Liberal MPs want to set up drug caucus
A federal Liberal backbencher wants to set up a government Drug Caucus to lobby for ways to lower rising prices of pharmaceutical drugs and is urging the federal cabinet to reopen the controversial issue. Liberal MP Albina Guarnieri (Mississauga East, Ont.), who watched her mother struggle through a long illness and extensive drug treatments before […]
Media ignore high-living lifestyle of little guy from Shawinigan
Anybody who was around the Hill during the Mulroney era will well remember that one of the most constant criticisms he endured — and rightly so — revolved around the issue of his regal style. While many of his major policy decisions also caused great controversy, much of the personal hostility towards Mulroney flowed from […]
Cabinet offers half-hearted prohibition on political donations: order-in-council bans federal appointees from supporting contributions, but will have little power, warn MPs
The Treasury Board has ordered federal appointees to agencies, boards and commissions to stop funding political parties. But an MP, who is a leading Parliamentary procedural expert, questions whether the cabinet order will have much effect since these agencies are ultimately meant to operate at an arm’s length from the government and don’t have to […]
Senators want answers on pay equity fund: finance minister Paul Martin to pay out $3.6b without House vote
Senators on the Upper Chamber’s National Finance Committee want to take a closer look at Finance Minister Paul Martin’s power to spend up to $3.6-billion following a pay equity decision without seeking Parliamentary approval for money. The Senate’s National Finance Committee is expected to table its report on the government’s supplementary estimates this week. Ontario […]
Do you feel safe on the Hill? [Question period]
“Yes I do. I’ve never had any problems, never been threatened, never been intimidated and never been worried. I think security guards are doing a great job. Bloc MP Richard Marceau Charlesbourg, Que. “Yes, I feel security on the Hill is quite good. I haven’t heard of any instances of people walking around the corridors […]
House battle plans: opposition vows to block legislation [Nisga’a treaty]
Reform House Leader Randy White thinks his party’s plan to delay the Nisga’a legislation as long as possible is more than just House of Commons high links — it’s an obligation to Canadians. “The government voted down the opportunity for British Columbians to have a referendum on Nisga’a, and now they think they’re going to […]
Racism keeps minorities out of public service elite, says senator
Tory Senator Don Oliver has called the prime minister, the clerk of the Privy Council and mandarins to task for allowing “systemic racism” to bar visible minorities from the higher echelons of the civil service During a Nov. 3 speech in the Senate. Sen. Oliver cited the latest employment equity report which stated that out […]
Canada’s future digital GI Joe
General Maurice Baril, the not-so omnipotent chief of the defence staff, found his way out to the dubious war zones of Calgary, Alberta last week. There, he delivered a speech to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and a message to Parliamentarians about the need tar high-tech weaponry in the Digital Age. Noting that his troops […]
Agriculture committee approves last-minute prairie tour
Committee chairman and Reform agriculture critic differ on tour sites; Reform calls tour rushed After initially grounding the House’s Agriculture Committee in Ottawa, the Liberals are now racing to get the committee into the west to meet with prairie farmers before the Christmas break. However, Reform committee members who pushed for the tour, now say […]
Committee divided on tax incentive for women candidates: House Affairs committee members doubt Government House Leader’s recommendations will make it into bill
Debate over whether parties should be financially rewarded for running female candidates broke clown along gender lines at a recent committee meeting studying bill overhauling election laws. The House’s Procedure and House Affairs Committee which is studying C-2, the electoral reform bill, is considering a recommendation from Government House Leader Don Boudria (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, Ont.) that […]
