MPs flock to freebie trips to Taiwan [Includes list of third-party trips from January 1997 – May 1998]
Nothin’ like a free lunch…Taiwan was the most popular destination for MPs this session. According to the MPs Travel Registry kept by the House of Commons, 20 MPs have registered for 22 trips which are paid for by third parties in the first session of the 36th Parliament. Fourteen of these excursions were to Taiwan, […]
Liberal backbenchers prepare to run for leadership [of regional caucus chairs]
Vote for me…With the House back, government backbenchers will step up their lobbying efforts for the regional caucus chairs this week. Votes are expected to be held before the House rises for the Thanksgiving break in the second week of October. National caucus chairman Joe Fontana said he wants to take a crack at a […]
Question period: should prime minister Jean Chretien have to appear before the commission investigating the actions of the RCMP at last fall’s APEC summit?
Absolutely. Hes got to be held accountable for the action, for the incident at the APEC conference. There is too much evidence of political interference in this matter for him to not be held accountable. This is a very serious development, the thought of our prime minister and our federal government being involved in the […]
Some lobbyists want more scrutiny of public officials, from deputy ministers to political advisers [Lobbyists Registration Act looks at lobbyists, not the lobbied]
For 10 years, federal lobbyists have been required to register their activities under the Lobbyists Registration Act. But after nearly a decade in place, there hasn’t been a single case of a lobbyist being found in violation of the act, and only a handful of investigations have been conducted. Is the absence of any actionable […]
Down under, Australian Parliament follows US reforms, leaves Canada trailing
He’s been billed as yesterday’s man, someone desperately trying to catch up with the end of the 20th century while aspiring to lead this country into the twenty-first. He’s gambling that voters will support his stand on the GST to keep his Liberal Party in power. He’s fighting against an upstart, right-wing political party, whose”grassroots” […]
Six Health Canada scientists say pushed to approve unsafe drug [Health Protection Branch hearings begin]
When six Health Canada scientists told Hill media last week that their department has hidden evidence about the dangers of a genetically engineered hormone that boosts milk production in cows, some high-profile political critics used the opportunity to highlight the fact that the current consultations on the”transition” of the department are nothing short of a […]
Stockwell Day favorite son to lead united alternative
With all the talk of a”united alternative” — the proposed amalgamation of conservative-minded supporters under one roof, as initiated by the Reform Party’s membership convention last May — there has been a lot of speculation on who might be the ideal candidate poised to lead this initiative and defeat the Liberals in the next federal […]
Why Ramsay hired Bodnar: former Liberal MP Morris Bodnar considered one of best Saskatchewan defence lawyers [Pelican Narrows Indian Reserve case]
When Reform Party MP Jack Ramsay was charged with sexual assault and attempted sexual assault earlier this month, he hired one of the best defence lawyers in Saskatchewan, former Liberal MP and political rival Morris Bodnar, to come to his rescue. On Aug. 27, the day before being charged, Mr. Ramsay (Crowfoot, Alta.), 61, his […]
Robinson pushes Axworthy on APEC [House foreign affairs committee]
A veteran NDP human rights protester plans to push the House to investigate the PMO’s controversial role in the RCMP manhandling of protesters at last year’s APEC meeting in British Columbia. NDP MP Svend Robinson (Burnaby-Douglas, B.C.), who has made it a habit of putting the government on the spot on human rights issues, challenging […]
Premier Bouchard still in precarious position [after the summer]
Election rumors circulating in the capital of Quebec these days must certainly be attached to a bungy cord. They bounce all over the place and they feel like they can be stretched any which way. One day, depending on what signs you chose to take seriously, all indications are that an election call will be […]
