Tory leader Clark needs an out of body experience and real bad
What does Joe Clark see when he’s watching himself on television? A political leader for a new millennium, a new age and a new generation? A statesmen of the highest order whose public judgment on matters of state can be viewed without partisan suspicion? An exquisite public communicator, eloquent, understated, a master of the spare […]
Regional development climbs by $300-million to $1.3-billion [This year’s biggest winners and losers, in terms of percentage]
The numbers are in for the government department sweepstakes – also known as the Main Estimatesand regional development handouts are one of this year’s biggest winners. Even though the programs are under constant criticism from the opposition as a prime source of government pork, government figures show big increases this year for the Economic Development […]
Problem of political donations
On Feb. 27, London-based oil giant BP (formerly British Petroleum) announced it would no longer be making political donations “anywhere in the world.” BP chief executive officer Sir John Browne said, “We’ll engage in the policy debate, stating our views and encouraging the development of ideas, but we won’t fund any political activity or any […]
New Grit caucus chair Stan Keyes gets himself a ‘small army’ [Grit needler wanted] [Whelan’s team complete] [New Grit EAs] [Staffer wins science award]
New national Liberal caucus chairman Stan Keyes has assembled a “small army” of dedicated staffers to assist him in his new duties as chair, joked new caucus liaison Gary Martin last week. Since the Ontario MP’s surprising elevation within the Liberal caucus — a promotion that came with a $75,850 budget bonus for staff — […]
Hillites bid Angelakos a big farewell at Martini Ranch
Warren and Peace… Bloodshed was avoided and a good time had by all recently at Hy’s Martini Ranch when Liberals galore gathered to bid farewell to PMO Ontario desk guru Charlie Angelakos. And that was quite an achievement given that the gathering brought together Grit attack dog Warren Kinsella and one of the men he […]
Cleaners left hanging in Hill parking lot turf war
Taken to the cleaners… Press Gallery members are in a much brighter mood in the mornings now that overnight cleaning staff for the Parliament Buildings have been ordered not to park in the spots reserved for media at the top of the slope heading down into the pit. Some of the cleaning shifts don’t get […]
Note to MPs: get a spine
Ontario Liberal MP Roger Gallaway once told The Hill Times that backbench MPs are as independent as they want to be. The world is their oyster, so to speak. But judging by their actions on Parliament Hill recently it would appear most MPs, including government backbenchers, are just fine playing the part of “voting machines.” […]
Newman gets rumpled for ratings, rolls up the sleeves
He’s a new man… Don’t know about you, but I am still trying to get used to seeing Don Newman appearing on Newsworld with his jacket off, collar undone, tie loosened and sleeves rolled up. He started the new rumpled look about a month ago for daytime promos for his 5 p.m. show, and when […]
Bloc MP Bergeron’s factual errors [Response to Medical and pharmaceutical indispensable, don’t cut it, March 4/02]
I am writing to correct three factual errors in the piece by Bloc Quebecois Industry Critic Stephane Bergeron, “Medical and pharmaceutical indispensable, don’t cut it” (The Hill Times, March 4). First, pharmaceutical patents are 20 years in duration in Canada, not 15. Second, generic drugs do not “appear” to be less expensive than their brand […]
Innovation paper will improve Canadians’ quality of life: Rock
Even though Allan Rock had little to do with drafting the long-anticipated white paper on innovation, the new Industry Minister says it’s very much his project and he will use the paper to improve the standard of living of Canadians. In a feature interview for The Hill Times’ policy briefing on industry, Mr. Rock (Etobicoke […]
