health care. Since last autumn, the government’s agenda has been dominated by trivial and arcane matters. Meanwhile, growing personnel shortages and widening disparities in healthcare services demand immediate action. Canadians want the dithering to end, so priorities like health care can be addressed. The […]
Everyone has a split in caucus on same-sex issue: But who is the most at risk? Conservatives, says Grit Kinsella
Gomery Chretien Appearance Powers: Paul martin finally made his appearance at the Gomery Commission. The poor PM; he is always the second act and the least memorable. He has nowhere to go but down after Chretien’s Oscar performance. Warren, your man was masterful. I can’t even attempt to feign disgust at his theatrical genius. He […]
Reynolds’ stock investment lawsuit going to arbitration
Adispute between veteran Conservative MP and election campaign co-chair John Reynolds and a Vancouver-based brokerage firm continues to work its way through the arbitration system in British Columbia. Global Securities filed a lawsuit against Mr. Reynolds (West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea-to-Sky Country, B.C.) in August 2001, which claimed that he owed the firm nearly half a million […]
ON THE HILL [Mike Pigeon]
Mike Pigeon: 43 Born: Quebec City Lives in: Gatineau On the Hill: since 1996 Driver for Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, used to drive for minister Martin Cauchon. Drives: 60,000 km/yr Education: Emergency Driving Course, Executive Protection Specialist Course which he took in Chicago by former FBI agents. Life is a highway…Mike Pigeon started out 20 […]
Gomery, Gomery
Defiant. Impassioned. Classic Chretien. Orchestrated. Masterful performance. A home run. Chretien scores political hole in one. Former PM proves he’s got balls – lots of them. Well, that was at least the national media’s early verdict the day after former prime minister Jean Chretien pulled his now famous golf ball stunt before the Gomery Inquiry […]
Sen. Rompkey’s letter spot on: HT reader [Didn’t like the anti-sealing ad: Grit Sen. Rompkey, January 31, 2004]
Regarding Liberal Senator Bill Romkey’s letter to the editor (The Hill Times, Jan. 31) on the seal controversy: it really hit home with yours truly. His comments are spot on. Antisealing advocates never had it so good. It’s all about fund-raising for them. If they truly care so much about cruelty to animals, let them […]
