Biometrics...then and now...

The TO Star reports that Ottawa takes `big step' to biometric ID.
The Canada Gazette states:
7. (1) Subsection 8.1(1) of the Order is replaced by the following:
8.1 (1) Passport Canada may convert any information submitted by an applicant into a digital biometric format for the purpose of inserting that information into a passport or for other uses that fall within the mandate of Passport Canada.
The words "other uses" are a red flag.
As was said on November 4, 2003: "What concerns me is that when you start down the road of this biometric system, regardless of how many billions it costs, you're also going to have those errors. They're inevitable, and people are going to have a false sense of security." Chuck Strahl, M.P.
Or comment from June 14, 2005: "One of the difficulties with biometrics is the unreliability of the use, to some degree. No matter what system you use, there are a number of false positives and false negatives, which makes any identification somewhat suspect. In other words, you may catch somebody who isn't a problem, or think you've caught them, or you may not catch someone who actually is a problem." Diane Ablonczy, M.P.
That was then...and this is now.

Jim Walsh in pickle again

Jim Walsh is a former Newfoundland politician who has now been embroiled in the Newfoundland spending scandal.
Walsh is no stranger to scandal and ethics challenges. He resigned from the Newfoundland Cabinet back in 1994 under a cloud of controversy. He was appointed to the federal Transportation Safety Board, a move which caused a stir on its own. Then he was caught up in further questions around his attendance at a partisan function subsequent to that appointment.
His past experiences will stand him in good stead as he faces the latest challenge.

Leadership...Iggy slips

I noted that Paper Dynamite Online is underwhelmed, to say the least, by Michael Iggnatief. Let me add another reason to his decision not to support Mi.
It appears that Iggy's folks are a bit "out of touch" with the ethical currents that flow through today's body politic. Below is a copy of an email that was circulated in Ottawa. I have kindly XXXed out names to protect the foolish. You will see that Mi is using the facilities of an Ottawa lobby group FPAC and you will also note that supporters are advised to bring their cellphones for use in the PHONATHON.
Using a lobby group facility is ludicrous for obvious reasons. The encouragement to use personal cellphones is a bit more obscure, but nonetheless constitutes a campaign expense...or, more importantly, could be an attempt, real or perceived, to hide campaign expenses.
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: XXXXXXXXX
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 11:47:24 AM
Subject: PHONE BLITZ - TONIGHT
--------------------------------------------------------
MICHAEL IGNATIEFF PHONATHON
Date: Tuesday, June 13th, 2006
Time: 6:45 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: Forest Products Association – 99 Bank Street.

XXX will meet you at the front door because the elevators lock at 6:00, or call XXX-XXXX if you are let (sic) so somebody can go down and let you in.
Bring your cell phone and other Michael supporters!
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions and to RSVP (as soon as possible): Thanks in advance for your help.

Situating the Appreciation...Defence Week

Defence Lobbyist O'Connor's announcement today consists of something borrowed (from the past government) and something new. He was accompanied by the Minister (un-elected ) of PWGSC and the Minister of Industry. The Hercules fleet will be upgraded with 17 new beasts (of make to be determined) and the Canadian Forces will become the proud owners of 4 new strat lift behemoths (most likelyC-17 Boeing Globemasters).
It should be noted that for the tactical lift the government has opted for the same procurement process that the previous government outlined last year. At the same time they are going the route of Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) for the C-17s, similar to that announced yesterday for choppers. Which puts a bit of a lie to past comments protestations from Mr. O'Connor regarding "sole sourcing": "They (the Government of the day) have also tried ramming through aircraft projects that could support our expeditionary efforts by creating requirements that can in reality only be met by one solution. In military terms, it is called situating the appreciation, knowing what one wants and writing the documents to arrive at the favoured solution." (Hansard, November 15, 2005)
We now have an over-arching title for the Tory defence week: "Situating the Appreciation". And that pretty well sums up the whole Harper approach to governing.

Defence Week...Part III

Yesterday the Tories did some defence spending of their own. They announced the procurement process for 16 medium-lift choppers at a cost of $2 billion, plus another $2.7 billion for long-term service. These choppers are actually a "back to the future" project to re-acquire the same asset that Brian Mulroney cut from the service back in 1991. Their purchase will also keep CDS Hillier quiet whilst the Tories proceed with their pet acquisition of C-17 strategic lift beasts from Boeing.
It was interesting to see that Harper's Brigade are willing to use the ACAN shuffle in order to avoid an outright sole-source. The ACAN (Advance Contract Award Notice) is a favourite tool of 'crats when they want to indirectly direct a piece of government business to a certain supplier. Learn all about ACANs at the PWGSC web site. Bureaucrats have got into trouble using this "tool" in the past and you might like to know that members of the government party were not always fans of the ACAN:
An ACAN is what the government sometimes calls a competitive bid. ACAN, in my opinion, is not a competitive bid process because it is merely a posting of a non-competitive bid award on the website saying that the government will give the contract to this contractor unless somebody disagrees and files a complaint. That is not a competitive bid process. (John Williams, M.P., June 4, 2002)
It will be interesting to see if any other potential suppliers choose to intervene. Critical in this decision-making will be the timeframe allowed for a response to the ACAN and the detail of the ACAN itself in outlining the SOR (Statement of Operational Requirement). The rules only stipulate a minimum 15 day posting period. That is a very tight timeline for any of the competitors to mount a cogent response, depending upon the detail required. Another pitfall for any intervenor lies with the reaction of military planners to the intervention itself. They would no doubt frown upon any hold up and they will show no reticence in letting people know that.
It should also be noted that the government is promising substantial Regional Industrial Benefit through this procurment (dollar for dollar). It is assumed this will be derived from the service component of the deal. On this, while they do not make direct reference to the practise, it will be interesting to see if they make use of the Performance Based Logisitcs approach to long-term service. It is a system that essentially ties maintenance performance payments to flight availability for the aircraft.

Baird-ly controlled laughter

It is difficult NOT to become smug.
It is fitting, however, to look at the mug shot opposite of Mr. Ethics Baird ranting in Question Period last week...as you click this link and read that Harper's Tories may have taken in close to $2M in illegal contributions. And that was under the existing political financing laws.
However, not being willing to convict until proven guilty, we should wait and see the explanation of this.

Tory newsday...

A few clips from this morning below. My comments are in bold.
Harper organizer to be appointed to bench
CBC New Brunswick... election campaigns in New Brunswick in 2004 and 2006, Â a partisan connection that's sure to raise eyebrows when his appointment is announced by Harper. ...
Do as I say, not as I do...The trappings of power are just to strong to resist...even for our Canadian St. Stephen.
Thousands without child-care payments
StarPhoenix... Tens of thousands of Canadian families with young children risk not receiving cheques this July when the government's new Universal Child Care Benefit program goes into effect...
Haste makes waste is the old saying. In this case, haste likely makes Boss Harp very annoyed.
Little progress on equalization
ChronicleHerald.ca... Ministers had hoped to hear Flaherty re-commit to the Conservative election pledge to ... t forget that it was part of the federal platform of Mr. Harper to settle ...
Quel surprise!
Provinces can raise taxes if they need money for programs: Flaherty ...
Macleans... Ministers had hoped to hear Flaherty re-commit to the Conservative election pledge to ... t forget that it was part of the federal platform of Mr. Harper to settle ...
Boss Harp will not like this one bit! Especially since his pal Jean Charest was also annoyed by it...and he wasn't even at teh meeting!
Military to spend $1.2-billion on trucks
Globe and Mail...The new military equipment was promised by the Conservatives during the election campaign. The new Conservative ...
The second annoucement in the Tory Defence Week. Both items so far reflect committments of the previous government in both intent and dollars. Imitation remains the sincerest form of flattery.
Tory MPs call for better access to information
Edmonton Sun... complaining the Tories fell well short of an election campaign promise ... and ethics committee - including Prime Minister Stephen Harper's parliamentary secretary ...
You can't keep the backbenchers quiet when they are back home. There isn't a microphone that any politician hates!
Provinces can raise taxes if they need money for programs ...
Ottawa Citizen... Ministers had hoped to hear Flaherty re-commit to the Conservative election pledge to ... t forget that it was part of the federal platform of Mr. Harper to settle ...
Harper promise to correct fiscal imbalance "not exactly as advertised".
Influential Tory senator joins Liberal criticism of ethics bill
CJAD... Senator Hugh Segal...reach is potentially problematic." The law would retroactively bar anyone who worked on Harper's transition team immediately after the election from lobbying ...
The criticism centres on "retroactivity". The same problem the -Act creates for the conduct of the on-going Grit Leadership.
Poll indicates most Americans don't know Canada's their biggest ...
570 News... Being featured in the 10-day Smithsonian festival, which ... the only "red" or Republican province in Canada. ... hurt that Prime Minister Stephen Harper, though born ...
Let's hope the Harp doesn't decide to alter this lack of knowledge. If Americans learn they are our biggest trading partner...they will also learn they have the largest trade deficit with us too...and that would be bad news!
The 1 per cent loophole
Toronto Star... The tax break isn't quite $3,000 because a previous partial rebate meant purchasers paid less than the full 7 per cent GST anyway. ...
Another "not exactly as advertised"...
When you open a can of worms, what do you find?
Macleans... Fortunately for Harper, Liberals have worked hard lately to make his life easy. Why would that stop? Happy Canada Day. Is Canada a nation? Sometimes.
Happy Canada Day, indeed!

Libs plan for snap election

The TO Star reports that Grits are planning for a snap election. While I doubt the "snap election" scenario, the move makes perfect sense on another level.
The potential implications of the Accountability Act on the Grit Leadership process make it imperative for the Party to have a "Plan B" in place. In fact, it would have been much wiser to "position" any such planning in that context, rather than the snap election scenario. Thereby raising the heat on Tory Senators to agree to amendments to C-2 in the interest of "fairness".
There are times when the Lib message gets garbled. This is an example. Why target Harper on a "hypothetical" when you can go after him on a very narrow specific issue of fairness?

Tory Agenda: Will Rona target Alberta acid rain problem?

Acid rain threatens Western Canada, government warned! A good and growing chunk of it caused by the tar sands development in Alberta (and another big chunk attributable to coal-fired electrical generation in guess where?!).
What will this do to the "clean air, clean water" approach that Enviro Min Rona Ambrose has been touting for the last three months? Over and over in the House and beyond we have heard her say, "...as I have mentioned before, the government is committed to made in Canada solutions. We will work with all of the provinces to deliver on clean air, clean water, and clean soil for the health of Canadians."
What will Rona do? The Fall agenda is shaping up to be quite interesting.

Blogging and the media...a rant

It is interesting to note that most of the print media in our fair domain..dare I say True North, Strong and Free...have decided that the internet is here to stay. To this end, they are increasingly moving to the online subscription mode. You see it everywhere and it will only increase. Naturally, this presents a problem to us poor bloggers who like to provide links to daily news in our own brand of reportage.
It proves yet again how short-sighted these folks can be. The move is nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction to what should be a temporary decline in readership of their various organs, as more poeple shift to the web. If they were truly looking to the future they would recognise that they can enhance long term ad revenues by maintaining as many access points to their web sites as is humanly possible. But, their egomaniacal predisposition takes precedence. They prefer to think that it will be easier to force everyone to use their own front door web access point. How tunnelled is that vision?
Advertisers like to have people "clicking" onto pages. Period. They don't care how they get there. It seems to me simple math that if people get directed to a news site that is no different than if they open up at globeandmail.com to start.
Online advertising is a nascent...but rapidly growing element of the ad industry. Will Canadian media giants make the best of it? Certainly, limiting access does not bode well. They are so used to the old "subscription-based" world that they just may not be agile enough to adapt.

The 'Roos wuz robbed!!!

Totti breaks Australian hearts in FIFA play!

Harper and MacKay...Keystone Kops!

The on-going spat between Stephen Harper and his Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter MacKay, has reared its ugly head over the last week.
It all has to do with the desire of all Canadians to seek justice in the 2003 death of Canadian journalist Zahera Kazemi in Iran while under arrest. The Iranian prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, has long been suspected of complicity in Kazemi's death.
It is truly unfortunate that the Harper and MacKay have to reveal their lack of communication on such a tragic topic that so clearly requires a concerted and coordinated government approach. An excellent re-cap of the matter appeared on Friday in CanWest papers.
Of particular interest, in addition to the apparent lack of communication between the two, is Boss Harp's quote: "My understanding is that MacKay's department has actually asked the Germans to detain this Iranian official before he leaves Germany so that he can be prosecuted for crimes against humanity," Harper told Radio-Canada.
It is shocking that the Prime Minister of the country seems to think that he can just pawn off the controversy onto "MacKay's department". What nonsense! Mr. Harper should know that "MacKay's department" just happens to be speaking as "the Government of Canada"...which Harper heads.
To make matters worse, MacKay spokesthing André Lamay managed throughout the article to contradict the PM, his Minister and even himself.
Some of his comments cited:
"We can't say we want to extradite him, we want to accuse him because there are no charges against him now."
"We don't have the evidence sufficient to convict him."
Lemay said MacKay called the German government on Thursday, "and he basically orally sought their assistance to the full extent of their domestic law." (MacKay issued his first press release on Wednesday)
"The decision to proceed with charges on torture committed abroad or any request for extradition rests with the attorney general of Canada."
"When the prime minister actually mentioned this, he said it very loosely." ("this" was "crimes against humanity")
"We don't know where he is...We don't know." ("he" is Saeed Mortazavi).
It is worth noting that MacKay was actually AT the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting that sparked the controversy. Too bad he did not raise the matter when there. Apparently, Canadian officials were not aware of the problem until after MacKay left Geneva. Another case of missed communication, since the Iranians had made it clear he would attend. Even more perplexing is that MacKay went from Geneva to Germany and did not raise the matter there either. As noted above, according to his spokesthing, he called German officials on Thursday from Ottawa. MacKay had to get back, no doubt, so he could pack for the Quebec City Cabinet meeting
The Keystone Kops nature of all of this is undeniable, even to the most diehard of Tories. It is tragic that it impacts such a serious and important issue.

Another Tory flag-flap brewing

Earlier this year Boss Harp and his merry band got their fingers caught in the wringer over issues surounding the flag. You would think that would make them particularly cautious when it comes to the Canadian flag.
But, not our Tory friends. Today we see that an Eastern Ontario Tory MP is running a program to get all his constituents to fly the flag on July 1st. A visit to his web site also indicates that he is distributing some flag posters of unknown origin in his riding as well. That is the good news and kudos to Gary Lauzon.
The bad news is that he is selling flags out of his constituency office. Notwithstanding his "arrangement" with "a local flag merchant" to provide the flags at cost, surely other flag retailers and even other Tories will not like this Tory intrusion on the free market that they were so protective of a few years back (think Sheila Copps). There is also the niggling thought that MPs are provided an alottment of flags and flag pins for distribution each year. I can't find any verification of this though.
At the same time that MP Lauzon is hustling flags, his colleague the Minister of Justice Vic Toews is content to use the flag as a come-on to get visitors to his site to "register" their email. This is no doubt part of Big Bro Harper's hi-tech approach to politics that we heard about last week.

Harper's Quebec organising style

Can it be? Has the André Harvey that we have all come to know and like has resurfaced? And with a Tory appointment no less.
It sure looks like the same person. But it is difficult to tell...since Minister Gary Lunn (of the Department responsible) has not put out a press release yet on this OIC:
2006-0470 2006-06-02 RESOURCES
Nuclear Safety and Control Act
Appointment of ANDRÉ HARVEY of Sillery, Quebec, to be a permanent member of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to hold office during good behaviour for a term of five years, on a part-time basis.
Alas, it is not the Andre Harvey of floor-crossing fame. He has more class than that. Rather, it appears to be another acquaintance of former Quebec Liberal, now heavyweight Tory Minister, Lawrence Cannon.
This André Harvey is a former MNA. His brother Gérald was an MNA too and a Minister under Robert Bourassa. You gotta wonder just how long Tories will put up with Cannon relying on hihs past Grit connections?
Perhaps that is why some other appointments noted in this week's Canada Gazette are more Tory in hue. And the Minister responsible, Cannon, had the decency to put out pressers. He is no fool. Unlike Lunn, he knows that appointments are useless as political fodder if the word isn't spread broadly.
Cannon announced that Carol Soucy (a C. Soucy appears as a Tory donor on Elections Canada data from the last election) has a position on the Sept-Iles Port Authority. No doubt their acquaintance goes back to Cannon's Cap Rouge days, as with the aforementioned M. Harvey.
While he was at it Cannon made an appointment to the Saguenay Port Authority. In this case it was M. Richard Létourneau, a businessman from the region. Lest you think there is no "political" motivation to this one, take note that Létourneau is in the softwood lumber sector. It might be interesting to keep an eye on which sector folks the Government trots out to defend their troubled Softwood Deal.
A final little tidbit from this week's Gazette deals with Family Support Orders Regulations. Can't help wondering what Senator Anne Cools will have to say about this.

McGuinty and energy

Yesterday Dalton McGuinty, the Premier of Ontario, told his Party to get ready for the next election campaign. His main opposition, the environmental movement, has already started their effort to impede McGuinty's re-election.
This was to be expected and had already been manifest.
What was not expected was that McGuinty himself would provide them with the ideal tag line for their effort. Yesterday he said: “I don't like nuclear energy.” A strange turn of phrase, to say the least .
Energy issues are not those which McGuinty should wish to have central in the next election capaign. A quick search of the issue shows the relative negativity quite clearly.
PS to the Ontario Libs: When you do engage in debate on energy issues...don't try to be too cute by half.
I refer to the June 13 announcement by Energy Minister Dwight Duncan and specifically to the nuclear elements of that announcement. In an interview with As It Happens Mr. Duncan referred to Patrick Moore, a co-founder of Greenpeace, as supporting the nuclear option. (You can hear interviews with Greenpeace and Duncan on the Part 2 portion of the archive. Duncan starts at about the 8:00 minute mark).
Mr. Duncan did NOT note that Mr. Moore has long ago shed his links with Greenpeace, as was recently pointed out by the Australian branch of that organisation. Mr. Moore is a lobbyist now with the recently-formed 'Clean and Safe Energy Coalition'. Moore's Co-chair at the lobby group is Christine Todd Whitman. Their objective, in addition to making money for themselves, is pretty clear when you peruse their web site.

Fixed election dates

For those of you who always claim that there is no evidence that fixed election dates will lead to much longer campaigns...please read:
McGuinty tells Liberals to prepare for election
Ontario opted for fixed election dates with little or no debate. The first such dates is October 4, 2007. That would be some 16 months from now. That would make this a considerably longer campaign than we are used to. It should also be noted that McGuinty has appointed his Finance Minister Greg Sorbara to be the head of the Liberal campaign. Since Sorbara has to produce a budget prior to the election, some might think there could be a conflict-of-interest in holding those two roles. He will have to be careful.
There are a good many things other than fixed election dates that could be done to help reduce the cynicism of the public towards politics and things political.
For instance:
1. Stop televising Question Period. It has become theatre of the absurd which is light years removed from its original concept.
2. Experiment with a variation of the British PMQs for Parliament and Legislatures.
2. Start televising all Committee Meetings.
3. Stop the practise of "scrumming" outside the doors of Parliament and Legislatures.
4. Publish ALL government documents within 30 days of their creation, with only valid exceptions for those documents that are TRULY Cabinet confidences. This means ALL...emails, briefing notes, notes to file, procurement recces, etc. and means bureaucratic as well as political. It also applies to Cabinet, Opposition and MPs alike, as well as their Caucus bodies.
The last item, in particular, would have the largest impact. It would provide Canadians with all the info they could ever hope to digest. It would show the diligence and good faith with which 99.9% of government functions. It would reduce extraneous bullshit exponentially...too many folks in the system like to comment just to hear themselves comment and email has exacerbated this. You would also find that about 95% of the information produced within government could easily be made public within the 30 day period. Of course, the bureaucracy would have to find a way vet documents from a Privacy Act perspective. Given the inability of bureaucracies to do this so far, we may have to have a 60 day window. It would also be nice if the bureaucrats could put in place systems that would allow for easy search and retrieval of info.
Just some thoughts...

Harp in Quebec

Let's chronologically summarize the PM's triumphal Quebec photo-op in headlines starting from when they leaked news of the trip. There is a slightly different tone from start to finish. Good photos...not so good words...Grits and Separatists will be hoping he visits again soon.
Cabinet heads to Quebec City
Globe and Mail - Tuesday, June 13, 2006
OTTAWA -- As part of the Conservative government's strategy to woo Quebec, the Harper cabinet is holding its first meeting outside of the nation's capital in Quebec City.
Tories target Quebec votes
Toronto Sun- 23 Jun 2006
QUEBEC CITY -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper begins a bold two-day bid to win the hearts of Quebecers today, holding a day-long cabinet retreat in the ...
Tory cabinet launches Quebec blitz
CBC Nova Scotia- 23 Jun 2006
In a combination summer retreat and bid to increase Conservative support in Quebec, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet will begin a two-day retreat ...
Harper rules out federal carbon tax as a climate-change strategy
CJAD - 23 Jun 2006
QUEBEC (CP) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has ruled out introducing a federal carbon tax as a means of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. ...
Harper fends off questions about separation at Tory cabinet ...
Canoe.ca - 23 Jun 2006
QUEBEC CITY (CP) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he recognizes Quebec's right to call itself a nation - but that doesn't mean he has to agree with it. ...
Harper won't call Quebec a nation
Hamilton Spectator - 23 Jun 2006 By Alexander Panetta.
He met with his cabinet a skip and a hop from the provincial legislature, which has officially been called ...
Separatists no threat: PM
Ottawa Sun - 23 Jun 2006
QUEBEC -- The threat of a national unity crisis in Canada has lifted as the Liberal sponsorship scandal fades, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday. ...
Prime Minister Stephen Harper poses with his cabinet at the Quebec ...
ChronicleHerald.ca - 24 Jun 2006
PM a hot topic at Montreal celebrations
Global National - 24 June 2006
MONTREAL -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper's refusal to describe Quebec as a "nation" was the hot topic at this year's Fete nationale celebrations in Montreal. ...
Boisclair blasts Prime Minister
940 News - 24 June 2006
Andre Boisclair took the opportunity last night to take a jab at the Federal government and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The PQ ...
Harper uses holiday to attack separatists
Ottawa Citizen - 25 June 2006
ST-JOSEPH-DE-BEAUCE, Que. - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is challenging Quebec sovereigntists' right to claim the Fete nationale ...
Nation status debate unites federalists, separatists
London Free Press - 25 June 2006
The debate over whether to call Quebec a nation continued to make waves yesterday as political leaders of all stripes gathered to celebrate Fete nationale.
Thorny provincial issues dog Harper's visit to Quebec
Montreal Gazette (subscription) - 25 June 2006
Prime Minister Stephen Harper ended a two-day visit to the Quebec City region yesterday with a speech that was interrupted by the noon peal of church bells. ...

Tories and age limits

Tories move to raise age of sexual consent...but do nothing to stop kiddie donations.
There is something wryly ironic in this.
And Volpe continues to dream.
_____________________________
UPDATE: The exchange of comments to the post above is worth noting.

Harper's "bold" move in Quebec on taxpayers dollars

Media sources have variously described Stephen Harper's current foray into Quebec as bold, a charm offensive or part of his on-going honeymoon with Quebec.
Well, that may be so...but a quick glance at his posted schedule confirms:
1. A "media availability" only yesterday following the closed-door Cabinet session. It should also be noted that CP Wire reports that the Harp had yet another private meeting with Jean Charest (which, of course, does not appear on his schedule).
2. A Pique-Nique appearance today at what the media describes as a Tory-organised event in the riding of Minister Maxime Bernier, where the PM will speak for all of 10 minutes and provide a "photo-op only".
When asked about his meagre schedule the Globe reports, "I don't pick the individual events. They're obviously picked by planners," Mr. Harper explained. And everyone will believe that nose-stretcher coming from the most dominant and domineering PM in our history.
He became even more defensive by claiming during the media availability that, "We're not here today for La Fête Nationale." That certainly files in the face of the "well placed source" who leaked news of this political trip way back on June 12th (published in June 13th Globe). It also contradicts his own Minister of Industry, Maxi-Bern, who this week in the House said: Mr. Speaker, it is true that the Prime Minister and the entire cabinet will be in Quebec City on Friday. You have also seen in the newspapers that the Prime Minister will be in Beauce to celebrate the Fête nationale with the people there...
In reality the whole trip is nothing more than a photo-op and political posturing. It replicates the same cavalier behaviour of Harper commandeering a government jet to attend the Edmonton hockey game with a bunch of political cronies. The Tories are regularly using public funds for partisan photo-ops.
No doubt someone has already filed an Access to Information Request to find out how much it cost to re-locate Cabinet and the attendant bureaucrats to Quebec City for this partisanship.

Three simple words would help...

PM won't call Quebec a nation is a headline on Canoe this morning. Harper has been drawn into the semantic debate precisely because he is playing political games.
Certainly he was not perfect and readily admits so himself. But Jean Chrétien concluded many speeches with three simple words. He used them in the 1984 Liberal Leadership race and used them right to the end. Vive le Canada!
They work...try them, Mr. Harper.

Harper: Do as I say, not as I did

In session-ending interviews Boss Harp has defended his government's desire to obstruct the Liberal leadership convention by changing rules half-way through the process. Specifically, the whole matter revolves around the convention fee and donation limits.
The Globe mouthpiece reports: Mr. Harper said the Liberals will be open to immense criticism if Liberal senators without a democratic mandate hold up the legislation and run the race on the old rules.
A far cry from fair Liberal approach in 2003. At that time, the new Tory party was scrambling to launch a leadership campaign in December with a convention date in March. The new campaign financing laws with rules for leadership campaigns were slated to come in to effect on January 1, 2004. Why the rush? Because the he transition provisions of theLiberal Election Reform dealing with Leadership were fair and read:
67. If this section comes into force during a
competition for the selection of the leader of
a registered party, the Canada Elections Act,
as amended by this Act, does not apply with
respect to that competition.
The Tory leadership candidates, including Stephen Harper, were not overcome by any sense that they were holding up democratic renewal. Not one of them opted to follow the new rules. Even though their new Party only barley scraped under the wire by declaring their race on December 23, 2003...7 whole days under the wire.
Harper is wrong on this one. The Liberal race has been under way for months, not days and is due the same transition consideration as ocurred in 2003.
Liberals, however, have made a very poor case on their behalf in recent weeks. The reason? Joe Volpe and his fundraising albatross are still in the race. He continues to damage the Liberal brand and provides an easy target for Harper's punitive approach. It is surely time for Joe to realise his dream is done.

"Big Brother" Tories

There is a good piece on message targetting now running from CP Wire.
It is good in several ways. It lets people know that political parties are using the same marketing techniques that corporations use to sell you products. Don't be fooled into thinking that only the Tories are into this. All parties work variations and degrees of the same approach and there is lots of info available, much of it free, including its marriage to viral marketing. It certainly appears though that the Tories have taken this to a new level of miond-probing.
It is also likely paid for by tax dollars, at least in part. For instance, the National List of Electors is used according to this document. You can find more Tory info at this web site (that will no doubt disappear shortly): http://cpccims.ca/
Naturally, as with the business world, personnel and their abilities have an impact. It is probably safe to say that the Tories have some good people right now. Frankly, parties are more creative and inventive when out of power like the Tories were for a long time and the "outs" are always more receptive to new ideas.
At the same time that this article provides knowledge of political operations, it also provides the opposition some important insights into Harper's team.
First, only egotism allows this sort of backroom tactic to see the light of day...particularly with such detail. There are obviously people around the Harp who want to take a bow or two. They are getting cocky. Once cockiness sets in then slopiness is sure to follow.
Second, they are also exhibiting the classic reaction to a top-down management style by anonymously taking bows. In this case, thereby undercutting the current "accepted wisdom" that Stephen Harper is a brilliant strategist and the sole reason for Tory success.
Finally, this article is anathema to Harper's penchant for control and secrecy. He will also immediately understand that it has the potential to boomerang with the public and conjure up thoughts of "big brother" and "hidden agenda".
Harper, I would bet, will blow a gasket when he sees this article in the public domain.

Question Period today

Random observations on what is likely the last QP of this sitting...
1. David Emerson is a toady of the nth degree.
2. Boss Harp is getting whip-sawed on his Quebec strategy: rejection of Kyoto, Cabinet meeting to be held in Quebec City this week, miltary procurement, single securities regulator, etc. He is also getting too cocky in his responses to the Bloc...he keeps talking about another referendum.
3. Jack Layton is shouting too much. He also should never wander from his script. He is not good at the "quip".
4. Harper and other Ministers defended Ambrose. Not a good sign for her current standing.
5. Ujjal Dosanjh is finding his feet as an Opposition questioner.
6. Harper plays the military card whenever possible. Liberals need to capitalise on this in the court of public opinion.
7. Gordon O'Connor was kind enough to bring up the "transition team" matter. He is a bigger dolt than previously thought.
8. John Baird needs a lesson in humility. He has forgotten the dog days of the Ontario Conservative government.
9. The extreme right has changed "age of consent" to "age of protection". Graphic proof that this Harper government will play with rhetoric at every turn...it's all about image and perception.
10. Harper was very clumsy and testy in reply to the use of a Challenger to go to a hockey game. But the very fact that he got up to answer shows that he has a short fuse. The Opposition should work to ignite that fuse ALL the time.
11. The Liberal Party has improved its QP abilities in general.
12. The Tory Backbench and the NDP begin questions with the same preface that goes about like this: "After 13 years of neglect and mismanagement...blah, blah, blah."
Everyone needs to get out of the Ottawa humidity.

Harper deserves credit on redress

Kudos are due to Stephen Harper for acting on the redress of the Chinese head-tax. Previous governments of varied stripe failed where he has succeeded.
Liberals may try to claim that Paul Martin made an apology during the last election campaign. That was nothing more than a proverbial conversion of the road to Damascus (in this case, defeat). They will be well advised to simply echo the Harper sentiments and apologise on their own for not having acted.
The NDP will no doubt claim that Harper's action was all because of them. That is Layton's ugly style. They would be equally well-advised not to behave as usual by trying to make partisan hay from this issue.

More Tory deceit

A while back the folks at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto were very happy folks because, "Making good on a Conservative campaign promise, Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced $5 million a year, for five years, for the cultural institution."
Much fanfare (and three ministers) accompanied the announcement. The Finance Minister also noted the investment a few days later in a major address to the Toronto Board of Trade. He said: "Last week we made the announcement at Harbourfront of five-year funding, $25 million for the 10-acre Harbourfront site. What’s different about that? What’s different about that is that Harbourfront doesn’t have to come hat in hand to the Government of Canada every year and say "Gee, I hope we get our funding for this year." We’ve committed five-year funding so they can do some planning at Harbourfront...".
Apparently all this talk of stable funding lasted until June 15th...when Order in Council 2006-0536 appeared. The wording attached reads:
Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, hereby authorizes the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to enter into a contribution agreement with Harbourfront Corporation (1990) for a total amount not to exceed $4 million in respect of the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2007.
Perhaps in Tory-speak $5 million really means $4 million. This could actually be good news if it also means that Defence Lobbyist O'Connor will also get 20% less than promised.
The whole Harper government is not exactly as pictured (as the saying goes for cheap goods).

Offshore storm brewing for Harp

The Nisga'a have signed an agreement with the BC government to seek more information on offshore exploration (read: oil drilling on seabed floor near the Queen Charlotte Islands).
Two questions are apparent for the Harp to ponder this summer. Does he want to rile west-coasters and how will he keep his ANWAR-drilling buddy George Bush from playing on this? Surely the Canadian position in opposition to Arctic drilling will not be bolstered by this deal.

Well, well, well...sponsorshipocrisy

So, after all this time we have it confirmed that Quebec Provincial political parties received illegal donations flowing from the sponsorship program. This included the Separatist Parti Quebecois. But the real topper is that not only did they receive the funds...they knew about it at the time!
Too bad they didn't come forward at the time. It could have stopped everything in its tracks. Unbelievable...hypocritical! Words are hard to find.

Flaherty promises no surpluses

Question Period is a true gem today. In trying to explain why the government would begin tinkering with the CPP, Finance Min Jim Flaherty just promised that the Tories would not produce surprise surpluses. (From rush Hansard: What we are not going to do, Mr. Speaker, is what members opposite did when they were the government, and that is have these surprise surpluses...)
An odd statement indeed...but understandable given the deficit track record of right-wing governments in North America (e.g. Regan, Mulroney, Bush, Harris, etc.).
It is nice to see them finally admitting that they are Tax-and-Deficit-Tories.

Liberals will abstain on NDP grandstanding

The Liberal members of the Environment Committee will abstain on the Ambrose-Motion that grandstanding Jack Layton has put before the committee. That is a wise decision.
While Ambrose is a bust as Minister of Environment, the fact is that it is not a good use of Committee time to engage in gamesmanship. Harper has said repeatedly (e.g. with respect to Emerson) said that he views Cabinet-making to be his perogative. He is correct.
Ambrose is the Minister because Jack Layton partnered with Stephen Harper to bring down the former government. That is not Harper's fault. Obviously. Obvious to everyone except the puffed-up Leader of the Fourth Party.

Study on GHG leaked

Study says 60 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions feasible according to a report leaked to CP Wire by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy.
At first blush it is very stupid of the Agency to leak the report. The leaking will detract from the impact the report could have had.
It can be expected that the Tories and their friends the NDP will use the "leak" as reason to discuss the head of the NRTEE...a Liberal appointee, as you will all recall.
Hmmm...maybe it wasn't the Agency who leaked it at all. How about the NDP???

Tory and NDP partnership on selective accountability

The Tories, aided as usual by the NDP, have caved in to Derek Burney and company on accountability. NDP chief ethicist, Pat Martin, is gulity of bargaining away his halo in backroom dealing. John Baird proves he has no high horse to ride. Elizabeth Roscoe and countless other Tory lobbyists will be happy.
Stephen Harper's list of ethical lapses grows. This week alone you have seen them stammering to explain how the Boss needed six staffers to go to Edmonton to see the hockey game last Saturday; you have the Health Minister refusing to divest shares in a health sector firm; the same Health Minister also sole-sourced a contract to an old friend, who then went on to become the head of Canada's internet pharmacy association; the Justice Minister appoints an old political hack to the Human Rights Commission; the Chief of Staff to the Environment Minister, a former lobbyist, raises eyebrows when he quits just before the Accountability Act comes into effect.
Watch for the "arrogance meter" to begin rising now that the halo is firmly around the Harp government neck (like the Poilievre antics in recent times). Its the next step in the ever-recurring political cycle. New governments come in riding high on their ethical horses...they stumble and fall on ethical banana peels...they allow arrogance to be their weapon of defence...the public tires of the charade. The difference between Tories and Grits is obvious. The Grits took 13 years to go through the cycle...the Tories 13 weeks. Must be the Layton influence on them!

More Tory doublespeak

Boss Harp gave an interview to CanWest/Global yesterday. In the interview he noted that he feels that he can govern through 2007 and maybe even until 2009. At the same time, his House Leader Jay Hill, was busy threatening an election over some NDP gamesmanship in the House.
All of which just goes to show, yet again, that you can't believe anything the Tories say.
At the same time, looking at the report of the Harp interview you will note that, "...the prime minister said he is confident he can work with the New Democratic Party and capitalize on the weakened Bloc Quebecois to "keep moving our agenda forward."
No matter how much false bravado you hear from the NDippers and Tories, the Liberal approach in QP yesterday got under their skin. Harp and Jack are best friends...have been since last November...and Liberals have to remind them of that regularly.

Blogger functionality

What the hell is wrong with Blogger? I prefer to use IE rather than Firefox. Call me staid...old fashioned whatever....
I just can't be bothered changing.
Tonight...out of the blue...Blogger starts telling me that I don't have cookies turned on or java anabled and so I can't access the site and my blog. I have changed nothing! Of course, if I use Firefox (the Google Corp browser of preference) evrything works just fine.
Has anyone else had this problem?

NDippers flustered

Lots of chatter tonight about the Grits going after the NDP/Tory "unholy alliance" during Question Period today.
The Dippers are puffing about how it shows how great they are...Liberals are truly worried, etc.
Here is a copy of an email that is circulating from the NDP spinners:
From: Lavigne, Brad LavigB@parl.gc.ca
To:
Sent: Tue Jun 20 17:04:53 2006
Subject: NDP INSIDER
As you no doubt noticed - we had a great Question Period today. In the lobby behind the Chamber where the MPs and senior strategists watch QP we had our own fun. Every time the Liberals mentioned the NDP in theirquestions we cheered and shouted "ding" (like a cash register)We had a lot of fun and it proves that are startegy is working. Tomorrow we have a press conference where the NDP will be commenting on theperfomance of the other opposition parties. Stay tuned.
Don't worry Brad...the whole country is watching as the NDP continues to sell their soul!

Tories applaud slight to aboriginals

The vote on the following motion just ocurred. Let the record show that the Conservative Caucus burst into applause as the Prime Minister stood to cast the first Nay vote.
Ms. Neville (Winnipeg South Centre) — That the House recognize the urgent need to improve the quality of life of Canada’s Aboriginals, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, living both on and off reserve, which requires focused and immediate initiatives by the government in areas such as health, water, housing, education, and economic opportunities and, especially, immediately moving forward with the implementation of the Kelowna Accord with its full funding commitments.

Toews appoints Manitoba friend?

Vic Toews has appointed a David Langtry as a full-time Commissioner on the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. His résumé is interesting...maybe not quite as substantial as current Commissioners but...wait...
Is that the same David Langtry who is "...a familiar face to Progressive Conservatives" in Manitoba?
Maybe that is all that really mattered. Or maybe the name is pure coincidence.

Same-sex, Child Care and more Harp doublespeak

A majority of Canadians don't want to see the same-sex debate re-opened. Similar numbers prefer the Liberal approach to child care, as opposed to the Tory model (Jack Layton excepted).
On another front, Boss Harp gave a speech at the World Urban Forum in Vancouver yesterday. His speech writers worked overtime to come up with phraseology that would heighten the terror index. So now in his rhetorical toolbox you will find "apostles of terror" and we can expect to hear that often again...unless his communications advisors decide it might be treading a little heavily in the direction of George Bush's "crusade" faux pas.
There is another interesting context to be taken from the speech. On the very day that his government moves to kill a long-gun registry that is overwhelmingly supported in Canada's cities this PM said, "Perhaps the most important trend of our time is the mass migration of people from rural to urban environments." So...you see...the doublespeak continues as Harp tries to satisfy both his base (with legislation that few watch carefully) and the more moderate spectrum of voters at the same time (with doublespeaking speeches that the media covers incessantly). It is no coincidence that his Vancouver speech did NOT mention the Registry, but DID link terrorism to urban life.

Tories and securities regulator

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has decided to keep the idea of a single national securities regulator alive. First raised by John Manley in his 2003 budget and further moved forward by Ralph Goodale in his 2004 budget, the need for a single regulator is now realised virtually everywhere and was accentuated recently by the Crawford Panel Report. The Government of Ontario deserves credit for initiating that Panel, by the way.
The hope will be that all provinces will finally see the wisdom of this approach. The fear will be that the Harperites will play provincial political football with the issue and we end up with some sort of piecemeal concoction like the "passport system" which is all the rage.

Cheap shot from Minister (enelected) of PWGSC

The Minister (unelected) of Public Works, Senator Michael Fortier, has announced that the Tories are seeking advisors to address "...the management challenges of Crown-owned real estate assets". Typical of the Harper fashion of politicising the public service, the PWGSC press release partisanly proclaims that the Tories want to "...gain advice on issues that were not properly addressed by the previous government."
Readers are further advised:
PWGSC is seeking advice on its real property objectives:
* meet the accommodation requirements of departments and agencies with respect to the quality, location and quantity of office space;
* generate savings through the cost-efficient management of properties; and,
* ensure properties under PWGSC's stewardship are appropriately maintained given the requirements of an ageing portfolio and compliance with federal government legislation, policies and standards.
All of which is strikingly similar to the announcement of April 19, 2005 by then-PWGSC (elected) Minister, Scott Brison. In a presser that day he said, "Independent advice is now being sought to explore new creative ways to manage government office buildings across Canada."
The 2005 presser went on to say:
Specifically, the study's objective is to:
* find the most cost-effective and efficient ways to accommodate public servants
* improve the energy efficiency of buildings operated by the department with a view to contributing to the government's climate change action plan and greening agenda
* give more flexibility to serve Canadians in new areas of population growth and in smaller centres.
As it turns out, the only real difference in the two approaches is in the wording of the communications materials...and the cheap political shot Boss Harp's unelected buddy Fortier takes.

Harper ethics at work...more Clement

Sun Media has an interesting little piece about Tony Clement providing a sole-source "consulting" contract to his political hack friend Gord Haugh. The tricky minister claims Haugh earned every penny. This is the same minister who maintains an ownership stake in a drug company, even while serving as Health Minister. Harper's ethical standards remain silent on the issue...though Clement has been defended in the House by the Tories.
There is something missing from the Sun piece which just might get national media attention. According to a cursory scan of the web this information is found:
Gord Haugh
General Manager
Canadian International Pharmacy Association
RR#3 Gravenhurst , Ontario , Canada P1P 1R3
Ph: 1-888-687-0003
Fax: 705-687-2896
Email: gord.haugh@ciparx.ca
Oooops...When did Haugh join CIPA? Why does an organisation that clearly needs to interact government not have any active lobbyist registrations (they don't)? Why didn't Clement just hire Haugh as political staff? Could it be that the real reason for a "consulting" contract might just have been to insulate Mr. Haugh from the Harper Accountability Act?
Questions worth asking.

Bush the problem says CSIS

Canada can only improve its relations with the US after the next American election. So says Christopher Sands of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Yes Virginia...there is a US think-tank named CSIS! Actually, they do some interesting work and you might enjoy a browse of their web site.
Mr. Sands' comments clearly define the obvious. George Bush is a problem, if not the problem, in Canada/US relations. Reasoned and unbiased observers have reconised this ever since January of 2000 when Bush took charge south of the border.
Prior to that date, relations between the world's largest trading partners had been fairly even. Subsequently, and well prior to 9/11, the state-to-state friendship deteriorated, as had US relations with much of the world. The only thing that had changed was the arrival of Dubya.
We eagerly await his departure.

O'Connor seeks $15B

Lobby Minister Gordon O'Connor has gone to Cabinet seeking $15 billion. Leaks to CTV yesterday indicate that O'Connor has a wish list even longer than previously imagined.
Apparently, O'Connor's on-going battle with CDS Rick Hillier has been concluded amicably. They had been haggling over over precisely what new equipment is needed for the Canadian Forces. Hillier has long favoured the immediate procurement of tactical airlift and heavy duty choppers. O'Connor likes the strategic lift provided by the very expensive Boeing C-17.
It is heartening that O'Connor and Hillier have arrived at a compromise. It is just unfortunate that the compromise means each of them gets what they want and the tax-payer pays the extra cost.
The puppet is hard at work.

'I'm nobody's puppet': Harper

Stephen Harper chose an odd way to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the Watergate Break-in on June 17, 1972.
"I am not a crook." ...Richard Nixon, on his Watergate involvement.
"I'm nobody's puppet" ...Stephen Harper, on his buddy George Bush.
To deny all, is to confess all ...Spanish Proverb.

Quebec Carbon Tax

The media is replete with reference to the fact that Stephen Harper's best friend in Quebec City (Jean Charest) is about to impose a "carbon tax".
One wonders how this will play for Boss Harp out west.
Westerners might want to considewr how many times Harper and Charest have met. Half a dozen? Did the issue ever come up?
Good question!

Tory law screws Grits...how soon they forget

Joan Bryden of CP Wire reports that the Ethics law could be trouble for Liberal convention. The gist is that convention fees are deemed to be donations and so everyone would be over the limit and unable to attend the convention in the Fall. The Tories deny that this is the intent...but apparently Elections Canada thinks it is the law.
I guess no one remembers that back in 2004...January 1st to be exact...the new Election Financing Act came into force. Guess which Party did not follow the Act, even though their Convention was in March of 2004? They used the "technicality" of the "call date" of their convention having been in December of 2003. No Liberal argued against them.

Harper in control

The Prime Minister announced $15 million in aid to Afghanistan yesterday. What a control freak! Does he not have any Ministers that he trusts? It truly is Bizarro!
Bear in mind that this is also the man who incessantly railed agianst the "centralisation" of Liberal governments.

Tory decorum

Pierre Poilievre is an arrogant ass. He has a foul mouth, as proven last week. He has no class, as proven this week.
He is just another pompous little prick who gives all politics a bad name.
It's a good thing he is an elected MP...he has never done anything else.
Will Harper discipline him, or was previous blathering about the need for more decorum just more doublespeak?

Tory climate change plan...COSTLY!

CP Wire is running the following:
OTTAWA -- Internal documents suggest a key Tory proposal for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions will cost a lot more than anything in the Liberal plan they're scrapping.
The proposal would give public transit riders a federal tax credit to cover the cost of their monthly transit passes.
Internal documents given to Broadcast News suggest such a measure would increase transit use by only five to seven per cent.
But it would cost two-thousand dollars for each tonne of carbon dioxide saved.
Under the Liberal plan, dubbed Project Green, initiatives were estimated to cost 20 to 200 dollars per tonne of carbon saved.
In the Commons Prime Minister Stephen Harper derided the Liberal plan and promised his government would do better.
QUEL SURPRISE!

Military announces $2 billion spending

Nice to see that the Harper government allows the military officers to make $2 billion spending announcements. Like yesterday's speech by Rear Admiral Dan McNeil, the commander of Joint Task Force Atlantic, that announced the supply ship contract. According to the Chronicle-Herald he said, "It will definitely be announced before the Parliament recesses for the summer."
Anyone care to bet what the government response to this will be?
How about the tried and true:
"...the government has taken no such decision and no such procurement has been undertaken. However, the government did outline in the campaign our intention to rebuild our armed forces after 13 long years of neglect, and we will do that."
Or another golden oldie:
"...no decision has been made on equipment. The government has not made any decision. When it does, it will be to the benefit, first, of the military, second, of Canadians, and third, of industry, which will get industrial benefits."
Or another favourite:
"...no decision has been made on equipment. When a decision is made the House will be informed if it is in session and the public will be informed of that decision."
And then there is the real gut-splitter (from Hansard, June 12, 2006)!
Hon. Gordon O'Connor (Minister of National Defence, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I really must be dealing with the Forest Gump of critics. The government will make a decision on any aircraft or any other purchases when it is appropriate and then the decisions will be announced.
Hmmm...looks like the truth is that the Canadian public has a Forest Gump government...with Pinocchio at its head.

Harper, Bush and softwood

Softwood lumber seems to be causing a bit of a problem for Stephen Harper. The CP Wire is reporting that talks in Washington have stalled. In fact, even as the talks have been continuing the US Commerce Department has issued notice that it may be increasing duties on Canadian exports.
Softwood has also been front and centre in Question Period this week. You will note that Harper's tone has changed considerably from April 27th when he claimed: “Canada’s bargaining position was strong; our conditions were clear; and this agreement delivers...It’s a good deal that resolves this long-standing dispute and allows us to move on.”
It is also worth noting that on April 27th Harper boasted that, "I have used every opportunity to remind the President of this issue and to urge quick action."
Given the current difficulties, voters should wonder if Boss Harp intends to call his friend George Bush today.

McGuinty and energy

The TO Star has a piece titled: Nuclear issue will frame next vote. It is an interesting read and it pretty much sums up the matter.
It will be interesting to watch in the coming months to see how the McGuinty Liberals handle the energy quagmire in the run-up to the next election.

Harper style on display

Boss Harp's view of the world and Canada emerges more with each passing day. Some links below show the tone...and his communications people tried to offset the big business/insiders bent by "leaking" word of his coming head tax apology.
Phone giants cheer Tories' CRTC directive
Ottawa Citizen - The federal government delivered a strong signal yesterday that market forces should play a key role in the $34-billion telecommunications industry ...
Flaherty won't end tax breaks for booming oil industry
Macleans - (CP) - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has rejected a request from environmental groups to end an estimated $1.4 billion in annual tax breaks to the ...
Harper's Afghan trip soared near $200K mark
Calgary Sun - 12 Jun 2006 -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper's secret flight to Afghanistan cost $191,534...
Canada's New Attitude
American Thinker - 8 Jun 2006... Harper’s phone call to Bush came in a week when Canadian Defense Minister Gordon O’Connor had been expected get the ball rolling on an $8-billion (Cnd). ...
Harper appoints Canadian big business leaders to NAFTA panel
Calgary Sun OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is pulling together some of the biggest names in Canadian industry as the country's delegates to a continental ...
Tory use of friendly lobbyists is raising eyebrows
Canada.com - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said the ''revolving door'' between the federal government and lobbyists would stop turning once he took office. ...
MacKay doubles Liberal spending on corporate welfare
Canada.com - 12 Jun 2006... The findings come amid accusations that Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, who is responsible for the delivery of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency ...
Tories use ACOA cash to get provincial cousins elected, opposition ...
Canada.com - Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government spent more than $90 million in the four Atlantic provinces between February and late May a figure that is double ...
Reid blasts new law
Toronto Sun - Canada's information commissioner, John Reid, issued a call to arms in the wake of a Conservative Accountability Act that he has criticized as a step back from openness...
The security dilemma: The more you have, the more you need
ChronicleHerald.ca - The dilemma can be summed up by the following counterintuitive observation: The more security you have, the more security you will need...
Day blames Internet, not Afghan involvement, for terror threats
Canada.com - 9 Jun 2006... Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay later dismissed suggestions the Canadian policy of handing prisoners over to Afghan authorities, despite allegations of ...

More Ontario Energy...perfect storm

Greenpeace has announced its "occupation" of Dwight Duncan's office This in response to his call for the Ontario Power Authority to expand nuclear power generation.
Dalton McGuinty's perfect storm has begun.

What about John Reynolds?

Much huffing and puffing from Pretty Boy Baird today as the Government snubs protest of lobby ban. But what about John Reynolds, who spends much time haunting his old hunting grounds in Ottawa? Of course, he does not "register" any of his activities, which are not related to lobbying...seriously. Yeah shurrrre...John just gives "strategic counsel" over at Lang Michener.

Nuclear energy for Ontario

According to the Mop and Pail, Ontario has asked the federal government to guarantee costs on the installation of new CANDU reactors. Ontario has graciously offered to give AECL "first crack" at the project in return for a fixed-price deal with specific delivery dates.
What the Province is really doing is trying to set the table for a sole-source contract. They also will argue that they do not have time to wait. Actually, that claim will be open to question.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission says it will likely take 10 years from start to finish for any installation. The CNSC is also very careful to note that it is technology-neutral. There may some wisdom to investigating Pressurized Water Reactor technology.
In any case, the people of Ontario should be investigating nuclear power and its many variants so that they can be informed. It is going to be a hot topic for months and years to come. In the meantime, the Government and Minister Duncan would be well-advised to ramp up conservation efforts dramatically.

Media and the leadership...caveat emptor

In most leadership races the role of the written media is underestimated. Unlike broadcast media, the written word has a shelf-life. They can provide a lasting influence on a race. Articles can be easily clipped and circulated by any camp, either for their own positive reasons or to mount an attack against a foe.
A good "for instance" ocurred yesterday in the aftermath of the first official Grit debate. Consider the "lead" stories and their headlines from two of the top organs in the country.
Debate casts Ignatieff as front-runner
Globe and Mail - 12 Jun 2006
Michael Ignatieff may deny it, but the weekend provided some evidence he is the front-runner to win the Liberal leadership: The other candidates ...
Ignatieff stumbles out of gate at debate
Toronto Star - 11 Jun 2006
Going into the first Liberal leadership debate, Michael Ignatieff had to achieve two goals: demonstrate that his presumed front-runner status is justified and ...
Two respected journalists (Chantal Hebert and Campbell Clark) covered the same event. They (and their headline writers) arrived at startlingly different conclusions. What is a person to think?
Liberals must be careful not to allow the personal interpretation of journalists and headlines from the written press to overpower their own thought process. Likewise, they must not be swamped by the 10 second clip from broadcast journalists.
The key is to make up your mind through personal observation, research and your own gut political instinct. In other words, caveat emptor.

FLASH...Harper woos the media!!!

Boss Harp has "blinked" in his on-going battle with the national media. In a show of unequalled hypocrisy Mr. Harper will kiss-and-make up with a Garden Party at 24 Sussex on June 15th. He has even invited family members of the Fifth Estate, as he uses the public facilities of the PM's residence to patch things up with his self-proclaimed "enemies". There is no word on whether "regional media" have been invited.
Well done Boss Harp!

Bourque NewsWatch...at it again

Pierre Bourque has many loyal readers...according to his numbers. Thhis morning one of his headlines rang a bell. Titled THE UNTOLD STORY OF CRIA LOBBYING, it reminded me of something.
Ah yes...after just a few moments of digging...I was reminded of the last election campaign. At that time Michael Geist and others opposed to copyright protection generated a seemingly endless number of links on the esteemed M. Bourque's site. The whole copyright issue seemed to be front and centre in the campaign...at least according to BourquesWorld. The focus of the comment was an all-out attack on a Liberal MP, Sarmite Bulte.
The whole thing could make some people wonder if there is any connection between seemingly random "links" and advertising revenues over at NewsWatch?

Boss Harp under (friendly) fire

The Mop and Pail reports today (top above the fold, story) that Top Tory organizers challenge lobby rules.
Boss Harp learns that his 5Ps are losing steam...even amongst the faithful. Time for a new Throne Speech!!!

McGuinty and energy...Perfect Storm II

Last week I commented on some aspects of the coming energy debate in the province of Ontario. Since that time there have been further developments.
Energy Minister Dwight Spanky Duncan, after setting the table earlier, announced last Friday that the government will not meet its target to close coal-fired generation. That's a double-whammy for Premier McGuinty. He has to delay his desire to provide Ontarians with cleaner air to breathe. And this decision will no doubt revive all the chatter about broken promises.
Last week, Spanky also started to set the table for the government's response to the Ontario Power Authority report from last December. Then over the weekend we see the government stepped up its PR effort in advance of that release. The proverbial "sources" have generated this morning's TO Star story titled: Ontario to build reactors .
I suspect that the government braintrust is a bit annoyed with the fait accompli nature of that particular story. Not to mention the fact that the Star also reveals that Premier McGuinty gave a speech (in secret, naturally) presentation to the famed Bilderberg Group on the weekend. Last week the Energy Minister had promised "enormous public debate" of the government's plans.
To say the least, it was not wise for McGuinty to meet those Bilderbergers...in private...off the record...talking about nukes. Great ammo for those who will inevitably oppose expansion of the nuclear option. They will add it to their quiver that already contains the fact that McGuinty's former Principal Secretary David MacNaughton became a lobbyist for the nuclear industry within short months of his departure.
The last government of Ontario fell, in large part, due to its inept handling of the energy file. The same could happen again.

Leadership evaluation...

Randome thoughts...on a Sunday (raining as usual).
I read and watch a lot of comment on line about the leadership and it all seems to centre on one of 3:
1. The "big names" supporting each candidate.
2. The "intelligence" of the respective candidate.
3. The "past actions or words" of each candidate.
I fear that what is missing so far is a measurement which also includes the following criteria:
1. The "real people" supporting each candidate.
2. The demonstrated "human touch" of each candidate.
3. The political "gut instincts" of each candidate.
We need to use all 6 of these in varying degrees, plus an ability to use new technologies and attract new donors, to judge who might best lead not just the Liberal Party of today...but the Canada of tomorrow...to a renaissance of thought and action.
Debates like yesterday are so sterile in many ways. They are isolated from the mass general public. We can expect that virtually no one (other than Liberals) watched the thing live, or for that matter even bothered to read news reports. We should expect no less when we schedule things like this on the weekend World Cup Soccer starts, I guess. Not to mention that the Oilers live!
The debate was also stilted by its very structure. Why not split the candidates into two groups and send them to points across the country? Earlier this Spring there was something on in both Nova Scotia and BC on the same weekend...prospective candidates at that time split up and covered both. The real benefit was that we got decent regional media in both ends of the country AND some national.
My point is...be creative! If we want to pretend we are ready for the future we don't have to stick only to old format. For heaven's sakes, make the candidates do a series of "Chat Room" debates...one-on-one...that anybody can observe. There must be technology to allow this.
Anyway, just some random thoughts...I am sure I will have more.

Playing the fear card: Flaherty promises crackdown on terrorist funding

The Tories are playing the fear card very quickly, as Lawrence Martin so sagely predicted earlier in the week. Today we see Finance Minister Flaherty promises crackdown on terrorist funding while at a G-8 meeting. He says he will ensure that Canada has the laws necessary to impose this crackdown. What added tools will Flaherty give to FINTRAC? A read of their web page it indicates that he is just shooting from the lip...raising the fear factor. It almost looks like his comments were a direct quote from the web site even as he tries to make it sound like we are starting from scratch. Which is nonsense...learn more about FINTRAC by reading this presentation to the Senate Banking Committee way back on May 18, 2006.
The information below is from the FINTRAC web site.:
Who We Are
The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, or FINTRAC, is Canada's financial intelligence unit, a specialized agency created to collect, analyze and disclose financial information and intelligence on suspected money laundering and terrorist activities financing . Created in July 2000, the Centre is an integral part of our country's engagement in the global fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities.
Our Mandate
The Centre was created to detect and deter money laundering by providing critical information to support the investigation or prosecution of money laundering offences. In December 2001, this mandate was expanded to include the detection and deterrence of terrorist activity financing.
More specifically, FINTRAC's mandate is to:
* receive and collect reports on suspicious and prescribed financial transactions and other information relevant to money laundering and terrorist activities financing ;
* receive reports on the cross-border movement of large amounts of currency or monetary instruments;
analyze and assess the information it receives;
* provide law enforcement financial intelligence that would be relevant to the investigation or prosecution of money laundering offences and terrorist activity financing offences as well as to provide CSIS with financial intelligence that would be relevant to threats to the security of Canada;
* ensure that personal information under its control is protected from unauthorized disclosure;
* ensure compliance by financial intermediaries and other reporting entities with their obligations under the Act and regulations; and
* enhance public awareness and understanding of matters related to money laundering and terrorist financing.
Our Mission
FINTRAC's Mission is to provide law enforcement and intelligence agencies with financial intelligence on money laundering, terrorist activity financing and threats to the security of Canada, while ensuring the protection of the information it holds.
Our Vision
Our Vision is to be a leader in providing timely and high quality financial intelligence in the global fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, and thereby contribute to the public safety of Canadians.
As a Minister in Ontario at the time, Jim Flaherty somehow missed out on FINTRAC's creation and purpose. And the other item he mentioned, counterfeiting, is a Criminal Code matter that is pretty well covered therein.
There will always be a need to update and re-evaluate legislation and regulation across government. However, we do not need our Finance Minister out there fear-mongering on this particular issue. It does us no good in the domestic fight against terrorism and it does our country no good in the eyes of the world.
I wish the Tories would govern instead of fighting their never-ending election campaign.

Terror Threat to Parliament Hill

The Sun Media chain is reporting that the RCMP are worried about Parliament Hill security. Read this article. It talks about a "post-911" report from the RCMP. It focuses on the amount of vehicular traffic on the Hill at that time. The author doesn't even bother to note the date of the report. I underlined "at that time" because in the aftermath of 911 the RCMP and Hill Security instituted systems which BLOCK MOST TRAFFIC FROM THE HILL! The only vehicles that are currently supposed to be allowed to travel un-inspected on to the Hill are those carrying Ministers and the little buses that ferry about the MPs. Even with those, passengers are supposed to show ID at the RCMP checkpoint at the West entrance or the Metcalfe Street entrance.
As an aside, if our fearless press and some MPs (read: David McGuinty) are so freaking worried about security...Why do they release a report FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION that is supposedly so seminal to the whole security issue. I guess Freedom of Information is due for restrictions too, eh?!?!
Journalists and the media are being particularly irresponsible when they do not note the work that has been done to provide security to the Parliamentary Precinct. The only terror threat right now seems to be the fear of terror that the media is attempting to whip up. And they are being ably abetted by hand-wringing MPs like David McGuinty, who has been bleating incessantly since last weekend about lax Hill protection. Although I don't remember him saying anything on Thursday when it was noted that MPs are the biggest sieve element on the Hill.

Irresponsible Allan Gregg..UPDATE

UPDATE: Didn't see this earlier. But it is no surprise that CanWest and their resident polling wizard, Ipsos-Reid, also jumped into the terror fire.
You would think they might think better given the release of US work on Iraq today, which shows the continued steady drop in support for the Bush War.
Perhaps Lawrence Martin will be profoundly correct in his assessments that Harper is both, swimming against the tides AND that he will play the fear hand dealt him. In the wrong place at the wrong time with an issue that won't endure...That would be a happy coincidence for Grits (though maybe not for Mi).
Original Post:
Today the Mop and Pail proclaims that a Majority believe terrorists will hit Canada: poll and their partners at CTV do the same.
A poll on this issue, at this time (in the immediate aftermath of the arrests), is good only for Fido to use when the master is out. That media outlets inspire this drivel with their willingness to purchase and publish this sort of crap is no surprise. That the poll was done by Allan Gregg is disappointing. He is a sensible man and a good pollster (even if he did run the Kim Campbell campaign into the ground in 1993). He should know that polling in the immediate days following major events is not wise...actually it is a perversion of his own "profession".
Some pollsters, like Mike Marzolini over at Pollara, understand this basic tenet of public opinion research. Have a read of this 2001 article by Mr. Marzolini...he says it all much better than I could.

Volpe saga...Ignatieff attack

It was not up to Michael Ignatieff or any of the other candidates to say anything more on the Volpe issue than, "I and all my campaign workers and volunteers will follow both the word and spirit of all laws and regulations and I will adhere to all of the leadership policies and procedures of the Liberal Party of Canada." Obviously, to go further would be a conflict of interest for any candidate.
It was and is up to Bill Graham and Michael Eizinga to act on the Volpe matter. As Leader and President, with no personal vested interest in the outcome, they have a duty to ensure that Section 17 (7) of the Party Constitution be acted upon. It has been with the creation of the Regulations Governing Expenses. That document contains all the powers needed by officials and the Code of Conduct to be adhered to by Leadership Candidates, workers and volunteers.
The Code of Conduct states (in various places):
Political Contributions
"Financial support shall only be given as permitted by Canada Elections Act and in accordance with Ethical Fundraising Guidelines approved by the National Executive or the Leadership Expenses Committee."
Compliance with Law
"We act at all times in full compliance with both the letter and the spirit of legislative andregulatory requirements."
Section 16 of the Regulations deals with "compliance" and says:
If a Compliance Panel concludes that a Leadership Contestant, or other person acting on his or her behalf, is in violation of any of these Regulations, it may impose one or more of the following sanctions on the Leadership Contestant in question:
a) issue a private reprimand;
b) issue a public reprimand;
c) impose a fine on the Leadership Contestant in an amount not to
exceed $100,000.00, and in default of full payment of such fine within a
time period set by the Compliance Panel, the Leadership Contestant will
be deemed to be disqualified; or
d) disqualify the Leadership Contestant.

Reptilian Kitten-Eater? Not me says PM

PM Harper seems to be trying to ensure that, unlike Dalton McGuinty, he will NEVER be accused of being an evil reptilian kitten-eater from another planet...unless he has some sort of hidden agenda, of course.
Or maybe he is just trying to inoculate himself against any possible future campaign screw-ups by over-zealous Tory staffers.

Doublespeakin' for Boss Harp

Actually, it is not Boss Harp himself who doublespeaks ALL the time. It is just everybody else in his government that has to in order to make things fit the Harp's view of the world.
The latest? More changes to the half-masting rules for the Peace Tower flag.
What's next? A new Kyoto Plan?

BOURQUE Quits Tory payroll

Didn't take Pierre long to dump Stephen Taylor's link...BOURQUE NEWSWATCH - TOMORROW'S NEWS NOW !

Pierre Bourque duped by Tories?

There is a headline currently on Bourque NewsWatch titled MORE DECEITFUL LIBERAL FUNDRAISING ?. It is linked to the blog of Tory Good Ole Boy Stephen Taylor. He makes a point related to "directed contributions" and, as best I can tell, HE HAS SELECTIVELY AND INCORRECTLY QUOTED FROM ELECTIONS CANADA. Haste makes waste!
It is a good thing that Bourque included a question mark at the end of his headline.
Perhaps everyone would like to check out "directed contributions" over at the Elections Canada web site. Mr. Taylor should have followed the evolution of C-24 a little closer and he would realise that, as I recall, ALL Parties wanted this scenario included. It may even have been changed in Committee. It is there to encourage people to give to Leadership campaigns through the registered parties. It was thought thought that this might allow for better tracking of monies.
Anyway, here is the quoted part from my search of the EC web site...the bold is mine:
Directed contributions
A person who is eligible to make contributions to a leadership contestant may do so directly to the contestant or indirectly through a registered party. Contributions made through a party are called "directed contributions."
A directed contribution is all or part of a contribution made to a registered party by a person who requests in writing that the amount be transferred to a particular leadership contestant.
Contributors considering making contributions through a registered party rather than directly to a candidate should realize that a registered party that receives a directed contribution is not required by law to forward that contribution to the contestant to whom it was directed. The party may retain any part of the contribution as it wishes. However, for the purposes of the contributor's contribution caps, the Canada Elections Act deems the contribution to have been made in its entirety to the leadership contestant, not to the registered party – whether or not the party passed any amount of that contribution to the contestant. Thus, notwithstanding that the contributor pays the directed contribution to a registered party, that directed contribution counts toward the contributor's contribution caps respecting leadership contestants – not to the contributor's contribution caps to the registered party.
Income tax receipts are available for directed contributions made through a registered party.
Registered parties must report to the Chief Electoral Officer all directed contributions they receive, as well as how much they pass on to leadership contestants.
Further on it states:
No income tax credit
Income tax credits are not available for contributions to leadership contestants, other than for directed contributions made through a registered party.

IANA update

I mentioned the Warren Kinsella Project IANA earlier today. I am not sold on the idea...and my reason is outlined briefly below in a copy of comments made earlier today:
Anonymous said...
Kinsella does anything to bring attention to himself...he must be a leo....he likes to see and hear himself....he made a fool of himself in the last election...kissing up to harper and his "beautiful"wife...the way he went on shows pretending to be a liberal....what an idiot.....signed greatgranny p.s. he is a real daisy...
Friday, June 09, 2006 12:43:31 PM
#########
Warren K said...
I'll put anonymous down as "undecided."
Friday, June 09, 2006 2:06:38 PM
#########
Bizarro said...
Hey Warren...drop by more often. But, you have to know that JC fought back in 2001 by insisting that things "get back to normal" as quickly as possible. That is the true way to show that someone is "not afraid."
Friday, June 09, 2006 8:41:52 PM

As you can expect, I am not convinced that IANA is "normal". But, hey, no one ever accused Warren of being "normal"!! Least of all himself.

Re: iamnotafraid

The knowledge of Canada and response to the terrorist arrests displayed by several members of the US Congress and Administration yesterday should cause Warren Kinsella to re-think his project. After all, Warren does live in the enclave of "South Toronto". (See the front page of today's Globe and Mail)
The stupidity also encouraged Rep. John Hostettler to criticise PM Harper for "laughing off death threats". And here I just thought Harper was part of the iamnotafraid effort over at the Daisy Pushers.

Grit leadership in-fighting...

Many stories today about the Liberal expulsion of Raymond Lavigne from Caucus. That was a good move.
There is one other story about ethics that catches the eye. It is a CP Wire piece about Liberal leadership candidates who are supposedly using Parliamentary resources to promote their activity. The main thrust is that "Supporters of at least eight of the 11 leadership candidates have used MPs' offices on Parliament Hill to distribute partisan campaign material...". The article claims that 8 of 11 candidates have engaged in such "abuse". Further, the article appears to have one single Liberal MP as its source. Though later in the piece the National Director of the Party also comments.
I have several comments and observations:
1. The so-called "abuse" is a bogus charge. MPs from all parties do partisan work from their offices all the time. In fact, much more partisan than this allegation. For instance, the current Prime Minister sees no problem in posting notices like this on his Government of Canada web site:
4 May 2006
Ottawa, Ontario
Public events for Prime Minister Stephen Harper for Thursday, May 4th are as follows:
6:30 pm – Prime Minister attends dinner for PC Party of Ontario.
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
255 Front Street West
Toronto ON
Hall G
In addition, you will see a great many MPs who utilise the web and mix and match partisan and non-partisan information freely. The House of Commons web sites posts a disclaimer saying * Please note that the Web sites of MPs and Caucuses are not part of the Web Site of the Parliament of Canada. HOWEVER...the sites are paid for out of the public purse. This disclaimer is intended only to protect the Officers of Parliament with respect to content.
If you check the following, (all found following links from the HoC web site) you will see blatant partisan symbols and some direct links to the Party information: David Anderson, M.P., Dean Allison, M.P. and Rob Anders, M.P. In the fourth party, Charlie Angus, M.P. does the same with NDP symbols, as does Catherine Bell, M.P.. (I can't be bothered going through more). At the same time, the Volpe, Fry, Ignatieff and Dryden links connect to their leadership sites, while Bennett, Brison, Bevilacqua and Dion do not and the other 3 are not MPs. The point here is that the premise of the story is phony. Period. Politicians are partisan...all of them. The whole notion of propriety can get carried from the sublime to the ridiculous.
2. In the article it claims that 8 campaigns are guilty. That means that 3 are not and they are Hall-Findlay, Brison and Volpe. Hall-Findlay makes sense...she doesn't have a Hill office. So that leaves Brison and Volpe as "saints" in this whole bogus issue. One of these campaigns might just be trying to inflict damage on all the rest. To that end, it would be particularly interesting to know who the One Liberal MP is. And we are left to wonder just which campaign is feeling so much heat that it would throw mud. The point here is that the whole "leak" is partisan in and of itself...and see point 1...it is grasping at phony straws by someone.
3. Finally, in the article the National Director offers his comment. He was good at first in cautioning, "We expect that all leadership campaign activities be fully disclosed and the expenses incurred to undertake those activities be fully disclosed," said Steven MacKinnon. He did not know enough to stop there and got "sucked in" to the whole matter of "back-stabbing". To wit he said, "Ronald Reagan's first commandment was, 'Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.' Certainly the leadership candidates themselves have spoken of the need for a civil, open contest."
Notes to Steven:
a) The Liberal Party does NOT take its cues from Ronald Regan.
b) Do not get sucked in to partisan leadership battles if you feel the need to comment every time you are asked.
c) The National Office has to look at ANY complaint seriously, IF we expect to rebuild public trust in our brand.

Boisclair's balls...

After a long search, top Quebec Separatiste André Boisclair has found his balls and announced that he will seek a seat in the National Assembly this fall.

Another Grit should step aside

Senator Raymond Lavigne has provided just about all the ammunition anyone might need to demand that he now resign his Senate sinecure. From tree-cutting on other's property to padded expenses...time to go!
And if he won't leave on his own then the Liberal Caucus should at least turf him...just like Andy Thompson back in 1997.

Volpe saga...get a load of this!!!

Joe Volpe's web site has a new look today. There is a letter on the home page from Joe Himself. In part, that letter says...get ready for this...
"The old-style politics of power brokers, bagmen and backroom boys can no longer have a place in our Party. It is time to give the Liberal Party of
Canada back to its devoted supporters and listen to their experiences, knowledge and ingenuity. The grassroots have always been the source of our strength and the time has come to revitalize our connection with them. We must begin by encouraging local members to choose who will represent them in General Elections through a transparent nomination process."
Gee...how insightful!

Advice to the British Labour Party

As the push to get rid of Tony Blair mounts...recently-demoted Jack Straw the latest...Do NOT follow his advice:
"I think there'll be one candidate. And I think that'll be a great relief to people because, if there is one obvious candidate, why on earth spend so much time and money, let me say, in the party having an unnecessary contest?" he said.
Mr. Straw and other Labourites need only look to Canada's Liberal Party for proof that coronations are not a good idea!

Death of a terrorist...al-Zarqawi

Al Qaeda terroist al-Zarqawi is dead and the world and Islam is better for that.
One does, however, wonder about the wisdom of western leaders like Bush and Blair running to the microphone to "comment" on the death. We are reminded of the Mission Accomplished moment.
In the world of sports, combatants are always careful not to provide their enemy any motivational fodder. The same might be a wise piece of advice for these leaders.
The challenge of terrorism will not know any one moment of victory. It will require generations of effort in many more than just military ways.

Mike Harris returns: Report and threats the order of the day

Yesterday was a big Mike Harris news day. The ghost of a past Ontario Conservative government was in the news in two distinct ways. The father of the Common non-Sense Revolution was back on the national stage with his current mentor, Preston Manning. The two doyens of the Fraser Institute presented their next iteration of their view of Canada. It contains several interesting approaches, which should make Boss Harp a tad uncomfortable in his never-ending search for middle-Canada votes.
He will be nervous because, as you read the full document, you will be struck by the similarities to Harper actions in many areas. So perhaps it also can be concluded that this is a blueprint for a more radical Harper approach should he acquire his yearned-for majority.
The Harris/Manning/(Harper) Canada includes:
** ...withdrawal of the federal government from provincial areas of responsibility, particularly education, health care, welfare, and child care, vacating equivalent tax room to the provinces.
** Invigoration of the Council of the Federation as a meeting place to develop strong inter-provincial cooperation and agreements.
** ...a democratically elected Senate and a reformed committee structure in Parliament to monitor and check the power of the Cabinet.
** Rehabilitate our Constitution’s Notwithstanding Clause so the people and their representatives can block overreaching by courts.
** ...an annual Report Card on government to grade government performance by measurable standards.
One assumes that the "standards" in the last point would be those of the big thinkers at the Fraser Institute. Of course, the report also includes the obligatory call for those old Manning standbys of:
** ...citizens assemblies and referendums to give the public direct involvement in democratic reform.
** ...freer votes in Parliament and legislatures so the people’s representatives can better represent the people who elect them.
Yup...it all sounds just like the sham that Ontarians had to live through when ideologue Harris was Premier. And, of course, it is what the Canadian public rejected during Manning's leadership of the the Reform/Alliance/Whatever.
But that was not all we heard from Harris yesterday. At the same time that Mikey was expounding on the wisdom of his ways for the country, his lawyer was threatening to sue the current Premier of Ontario. You will find the exchange in question, regarding the Native standoff in Caledonia, at this link. Premier McGuinty said things like: "I think Ontarians again have a good opportunity for a study in contrasts here. They would send in the police. They would have the police engage in some kind of action. We choose to negotiate. We choose to take the time to ensure we have a resolution which is peaceful."
Mike Harris, through his lawyer, took offence to this line of response. In a Sun Media piece today it says:
Former Ontario premier Mike Harris is threatening legal action against Premier Dalton McGuinty if he repeats "defamatory" comments about Ipperwash.
Harris's lawyer Peter Downard sent a letter to McGuinty yesterday to express concern over the premier's reference to the Ipperwash crisis.
McGuinty said the Conservatives had learned nothing from Ipperwash and wanted the government to direct police in the Caledonia situation.
Downard's missive says McGuinty's comments suggest Harris directed OPP at Ipperwash -- a 1995 standoff that ended in the police shooting of a native protester.
The great Defender of Democracy of earlier in the day does not seem to recognise a couple of things. First, MPs amd MPPs enjoy parliamentary privilege for a reason...to allow them to speak their mind without fear of bullying from the likes of Boss Harris. Second, yesterday's QP at QP made one and only one reference to Harris (in a question about the Harris desire to close the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa). Perhaps this is just a case of "if the shoe fits, wear it". If so, thank you for the admission Mr. Harris.
All in all, the Harris return should have one positive effect. It will accelerate the rehabilitation of Bob Rae's political image as Premier of Ontario. Let's face it...compared to the Common Sense Revolution, which cut services, targetted the vulnerable and lied about the fiscal state of the province, all while giving phony tax rate cuts to the wealthy...Rae Days seem a minor irritant indeed.

McGuinty Grits face "perfect storm"

The government of Ontario is grappling with projected energy shortfalls of some 24,000 MW by 2025 (Ontario Power Authority Supply Mix Advice Report). This is nothing new, but it is something that is often overlooked by other Canadians. We should all be worried. Worried that Ontario will not respond quickly enough to the tightening noose of energy demand versus supply. The economy and manufacturing base of Ontario is the engine that drives our consumer-based society...now more than ever, as the saying goes.
Yesterday the Energy Minister Dwight Duncan made it clear that cleaner coal technologies would not be a part of the energy future for the province. While making it sound like a purely environmentally-driven decision, the fact is that it is at least as much politics as pure science. The McGuinty government can not backtrack on its promise to abandon coal as an energy source. They have taken enough heat just for the delaying their 2003 election promise to close current coal burning generation.
Duncan is widely expected to announce soon that nuclear energy will be the "source of choice" for new-build in Ontario. It is difficult to see how that decision will prove any less challenging politically than the coal option. Anti-nuke crusaders are already on the march and they have always proven much more effective in mobilising public action than the energy producers. In this case, the Canadian Nuclear Association will need a lot more than their "Unclear about Nuclear" ad program. The CNA could also come under fire for an alleged "cozy" elationship with the Ontario government. They are led by CEO (and former Ontario Liberal Minister) Murray Elston, who also acts as their chief lobbyist. The pro-nuclear crowd will need to find a lot more Patrick Moore converts if they are to carry the day. (Patrick Moore is a co-founder of Greenpeace).
In a related matter, yesterday the Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten also announced changes to the Environmental Assessment regulatory regime. The changes are touted as a way to "streamline" processes. They are also seen as a way to speed up mega-projects in areas of transportation, energy and waste disposal. The linkages between this regulatory change and the energy challenges of the province are unmistakable. Once agian, you can expect that "environmental activists" will mobilise in opposition quite quickly. These activists will include a lot of "regular" folks too. Just witness the battles in eastern Ontario over dump expansions in Napanee and in the Premier's back yard in Carp. The focus on transit mega-projects also plays in the Premier's home town with the much-critisized Light Rail Project.
It looks like McGuinty and his Grits are about to hit a "perfect storm" of coinciding energy and environmental concerns. If it is a long, hot summer with electricity shortages that will quickly become a "shit storm". And opponents know precisely when the next election will be.

Gordon O'Connor strategic wet dreams

Yes Virginia...Gordon O'Connor, our Minister of National Defence, is positively salivating at the thought of the Canadian Forces acquiring C-17 strategic lift capability from the Boeing Company.
So what is this C-17? It's official Boeing name is Globemaster III. Apart from the US, the plane is also in use with the British RAF. In recent weeks, the Aussies of John Howard and company also included the funding to get their very own little toys too. I guess Mr. Howard must have created plane-envy for Boss Harp when he was in town a few weeks back.
The C-17 has some useful features. Most importantly, the plane has powered reverse and this allows it to be functional on very short and very narrow runways. Both of which we have plenty of on the domestic scene. The CF used C-17s from the US during the Ice Storm of 1998 to deploy personnel from points west into the trouble area.
The C-17 program has also had a rather checkered history. Its teething period was quite extensive. It was also substantially over budget, in addition to having some mechanical difficulties with things like the tail and landing gear.
You might find this Strategic Public Affairs Plan for the Air Force's C-17 Globemaster III an interesting read. Take note of:
"The underlying message of all C-17 public affairs activities remains unaffected by the continually changing international environment, in fact, it is heightened: Airlift capability for America is indispensable."
Or..."Airlift capability is crucial to fulfilling the global reach of our national defense strategy into the 21st century."
Or this...
"To be truly sovereign, we must be able to deploy our forces and equipment, where they are needed, when they are needed."
Oooops! Sorry! That lasty one was Stephen Harper during the election campaign.
But it will be fun to see the same "language" flowing from the mouths of our own ministers and defence industry shills. I dare say that Boeing's Canadian lobbyists (not sure if this link will work) might even put it to good use. That would include the good folks over at Summa Strategies.
Th unfortunate aspect of all of this lies in the fact that there is no serious discussion about the real need for strategic lift. That would be a useful debate. How many times can you remember Canada not being able to meet transport requirements at time of crisis? Hint: the answer is none. Are we first on the scene? Hint: not usually, but we don't do too badly for a nation of only 32 million people. There are also good reasons to acquire strategic lift. It is a valid statement of our own sovereignty and it would get us to hotspots or humanitarian crises faster, for instance.
The sole-sourcing that is about to happen will negate this type of true debate and for that alone Harper should be roundly criticised.

Question Period nuggetts today

Some choice tidbits from today's QP follow:
1. PM Harper stretches hypocrisy to the limint in this exchange with Alexa McDonough:
Ms. Alexa McDonough (Halifax, NDP): Mr. Speaker, it is not 10 years from now that they need the beds. It is now.
To compound our seniors' health problems the federal government has now backed away from its commitment to reduce pollution. Thanks to this Prime Minister the Nova Scotia Premier now says that he will not meet his commitments to reduce pollution.
That is the Conservative legacy. No help for our seniors for long term care and no clean air for them or their grandchildren to breathe.
Will the Prime Minister finally introduce a detailed plan to clean our air and water so that Nova Scotians, indeed all Canadians, can breathe a little easier?
Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I think the House will recognize that these questions from the hon. member for Halifax are little more than her attempt to engage in the provincial election campaign in Nova Scotia. The NDP may need that kind of help but I am sure the Conservative Party of Nova Scotia is able to stand on its own feet.
Hard to believe that Boss Harp so easily forgets that he has taken the art of Primie Ministerial meddling in provincial politics to a new level with visits to PC funraising events in PEI, Ontario and New Brunswick.
2. INAC Minister Jim Prentice substitutes Tory patronage for action in Kashechewan:
Hon. Jim Prentice (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise the House today that we are taking action on this issue. I will be appointing former Ontario cabinet minister Mr. Alan Pope today as a federal special representative. Mr. Pope will be in Kashechewan tomorrow and will consult through the summer and will report back in the fall.
Alan Pope is a lifelong Tory in Ontario. It is also difficult to unerstand how Prentice can equate a need to further "consult" with "taking action".
3. Then there was the Tory House Leader responding to questions about Rob Anders:
Hon. Rob Nicholson (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform, CPC): Mr. Speaker, it was this hon. member who has raised this and I am very disappointed that he would raise it in this manner. He would know that this is improper. This is the case of a terminated employee who has issued a writ of summons, started a court case. It is before the courts. It should be left there and I am very disappointed, as I am sure other members of the House are, that he would try and raise this in this manner. It is shameful.
I do not recall the Tories being so reticent to discuss the sponsorship mess after charges were laid against Guite and Brault way back in 2004. Not to mention the September 10, 2003 charges against Paul Coffin, when Jean Chrétien was still PM!
4. Finally, it wouldn't be a real Question Period if Jack Layton didn't stretch his own nose just a bit and today was no exception. Here is part of Sir Jack challenging his friend the PM about the environment:
Hon. Jack Layton (Toronto—Danforth, NDP):
…The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, John Prescott, yesterday, in Montreal--by the way, the United Kingdom, a country that is achieving its Kyoto targets and then some…
Back to the drawing board wih that question Jack. Either that or perhaps you should just check out the BBC to learn that the UK effort under Kyoto is a big question mark these days.

Conduct unbecoming a PM

Warren Kinsella rightly suggests that everyone should be trying to calm people in the wake of the alleged terrorist arrests. So our so-called Prime Minister tosses some gas onto the fire by harking back to the Nazism of the 1930s...what will Kinsella say about that?

Harper's 5 priorities

The 5Ps are hard to find in today's news...
But rural mail delivery is on the agenda.
...and Kyoto is big in Quebec where Boss Harp is aiming to win his majority.
...and suddenly the Tories are in a frenzy about fertilizer sales...unlike the position stated by Garry Breitkreuz in 2002 when he said: "This proposed legislation enables the government to go well beyond the parts of this bill and that causes us concern. This is enabling legislation. We do not know what regulations in future the government will bring in. These could be very harmful to farmers and dealers who deal with this particular type of fertilizer."
...but some things never change, as Harper sucks up to Bush
...and Rob Anders makes a larger fool of himself (allegedly).

Olivia Chow in trouble???

Liberals file complaint over last-minute Toronto voters. This story is running on the CanWest service...unfortunately the link requires a subscription.
It is an interesting piece about Olivia Chow's riding of Trinity-Spadina. It seems that around 10,000 voters showed up to register at the polls on election day...hmmmm...this will bear watching.

Tory media strategy and nuclear waste

You probably missed it...that's what the Tories wanted when they scheduled the presser for a Friday morning at 8:30 a.m....
Mini-stir of Natural Resources Gary Lunn announced that the Tories would spend more than half a billion dollars to bury nuclear waste in the Ottawa River Valley. You can watch the announcement here. You will enjoy watching:
1. The head of AECL, Robert Van Adel, suck up to the Mini-stir in his introduction...very political guy that Robert Van Adel.
2. If you listen carefully to Van Adel's intro you will also hear him refer to Canada's nu-cu-lear industry...just like George Bush!
3. The Mini-stir blame past governments (standard fare at Tory pressers) and bless God at the end of his announcement.
4. You will also see the wonderful Cheryl Gallant (perhaps the fact that she had to be involved is why they chose an early morning start) politicizing a Government of Canada announcement with reference to the election campaign.
You might also find the Energy Insert in this week's Hill Times interesting. You will again see Lunn blaming Liberals AND the Deputy Minister of NRCAN pointing out that, "Over 50 per cent of greenhouse gases are generated by natural resources sector in Canada".

Harper policies under fire

Last week we saw some polling data that indicated the public wasn't ready to reward Boss Harp with a majority government (in spite of the fact that the MSM seem ready to annoint him the winner). Today we see more numbers that provide insight into the public's attitude towards specific Tory policies. Apparently most people oppose Harper's approach to both Afghanistan and the environment.
Harper has brought much of this reaction on himself with his penchant for total control. He and his tighly managed ministers have doublespoken so often on the Kyoto file that it is no wonder people are questioning his approach. He also seems to have squandered massive support for the Afghan mission in just a few weeks with his tough guy "no cut and run" George Bush imitation.
Harper, et al are learning that governing is much more than his trite little 5 Priorities.

Toronto police chief pleads for calm

Police chief pleads for calm between Muslim and non-Muslims in the wake of yesterday's terror arrests reads a current story at the TO Star.
Perhaps law enforcement officials and politicians should think of that before they hype-up high profile arrest actions and before they start congratulating each other just for the arrests themselves.
And, oh yes...good to see Jack Layton scrambling for publicity as usual. His words always ring so sincere.

Tory justice at work

Yesterday's arrest of 17 alleged terrorists in Ontario is unsettling. It is unsettling for two reasons. Obviously, for the very nature of the acts being planned it is a concern for all Canadians and residents of our most populace province, in particular.
But on another level it is also going to cause concern. I refer to the unleashing of reactionary response. If you don't think it began almost immediately, just go check a few links on Blogging Tories (like this one, or this one). The one thing they all have in common is a presumption of guilt.
I fear for what our society will become...or has become.

Harp-ortunist

Stephen Harper is redefining political opportunism...he over-steps the bounds every day and the public IS catching on. But a true self-obsessed opportunist never lets even natural justice get in the way and so today we see this self-serving drivel about arrests...not convictions...arrests!
3 June 2006
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the following statement in relation to the recent arrests made in Toronto, announced earlier today:
“This morning, Canadians awoke to the news that our law enforcement and national security agencies have arrested 17 individuals for terrorism related offences.
“These individuals were allegedly intent on committing acts of terrorism against their own country and their own people.
“As we have said on many occasions, Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism. Through the work and cooperation of the RCMP, CSIS, local law enforcement and Toronto’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET), acts of violence by extremist groups may have been prevented.
“Today, Canada’s security and intelligence measures worked. Canada’s new Government will pursue its efforts to ensure the national security of all Canadians.”

CSIS...a week in review

It has been quite a week for our intelligence service CSIS. They started off the week with testimony at a Senate Committee hearing by Jack Hooper. He's our #2 spook.
Mr. Hooper made headlines when he revealed that CSIS did not have the resources to screen many new immigrants coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Canada. That claim was denied later in the week by the Minister responsible Stockwell Day.
You might find it interesting to read a Reuters report of Hooper's testimony. In it Mr. Hooper makes the oft-heard bureaucratic whine about under-funding. It seems a bit odd that Mr. Hooper would have forgotten the 2001 Budget, wherein the then-Liberal government provided a substantial amount of funding ($7.7 billion over 5 years) to enhancing security operations. Or the 2005 Liberal Budget which increased Defence spending by $12.8 billion over 5 years and tossed in another $1 billion for security enhancement. Not to mention another $2.5 billion for Defence and security matters in the recent Tory budget. (ED Note: Sure looks like the Liberals were bigger spenders on security than the Tories!!!)
Hand-in-hand with his testimony about screening procedures, Mr. Hooper's testimony also indicated that Canada had its own home-grown terrrorists. That claim also made lotsa headlines, however Minister Day did not comment on them in his letter to Sun Media.
To wrap up the week, miraculously, yesterday and today CSIS and other law enforcement agencies have broken up what is referred to as a 'terrorist ring'. An action that has even been noticed by Al Jezeera.
Now conspiracy theorists might suggest that that Hooper was "setting the table" with his testimony earlier in the week. I certainly could not possibly comment on that...but...Reuters must be wondering judging by the wording of this current wire piece.
The only thing we know for sure is that all of this CSIS makes Boss Harp very happy indeed and he wasted no time in claiming political foresight and credit. And he will be able to crow about it as he does yet another military event this afternoon. He'll have lots to impress Dubya with during his July visit!

Green Party Leadership

The Green Party of Canada is holding its own leadership race right now. There are two candidates Elizabeth May and David Chernushenko. They each have web sites set up at http://www.elizabethmay.ca/ and http://www.davidc.ca/. You will see that both are professionally done. May has a blog and even a 1-888 number. The web sites were also "live" the day each announced. You will also note that each candidate seems to plan to do a fair amount of travel according to the sites...not inexpensive in these days of rising fuel costs.
All of which got me thinking...this must have cost a few bucks. So, given the Volpe Vortex this week, I click on over to Elections Canada to check the May and Chernushenko initial filings.
To my amazement, the Green Party candidates seem to be able to run their campaigns on almost no (Chernushenko lists $45.00) or seemingly very little (May loaned herself $5,000) money. That can't be right...can it?
Something for you to think about on a rainy Saturday.

Canadians don't trust Harper...surprise!

There is a new Ipsos poll out today. In addition to the Scary Tory poll earlier in the week, it buttresses the notion that Harper has managed to re-awaken the "hidden agenda" issue...all by himself. As I have said before...thank you Boss Harp!
Most Canadians Question PM's New Press Process
Six In Ten (57%) Say New Rules For Press Gallery Ensures Only Friendly Media Questions Are Asked
A new Ipsos Reid survey conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service/Global News asked Canadians about the new process Prime Minister Stephen Harper has introduced when it comes to the way reporters ask him questions at media events. After being told that, nowadays, when reporters want to ask the Prime Minister a question they have to put their name on a list that the Prime Minster's staff selects from:
* A majority of six in ten (57%) indicate they feel this "new process just ensures that the Prime Minister gets questions from friendly reporters", while* 38% feel it "just ensures a more orderly process at media events".
Further:
* Half (51%) feel that this represents a "significant issue for Canadian democracy" , but * 48% would describe it as "no big deal".
When it comes to this issue, there are some notable dynamics within the regions:
* Residents of Atlantic Canada (66%) and British Columbia (64%) are the most likely to feel that the new process ensures the Prime Minister only gets questions from "friendly reporters", while those in Alberta and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (both at 43%) are the most likely to feel it "just ensures a more orderly process".
* Residents of British Columbia and Quebec (both at 57%) are the most likely to feel this is a "significant issue" for Canadian democracy - those in Alberta and Manitoba/Saskatchewan (both at 57%) are most apt to say it's "no big deal".

Birds of a feather...Harper and Bush

US President George Bush will back an anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment, says USA Today. Canadians might wonder whether yesterday's outburst on gay marriage by Boss Harp was entirely coincidental.
It is not that far-fetched. Consider Harper's penchant for media "spin and control". Just think...if you coincide an attack on civil liberties north and south of the border at the same time...you can use the actions to the south as part of the justification. As you know, the Boss Harp certainly feels that Canada should be in lock-step with America on most issues, In fact, that seems to be the cornerstone of his Prime Ministership.

Communicating...Harper style

Today is a typical day for the Tory government. They start off with a "message". Five hours ago on their preferred CanWest wire and in preparation for a Harper speech to the Canadian Federation of Municipalites we saw:
Prime Minister Harper confirms money for cities Canada.com, Canada - 5 hours ago... Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the minority Conservative government is committed to improving the financial security of Canada’s cities and that ...
Ok...then Boss Harp came out to do a scrum down in Montréal and here is the next wire piece from CanWest:
Harper says free vote on same-sex marriage debate on fall agenda National Post, Canada - 1 hour ago MONTREAL -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday a free vote on the same-sex marriage debate will be held in the Commons this fall...
I wonder which story will get the most play? Nice piece of communications work there!

Tory aboriginal (hidden) agenda

The Tory agenda for aboriginal affairs is becoming clearer with each passing day. You take a peek at this Google search. Or, below is a sampling...the "direction" will be obvious.
But before that...here is what Rona Ambrose (in a joint presser with Jim Prentice) said about the Kelowna meeting last November: "Using intergovernmental meetings for partisan purposes undermines the relations between all orders of government. The Conservative Party of Canada believes that First Minister's Meetings should be held on a regular basis and not be called or cancelled on the whim of the Prime Minister...". That was then and this is now.
Then there was Jim Prentice demanding the resignation of Andy Scott over the Kashechewan water issue. That too was then and this is now, when he can't find the money to do the job (see links below). I guess the Tories did have a (hidden) "agenda" on aboriginal affairs. How else to explain such examples of hypocrisy?
Here is the sampling...
No money to move Kashechewan Globe and Mail, Canada - 2 hours ago... Nation to higher ground, says Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, whose announcement ... $5.1-billion Kelowna accord that was signed with aboriginal leaders and ...
Judge pulls PM into Caledonia Globe and Mail, Canada - 2 hours ago... Last night, Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice said in a statement that, while ... David Ramsay, the Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister, said in an interview ...
Scrapping aboriginal deal 'immoral,' Martin says Ottawa Citizen, Canada - 4 hours ago... "When you consider that aboriginal Canadians are the ... Deidra McCracken, press secretary to Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, referred to Kelowna as the "so ...
Tories axe deal to move reserveToronto Star, Canada - 4 hours agoIndian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice blamed the previous Liberal government, insisting it had not ... But he denied that aboriginal people were a low priority for ...
No money allocated to move troubled Ont. reserveGlobe and Mail, Canada - 7 hours ago... Nation to higher ground, says Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, whose announcement ... $5.1-billion Kelowna accord that was signed with aboriginal leaders and ...
Tories put brakes on native spending; anger boils overNational Post, Canada - 9 hours ago... for growing frustration over Tory aboriginal policy. That anger boiled over outside the Commons on Thursday as Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice turned his ...
Tories urged to honour Kashechewan dealToronto Star, Canada - 11 hours ago... for growing frustration over Tory aboriginal policy. That anger boiled over outside the Commons on Thursday as Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice turned his ...
Lubicon ad depicts Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice with ' ...Canada.com, Canada - 12 hours ago... CP) - A lobby group that supports the Lubicon Cree in their fight for land in northern Alberta is going ahead with an ad characterizing Jim Prentice of Indian ...
Tory plans worry Native-owned bizOttawa Sun, Canada - 31 May 2006... "The government is trying to slip through massive changes to aboriginal procurement.". Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice's office did not return phone calls. ...

Volpe donations...too little, too late?

CTV reports that the Volpe campaign is returning controversial campaign donations from family members of executives of the generic drug maker Apotex. Not all donations...just some.
This is really a situation where the Volpe crew has mishandled (and continues to) the situation right from the start.
Errors are:
1. Taking the "donations" in the first place.
2. Initially claiming that everything was done "according to the law", while not recognising the difference between "the letter" and "the spirit" of the law. And similarly not realising that perception is reality.
3. Then trying to shift focus on to other campaigns by suggesting that they have something to hide because they are currently only listing loans. Throwing more shit in the fan during a crisis is never a good idea.
4. Finally, today's half-measure of returning donations from those under the age of 18 and remaining defiant that, "All donations were in compliance with the law and there were no rules broken here..." . They have raised more questions and completely answered none. Why 18? You don't have to be 18 to be a member of the Liberal Party. So all they have accomplished is to prove that they screwed up and, yet they don't go the whole nine yards to try to salvage the candidacy. Make no mistake this is a salvage operation.
What should have been done? Last Saturday, Volpe himself shoud have issued something like the following:
Today I met with my campaign volunteers with respect to fundraising stories that have surfaced about my campaign. I have made some changes to both the structure and approach of our fundraising efforts from here forward.
As regards the donations that have come into the spotlight. These are from supporters who are indirectly linked through their employment. While the letter of the law may have been followed in collecting some of these donations, I personally realise that there may be questions raised as to following the "spirit" of the law.
As a result, I have also directed my campaign staff to return all of those donations immediately.
Through these actions I trust that everyone will understand that I intend to run a completely transparent campaign.
That never happened, of course, and only time will tell if today's effort will be sufficient to revive his dying campaign. I doubt it.

Tories trip on first accountability measure

May 31st was the deadline for federal government departments to post all of their grants and contributions for ther 4th Quarter of 2005-06. This is a new accountability measure introduced by the previous government in October of 2005.
A quick glance at the Treasury Board web site indicates that Minister Baird's central clearing house for Proactive Disclosure has very few departmental links to G&Cs. This transparency lacking should be disturbing to Baird and the Tories. But maybe they want to force you to go to each departmental site (like INAC or NRCAN). Grants and Contributions account for some $25 billion of government spending according to Finance Canada. None of this applies to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. They have all their 893 G&Cs listed through a link at TBS.

Liberal futility

The elected Caucus of the Liberal Party continues to live in the past...while the Party's very survival is threatened by Volpe sparks.
The Liberal Party lost the election. The only saving grace we have had so far is that Stephen Harper thinks he won the election.
We collectively lost the election...as the Clinton theme said 'don't stop thinkin about tomorrow'!