Amb. Frank McKenna does Fox News, again
Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S. Frank McKenna is specifically targeting the conservative Fox News for a reason. The U.S. Fox News is one of the most-watched news networks in political circles on Capitol Hill which is why Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S. Frank McKenna is using it to get Canada’s message out whenever needed, says […]
PARLIAMENTARY CALENDAR: Minister Brison to speak to Toronto Board of Trade: Deputy PM McLellan attends police and peace officers’ memorial, House returns next week
MONDAY, SEPT. 19 Newsmaker Breakfast-Afghan Ambassador Omar Samad speaks at the National Press Club the day after the historical Parliamentary elections in Afghanistan. 7:45 a.m. Members: $10. Others: $22. For more information or to reserve tickets, please call 613-233-5641. Air India book launch-Veteran reporter Kim Bolan will be in Ottawa to promote her new book […]
MPs to raise funds for Hurricane Katrina victims at Hill BBQ
When’s the last time you saw a gigantic barbecue party held on the front lawn of Parliament Hill? You will next week because with the cooperation of all the political parties’ caucus chairs, national Liberal caucus chair Andy Savoy is organizing a massive barbecue luncheon on the Hill to raise funds for the victims of […]
Ministerial accountability system doesn’t need change: ‘It’s quite a simple concept, you’re always accountable to your boss’: former DM Kroeger
There’s nothing wrong with the ministerial accountability system already in place, says former DM Arthur Kroeger. People in authority just have to take action and use their authority to correct wrongdoing. Arthur Kroeger,a longtime and wellregarded former federal deputy minister, says he hopes Justice John Gomery’s final report, which will recommend changes to improve government […]
Harper hires new staffers for OLO and party office: Wes Clarke, OLO communications officer for Atlantic Canada, latest to leave last Wednesday
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who has been busy shaking things up and restructuring the Office of the Leader of Official Opposition in Ottawa this summer in preparation of the new House session and the next election, made more significant staff changes last week. Mr. Harper appointed Ian Brodie as his new chief of staff; William […]
China to mark anniversary of diplomatic relations with Canada next month, but media should hold the misleading hype
Journalists are never to take anything at face value. It is their best quality. They live by the elemental rule of media once summed up in a copywriter’s slogan: “You must mind the ancient law and never write what you ain’t saw.” Next month marks the anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Communist China. […]
What if Powers and Kinsella wrote the next Throne Speech?
Remember that this is a minority Parliament and that doesn’t mean voters have been happy about what goes on here. Mr. Powers: Honourable Mucky Mucks and fellow Canadians: I am your new hip Governor General, the one who Prime Minister Paul Martin picked to make him seem with it. Prime Minister, please stop flailing your […]
Sen. LeBreton ill-informed
Re: “Tory Sen. LeBreton hopes lockout lasts until next election campaign,” (The Hill Times, Sept. 12). As a CBC journalist, I often find myself explaining to the public, both on and off the air, the reasons we have a bi-cameral system and why the Senate’s role is an important one in our democracy. Often, to […]
Flawed Access to Information Act is the real story, people
While everyone focuses on the Prime Ministerial-driven and largely irrelevant issue of whether the offices of the access and privacy commissioners will be merged, the much more important discussion of needed reforms to ensure the access law is loopholefree and effectively enforced, has been pushed to the background. Unfortunately, the designed-to-distract distraction concerning the federal […]
Martin’s administration will struggle as long as it waffles
Behind Cabinet doors, action deferred is the next best thing to doing nothing at all. What if the most contentious problems of the day were as connected as the knee and thighbone? Well, lift the lid on the politicians’ Pandora’s box and have a peek. Counterintuitive as it seems, the federal government’s decision to make […]
