Wiseguys’ take on: RCMP investigation and web bloggers: Political bloggers have had a pronounced impact on this election campaign 2005-2006, full stop
Income Trusts Powers: The Christmas break turned hectic when the RCMP announced it was launching a criminal investigation into the income trusts announcement. In law you are innocent until proven guilty. In politics you have a requirement to act responsibly when the activities of your organization are called into question and the subject of a […]
Expect more of the same in politics: C.D. Howe Institute
Canada’s political future will consist of more of the same embattled minority governments, concerns over national unity and further deterioration of Canada-U.S. relations, says C.D. Howe Institute president and CEO Jack Mintz. In a prediction of Canada’s state of affairs in 2006 for Canadian Business magazine, Mr. Mintz said that the election outcome will result […]
Election predictions: Most say Conservatives to win on Jan. 23: ‘The Cons are going to win if they can keep their message on track and not spook Ontario with the prospect of a Harper administration’: Don Martin
Don Martin, columnist the National Post and the Calgary Herald: DEC. 5: “Early campaign glitches notwithstanding and the fact that media are already ready to mutiny against Harper’s handlers, my fearless prediction is the Cons win more seats than the Libs. Whether they form a minority government or lose to a Lib-NDP coalition is another […]
Grits want a policy platform, angry about national campaign
If the Conservatives are still at five or six points ahead this week, the Liberals will ‘pull out all the stops,’ it will be more than damage control. Liberal Leader Paul Martin should be taken out of his “bubble,” he should be attending rallies to energize party members across the country and many Liberals are […]
Candidates should push for less secrecy over safety in the skies
With transparency and accountability being an election issue, travelling federal candidates should take a look at what is a longstanding culture of secrecy that’s threatening accountability for airline safety. As a long-time consumer advocate, I’m concerned with the direction Transport Canada is taking. The department is creating a new “safety management system”(SMS) that puts commercial […]
Lapierre’s ministerial staffer Morin campaigning in Eastern Ontario ridings for Liberal federal candidates
Meanwhile, current and former Liberal Hill staffers organize reunion next month at Suite 34 in Ottawa’s Byward Market. There are hundreds of Hill staffers in all parties who are out working on the election campaign. Add one more to the list. Emmanuel Morin, special assistant for Ontario to Transport Minister Jean Lapierre, Prime Minister Paul […]
Debate format disappointing
Some journalists and candidates are still fuming about the format of the two December debates, but there won’t be very much changes in the two rounds of sparring scheduled for this week. “I’m well aware that it wasn’t as exciting as some journalists wanted it to be but that’s not what it’s intent was,” said […]
Leaders’ debates need transparent and accountable rules
Given their importance, setting the televised debates’ rules should not be left to the ratings-obsessed networks and the political parties who have the most at stake. In 1992, U.S. presidential candidate Ross Perot came out as the surprise winner of the televised presidential debate. Previously dismissed as an eccentric by most observers, Perot’s performance in […]
The Spin Doctors: “Who won Thursday night’s televised debate and how important will the debates be in January in this campaign?”
Leslie Swartman Liberal Strategist “I think there were two winners. First, I believe that Paul Martin came out ahead, both in terms of substance and expectations. As Paul Wells (who is certainly no fan of the Prime Minister) noted, it’s harder to do the job of Prime Minister than to seek it. So despite the […]
LETTERS
Election campaign polling makes mockery of democratic process Re: “Pollsters warning: political environment ‘very volatile’”(The Hill Times, Dec. 12). Pollsters who ask citizens to divulge their voting preferences are wandering into the sacred territory of the secret ballot. Given that polls do influence the voting choices many citizens make, I believe that pollsters should be […]
