Bouchard’s cabinet solidarity stretched to a new limit these days
The Quebec Parliament reconvenes March 14 for its spring-summer session. The honourable members have been away from the Chamber since before Christmas and as far as the government is concerned, they could stay away. Lucien Bouchard has not kept his assurance to his own caucus that he would boost the role of MNAs and treat […]
Question period: if there were a Canadian version of the West Wing, who would you like to see as the prime minister?
“I think Rick Mercer. He’s prime ministerial in every respect. He’s a great actor. He’d be a great prime minister.” “Actually, I’d like it to be a woman — [Quebecois actress] Louise Marleau. I think she’d be flexible, but she could also play someone with some iron in her backbone.” “The first name that comes […]
Dalton Camp picks Brian Tobin as non-Ritalin man of the month
Sometimes I think the whole country is on Ritalin, a drug parents feed their children in order to maintain peace and decorum at home and school. There could be a national conspiracy, for all we know; the government may be putting something in the water, or in the beer, or in the vermouth. There has […]
Stewart won’t say sorry for Human Resources mess [WTN’s wtn.ca show]
Just between us girls . . . Human Resources Minister Jane Stewart hasn’t done many TV interviews, but two weeks ago she sat down with Holly Doan, host of a new current affairs show, wtn.ca on WTN. A sharp reporter, Ms. Doan asked Ms. Stewart if she thinks the Boss has treated her differently because […]
Jaffer wants Liberal women candidates to get a break: and senators want a seat on Grit national executive
Female Liberals are pressing the Liberal Party to bring in electoral reform to help encourage more women to run for Parliament. In a one-two punch, the National Women’s Liberal Commission has put forward a priority resolution that would make nomination campaign expenses tax-receiptable, allow candidates to take a leave of absence for nomination and election […]
Marleau says PM will face unruly caucus: former cabinet minister says she hasn’t spoken to PM since she got the boot
A Liberal MP, long-time Jean Chretien supporter and former cabinet minister predicts the prime minister could face an increasingly belligerent caucus if MPs who support potential leadership hopefuls think he is staying on too long. Liberal MP Diane Marleau (Sudbury, Ont.), who served as federal health minister and CIDA minister before being shuffled out to […]
Libs log into Ottawa, to debate new politics
Federal Liberals from far and wide are in the capital this week for their biennial schmoozefest. The Young Liberals are holding a series of workshops on issues ranging from “Youth Campaign Strategies,” to “Politics and the Internet.” That last workshop is being chaired by Steven Drover, vice-president of the New Brunswick Young Liberals, and it […]
McClelland serves up his Edmonton Southwest riding to Day: deputy speaker and Reform PM intends to resign federal seat to run provincially in Edmonton-Rutherford
Reform MP Ian McClelland is offering to give up his federal seat to Stockwell Day if the Alberta Treasurer wins the leadership race for the Canadian Alliance. Mr. McClelland, who publicly supports Mr. Day’s bid, made the announcement at a townhall meeting in his Edmonton Southwest riding last week. “I will support him and further […]
Policy schmolicy, Liberals will schmooze until the wee hours [Parties at the Liberal biennial policy convention]
I am a wild party — Sheila Copps, Paul Martin, Pettigrew, Milne throw some appetizing party pleasers for Grits Forget policy workshops and bear pit sessions. Everyone knows that the real action at a party convention takes place in the hospitality suites, and delegates at this weekend’s Liberal Biennial Policy Convention will spend three nights […]
Toronto Star’s “food safety blitz” story serves up big influence
We whisk you back a few days to the front page of the Greater Toronto section of The Toronto Star where the skyline across the top reads: “Food safety blitz urged in Peel.” The story below goes on to explain that Peel Region councillors want the names of dirty restaurants made public but the medical […]
