Talking bonuses
Tony Clement says that senior public service managers who finds cuts will get bigger bonuses, which of course punishes those managers that were running tight ships already and seems to…
Dale Smith
Lisa Raitt puts her foot down
Economy in crisis! A potential strike from Air Canada flight attendants has the Labour Minister on the warpath, insisting that she will not allow a strike to happen. Will she…
The other problem with that Senate "reform" bill
The Premier of New Brunswick continues his rather perverse musing that he’ll draw up Senate “consultative elections” legislation, possibly by next year – never mind the fact that Harper’s Senate…
Suffocating debate and accountability
The contempt that the Conservatives are treating Parliament with scored another couple of hits yesterday. First of all, they moved time allocation on the budget implementation bill. You know, the…
QP: Thoroughly aired these issues
The energy in the House somewhat sedate, Nycole Turmel got up to ask about Tony Clement’s no-show at a freedom of information event last night, and what it said in…
Honouring whitewashed accomplishments
The government christened another building in Ottawa yesterday – the new RCMP headquarters, now to be known as the “M.J. Nadon Government of Canada Building” after former RCMP commissioner Maurice…
QP: Regarding that Champlain Bridge announcement
As Nycole Turmel was in St. John’s attending the funeral of Nancy Riche, it was deputy leader Libby Davies who kicked off Question Period by asking about manufacturing jobs and…
Symbolic Victories
Peggy Nash is hailing the “symbolic victory” of the unanimous vote on her opposition day motion. Err, except, if the government agrees with you, you’re doing it wrong. Remember, you’re…
Treating the supply cycle with contempt
The government introduced its fall budget implementation bill today – while the entire Finance Committee is currently on tour doing pre-budget consultations around the country. What’s more galling – is…
QP: The problem with vague motions
With news that the federal government will be announcing plans to replace the beleaguered Champlain Bridge tomorrow, Nycole Turmel kicked off Question Period by playing another round of the Champlain…
About that Office of Religious Freedoms
The government are undertaking consultations for their new Office of Religious Freedoms. But the US tried this before and it was a big problem – and hey, it looks like…
QP: Misrepresenting what private members’ business means
With news of the Conservatives’ plans introduce a hiring tax credit tomorrow, the NDP decided to hammer on about a jobs plan to get the Conservatives to admit that they…
Signing onto a disastrous plan
The Premier of New Brunswick looks eager to sign off on Harper’s disastrous Senate reform plans, and he’s willing to table some “consultative elections” legislation like Alberta’s (which I will…
Paul Dewar’s leadership announcement
The queue went down the escalator of the Lord Elgin hotel – not that it was running – and stretched across the lobby. Inside the room, people were arranged not…
What a packed Friday looks like
Normally Fridays are pretty dull and useful only for burying embarrassing reports from the government. Not so yesterday – it was an extremely packed day that kicked off with that…
QP: Brison’s golden opportunity for levity
The banter between gay MPs Scott Brison and John Baird enlivened an otherwise dull Friday question period. It happened after news hit the wires that Baird tried to order business…
Abrogating accountability
Yesterday was the first opposition day of the fall sitting, and what did the NDP bring to the floor for debate? A lengthy motion that says the government should immediately…
QP: The non-sequitur of single parenting stories
During Members’ Statements before Question Period, NDP MP Libby Davies rose to give this statement: Mr. Speaker, decorated Iraq war veteran Rodney Watson has lived in limbo for 2 years,…
Libby Davies previews her fall sitting
Finishing off my roundup of gay and lesbian MPs, I caught up with NDP MP Libby Davies after Question Period yesterday. Q: How was the rest of your summer? A:…
Reopening the abortion debate
Conservative backbencher Brad Trost – you know, the one who claimed victory in ensuring that Toronto Pride never sees another dime from the federal government – has declared the abortion…