Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner to draw a crowd of 600
For the first time since 2000, the Bloc Quebecois MPs won’t be boycotting the event. This just in. It’s time to put on your monkey suits and your little black dresses, boys and girls. And this year’s Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner will be a night of firsts. For the first time in Parliamentary Press Gallery […]
MPs’ and former MPs’ individual expenses for 2004-2005
Top 10 Staff and Other Expenses 1. Tory John Reynolds (West Van.-Sun. Coast- Sea-Sky Country, B.C.) $269,357 2. Lib Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) $265,530 3. Lib Gerry Byrne (Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte, Nfld.) $264,306 4. Lib Larry Bagnell (Yukon) $263,011 5. BQ Marcel Gagnon (Saint Maurice-Champlain, Que.) $261,720 6. Tory Richard Harris (Cariboo-Prince George, B.C.) […]
Le Devoir’s Buzzetti ‘loves’ pressing Cabinet ministers
Helene Buzzetti, Parliamentary reporter for Le Devoir, the Frenchlanguage newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and across Canada, says she considers herself an idealist, is a strong believer in the democratic process and is non-partisan, which she believes are just some keys to success as a political reporter on the Hill. Originally from […]
Floor-crossers and flip-floppers
Not many MPs like to be called floorcrossers or flip-floppers. NDP MP Peter Stoffer, who has been trying, unsuccessfully, since 1999 to legislate against MPs who cross the floor, wants to force a floor-crosser to sit as an Independent until the next general election, or force the MP to resign his or her seat, run […]
Opposition parties press government to release audit on TPC contingency fees
NDP MP Ed Broadbent says the apparent disconnect between the LRA and the Treasury Board guidelines on contingency fees is ‘totally illogically absurd and morally offensive.’ Former Mint president David Dingwall may have left public life, but the controversy over contingency payments for lobbyists is far from over and could stretch far beyond the current […]
Critics say there’s a disconnect on government’s international aid
Plenty of critics and talk radio shows lined up to criticize the government’s initial reaction to the Pakistan earthquake last week, but more defended Canada’s response. The federal government fumbled the ball once again in its initial financial response to the Oct. 8 devastating earthquake in Pakistan that killed more than 30,000 and reacted similarly […]
Ross responds to Yaffe
Barbara Yaffe’s letter “Disagree with ‘puff piece’ on new Grit Sen. Campbell,” (The Hill Times, Oct. 10) contends that my column on Liberal Senator Larry Campbell was a “puff piece”because she claims that former Vancouver mayor Campbell “couldn’t even find time to meet with my community group.”What Ms.Yaffe fails to mention is that her community […]
PARLIAMENTARY CALENDAR: Maria Barrados to talk about human resources restructuring on Oct. 20
MONDAY, OCT. 17 The House-The House returns from its break. Newsmaker Luncheon-Auditor General of the Asian Development Bank Peter E. Pederson will speak about the impact of corruption in Asia and the Pacific and initiatives being used to curtail it. 12 p.m. at the National Press Club Dining Room. Members $20, nonmembers $25. For more […]
Industry Canada corporate funding branch to attract lobbyists has not been fixed, despite the spin cycle
The bad habits of the decade-old multi-billion dollar TPC began in 1996 are now claimed to be all in the past. But as a watchdog on all things TPC, I doubt it. The bad habits of the decade-old multibillion dollar Technical Partnerships Canada (TPC) began in 1996 are now claimed to be all in the […]
This town is getting really weird
The waiting game… Everyone has his theory about how and when the next federal election will come about, but if it comes earlier than later – as in the next month – it seems pretty clear to me that Prime Minister Paul Martin will have to call it himself. My Conservative friends tell me they […]
