Alliance to get tough on Campaign Finance Bill
OTTAWA–The deadlock over private members’ business came undone in dramatic fashion last week, as the Alliance finally agreed to release a torrent of government business on Thursday. “It took off like a bolt of lightning,” said Government House Leader Don Boudria of the nine bills suddenly released from opposition filibustering tactics and allowed to continue […]
Buzzword: accountability
One of the first things Finance Minister John Manley mentioned when he released his federal budget last Tuesday in the House of Commons were the words “accrual accounting.” He got some good laughs when he turned to MPs and teased them about possibly not grasping the term, well-known in the accounting world. But Mr. Manley […]
Name calling does hurt [US foreign policy]
In a deeply ironic way, the anti-war protesters have been paying the United States the highest possible compliment. The many millions who demonstrated were saying in effect that they don’t regard the U.S. as Rome. Rome, and the Romans, never gave a damn what the Gauls and Celts and Bactrians and Scythians and the rest […]
Robert Ghiz leaves
Robert Ghiz, son of the late and former P.E.I. Liberal premier Joe Ghiz, left the Prime Minister’s Office last week to seek the leadership of the Liberal Party in his home province. A graduate of Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, Que., Mr. Ghiz, 29, joined the PMO in 2001 as an adviser of the Prime Minister […]
CSIS and Coast Guard appear before Senate National Security Committee (Part 1)
Full testimony unrevised THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENCE OTTAWA, Monday, February 17, 2003 The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence met this day at 6:00 p.m. to examine and report on the need for a national security policy for Canada. Senator Colin Kenny (Chairman) in the Chair. The Chairman: […]
Canada’s interdependence of security and economic prosperity: Sept. 11 demonstrated this clearly, perhaps for the first time since the Second World War
PARLIAMENT HILL–The events of Sept. 11, 2001, were a horrifying reminder to North Americans that no country is safe from terrorism. The Government of Canada acted swiftly in the wake of the attacks to help ensure the safety and security of Canadians. We developed the Anti-Terrorism Plan, Canada’s ongoing response to the terrorism threat since […]
Other changes… [Parliamentary staff]
Other changes… Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House Don Boudria has hired a new scheduling assistant. Born and raised in Vanier, Ont., and Ottawa, Joanne Blondeau, 48, started her new job last week. Ms. Blondeau has been working for various Liberal MPs since 1974. Ms. Blondeau has replaced Julie Boyer […]
CSIS and Coast Guard appear before Senate National Security Committee (Part 3)
Senator Atkins: Do you get many ex-navy officers? Mr. Lachance: We do get some personnel from retired navy people, yes. Senator Atkins: So there is a Coast Guard school. Mr. Lachance: There is a Coast Guard college, yes, in Sydney. The Chairman: How are you doing with your operating budget? Has it been cut back? […]
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 […]
“Who are the winners and losers of John Manley’s first (and last?) federal budget?”
Warren Kinsella Liberal strategist “Winners? That’s easy. Canadians win. “Manley’s team were smart: they didn’t guess about the priorities of Canadians — they knew. Any decent poll will show the top concerns of Canadians are health, education, jobs/economy. The budget focussed on all three, in that order. “Sure, the right-wing columnists, the special interest groups, […]
