Because it’s that time of year, “War on
Christmas” silliness has begun, with Liberal and NDP MPs complaining that a
Service Canada office in Quebec forbade Christmas trees. Diane Finely insists
there was no such national directive, and then (at the end of the video) went
out to the Foyer to tell reporters that yes, she loves Christmas. Have no fear,
however – Finley has issued a new “directive” to let every employee celebrate
Christmas at the office! Isn’t that wonderful?
The NDP are calling on Peter MacKay to resign over his contradictory statements regarding his helicopter . Harper,
however, just shrugs and MacKay stays in his job.
Something that really isn’t being reported
in the Attawapiskat issue is that the chief is in a romantic relationship with
the Aboriginal Affairs bureaucrat who has been the co-manager of the reserve
for the past few years. But there’s no conflict of interest, they assert. I do
find it odd that they buried that fact near the bottom of the story even though
it should be relevant when discussing accountability for why the situation was
allowed to fester in this way.
All this talk about stacking appointments at the Immigration and Refugee Board makes Jason Kenney sad because they worked
so hard to clean up the "Liberal mess" there – and replace it with their own,
apparently.
Aaron Wherry offers his list of suggestions for fixing the House of Commons. Some of them are great. Others I think could
use some discussion, and there are a few I’m not in favour of, but it’s a good
starting point for some debate on the issue.
The first NDP leadership debate happens
this Sunday in Ottawa. I’m hoping we’ll see some fireworks, and not just nine
people on a stage telling Brother and Sister Moderator how much they agree with
one another about everything.
A Nova Scotia man was sentenced to 18
months in prison for sexual assault, after he poked holes in his girlfriend’s
condoms. The case was unprecedented, and his lack of remorse for his actions
were part of why the sentence was handed down.
And Australia’s Labour Party has voted to support equal marriage, even though Prime Minister Julia Gillard is against it.
Slowly but surely progress marches on.
