Yankee Doodle Dandy-style hearings to come?
Radwanski paves way for U.S.-style hearings… The spectre of former Privacy Commissioner George Radwanski having his private life torn apart in public may prove to be only the tip of the irony iceberg in this whole affair. For years, the Reform-turned-Canadian-Alliance have called for pre-appointment committee hearings to vet candidates for such positions as Supreme […]
Martin’s generals-in-waiting: who are they?
TORONTO–Now that Paul Martin has succeeded in his quest for the leadership of the Liberal Party, many in the media are still focusing on who will be part of the Martin government. Ministers, however, are not necessarily the real powerbrokers in the federal political structure. In fact, in many cases; they’re only the salespeople of […]
Chretien-Martin condominium
In his elegantly-written biography of Paul Martin, The Power Of Ambition, John Gray describes him and Jean Chretien as, “one of the most effective, if not the most effective, political combinations the country has ever seen.” [Graph Not Transcribed] That’s overdoing things a bit. But for John A. Macdonald and Georges-Etienne Cartier, there would have […]
The spin doctors: “Should Liberals be worried now that the Alliance and Tory House leaders are working on a joint strategy to take on the government in Parliament?”
“Should Liberals be worried now that the Alliance and Tory House leaders are working on a joint strategy to take on the government in Parliament?” Warren Kinsella Liberal Strategist “These guys couldn’t work together on a three-house paper route. Concerned? Yeah, you bet. Paul and Sheila are up nights, now, and they’ve got the worry […]
Whistleblowing protection not in the cards: Robillard
Though union leaders are gearing up to make their final pitch before Parliament tomorrow to amend the government’s Public Service Reform Bill with better whistleblowing protection, the person they really need to influence likely won’t be swayed. In an interview last Thursday, Treasury Board President Lucienne Robillard confirmed that she is not ready to accept […]
Public servants have ‘game’: why balanced reporting rarely emerges from large, lumbering bureaucracies
If you want to understand how organizations work, turn your gaze away from the foibles and quirks (or every inspired leadership) of the persons who lead them. Of course leadership can make a huge difference. But if you want to play the odds, i.e., make better predictions over a variety of different situations over a […]
Competition Bureau to look into automatic injunction provisions
While the battle rages in the committee room this fall, another federal agency will be also taking a closer look at the automatic injunction provisions. The Competition Bureau plans to undertake a preliminary inquiry into allegations of anti-competitive practices by patent drug companies, after receiving a complaint filed in May by a coalition of union […]
Public interest in things military will wane if Canadian defence fails to perform in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, D.C.–The first Canadian contingent of what ultimately will be an approximately 1,800-man force has departed for Afghanistan with the commitment of a year in country. [Graph Not Transcribed] It is an unloved, much criticized effort. There are strong reports that the military establishment did not want this commitment; instead it would have preferred to […]
I want a review of drug patent laws too: Masse
PARLIAMENT HILL–Over the last few months, there has been a lot of interest around what many perceive to be a pretty boring and tedious topic: patents. In particular, people are interested in the patent regulations that dictate the terms and conditions that brand-name pharmaceutical companies as well as generic companies operate within. [Graph Not Transcribed] […]
Notable quotes on Manley’s ill-fated Grit leadership campaign: ‘the Liberal Party needs renewal, renewal is much more than a change of leaders:’ John Manley
-“My intention was to run and my intention is still to run.” –Deputy Prime Minister John Manley, Feb. 20, 2003, The Ottawa Citizen. [Graph Not Transcribed] -“I don’t think [a coronation] would be good for the party, I don’t think it would be good for the country and I don’t think it would be good […]
