Jack Layton has departed the Hill for the
last time, to a 15-gun salute. He now lies in state at Toronto City Hall, with
the funeral at Roy Thompson Hall on Saturday.
Donations to the Broadbent Institute that
Layton’s family requested in lieu of flowers are flowing through the NDP
coffers instead of the institute itself. (Caution: possible paywall). Why?
Because as of yet, the Broadbent Institute doesn’t exist, and until it does,
donations count as party contributions to the NDP, which puts one on the NDP
donor list, but also nets one a much greater tax receipt than it would a
donation to a registered charity.
For everyone who thinks that Gary Doer
should make a run for the federal NDP leadership, this story about him working
his way across the States in order to sell the oil sands benefits to Americans – especially by building up support for the Keystone Pipeline – will
probably not endear him to many in the party.
Still on that topic, there have been a
couple of stories naming Brian Topp as a potential leadership candidate. Topp is neither confirming nor denying.
The deadline has now passed on the
farmers’ plebiscite on the future of the Canadian Wheat Board. Not that it
matters since the Conservatives have pledged to dismantle it regardless.
Still in the Arctic, Harper has announced $600 million in additional health care funds for the North.
And the Canadian government has met with the new Canadian representative for Libya’s National Transition Council, and has put
their flag up in the Lester Pearson Building.
