Sad news via CBC News: “Father Raymond Gravel, a well-known Catholic priest, an advocate for Quebec sovereignty and a social activist, has died. […] “He served one term as the Bloc Québécois MP for Repentigny, before he was ordered by church authorities to choose between his priesthood or politics and
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Alberta Diary: Blogosphere heaves sigh of relief: ‘Canada’s Worst MP’ Rob Anders is back, for now anyway
Rob Anders in his second most famous pose, the most famous with his eyes open, with 4.5-litre hat plus circa-.45 revolver. Mr. Anders is thought to be Canada’s Worst MP and hopes to keep it that way. Below: Bow River Conservative candidates Rolly Ashdown and Martin Shields. Rob Anders to
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Chopping Bloc
The good news for the Bloc is that there’s now a bit more elbow room in the back of the caucus car: Maria Mourani, Member of Parliament for the federal riding of Ahuntsic, has been kicked out of the Bloc Quebecois caucus over her opposition to the controversial “charter of
Continue readingIlluminated By Street Lamps: ANALYSIS: The Slow Decline of The Liberal Party of Canada
By Joe Fantauzzi @jjfantauzzi The electoral fortunes of the Liberal Party of Canada, once routinely referred to as Canada’s “Natural Governing Party”[1] have been in precipitous decline for nearly a decade. Currently the third party in the House of Commons, until relatively recently the Liberals held significant federal majority governments and
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Despite neocon flameout distraction, Redford Tory bumbling dominates Alberta news
Neocon Icarus Tom Flanagan (appropriately covered, thank goodness) at right, falls to earth after flying too close to the sun. Preston Manning hovers nearby. The flameout of actual neoconservative avatars may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Health Minister Fred Horne, Education Minister Jeff Johnson, and retired judge John Z.
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Whipped Votes, Floor Crossing, and the Perils of Party Discipline
In Ottawa’s latest uptick of political drama, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair called on MP Claude Patry to resign his seat Thursday, after the latter joined the Bloc Quebecois. Noting that Patry, while still a New Democrat, voted with the rest of the caucus last year to ban the practice of
Continue readingIlluminated By Street Lamps: On Prorogation: A Solution To Hand The Power Back To The People
By Joe Fantauzzi jjfantauzzi@gmail.com | @jjfantauzzi When a minority federal government facing a confidence vote over a rejected economic update suspended Parliament in 2008, a constitutional expert told CBC News the move had set a “dangerous precedent.”[1] Several years later, when a minority government in Ontario used the same procedure,
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: Harper v. Canada: Stephen Harper Addresses Right Wing U.S. Think Tank
Understanding the Canadian prime minister’s war against our democratic institutions, freedoms and legitimate dissent Editor’s Note: In June 1997, Stephen Harper addressed a Montreal meeting of the Council for National Policy (CNP), a right-wing U.S. think tank. His speech unequivocally foreshadowed his ongoing war against Canadian democracy. Harper described Canada
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Happy Anniversary!
One year ago today, Stephen Harper turned an “unwanted election” into his first majority government, Jack Layton and the NDP soared to never before seen heights, and Liberals spent the evening curled up in a fetal position sobbing in the corner. On political anniversaries, it’s tempting to give each party
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Robo-Gate: Harper Conservatives stole the 2011 election from the NDP
The New Democratic Party (NDP) suggested in a press conference today that the Conservatives rigged the May 2011 federal election against the Bloc Quebecois, NDP and Liberals. Call it election rigging western style. Apparently, RackNine …Read More
Continue readingImpolitical: All the action is in Quebec
If you’re like me these days, when you see a story involving the Bloc, you might yawn a little bit and gloss over it. Is it more infighting in the sovereignty movement, things not moving fast enough, yadda yadda. But this one from the weekend could make waves: “Fonds publics:
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: First impressions: No false steps that matter for NDP candidate Thomas Mulcair
Your blogger yesterday in a future vanity wall picture with NDP leadership candidate Thomas Mulcair. Thomas Mulcair turned in a virtually faultless performance in Edmonton last night, proving once again that the federal Opposition New Democratic Party is attracting top-quality candidates as it completes its sad duty to replace Jack
Continue readingImpolitical: New kid on the Bloc
Chantal Hébert had an interesting column yesterday. She raised the possibility of a future Quebec by-election scenario featuring new Bloc leader Daniel Paillé versus Brian “I’m a Quebec kid” Topp. Whoa. Which is why I won’t be holding my breath. Not enough fun things happen in Canadian politics and that
Continue readingCalgaryGrit: Les rapports de leur mort ont été grandement exagérées
Daniel Paillé, the man Stephen Harper trusted to investigate the Liberal Party, is the new leader of the Bloc Quebecois. However, the media attention has not been on Paillé, but on the anemic total of 14,000 who bothered to vote in the leadership contest. It’s certainly not a number to
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Some Guy With Scrofulous Communist Beard Elected To Lead BQ
Also, Daniel Paillé looks like he’s had a few teeth knocked out in waterfront brawls. And not very sanitary. Overall a win for Canada?
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Quebec and Israel’s changing political narrative
When there is a single issue which dominates the politics of a jurisdiction for decades, it is often the case that progress on other issues is inhibited by the myopic focus on the one dominating issue. Such is the case in both Quebec and Israel dominated by the separatist issue
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: For the divisive, petty Harper Conservatives, no cause is too important for bickering
French-speaking troops of the Régiment de la Chaudière push inland from Juno Beach toward Bény-sur-Mer on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Below, Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney, Bloc MP Louis Plamondon.Why did Stephen Harper’s Conservatives refuse to…
Continue readingBlunt Objects: Updated NDP & Bloc Leadership
So, as everyone who is anyone should be aware now that Québec’s favourite son, Outremont MP Thomas Mulcair, has officially jumped into the race, and beside him come 33 MPs, including two veterans from Ontario.Mulcair, with the 33 caucus endorsements, …
Continue readingCalgaryGrit: What happens when you throw a leadership contest and no one shows up?
Maybe Nycole Turmel has a friend who’d be willing to step in and help the Bloc out:
Bloc faces growing pressure to delay choosing Duceppe replacement
There is growing pressure within the Bloc Québécois to delay choosing a permanent successor to for…
Continue readingTurmel Scandal Enters Week 2
The “Government In Waiting” is off to a slow start. The parliamentary session has not even begun for the fall, and already the major issue isn’t any oversight of the government, it is a dispute over their own new chosen interim leader. NDP …
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