Not so free estimates…
Time was when the government’s spending estimates were a news bonanza — a veritable feast of stories just awaiting for the picking. The lock-up for their release a couple of days or so after the budget was a major event. A combination of factors has taken a lot of the oomph out of the estimates […]
Senators honoured with stamps
Quebec Liberal Senator Jean Lapointe is looking for a few good Senators. Last week the relatively new Senator announced in the Upper Chamber that he’s managed to convince Canada Post to begin issuing the first-ever series of stamps commemorating the achievements of prominent Senators, and implored his colleagues to come up with suggestions of deserving […]
Of morons and bastards
Last week, The Los Angeles Times called up The Hill Times newsroom. Considered one of the best newspapers in the U.S., an LA Times reporter wanted to know more about the Canadian Parliamentarian who was calling Americans “bastards.” And by the way, the reporter wanted to know, what was a PM and did we have […]
It all about perspective
TORONTO–One of the unfortunate realities in the media over the years is that special interest groups have tended to enjoy a free ride. Unlike governments, for example, which have quite properly been subjected to continuing scrutiny, the claims made by many special interest groups have tended to be reported and accepted at face value. This […]
House looks into healthier living for MPs on the Hill
OTTAWA–Concerned about the unhealthy lifestyles of most federal MPs, the House’s influential Board of Internal Economy is looking at hiring a nutritionist and a gym trainer on the Hill to help hard-working and stressed out MPs maintain more wholesome living habits. The concern was sparked after three government backbenchers recently suffered heart attacks. All large […]
A national and international challenge: Easter
PARLIAMENT HILL–On Feb. 12, Solicitor General Wayne Easter announced in the House that the government had added three more groups classified as terrorist groups under the Criminal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act, bringing the total to 19 designated since last July. He added the Abu Nidal Organization, the Abu Sayyaf Group, and the Sendero Luminoso […]
Billy’s Angels?…
Billy’s Angels?… Okay, I know I am going to get stick for calling them that (and after giving John Manley heck I should perhaps know better). But I just couldn’t resist using it as an opener to congratulating Kathleen Harris, veteran star reporter for the Ottawa Sun, on her new job as a member of […]
Manley hires a new policy adviser
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister John Manley hired a new policy adviser for his ministerial political office recently. Brian Klunder, 34, is a native of Brantford, Ont. and received a BA from the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ont., in 1991. He started working on the Hill in 1994 for Liberal MP John Finlay […]
Not all cloning is alike: MPs must not let outrageous claims of Raelians drive national policy development
Over the past few months, Parliamentarians have heard a lot of commentary on the policy issues associated with reproductive and “therapeutic” cloning. In many respects this dynamic debate is ideal, as it should inform the final political debates on Bill C-13, The Assisted Human Reproduction Act. We realize that amendments to this bill, particularly in […]
Budget Holiday…
Budget Holiday… Past February budgets have tended to be in the last week of sitting before a one-week March break. The idea behind this was to provide three days for debate in the House and then have government members fan across the country to sell the package to constituents. But this played hell on the […]
