Bill C-24 to bring ‘more substantive changes to party system than ever contemplated’: LeDrew
The new Campaign and Financing Bill will drive donations underground, will do nothing but breed cynicism and “will bring about more substantive changes to the party system than anyone ever contemplated,”says the former president of the federal Liberal Party of Canada, who also once called the legislation as “dumb as a bag of hammers.” Stephen […]
Lobbyists and contingency fees: is the ban naive, over simplistic and just plain dumb? Many lobbyists and lobby experts say it’s so
Some lobbyists and experts say the ban on lobbyists receiving contingency fees for work on government contracts forces the whole issue underground. The controversy over contingency fees allegedly received by former Public Works Minister David Dingwall during his post-Parliamentary career as a lobbyist continued to consume the Commons last week, both in Question Period and […]
A look at one newspaper’s scoop on upcoming Gomery Report
The Star said Gomery’s report will show ‘the Quebec sponsorship scheme was a narrowly-held secret with broadly dangerous implications for government integrity’ ain’t news. Tell us something we didn’t know already. “G (superscript omery targets Chre) tien team,”was The Toronto Star headline in a story last week. Wow, that was a scoop! And there was […]
What’s wrong with this picture? [political and public policy media coverage]
Some of the country’s top journalists and a few senior mandarins weigh in on the trouble with Canada’s national political and public policy coverage. It ain’t pretty. Canada’s political journalism is dutiful and responsible, not marked by hysteria and excess that characterize a lot of journalism elsewhere, but our country has nothing “remotely comparable with […]
Recent government appointments
Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada Irwin Cotler made appointments on Oct. 11 to the Advisory Committee that, as part of the new Supreme Court of Canada appointments process, will assess candidates to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice John C. Major, effective Dec. 25, 2005.The Advisory Committee includes a Member […]
Some journalists treat the Gomery Report like a game of tag
The public is sick of the Adscam, even if some journalists are oblivious to the shame. Did nothing profound come out of Adscam? Poets think deep thoughts, so I asked the Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Pauline Michel, if she planned to compose any verse about the sponsorship scandal. No, she replied. She was overwhelmed with requests, […]
LETTERS
Libs hurt Canada’s credibility Re: “The thin line that separates public policy and politics,” (The Hill Times, Oct. 10). I was disappointed to read the column by James Travers questioning the Liberal government’s motives for increased immigration and better trade relations with India. It seems that Paul Martin and his Cabinet never see a policy […]
The Legislative Week Ahead: Ethics Czar to appear before House Affairs Committee
Parliament will discuss two “take note” debates this week, one on the impact on Canada of the United States western hemisphere travel initiative to be held on Monday, Oct. 24, and another on softwood lumber on Oct. 25. The rest of the week, debate takes place on the following bills: *Third reading of Bill C-37, […]
How to reform the CRTC appeal process and then some
Furious lobbying is underway to have the decision overturned or upheld in the battle for Cabinet to uphold the regulator’s decision on Voice over Internet Protocol. It seems the appeals to Cabinet are getting more frantic as the stakes get higher. “The CRTC got it right on VoIP”screams the latest full page ad in the […]
Senate Internal Economy looks into Liberal Sen. Lavigne’s tree-cutting Hill staffer: Former U.S. president Clinton cancels his Ottawa visit
The Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has struck a three-member special committee to investigate whether Quebec Liberal Sen. Raymond Lavigne broke the Senate’s rules by allowing his staffer to cut down trees on his neighbour’s property in West Quebec. The matter came to a head in July after Sen. Lavigne’s Wakefield, […]
