The NDP convention has now passed, and things have not changed that much. The party deferred the decision to drop references in its constitution to “socialism” in favour of more modern language like “social democracy.” It also rejected a constitutional ban on future merger talks with the Liberals. Layton vowed that Quebec’s “honeymoon” with the NDP would not end anytime soon. However, in politics, four years is a very long time.
The Liberals also held their extraordinary convention by phone this weekend and ratified the decision to wait two years before holding another formal leadership process.
Susan Delacourt talks to Bob Rae about the new world order in the House of Commons and the aforementioned extraordinary tele-convention.
What’s that? An increase in double bunking of inmates is making federal penitentiaries more dangerous? You don’t say!
What’s that? Canada has spent a million dollars on a lobbyist to sell the Americans on the unproven and very expensive “carbon capture and storage” idea? You don’t say!
Maclean’s has a lengthy profile on Jack Layton's history.
There are questions as to why a senator was charged with fraud for misuse of Senate resources when MPs are able to simply pay back improperly claimed expenses without getting the police involved.
Senator Colin Kenny offers his defence of the Senate as it now stands. He says that it gives us what amounts to a permanent Royal Commission on a variety of issues at a fraction of the cost.
And Elizabeth May blogs about her second week in Parliament, covering the Libya debate and the mega-trials bill (which is apparently flawed in that there is no definition of what a mega-trial entails. Oops).
With no progress on the Canada Post strike, expect the procedural tactics and potential filibuster to begin today with respect to the government's back-to-work legislation.
