So far, PM Harper government keeps the faith on his party’s promises to immigrants and ethnic minorities
When it comes to the promises in the Conservative platform that address immigrants and ethnic minorities, so far the Harper government is keeping the faith. On May 1, the Prime Minister announced there would be an Air India judicial inquiry after all, satisfying the continued wish of the families of survivors. This comes after the […]
How do you get decorum in the House? Bring in a new Code of Parliamentary Decorum and end heckling, period
It’s a new Parliament, with new and re-elected members. There’s a new mood for ethics, integrity and respect. But how different will the House really be? If Parliamentarians want to change their image and, more importantly, change how Canadians regard Parliament, a great deal will be achieved if they improve the decorum in the House […]
Premiers want a national strategy to avert future skills crisis
The provinces came to town and the upshot was that (a) they agreed that Canada is facing a national skills crisis and that (b) we need a national strategy for post-secondary education and skills development. Just to be clear, they are not rushing to give up provincial jurisdiction to the federal government in education and […]
Will Prime Minister Harper make inroads with minorities?
The ethnic vote is the bedrock of the Liberal Party and proved to be so in the recent election, although it showed signs of slipping away this time. Count on the Conservative government using its governing opportunity to firm up the inroads they have begun to make. If there was one message that repeatedly came […]
Promises needed on Parliamentary decorum
Here’s an issue that has barely raised its head in this campaign: Parliamentary decorum–good behaviour in the House. It was touched on in the leaders’ debate, but with no specifics and without any real discussion. Wouldn’t it be nice if parties could sign on to a “new code of Parliamentary behaviour”: a simple three-step code […]
Liberals can lead in the ethnic vote if they choose
The only poll on the ethnic vote so far in this election revealed that the Liberals were losing their allure among minorities, although they still remained well in the lead. The poll was conducted by The Strategic Counsel for The Globe and Mail and CTV late last month. As immigrant communities settle in and as […]
Liberals decry own government’s lack of progress on boosting visible minorities in the federal government
“It was a shocker when I got here,” said rookie Conservative MP Michael Chong, first elected in 2004. “After several years on Bay Street, where you see visible minorities at all levels, I was shocked to see their absence in the House of Commons staff and in the public service.” He also said he could […]
How to reform the CRTC appeal process and then some
“The CRTC got it right on VoIP” screams the latest full page ad in the battle for the federal Cabinet to uphold the regulator’s decision on Voice over Internet Protocol. And furious lobbying is underway to have the decision overturned or upheld. It seems the appeals to Cabinet are getting more frantic as the stakes […]
The Prime Minister did good
Michaëlle Jean’s selection for the post of Governor General was greeted with surprise, but reasonably good press back in early August. And then her separatist friends struck and struck hard. As she was taught, there is a tradition for the GG (or GG designates) not to enter the fray, even when they are the subject […]
New GG reflects the new Canada
The upside of the controversy over Michaëlle Jean’s federalist or sovereigntist leanings was that it placed her squarely in the mainstream of Quebec discourse: Are you now, or have you ever been a sovereigntist? Hard line sovereigntists who had taken Jean and her cineaste husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, to be two of their bright lights tried […]
