From bad policy to useless data
Remember this government’s oh-so-inspired decision to scrap the mandatory long-form census in favour of a voluntary “national household survey”? Well, a lot of those surveys are coming back incomplete, which…
Dale Smith
Not worth their time
According to Statistics Canada, more than half of people who didn’t vote in the last election didn’t bother because they were either a) disinterested, or b) “too busy.” And it’s…
Bob Rae on Pride and his summer tour
Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae held a press conference this morning, ostensibly to announce his summer tour, but to remind the assembled press that the Liberal Party is not dead.…
Fighting yesterday’s fights
The Hill Times digs through the entrails of the filibuster that was here. Andrew Coyne weighs in, considering it fighting yesterday’s fights while Parliament ignores the challenges of tomorrow (like…
In love with Canada
Good news, everyone! Will and Kate say they’re in love with Canada, even though there were protests in Quebec. Aww, now they’re going to make us blush…Here’s a look at…
Your Canada Day greeting round-up
In case you missed them, here are Canada Day greetings from:The Governor General, David Johnston.Prime Minister Stephen Harper.NDP leader Jack Layton.Liberal leader Bob Rae. (Rae also posts a Pride Day…
The Maple Crown, or why you should leave the Union Jack at home
As we suffer through more breathless coverage of the royal visit (as an unrepentant monarchist, even I am done with the ridiculousness of the coverage), I felt that I should…
(Radioactive) History repeating
As previewed yesterday, the government has sold AECL’s Candu-reactor business to SNC-Lavalin for some $15 million and the promise of future royalties. But while there the pundit class bitches and…
The inevitable court challenge awaits
In case you were wondering, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers does plan to challenge the back-to-work legislation in the courts and the Human Rights Commission (for discrimination where newer…
Sneaking it through regulations
Now that Parliament has risen for the summer, we can expect things to totally die down now, right? And the government will drift into a gentle slumber and won’t do…
Senate deliberations and actual oversight
In the wake of the filibuster in the Commons, the prospect of the Senate being recalled to sit on a Sunday seemed somewhat less surreal – despite the fact that…
Filibuster over, time flows normally again
Like its own particular kind of time-machine, the House of Commons managed to squeeze fifty-eight hours of debate into a single day. Or at least, a single sitting day, which…
Randall Garrison talks about his first three weeks
My roundup of queer MPs at the end of the sitting continues. I spoke to NDP MP Randall Garrison yesterday after Question Period – before the filibuster began in earnest.Q:…
Filibuster on
As of the time of writing this post, the filibuster in the House of Commons is well underway. We made it to Second Reading, but then Jack Layton, at the…
Libby Davies talks about the new sitting
Carrying on with our roundup of queer MPs at the end of the sitting, I spoke to NDP MP Libby Davies after Question Period yesterday.Q: How were your three weeks…
QP: Last Shout before summer
In the statements leading up to the final Question Period of the sitting, NDP MPs from Quebec lamented that they wanted to be able to show up to St. Jean…
Last sitting day – maybe
Today could be it – the last day of the spring session of the House. Maybe. It all hinges on that back-to-work legislation, and how long the opposition is able…
QP: Who loves Quebec more?
The Quebec nationalist rhetoric got cranked up by the NDP as Question Period kicked off, and Jack Layton began a round of “I love Quebec more than you do” with…
Philip Toone talks about his first three weeks
Continuing our round-up of queer MPs at the end of the sitting, I spoke to new NDP MP Philip Toone yesterday after Question Period.Q: How were your first three weeks…
The Senate bill is a distraction
The government tabled their revamped Senate reform bill yesterday, complete with a new nine-year term clause and the ability to reappoint a Senator if their term should be interrupted –…