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, […]
PM wants a different summit, not just a summit done differently: G8 will focus on global economic growth; building new partnership with Africa; and fighting terrorism: Fowler [International Development Policy Briefing]
On Jan. 1, 2002, Canada assumed the Chair of the G8. I have been asked to act as the Prime Minister’s personal representative for the G8 Summit and for Africa. I am therefore responsible for preparing the 28th Summit of leading developed democracies in Kananaskis, Alta., in June 2002, and for developing the G8 Action […]
Great One’s comparison absurd
The problem with hero worship is that the heroes rarely live up to the adulation. Not that this is an issue in politics. After all, with expectations so low these days, there aren’t any real political heroes around. When it comes to hockey, however, Canada’s national obsession produces many heroes, perhaps none so revered as […]
Why is it acceptable for 30,000 children worldwide to die daily? For the cost of a cup of coffee in Canada, a child in Africa could receive needed oral rehydration treatment [International Development Policy Briefing]
On September 11, 2001, an appalling crime against humanity occurred. Thirty thousand children died. There were no media there to document it, there were no speeches made against it, and it was not followed by mass public outcry. It was not heralded as an event that would change the course of world events; indeed, the […]
