Theberge to leave Hill next month to join private sector: Deputy Government House Leader Mauril Belanger hires five new political staffers
After serving for nine years on Parliament Hill, Sebastien Theberge, director of communications to Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew, is leaving the Hill to first take some time off and then to join the private sector. “It’s time to move on and I look forward to a long break and eventually end up in the […]
Hike in mileage allowance to be reconsidered at House Board of Internal Economy
All four political parties in the House are against hiking travel allowances paid to MPs and public servants for using their own cars for business and Deputy Government House Leader Mauril Belanger said he will put forward a motion at the next Commons Board of Internal Economy meeting to overturn the increase from 46 cents […]
Belanger hosts gathering for Liberal MPs, candidates in Eastern Ontario at his house
Deputy Government Leader Mauril Belanger (Ottawa-Vanier, Ont.) who also is the Minister Responsible for Eastern Ontario hosted an “informal wine and cheese reception”for Liberal incumbents MPs, candidates and organizers in Eastern Ontario at his house in Ottawa on Sept. 25. Besides the candidates, organizers and incumbent Liberal MPs, Prime Minister Paul Martin (LaSalle- Emard, Que.) […]
Union was outmanoeuvered
Re: “House is back, but Newman and Lessard won’t be on the air,”(The Hill Times, Sept. 26).The union voted overwhelmingly, 87.3 per cent, in support of strike action on July 19. A work stoppage was clearly inevitable. Management simply outmanoeuvered the union on timing. This is our sacred collective bargaining system, working as designed! Pav […]
Progressive candidate’s pitch
Critics charge that Progressive Conservative MLA John Loewen is being opportunistic by jumping from the Conservatives to the Liberals. The truth is no one can say for certain whether his defection, which does entail considerable risk, is due to his conscience, opportunism, or a bit of both. What can be said for certain is that […]
Gazette’s Thompson inspired by intrepid reporter Nellie Bly
Montreal Gazette Parliament Hill reporter Elizabeth Thompson was struck by the bug to be a reporter when she was in Grade 5. She had just finished reading the biography of Elizabeth Jane Cochrane, better known by her pen name Nellie Bly, an intrepid U.S. investigative journalist at The New York World. Bly was best-known for […]
Politicians need to rise above the crowd, have some convictions
There has been a lot written recently about voter apathy and low voter turnout. The search is on to find ways to encourage people especially the youth, to vote. Politicians are people, and have all the faults that are associated with being less than perfect.Today’s politicians are more often portrayed as self-absorbed, singleissue vote-seeking, donor-appeasing […]
Michaelle Jean will turn out to be hard to dislike or to dismiss
Until the very last minute, Liberal strategists had feared that the installation of Michaelle Jean as governor general would add fuel to the recent fire over her political allegiances. They need not have worried. Until the very last minute, Liberal strategists had feared that the installation of Michaelle Jean as governor general would add fuel […]
Layton says while Conservatives talk election, the NDP is talking programs and McGuinty is talking about more money
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper says the next election will depend on the NDP but Jack Layton is still dismissing the challenge. NDP Leader Jack Layton says he’s disappointed with the Liberals’ legislative agenda this fall and wants the government to work on concrete, urgent issues. “It looks like they came back from the holiday with […]
Liberals still talking about a fall election
Many federal Liberals want to go to the polls this fall rather than next spring because they think they can beat Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper. Contrary to public statements, many federal Liberals want to go to the polls this fall rather than next spring because they think they can beat Conservative Party Leader Stephen […]
