It’s filibuster hangover: Liberals consider new rules to stop marathon votes
The minister responsible for steering government bilis through the House is considering ways to restrict opposition amendments and avoid a repeat of the Reform’s marathon of votes which stalled the House for three days last week. During last week’s “votea-thon” which will go in history as the longest series of votes ever recorded in the […]
Parties to lose quick access to donors’ lists: but sweeping bill allows parties to use voters’ lists
Federal political parties will lose quick access to prospective and lucrative donors’ lists after a Grit backbencher’s amendment sailed through the Senate last week. Liberal MP John Bryden (Wentworth-Burlington, Ont.), who tabled an amendment to the government’s e-commerce bill — C-6, which would prevent parties from buying of obtaining fundraising lists from other groups, companies […]
Public servants honoured for leadership, creativity, commitment
An effort to erect lines of communication has garnered Richard Rochefort, a director of development at the Leadership Network, a public service award. Mr. Rochefort, who was recognized for “valuing and supporting people,” was one of 186 public servants honoured with the Head of Public Service Award last Monday at the Imax theatre in the […]
When parties did greatest good for greatest number: the years 1957 and 1958 were probably the best Tory years since John A Macdonald’s time, says Macquarrie
Because we octogenarians have lived so long it is not surprising that we think a good deal about events and personalities of significance in an earlier day. Scholars and philosophers in some societies cherished those members of society with long memories. Sammuel Taylor Coleridge once said; “If men could learn from history what lessons it […]
Meet four Reform strategists who cooked up last week’s vote
Four Reform staffers — a veritable amendment quartet — did the grunt work behind the delay tactics which bogged Parliament down for almost three days. Their work offers a glimpse into the procedural manoeuvres behind the workings of the House and into the arcane world of Parliamentary procedure. Opposition House Leader Randy White’s executive assistant […]
Auditor general dishes out tough words to Parti Quebecois [Report]
Last week was not a particularly good one for the Bouchard government. The negotiations with the two large municipal associations — about giving school boards responsibility for the overall cost of school transportation went from bad to worse, to not so bad, to excellent and then, fell through completely. The province wants local governments to […]
House to let TV cameras in [Committee meetings]
The House is prepared for the first time to let TV cameras into Commons committee hearings, but Hill media say the new rules are ridiculous. The House Affairs Committee recently tabled its report outlining the rules for allowing cameras to record and to broadcast all House committee hearings on Parliament Hill. Under the committee’s recommendations, […]
Media elite take celebrity criminal Stephen Reid under their wings
You’ve probably never heard of Sherry Smith. Neither had I until The Globe and Mail published her story on page A2 last Saturday under the headline: “Bystander relives moment Reid shot straight at her.” The story, by Jane Armstrong of the Globe’s Victoria, B.C. bureau, tells just how close the 41-year-old mother of three children […]
More Parliament Hill news bureaus cut reporters, shake things up
The Toronto Star shakes up Parliamentary bureau, CHEZ FM closes Hill bureau and ISN disappears from Hill More Parliament Hill news bureaus have been shaken up as competition increases to cover federal politics in Ottawa. The Toronto Star’s Hill bureau is the latest round of transition to affect the ranks of the Parliamentary press corps. […]
The World Trade Organization’s silent sanction of child labour
I beg to be counted among those who are opposed to the World Trade Organization. My opposition can be simply stated: The WTO’s silent sanction of child labour is to me insupportable. While it may be said that the protests of the North American labour movement are somewhat self-serving, what then could be said for […]
