Unease over a fifth consecutive Liberal mandate versus fear of a Conservative government: it’s a zero sum game
Unease over a fifth consecutive Liberal mandate versus fear of a Conservative government: That is the negative option set to be at the root of the coming election campaign. Whoever solves it – Stephen Harper or Paul Martin – to his advantage will likely emerge as the country’s next Prime Minister. Except that it is […]
Our governments in the war on terror have lost their moral compass, says Sampson
Canadian and British citizen William Sampson spent 963 days in a Saudi Arabian prison. He was tortured, gang raped and brutalized. His new book is his effort to speak up for the hundreds, if not thousands imprisoned and tortured around the world. William Sampson strides up the lobby steps of the trendy, minimalist Arc Hotel […]
Mudslinging, attack campaign on the way
If the recent fiery exchanges in the House are any indication, Canadians are on the verge of witnessing a nasty election campaign filled with mudslinging attacks from all sides, federal Liberals warned last week. “I think some of the debates in Parliament have been personal and I think that’s a loss for us, as Parliamentarians,” […]
Fry’s advice: Beware of spin
Jennifer Fry, a seasoned Parliamentary reporter for CBC Radio’s popular Saturday morning program The House, is definitely in the right business. She’s a people person and she likes people a hell of a lot. That’s a good thing because she talks to a lot of people in a day covering federal politics in Ottawa. Born […]
A look at advertising budgets for Liberal, Conservative and New Democratic parties in last election
Liberal Party of Canada Communications director Steve MacKinnon Advertising firm: Red Leaf Consortium, comprised of “roughly the same” firms as during the 2004 election, headed up by Bensimon-Byrne, creator of the “I am Canadian” Molson ads, and a separate “consortium of consortiums” in Quebec. 2004 advertising budget: $7.57-million for radio and TV advertising; $2.58-million for […]
Trueman joins Cotler’s office as director of communications: And former director of comm. Denise Rudnicki leaves Cotler’s office for MJ at Carleton U.
Irwin Cotler,Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada, has hired a new spinmeister for his ministerial political office. Anne Trueman, former deputy managing editor of The Ottawa Citizen, is starting her new job as director of communications to Minister Cotler (Mount Royal, Que.) this week and has succeeded Denise Rudnicki who left her job on […]
Feds balanced their books on backs of civil servants: unions: Litigation trial begins on $30-billion lawsuit over pension surpluses in Ontario court
It’s a case that touches the lives of 1.2 million Canadians. Some 670,000 employees of the federal government and their families. What’s at stake is a $30-billion surplus in their pension fund that could take more than 20 years to resolve. “It’s a question of justice,”said Nycole Turmel, president of the Public Service Alliance of […]
Liberals sell their policies to web surfers on the Net: Finance Minister taking money with one hand and returning taxes with the other
TORONTO – The Liberal secret weapon for the fight against patronage and corruption is the internet. Whenever you ask them about a controversial contract or a wild expense, the template for the answer, lately, is all the same: Everything is above board. There is no secret about it. We follow the rules and – here […]
House Affairs blasts Federal Ethics Commissioner Office
The House Affairs Committee blasted the Office of the Federal Ethics Commissioner last week for lax handling of Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai’s case in which he was accused of allegedly accepting $40,000 to fast-track immigration paperwork for a relative. The House Affairs Committee, headed by government backbencher Don Boudria , found that it is essential […]
House drama heats up as Liberals push for recorded roll call votes
The federal Liberals will undermine their own legislation if they force opposition parties to accept a recorded vote on four priority bills, says FCM. The federal Liberals will undermine their own legislation if they force opposition parties to accept a recorded vote on four pieces of priority legislation that all parties agreed to fast-track through […]
