Posts Tagged ‘norman spector’

From the Maclean’s issue on Ottawa’s powerful, five people who are no longer

By Paul Wells - Wednesday, November 28, 2012 - 0 Comments

Power is fleeting. As Paul Wells reports, for some, it’s already fled

Watch later this morning for the Maclean’s Power List. In the meantime, here are five who did not make the list:

Sean Kilpatrick/CP; CP; Reuters

1. Cheryl Gallant: Conservative MP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke. Once tweeted, “No carbon tax please, Igafi!” A reference to the leaders of the Liberal party and Libya. Deleted the tweet later. Doesn’t talk much in public these days.

2. Scott Reid: Another eastern Ontario Conservative. Vegan. Said the wrong thing about bilingualism in 2004. Hasn’t really recovered. Snappy dresser.

3. Jim Karygiannis: Liberal MP for Scarborough-Agincourt. Believes he holds the key to a Liberal resurgence in ethnic communities. Can’t get anyone to ask for the key.

4. Bloc Québécois: Campaign slogan in 2011 was “Let’s Talk About Quebec.” Lost 43 seats. Quebec was talking about the NDP. Leader Daniel Paillé isn’t an MP.

5. Norman Spector: Former Mulroney chief of staff. Lives in Victoria. Tweets about what’s going on in Ottawa. Gets most of it wrong.

  • No coalition? Really?

    By Paul Wells - Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 4:10 PM - 220 Comments

    Cherry-picking our friends at the Globe website:

    Norman Spector points out that, when they’re not busy getting angry at Stephen Harper for accusing them of plotting a coalition, Liberals and their admirers keep pointing out that a coalition could be an excellent idea if it would keep Harper from a third quick little term as PM. This will, I am quite sure, be a repeating theme of the debate around Harper’s allegation: the same Liberals who will say, Perish the thought, are the ones whose caucus signed a unanimous letter supporting the idea. Watch what Liberals and assorted other critics of the Harper Conservatives write in the Globe’s op-ed columns during the last 10 days of an election campaign. I’m pretty sure it won’t all be variations on, “Boy, our side had better not form a coalition! That’d be sneaky.”

    Rob Silver has been getting a lot of attention today for being the first prominent Liberal to attempt a strategic response to the Harper coalition attack: take the option off the table. The party with a plurality of seats after the next election, says Rob, should be the one that forms the government. Ignatieff should foreswear any attempt to ally with third parties to outnumber the Conservatives.

    Really? Continue…

  • The Spectator in the Spotlight: Liveblogging Norm Spector at the Oliphant Inquiry

    By kadyomalley - Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 8:10 AM - 26 Comments

    Given his performance at the Ethics committee — and not to mention what he’s written for his Globe and Mail-hosted blog in the leadup to today’s appearance before the Oliphant inquiry, this morning’s appearance by former Mulroney chief of staff Norm Spector could be fascinating.

    9:15:12 AM
    Welcome back to the Oliphant Show! Which may be a morning-only special today, since nobody knows just what Norm Spector is going to be asked – and what he’ll say in response. Will he claim that Mulroney told him to put a bullet in the Bear Head project once and for all? Will he recall details of conversations with forgetful witnesses, past and present? Will he seize the opportunity to lecture the media encampment on our wicked, wicked ways? Will he be sporting his signature cap? Wait, is he one with the hat, or am I confusing him with another columnist? All these questions and more may be answered in mere minutes, so stay tuned!

    9:24:06 AM
    Seriously, this hat thing is going to drive me crazy. Oh, also – apparently – and this is not yet official, but we should know for sure later today – on Monday, we’ll finally get to hear from Elmer MacKay — by webcam, I’m assuming — as well as — drum rull — Luc Lavoie. Oh, that should be fun. On Tuesday, it will be former PCO clerk Paul Tellier, and Senator Lowell Murray. On Wednesday, the forensic accountants from Navigant (no relation other than etymological, don’t worry) will be the first witnesses to take the stand that have absolutely no stake in the proceedings.

    Continue…

From Macleans