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, […]
Cleaner cars aren’t made enough, and aren’t made in Canada
Voluntary commitments just don’t work and if the industry says it can meet the Kyoto targets, we should get it in writing. Canadians know that driving vehicles that burn less gas is an important way to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, helping people save money and clean the air. Yet these cleaner cars aren’t made […]
Conservative MPs outworking Liberals on national automotive strategy, says Tory Auto Caucus Chair Carrie
Industry Minister David Emerson has been promising an auto strategy for more than one year. So the Conservatives decided to start working on their own. The impact of the automotive industry on the national economy is staggering.The sector contributes over $7.5-billion in total value-added GDP and no less than seven jobs are created for every […]
Ipsos-Reid probes Canadians on foreign affairs, Canada-U.S.
Canadians want their federal government to have an independent foreign policy even if it means a less than perfect relationship with their neighbour to the south, according to a new poll. The poll which was commissioned by the University of Ottawa, conducted by Ipsos- Reid and released on Oct. 11 also showed that 83 per […]
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 […]
