Foreign Affairs department hands out awards for excellence [Minister’s Awards for Foreign Policy Excellence & Consular Excellence]
Gerry Lisk recognized for diplomatic work during 1999 Air India hijacking, many more acknowledged for work A handful of staffers at the Department of Foreign Affairs were recognized for their work last week as part of the Minister’s Awards for Foreign Policy Excellence and Consular Excellence. Deputy Ministers, ADMs, Ambassadors and other high-ranking officials were […]
The night the network TV anchors had no clothes
CAMPAIGN 2000 [Graph Not Transcribed] Forty-four years ago, C. Wright Mills saw it all coming — the media fiasco of the Gore-Bush presidential election and its continental cousin, the “two-party” Parliamentary election in Canada. Mills, an American, wrote in The Power Elite how new technology and the ascendancy of the commercial media would play a […]
We “propellor-heads” in Ottawa are interested in process issues: candidates should be asked about how far they would go to make government open, and where they stand
[Graph Not Transcribed] [Graph Not Transcribed] Admittedly, it’s a tad late to start raising new issues for public discussion during this election — but what the hell. To date, in this campaign, the parties have chewed endiessly on health care, fiscal matters and who among them has secret agendas or skeletons in the closet. In […]
Sitting here, watching debates on closed captioning
HEARD ON THE HILL O Caption, my caption… Thanks to the magic of closed captioning, Election 2000 voters were able to view the debates of the political leaders without being forced to listen to the shouting matches themselves. While media pundits fell over each other to explain who won the debates to voters who watched […]
In the political ring, there is nothing sleazier than the Nazi card
OPINION [Graph Not Transcribed] In the hierarchy of cheap shots nothing is sleazier than the Nazi card. There is such wide-spread revulsion at the very thought — and for good reason too — that even a hint that somebody is Nazi-friendly represents a pretty serious attack. Which is why, of course, that responsible people don’t […]
Hired guns on the hustings: high-powered lobbyists hit the campaign trail [Most lobbyists say working for federal parties at election time can give lobbyists an edge in their work]
For once, it’s actually hard to find a lobbyist in this town. Calls to Ottawa’s leading lobby firms reveal that just about all them have taken time off to get their favourite candidates or parties elected. Most are helping out the Liberals. Michael Robinson, at Earnscliffe Strategy Group, negotiated the rules for the leaders debates […]
PM in for rough ride, say angry Grits
NEWS ‘Unless he is going to have a majority of more than 180 MPs,’ says Lib Public opinion polls may indicate the Liberals will win a third majority, but all is definitely not well in the government caucus. Some angry government MPs are threatening a rough ride for Prime Minister Jean Chretien if he sticks […]
Economic boom could be lost if we don’t invest in infrastructure
But Libs’ priority has been to maintain high taxes, spending on highly-visible, politically-rewarding projects The 20th century saw incredible technological advancement that fuelled industry, and revolutionized communications and transportation beyond our wildest dreams. Canada played an important and leading role in these innovations. What the 21st century has in store for Canada is yet to […]
Maritime helicopter program “a scandal of the Liberals own making”
The Sea King is at end of its operational life and its value to our Maritime forces is seriously questioned During the 1993 election campaign, Jean Chretien, then leader of the opposition stated, “I will take out my pen and write zero helicopters, Chretien,” and, “no one will die because of helicopters.” Upon taking power […]
Ministers hit hustings, so what happens to their departments?
CIVIL CIRCLES Political campaigning can be a bit of a juggling act for a minister, says Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan [Graph Not Transcribed] Liberal cabinet ministers were recently thrust into the election limelight by party strategists, who hope that by focusing on the Liberal “team” they will find more support among voters than simply campaigning […]
