Some solid perspective, please
Sometimes, people can’t see the worse guys for the bad guys. Take the short-sighted decision of The Canadian Association of Journalists and the Quebec Federation of Professional Journalists to fire off a joint submission to all Parliamentarians demanding a Parliamentary inquiry into what they see as “a disturbing pattern of censorship and repression of dissenting […]
Immigrant MPs blast new rules: most immigrant MPs wouldn’t get in: Hill Times survey
A majority of MPs and Senators who came to Canada as immigrants would have failed to secure Canadian immigration had they applied under the proposed new immigration law, according to a Hill Times survey. And it’s unclear even if natives of Canada, like Prime Minister Jean Chretien (Saint-Maurice, Que.) and former immigration minister Elinor Caplan […]
Finance Minister Paul Martin’s defence of dollar ‘unconvincing’: Martin doesn’t have stomach for championing progressive ideas on international stage anymore, say his critics
Finance Minister Paul Martin’s mantra that Canada’s declining dollar will rebound once currency traders wake up to the fact the country has a healthy economy misses the point that nowadays exchange rates are not driven by economic factors but by the unchecked preferences of financial investors, says a respected labour economist and political pundit. Jim […]
Sorry, just can’t trust government [Bill C-5, the Species At Risk Act]
Bill C-5, the Species at Risk Act, didn’t have too many friends as it entered the House of Commons in 2001. While many of us wanted a bill that effectively protected species at risk, what Canadians got was a bill that was established not on science, not on cooperation, but on government discretion. It was […]
Yukon and N.W.T. are always wrongly portrayed as competitors: Not true, says Pat Duncan who supports both Alaska Highway Pipeline Project and Mackenzie Delta development [Energy Policy Briefing]
Despite recent volatility and softening prices, market conditions have renewed interest in exploring, developing, and commercializing the immense natural gas resources of northern Canada and Alaska. Although it’s difficult to predict how the September terrorist attacks in the United States or recent economic uncertainty may affect natural gas markets, most analysts agree that North American […]
The incredible lightness of being a heavy, tips for bad GR types: Let’s talk about the types you ideally want to avoid: The Know It All and The Carpet-Bombing Namedropper
A reader writes: “How can you go on and on about what’s good and bad about government communications without talking about the use of consultants, especially the bad ones?” Uh … okay. But it’s probably best to commence with an admission: My name is Sean and I am a consultant. Yup, and, on occasion, I […]
‘We need all the help we can get’: Public Service Commission chief Scott Serson says he’s ‘pushing back’ attempts to dump the merit principle, cites need for fairness, equity
For anyone eagerly digesting all the bits of information that have been leaking out about the government’s big plans for human resources renewal, it was a meeting to watch. As the debate continues within the highest levels of the Canadian government over whether or not to gut the Public Service Commission (PSC), seated side by […]
PM’s Bennett scolding could help Sarmite Bulte in race: Grumblings in Parliament over why new ministers are still officially chairing House committees
It’s not very often that you can say House procedure is hot, but that certainly appears to be the case these days. Points of Privilege were plentiful and the House Speaker’s rulings were covered live on national television last week, as Canadians across the country were treated to quotations of Marleau and Montpetit from their […]
Parliamentary Calendar [Feb 4]
Ernest Preston Manning has left House of Commons ‘This is not a typical politician,’ says his long-time friend and caucus colleague Deb Gray MONDAY, FEB. 4 House Sitting — The House will begin sitting at 11 a.m today. It will sit until Feb. 8, will take a one- week break and will resume sitting again […]
Government should embrace Canadian Wind Energy Association [Energy Policy Briefing]
If Canada is to compete in the economy of the 21st century we must seriously rethink our current energy policies. We must abandon our dependency on fossil fuels and nuclear energy. To do so makes sense both economically and environmentally. We must do so in order to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and avert the […]
