Harper’s proposed lobby reforms ‘like killing a fly with a hammer’
Many lobbyists say the five-year “cooling off” period for ministers and Hill staffers is overkill and that the proposals to curb the “revolving door” between government and the private sector may, in fact, wind up hurting both. Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper’s proposed reforms to lobby laws are like “killing a fly with a hammer,” […]
Gomery’s second report no panacea: whoever wins election will have rubbery flexibility to implement recommendations
Hey, does anyone here remember a judge named Gomery? No, apparently not.Two weeks ago, his first report on the Liberal theft of taxpayers’ money was the talk of this town. Now his second one, the one fixing failures that began with patronage and ended in corruption, is at risk of being blown away by the […]
Minority government no longer a pit stop in Canadian politics
The end result of the federal Liberal feud has amputated the Liberals’ leg in Quebec and has put the Conservatives and the Liberals on the same electoral footing in the province. TORONTO – In 1988, Canada was hosting the G7 Summit in Toronto. The prime minister was Brian Mulroney. A few days before the arrival […]
Gomery Report sells 1,269 copies in one week
Have you read Gomery…It might never become a best-seller, but the Gomery report’s sales have already broken through the four-digit barrier. At the end of last week, the Public Works Department was reporting 1,269 copies of Justice John Gomery’s report on the federal sponsorship program sold.The full version of the report makes up nearly two-thirds […]
No nation in history has benefited more than Canada from its relationship with the U.S.
By persistently working at cross purposes to U.S. objectives, Ottawa appears willing to transform the bilateral relationship into one of guarded hostility. Is this really in Canada’s interest? WASHINGTON, D.C. – During the past several weeks, Ambassador Frank McKenna and Prime Minister Paul Martin amused themselves at U.S. expense. In speeches, respectively, in Toronto and […]
The Wiseguys’ 10 things to say when campaigning this winter, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more
Powers: 10.”It is (insert person’s name) fault we are having this damn election now,” – never wanting to be blamed for trudging about in the snow and perhaps during the holidays all leaders will try to avoid wearing the call. Truth is, whenever it is called the issue is the Liberals have lost the confidence […]
LETTERS
Parrish did not transfer money to ‘unspecified Liberal candidate’ Iwas surprised to read, in last week’s issue of The Hill Times, that I “transferred $10,000 to an unspecified Liberal candidate,” (“Conservatives out-fundraise governing Liberals, again,” Nov. 7). That is patently incorrect. An election rebate cheque from my 2004 campaign was sent to the Liberal Party […]
Aboriginals fear they were shut out of Supreme Court, push as selection committee winds up hearings this week
Justice Minister Irwin Cotler has excluded aboriginal candidates from his short list for an upcoming nomination at the Supreme Court of Canada, members of the Indigenous Bar Association alleged last week. “What it means is a significant loss of opportunity,”said IBA president Jeffery Hewitt.”To be clear. We’re not seeking a quota, but in terms of […]
Quebec Liberals divided, but no civil war, say Quebec Grit MPs
Andre Harvey quit the Liberal Party six months ago, but the former Liberal MP, who once sat as a Conservative MP, is running under the Liberal banner in the next election. Despite insults and attacks flying back and forth, the feuding factions of the federal Liberals are not on the verge of a civil war, […]
Of hurricanes, climate change, politics and public opinion
Politicians like policies and programs that no one can find offensive. Tackling climate change, avoiding the kind of abrupt and devastating impacts increasingly in forecasts, will require much more than we have yet imagined. These days, it is hard to tell CNN from the Weather Channel. Wolf Blitzer has traded being imbedded in Iraq to […]
