Lobbying for defence dollars: anatomy of an inside job: ‘Policy development’ is, in many respects, just ‘lobbying on the inside’
OTTAWA–It’s Seminar Season again; that time of the year when Canadians huddle in hotel rooms across the land, listening to “experts” expound on their field of knowledge, their metier, their schtick, their thing. Mine is lobbying. I talk endlessly about it, coast to coast. The audiences, though grateful to be in from the cold (and […]
Parties will be rolling in the dough: The Libs will get an extra $3.43-million and the Alliance will get an extra $4- million
Who benefits most from the new subsidy for parties? To appreciate the likely consequences of the new annual subsidy for registered parties included in Bill C-24, the Prime Minister’s Campaign Finance Reform Bill, it is useful to examine Table 1. It reveals that in 2001 (the data for 2002 won’t be available until early July […]
Political courage
Bums, liars, losers, nincompoops, ninnies. Federal politicians have been called worse. But for every bad one, there are even more good ones and despite the negative hype out there, most federal politicians are actually hard-working, thoughtful, committed people who really do want to make a difference here in Ottawa and across the country. Sometimes, however, […]
Campaign bill puts the squeeze on backbench MPs: Forces MPs to compete with ministers for funding
OTTAWA–Backbench Liberal MPs who already feel burdened from having to pay hefty levies to their party are crying foul over the government’s new plans to double the pain by limiting corporate donations through its new political finance bill. Some say the move is unfair because it will force backbenchers to compete for funds with high-profile […]
Fear and loathing of Eastern Canada
Regarding Liberal MP Karen Kraft-Sloan’s column “Fear, loathing and candour in the Kyoto debate” (The Hill Times, Feb. 3). I’d like to know who is spreading this fear? Ms. Kraft-Sloan blames the oil industry, but let’s put it this way, the government is elected but in Western Canada nothing we say or do will stop […]
Parliamentary Calendar: Manley to table his first budget this week
Outlook 2003 this Wednesday at Westin Hotel MONDAY, FEB. 17 Black History Month — Black History Month was officially recognized by the Government of Canada in 1995. There are activities ongoing throughout the country for the month. For more information, please visit the Canadian Heritage’s website at http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca House Sitting — The House will remain […]
MPs’ and Senators’ Birthdays
*Bloc MP Ghislain Lebel, 57, Feb. 17, 1946 *Bloc MP Michel Gauthier, 53, Feb. 18, 1950 *Secretary of State David Kilgour, 62, Feb. 18, 1941 *Tory Sen. David Tkachuk, 58, Feb. 18, 1945 *Alliance MP Art Hanger, 60, Feb. 19, 1943 *Liberal MP Guy St-Julien, 63, Feb. 19, 1940 *Tory MP Bill Casey, 58, Feb. […]
Pankiw rebuffed
Independent MP Jim Pankiw’s point of order that several senior public servants were in “contempt of Parliament” for blocking his controversial attempt to contact thousands of bureaucrats by email was rebuffed by House Speaker Peter Milliken last Wednesday. In a ruling brought down after Question Period, Mr. Milliken said that top mandarins, such as Jim […]
Membership rules leave door open to marauders: Hostile takeover attempts by issue activists could become common event
OTTAWA–In 1998 David Orchard jolted conventional party politics. He targeted left-leaning, single-issue activists from the environmental and anti-free trade movements, signed up 12,000 new members, and found himself in a second ballot run-off with Joe Clark for the leadership of the Conservative Party. What if he throws his hat in the ring again–and wins? It […]
Chretien takes a different fork in fiscal road from Bush: Canada will focus on health care, child care, infrastructure and defence
OTTAWA–For the fun of it, let’s look back at just one idea Canadians held for 50 years as the key to their well-being and prosperity. I mean the role and use of deficit financing in managing the economy. From the end of World War II until 1995 and the beginning of Paul Martin’s war against […]
