Parliament needs Middle Eastern associations, partnerships: MPs
Parliament should establish full-fledged Parliamentary associations with the world’s Middle Eastern countries and, at the very least, should revive the less influential Parliamentary Friendship Groups, say some MPs. NDP MP Alexa McDonough (Halifax, N.S.), who is trying to re-establish the Canada-Palestine Friendship Group, said Parliament needs to give these associations more financing and complained that […]
Scarpaleggia backs Dion, after ‘months of serious reflection’
Grit MP Francis Scarpaleggia (Lac-Saint-Louis, Que.), chair of federal Liberal Quebec Caucus, says he’s backing Liberal leadership candidate Stéphane Dion (Saint-Laurent-Cartierville, Que.) “after months of serious reflection,” noting that Mr. Dion’s bilingualism was an important factor in his decision, along with his “intellectual honesty,” and his understanding of federalism and environmental issues. “The environment, especially […]
Former B.C. Liberal Cabinet minister contemplates running as Conservative in next election
The Liberals took Canada’s ethnic minorities’ support “for granted” for nearly 13 years while in government, but based on the Conservatives’ first five months in power ethnics are now willing to give the Tories a chance, says a former B.C. Liberal Cabinet minister who’s considering running as a Conservative in the next election. “At this […]
Liberals want to hear from Amb. Wilson on Softwood
Canadian ambassador to the United States must appear before the Commons International Trade Committee to explain why the governing Conservatives went ahead with a deal on the contentious softwood lumber dispute “that is disastrous for the Canadian softwood industry and its workers,” say Liberal MPs on the House International Trade Committee. “Canadian Ambassador Michael Wilson, […]
Liberal MPs to release ‘Pink Book’ at Grits’ retreat in Vancouver
Liberal MP Belinda Stronach, who led a Liberal Women’s Caucus last week in her Newmarket-Aurora, Ont., riding, said Grit women will come out with a so-called “Pink Book,” at next month’s national caucus meeting in Vancouver, B.C. Ms. Stronach told The Hill Times that the book will contain key policy platforms including those on the […]
Pity there’s not more humour in all government records, eh?
There’s only been rare instances of unintended humour in all those government replies to access requests I have filed over the decades. The gags usually have to do-sadly-more with suppressing government data which usually makes you fume more than chuckle. But just recently, there it was, on page 414, tucked away among the largely exempted […]
A Canadian passport is a Canadian passport, Mr. Turner
Mr. Turner, what were you thinking? According to Tim Naumetz’ frontpage story in The Ottawa Citizen last week, Conservative MP Garth Turner, who represents Halton, Ont., said Canadians with two passports are not “accidental tourists” and that taxpayers might question the costs. Mr. Turner told the newspaper that he sympathizes with constituents who questioned the […]
Harper catches Liberals off-guard, Grits could lose substantial Jewish vote in next general election
TORONTO-The situation in the Middle East is too complicated, dangerous and important to be a footnote in a column on Canadian politics. Furthermore, it’s a blatant waste of time to engage in a debate here in Canada over the interpretation of the word “measured,” used by Prime Minister Stephen Harper while the real issue is […]
Karygiannis quits as Volpe’s national campaign manager
Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis (Scarborough-Agincourt, Ont.), campaign manager for Liberal leadership contestant Joe Volpe (Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.), resigned from Mr. Volpe’s campaign Friday. The Canadian Press reported on Friday that the two had split over the Middle East crisis. Mr. Volpe has been a supporter of Israel’s right to self-defence and its recent air strikes against […]
Kirby wants another open debate on public health, but why?
Liberal Senator Michael Kirby wants another “open” debate on the sustainability of public health care in Canada (The Hill Times, July 17). But after the 2002 Kirby report, the subsequent Romanow report, numerous federal-provincial health summits, the Canadian Medical Association’s various position papers, and relentless attacks on public health care from right-wing think tanks, do […]
