Lobbyists bracing for the worst in Gomery Inquiry Part II: Some seasoned lobbyists say they’re concerned about amendments to the Lobbyists Registration Act
Many lobbyists in Ottawa are bracing for the worst after seeing Justice John Gomery’s first report on the federal sponsorship program. For some, the hundreds of pages of findings offer an unsettling preview of what Mr. Gomery’s recommendations will be in February to ensure a spectacular scandal of the same magnitude never happens again. “My […]
MPs bitterly fighting over franking privileges, House-funded partisan pamphlets
There were a lot of long faces in the opposition benches where the Bloc Quebecois MPs sat last week, former Cabinet minister Denis Coderre told The Hill Times. “These are people who are nervous,”said Mr. Coderre (Bourassa, Que.), who raised a question of privilege over mail-outs that Bloc MPs are sending to their constituents, linking […]
Sheila Copps scrums, Transport Minister Lapierre attacks her
Former heritage minister Sheila Copps raised some eyebrows on the Hill this week as she weighed into a scrum with Transport Minister Jean Lapierre (Outremont, Que.). The newly-minted columnist for the Sun media chain repeatedly asked the Prime Minister’s Quebec lieutenant where the Liberal Party got the money it’s using to repay the $1.14 million […]
John Gomery Commission denies leaks to The Globe and Mail
Justice John Gomery’s first report on the sponsorship scandal was not leaked to the media before its official release on Nov. 1, said Gomery spokesperson Francois Perreault. Despite reports in The Globe and Mail, and other newspapers in the days leading up to ‘G-Day,’Mr. Perreault said none of the reporters were getting their leaks from […]
Conservatives, NDP and Bloc Quebecois parties considering their options in election chicken game in national politics
Federal opposition parties still have not decided what they will do with their opposition days next week. Conservative House Leader Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) said the party will decide only a few days before Nov. 15, the Conservatives’ first opposition day and their first opportunity to introduce a non-confidence motion.”I talked about it […]
Gomery Report, Who’s Responsible: some briefs
“The report that follows chronicles a depressing story of multiple failures to plan a government program appropriately and to control waste – a story of greed, venality and misconduct both in government and advertising and communications agencies, all of which contributed to the loss and misuse of huge amounts of money at the expense of […]
MP Angus says Kashechewan is ‘Paul Martin’s New Orleans’
NDP MP Charlie Angus says he didn’t get into federal politics to be comfy and play the game. But the rookie MP sure played the game when he shook things up recently. The Kashechewan reserve is “Prime Minister Paul Martin’s New Orleans,”says NDP MP Charlie Angus, the MP who helped force the issue of deplorable […]
Busy day at the Press Theatre
When John Gomery released his blockbuster report at 10 a.m. on Nov. 1 in Ottawa, the House was debating the Energy Cost Assistance Measures Act, Bill C- 66. Outside the House, the political spin was in full tilt.”The report that follows chronicles a depressing story of multiple failures to plan a government program appropriately and […]
Gomery spins off in Quebec, a probe into Jean Charest’s Liberals
After record-breaking ratings, the Gomery Inquiry will soon have a sequel in Quebec. The province’s Chief Electoral Officer, Marcel Blanchet has launched an inquiry into allegations that Jean Charest’s provincial Liberal party received a $50,000 payment from Groupaction, sent through Groupe Everest prior to the 1998 Quebec election. Premier Jean Charest could be called to […]
Conservatives hope to get secret list of Liberal lobbyists: Rajotte
Industry Minister David Emerson could soon be forced to release a secret list of naughty Liberal lobbyists, the opposition Conservatives said last week. A motion adopted last week by the House Public Accounts Committee is calling on the government to turn over Industry Canada’s internal audit of the Technology Partnerships Canada program. “So far, the […]
