Tories have accomplished more than half of their election promises
The Conservative government has addressed or achieved more than half of its election campaign promises since taking power, according to an analysis by The Hill Times. In 234 promises in 58 different categories of their campaign platform, the Conservatives have delivered fully or partially on 135 items, a 57.6 per cent completion rate. “We’re extremely […]
Parties are playing political football with foreign policies powerful enough to redefine Canada’s international persona
It’s past time for federal politicians to stop playing home games with foreign policy. That’s as true for Afghanistan as it is for the Middle East. More violence is on the near horizon in those tough neighbourhoods. The Afghan mission now hangs between partial success and bloody failure while this summer’s inconclusive test of Mideast […]
The Spin Doctors
Mike Storeshaw Conservative Strategist “Conservatives take them all in a landslide. “Okay, maybe not. The Quebec political landscape is as competitive as it has been in decades, because Conservatives have made it that way. We are the only federalist party that understands and respects provincial jurisdiction, with a real commitment to restore fiscal balance. We […]
Former chief of staff to Ambrose joins Ottawa lobbying firm
Former chief of staff to Environment Minister Rona Ambrose has joined a lobbying firm in Ottawa as director of research. Daniel Bernier, who left Minister Ambrose’s (Edmonton-Spruce Grove, Alta.) ministerial staff abruptly in June, joined Summa Strategies last week. Since June, there has been no official explanation available for Mr. Bernier’s exit from the top […]
To the best of my knowledge, I’m not aware of any MP in the Liberal caucus who represents the riding of Lebanon South
The non-events of last week at the Liberal caucus retreat in Vancouver have confirmed what we knew since Jan. 23. Prime Minister Stephen Harper will lose his job only if he decides to quit after winning a Lotto 6/49 jackpot (and that’s an unlikely possibility), or if some hotheads in his caucus accumulate nostalgic feelings […]
How did CanWest get its scoop? By going on PM’s list
Any faint hope that the summer break might have cooled tensions between the press gallery and the Harper PMO was dashed after a hastily scheduled press conference on the softwood lumber agreement on Tuesday last week. After showing up at the appointed time and place-the House of Commons foyer, not the National Press Theatre, which […]
NDP policy convention Sept. 8 to 10 in Quebec City
MONDAY, AUG. 28 Parliamentary Delegation to South Africa-Speaker of the House Peter Milliken will lead MPs Jay Hill, Karen Redman, Yvon Godin and Michel Guimond on a Parliamentary Delegation to South Africa between Aug. 27 to Sept. 3. The delegates will meet with their counterparts Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria to discuss Parliamentary democracy and […]
Finally! A story that doesn’t matter: Why we hyped JonBenet
Don’t blame media for JonBenet Ramsey. It’s been a hot summer, and sometimes you have to cut the tension. Journalists, like coroners, meet people at their worst. They are paid to dissect the results of tragedy or failure, and it wears. That’s why old reporters walk with a stoop. Coroners have their limits, too. Norway […]
Harper says the Internet will help get out his message. But without the press gallery, can he grow his tent?
Last week, national reporters received a little reminder about what to expect in their relations with the Prime Minister in the coming session of Parliament. After Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) announced on the Hill last week that the softwood lumber deal would go forward as a confidence matter this fall, a swarm […]
Liberals are in disarray, but they are also in transition
Last week, the Liberal Party’s deputy foreign affairs critic, Borys Wrzesnewskyj, resigned from his position as critic over yet another divisive issue for the party. On a trip with a fact-finding Parliamentary delegation to Lebanon, Mr. Wrzesnewskyj apparently made a slip by telling a reporter that Canada should negotiate with Hezbollah, adding that Canada should […]
