This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, but Bob Rae is resigning as an MP. I wrote my praises of Rae’s career and time as interim leader back in April so I won’t rehash them here. Although he never fullfilled his dream of becoming Liberal Party (permanent) leader, if there
Continue readingTag: Federal Politics
Babel-on-the-Bay: Look good and lie a lot: Tory Action Plan.
It is good to hear that some think tanks are taking a hard look at the Conservative government’s Economic Action Plan. They act surprised. What seems to puzzle the academics is that the Conservatives are spending more taxpayers’ money on the advertising than they are on the programs. Those of
Continue readingCalgary Grit: I Approve This Bill
Like Michael Chong’s QP reforms, which died in parliamentary purgatory, this is a worthwhile bill by Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux, albeit one unlikely to ever see the light of day: Kevin Lamoureux, a Liberal MP from Winnipeg, wants all political party leaders to be forced to stand by the content
Continue readingthe reeves report: Great Lakes nuclear map shows troubling hot spots
Original Production by Irene Kock. Updated by Anna Tilman, April 2013, International Institute of Concern for Public Health Ontarians may have no idea of the volume of nuclear-related facilities in the Great Lakes basin, but a new map offers a clear picture. The Great Lakes Nuclear Hot Spots Map recently created by
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Cone of Silence
Rob Ford and Stephen Harper are about as different as two politicians can be, but the one thing they have in common is an uncanny ability to brush off scandals before they stick. Harper entered the 2011 election facing a “controversy of the day” – from Bev Oda’s orange juice,
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Great Moments in Spin
The Onion Conservative Party reacts to their by-election defeat moral victory: As we know, majority governments do not usually win by-elections. In fact, Liberals have won the riding of Labrador in every election in history except for two, so we are not surprised with these results. What is surprising is
Continue readingCalgary Grit: There’s Always Money in the Banana Stand
Stephen Harper has made a huge mistake. I’m not sure if Tom Mulcair has what it takes to be PM, but he’d make a fine Mr. Manager: NDP leader Tom Mulcair was wondering where $3.1 billion in unaccounted anti-terrorism spending went when he uttered this gem: “So the question is,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Are Canadians Experiencing Buyers’ Remorse?
Many of us who blog, tweet, or post political views on Facebook cannot, I suspect, avoid the periodic and unsettling notion that we are simply ‘preaching to the converted’ instead of reaching a larger audience with our perspectives and commentaries. Yet we persevere, both as a catharsis for our own
Continue readingthe reeves report: National Energy Board commenting rules ‘undemocratic’
Enbridge buried pipeline marker – east Toronto. Credit: Adam Scott/Environmental Defence. Federal opposition MPs and environmental groups are crying foul over what they see as the government’s attempt to curtail public comment on Enbridge’s proposed 639-km Line 9 reversal pipeline route through southern Ontario and into Quebec. Tucked away in last spring’s
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Liberals Respond Justin Time
When the Conservatives launched attack ads against Stephane Dion in January 2007, it took the Liberal Party three months to respond. Never again, they vowed. Next time we’ll fight back! Just Visiting first aired in May 2009, yet we didn’t see a rebuttal until Labour Day . So the first
Continue readingCalgary Grit: A Brief History of Stephen Harper Supporting Our Troops
“In 2006, after the Liberal ‘decade of darkness,’ we took action to rebuild Canada’s Armed Forces.” –Stephen Harper October 2010: “Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government is scrambling to contain an ever-widening scandal in which officials deliberately tried to ruin the reputation of outspoken military veterans“ October 2011: Veterans Ombudsman Questions
Continue readingCalgary Grit: This Just In: Voters Feel Negative Ads Are “Negative”
Respondents describe the ads as “unfair”, “negative”…and “hawt!“. Trudeau’s predictable win, followed by predictable attack ads, has been followed by an all-too predictable poll: In an EKOS Research Associates survey, 70 per cent found the ads “unfair” while 74 per cent said the ads were “unhelpful.” Asked to describe the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: ‘Is There No Honour In This Man?’
So asks MP Charlie Angus about the subject of this video report, Mike Duffy, who, as we learn, has even less integrity than it would be thought possible for any person to have: UPDATE: Unbelievable – now Duffy claims he repaid the money in March. Recommend this Post
Continue readingCalgary Grit: How I’m Voting
Unlike past leadership contests where I’ve been fighting on the front lines for my candidate, I’ve watched the federal race largely as a spectator. Being away from a campaign offers a different vantage point, and I’ve enjoyed blogging my opinions candidly, as I slowly made up my mind who to
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Rae’s Day
Every political commentator loves to say “timing is everything in politics”, and every Canadian political commentator loves to say that Bob Rae never had good timing. He had the misfortune of becoming Premier before he was ready to govern, and had the misfortune of governing during a recession. His “second
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Showcase Showdown
It doesn’t compare to the high stakes floor crossings and backroom deals that define delegated conventions, but yesterday’s Liberal Showcase still offered the speeches, signs, buttons, and hospitality suites politicos have come to expect at these gatherings. Justin Trudeau had cowbells. Martin Cauchon made swag history, handing out Liberal-red socks.
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Robocon
The first charges in the Robocon Scandal have been laid against Michael Sona. Most interesting in this, is that Sona’s lawyer has signalled they intend to shift the blame to the Conservative Party: Neither Mr. Sona or I will be making any public statements beyond the following statement at this
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Updated Power Rankings Show Trudeau in Control
Karen McCrimmon recognizes the odds she’s facing When I released my first set of LPC Power Rankings in early February, I was a bit surprised to see Justin Trudeau up at 66%. These rankings aren’t intended to be a first ballot predictor, but they came pretty close to the mark
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Egomania, Not Trudeaumania
Checking my Twitter feed this morning, I came upon a link to a story appearing in Sun News, an organization for which I usually refuse to spare the time of day, given its rather robust roster of strident, often hysterical voices desperately seeking to emulate the tone of Fox News.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Just Another Pretty Face
Those of a certain age will remember the much beloved 1970’s sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Set in a television newsroom in Minneapolis, the series chronicled life both inside and outside the studio of its many and varied employees, who ranged from the gruff but ultimately lovable Lou Grant,
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