‘Buy ’em, but don’t stay bought’
The orchestrated indignation of the aggrieved Minister of Finance has already been heroically patient in waiting for his just entitlement. According to the important Ottawa media, Paul Martin has been a sure thing in the snail’s race for the succession because he has waited longest for the job, ran more miles in pursuit of it, […]
PS starving for creativity, don’t want to be ‘political footballs’. Treasury Board website a forum for public servants to vent about life in government, surprisingly candid
At a time when the government is enforcing new rules to keep public servants from speaking out, one website stands out for its surprising frankness. A discussion board set up by the Treasury Board, which asks for comments on a draft “Statement of Principles” for public servants, has turned into a forum for public servants […]
Public Works Minister Boudria reshapes office with promotions: Don Boudria promotes Jean Cintrat as his new senior policy adviser and Linda Champagne as leg assistant
When new Public Works Minister Don Boudria moved from leader of the government in the House’s office, he took all his faithful minions with him and even saw fit to promote three of them. Jean Cintrat is now senior policy adviser, moving up from his former duties as legislative assistant, a position he had held […]
He’s back, sort of
Joe Clark’s former chief of staff, Goldy Hyder, is back on the Hill. But it’s not what you think. Mr. Hyder, who quit as the Tory Leader’s top gun last fall to join the international lobbying firm Hill and Knowlton, is registered as a lobbyist on Bill S-26, a bill authored by Manitoba Tory Senator […]
Working on GOPAC
Canadian Alliance MP John Williams has hired a new Parliamentary assistant, Athena Elton, to work on an exciting project which will bring over 200 Parliamentarians from around the world to the nation’s capital. Ms. Elton’s first day on the job was Jan. 25. The 31-year-old, who hails from Lethbridge, Alta., will spend the bulk of […]
ALLIANCE MP OBHRAI RECOVERING FROM HEART BYPASS
Deepak fights back… Calgary East Alliance MP Deepak Obhrai faced the toughest challenge of his life last week — and it had nothing to do with politics. Before the Commons recessed on Feb. 8, it was told that Mr. Obhrai had undergone successful heart bypass surgery and was on the mend. Many MPs returning to […]
MUNSON WANTS HONOURARY MEMBERSHIP, MOVES ARE AFOOT
This old boy should still be a member of the club… A lot of people don’t want CTV purge victim Jim Munson gone or forgotten. Moves are afoot to have the 25-year news veteran declared an honourary member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery at the body’s AGM next month. Mr. Munson wouldn’t mind the honour […]
House, Senate back, PM’s trade junket heads to Berlin: Health-care experts converge on Parliament [Parliamentary Calandar]
MONDAY, FEB. 18 House Sitting — The House is sitting this week starting today at 11 a.m. It will sit until March 1, will take a one-week break and will return on Monday March 11. It will then sit until March 22. After a two- week break it will resume sitting again on Monday, April […]
RODIER LEAVES ROCK’S OFFICE FOR PRIVATE SECTOR
Tobacco or not tobacco, that is the question… Except David Rodier has no doubt what is nobler in the mind. (Okay, no more butchering Shakespeare, I promise.) Young Rodier, special aide to Allan Rock for the past seven years, has cut out on his own as a communications and strategy consultant. He left just before […]
Parliament ‘abandoned’ constitutional responsibility [Catterall-Williams report]
Bob Marleau, the former top House bureaucrat and an expert on Parliament, says MPs have “almost abandoned” their constitutional duties to review how government spends money, a job that is considered one of the central tenets of Parliamentary democracy. “The last fundamental review of the supply process was in 1968 and it really needs to […]
