The Commons: Stephen Harper's real world
By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 53 Comments
The Scene. Stephen Harper is not one to leave well enough alone. So having spoken hopefully of his government’s plans to build parking spaces in the Toronto suburbs, a pedestrian overpass in Surrey and a library in Weymouth, his voice switched to a more ominous tone and his pointy finger started wagging near the bottom of the television screen.
He took direct aim at the Liberal leader, informing the viewing public that his rival had vowed “unequivocally” to raise taxes—news that will surely come as some surprise to even Mr. Ignatieff. He bemoaned the boogie men and women of the opposition who continue to insist their majority of seats in the House of Commons holds sway over his 37 per cent mandate. And he warned that only “needless political instability” could harm us now.
The Prime Minister does like to make dramatic-sounding pronouncements. Take, for instance, that moment in late September when he said “the only way” the country would fall into recession was if we were collectively crazy enough to choose Stephane Dion over him. Or that editorial, published on election day a few weeks later, when, with the stock market gone wobbly, he vowed “never” to take the country back into deficit.
Of course, you’ll forgive him if those assertions now seem a bit silly. Indeed, it is entirely unfair to impose the consistency of actual reality on Mr. Harper. A bit like asking Al Pacino to play the same character in every one of his movies. Though perhaps that’s a bad example. Continue…
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The most troublesome political issue of our time
By Aaron Wherry - Friday, April 3, 2009 at 11:40 AM - 8 Comments
Still asbestos. See previously.
And now a word from Pat Martin. Continue…
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BTC: What do you see?
By Aaron Wherry - Friday, October 31, 2008 at 5:51 PM - 11 Comments
This week’s asbestos thing is probably difficult to get excited about. A little lacking in relevance to your day-to-day life, what with your kids, your spouse, your job, those leaves that need to be raked, the flavoured tobacco your kids are smoking, Stephane Dion’s permanent tax on everything, Angelina Jolie’s marital status, the decline in the housing market, your retirement savings, international terrorism, the socialist who is about to be elected president of the United States, Madonna’s marital status, and the financial crisis that will ultimately leave your children with nothing to eat but flavoured tobacco already demanding so much of your attention.
So here’s another way to look at it. How you feel about asbestos defines how you feel about the fundamental human responsibilities of your government. It’s a political inkblot test. Continue…
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BTC: Canada's back (Part Whatever)
By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 1:42 PM - 6 Comments
A report from Rome.
Mr. Martin said the Canadian delegation did not make a speech, but Monday vetoed a Swiss proposal to change the ratification process so that it would only require a 3/4 majority for listing a chemical. To be added to the list, consensus has to be achieved.
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Megapundit: Ottawa's accountant vs. Washington's poet
By selley - Friday, October 24, 2008 at 2:37 PM - 14 Comments
Must-reads: Colby Cosh on Obama’s geneaology; Dan Gardner takes on Margaret F***ing Atwood; …Don
Must-reads: Colby Cosh on Obama’s geneaology; Dan Gardner takes on Margaret F***ing Atwood; Don Martin on Canadian asbestos; Rick Salutin on Stéphane Dion.
Get over it
Some pundits are turning their gaze to the future. Others can’t stop post-morteming the election.The Calgary Herald‘s Don Martin understands just how impossible Canadian politicians feel it is to kill 700 jobs in a nation of 33 million people just to save a bunch of lives in the third world, but is baffled at “how Canada can argue that a commodity the government says is too dangerous to permit on domestic construction sites is okeedokee for a developing world where safety measures are far less stringent.” He speaks, naturally, of asbestos. And while he concedes a distinction must be drawn between “the old toxic fibre they’re extracting from office walls and the lower-health-risk asbestos they’re exporting as a cement additive,” he says scientists and doctors make a rather compelling case for caution. The least the government could do, he very reasonably suggests, is stop actively marketing the stuff and release the Health Canada-commissioned report on the subject that was delivered to them months ago. (The Post‘s editorial board and Terence Corcoran take the contrarian view on this.)
The Vancouver Sun‘s Barbara Yaffe speaks to Michael Byers, who had his academic cap handed to him in Vancouver Centre by Hedy Fry (and Lorne Mayencourt, for that matter), about what he learned from life on the campaign trail. Among other things, he tells her, “I now realize the demands of political debating, how difficult it is to perform at that level. As an armchair quarterback, it’s easy to criticize and focus on weaknesses.” Interestingly enough, that’s something we’ve felt like saying to Mr. Byers ourselves on a few occasions…
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More surprise candidates – each more surprising than the last!
By kadyomalley - Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 4:09 PM - 0 Comments
This time, under the Conservative banner!
Former Progressive Conservative MP Andre Bachand will be running in Sherbrooke, according to Radio Canada (warning: linked page contains French). A die-hard opponent of the Canadian Alliance/PC merger who briefly ran for the leadership of the PCs, Bachand eventually dropped out of the race to support Peter MacKay, who was seen as the leading anti-merger candidate, and — yeah, y’all know how well that worked out.
Anyway, Bachand sat as an Independent Progressive Conservative until 2004, at which point he retired from public life — until now. He’ll be facing off against the Bloc Quebecois’ Serge Cardin, who pretty much massacred the Tory candidate in the last election, but presumably will have a much tougher fight against Bachand.
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Christian Paradis: Threat or menace?
By kadyomalley - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 4:23 PM - 0 Comments
Christian Paradis’ appointment raises new concerns over asbestos in public buildings, Greens…
Media ReleaseChristian Paradis’ appointment raises new concerns over asbestos in public buildings, Greens
Media Release
For Immediate Release
June *25, 2008Christian Paradis’ appointment raises new concerns over asbestos in public buildings, Greens
OTTAWA – The Green Party is expressing concern today over the appointment of Christian Paradis to the Public Works portfolio. Mr. Paradis has made comments supporting asbestos use and has previously served as President of the Asbestos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Secretary of the Asbestos Chapter of the Management Club of Canada.
“Mr. Paradis’ history of supporting ‘safe use’ of chrysotile asbestos is very worrying,” said Green Party leader Elizabeth May. “Many Canadians are not aware that asbestos is still legal and in use in Canada, even though ‘safe use’ of asbestos is like drinking anti-freeze safely – neither is possible. The Green Party is concerned that Mr. Paradis’ appointment may mean increased asbestos content in the construction of public buildings. Will Mr. Paradis commit to eliminating all asbestos in public projects or will he increase asbestos content in new construction?”
