Twisted view of natural justice
Veteran wordsmith Allan Fortheringham rarely writes anything these days worth reading, let alone worth commenting upon. But in his most recent scribbling last Saturday, Fotheringham bravely rushes to the defence of his employer, The Globe and Mail, while curiously failing to mention just which newspaper he is defending. Under a brief item headlined “Mike Harris […]
Junior minister Gar Knutson finds new staffers close to home
Over the past few weeks, Hill Climbers has been chronicling the many staffing changes in the new ministers’ offices, the result of the PM’s big shuffle which saw the promotion of 10 new ministers. This week we take a look at the people working for Ontario MP Gar Knutson , the new junior minister for […]
When in Rio de Janerio, do like the natives do
Memories of Rio…Ask Bhupinder S. Liddar what souvenir he brought back from Rio de Janeiro earlier this month and he’ll tell you he played it safe. That’s safe as in a condom. “I was at a reception with the South African representative in Rio during the Mardi Gras carnival and right there on the silver […]
Grey Fog’s old stand-by returns to House of Commons
Never let a good line go to waste… Junior Environment Minister Karen Redman must be a fan of the Grey Fog. Left to defend the government’s position on Kyoto last week, Ms. Redman brought back former deputy prime minister Herb Gray’s much-used line to defuse and discredit virtually every question coming from the opposition. “I […]
Brian Tobin does lunch with Martin and then Gray
All in the family… When Brian Tobin announced in January he was quitting the federal government and abandoning his dream to be able to spend more time with his family, we thought he was referring to his biological one. Perhaps we misunderstood, as it seems he is spending a lot of time with his former […]
Alfonso Gagliano could go to Rome, afterall
Bella vita… Former public works minister Alfonso Gagliano and newly-appointed Canadian Ambassador to Denmark, could be a diplomat in Italy afterall. According to some rumours, it appears that Mr. Gagliano will be the Canadian Ambassador to FAO, a United Nations agency whose general headquarters is in Rome. Originally it was rumoured that Mr. Gagliano was […]
It all started with Hill Times story on Diane Marleau
Hell hath no fury like a woman shuffled… No surprise to hear Maria Minna speaking out against the Prime Minister’s Office and claiming she was tricked into laying low instead of fighting allegations she broke election laws in a local vote in her riding. You may recall that this column mentioned a few weeks back […]
Sen Forrestall says Canada needs a new white paper on defence
Canada needs a new white paper on defence within the next year for both domestic and international reasons. On the domestic front, the Chretien Liberal government has abandoned its 1994 Defence White Paper and has made that crystal clear with its consistent lack of funding for the Canadian Forces. This is not a whim. It […]
You won’t see Sean Durkan’s bare chest this year [Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner]
Now’s the time to start sucking up to your favourite reporter… If you want an invitation to the Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner that is. The date is Saturday, June 1 at the National Arts Centre, and while that may seem a long way off, these tickets sell fast. If you are not a gallery member, […]
Canada’s innovation strategy ‘weak on substance’: Chuck Strahl
Casting about for an issue to deflect attention from the internecine warfare he recently intensified within Liberal ranks, Canada’s Industry Minister finally trotted out his long-awaited innovation strategy last month. No doubt, such a plan is a must for Canada. Even according to the government’s own research, Canadian incomes are down, skill shortages are up, […]
