The question of the weekend

By Aaron Wherry - Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 4:37 PM - 0 Comments

Liberals are spending much of the day discussing the concept of “evidence-based policy”—this curious and revolutionary and courageous notion that the government’s actions and promises should acknowledge demonstrable reality. Munir Sheikh, the former chief statistician, addressed the convention this morning. Delegates have spent the rest of the day in sessions dedicated to discussing this novel approach in the context of various policy areas.

One of these sessions was to deal with the environment, which thus seemed like something of a test: could the Liberal party have a discussion about evidence-based environmental policy that didn’t deal with the preferred prescription of the vast majority of expert analysts?

The answer is: almost. But with a few minutes to spare in the hour a young man from the riding of Mount Royal stood and put the Liberal soul up for discussion. Continue…

MPs mix with Genie stars

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 9:05 AM - 6 Comments

The 31^st annual Genie Awards were held at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre. Below, Industry Minister Tony Clement.

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Laureen Harper.

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Shannon Tweed and the boys!

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Law & Order: House of Commons

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, May 14, 2010 at 4:08 PM - 126 Comments

Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez has been charged after something to do with a breathalyzer.

Meanwhile, the RCMP is now investigating the mortgage fraud allegations that involve, at least peripherally, Conservative MP Devinder Shory.

Hill Helps Haiti fundraiser packed

By Mitchel Raphael - Friday, January 29, 2010 at 11:56 AM - 8 Comments

Folks from all parties packed the Hill Helps Haiti fundraiser organized by the government relations firm Summa Strategies. The event raised over $32,000. Below, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq (left) and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea.

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Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay.

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Green leader Elizabeth May.

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The Liberal Christmas party

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 11:53 AM - 11 Comments

(Left to right) MPs Navdeep Bains, Mark Holland, Martha Hall Findlay, Mario Silva, Gerard Kennedy and former MP Omar Alghabra.

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MP Mario Silva (centre) with Navdeep Bains (right).

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Parties in glass houses should not throw stones

By Andrew Potter - Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 9:20 AM - 10 Comments

The craziest thing I learned from the coverage last month of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China was that the People’s Liberation Army still belongs to the Communist party. Six decades after Mao’s victory in Beijing, the army is still under the command of the party, not the state, and the Ministry of National Defence exercises no authority over it.

That’s as sure a sign as any, I figure, that China has a long way to go before it joins the civilized world. After all, here in the multi-party democracy that is Canada, we make a clear distinction between the private interests of a political party and the public interests of the state, especially when a party happens to find itself temporarily in power. Continue…

Liberals gather in the courtyard

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 1:18 AM - 12 Comments

Quebec Liberal staffers held “Soir des plaines sur la Colline,” a summer bash in the East Block courtyard. Below are Quebec Liberal MPs Marlene Jennings (left) and Alexandra Mendes.

Montreal Liberal MP Irwin Cotler.

Montreal Liberal MP Justin Trudeau.

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Consolation prize

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, April 13, 2009 at 1:01 AM - 5 Comments

Perhaps not quite as prestigious as leading NATO, but Peter MacKay can now, once again, consider himself Parliament’s Sexiest Male MP.

Some of the other results of the Hill Times survey after the jump. Continue…

Your Team Iggy starting line-up

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, January 22, 2009 at 5:23 PM - 43 Comments

Posted without comment for the moment. Some attempt at analysis to follow after some consideration now offered below.

Intergovernmental Affairs Michael Ignatieff
House Leader Ralph Goodale
Deputy House Leader Marlene Jennings
Whip Rodger Cuzner
Deputy Whip Marcel Proulx 
Finance John McCallum
Foreign Affairs Bob Rae
Defence Denis Coderre
Environment & Energy David McGuinty
Health Carolyn Bennett
Industry, Science & Technology Marc Garneau
Public Safety & National Security Mark Holland
Natural Resources Geoff Regan
Justice and Attorney-General Dominic LeBlanc
International Trade Scott Brison
Public Works and Government Services Martha Hall Findlay Continue…

The Final Day: Keeping score

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 10:35 PM - 0 Comments

Ralph Goodale re-elected. Belinda Stronach’s riding goes to the Conservatives. Bonnie Brown is out.

Looks like Denis Coderre, Raymonde Folco, Marlene Jennings, Irwin Cotler, Bernard Patry, Francis Scarpaleggia, Pablo Rodriguez and Massimo Pacetti will all be re-elected around Montreal.

BTC: Say goodnight, Boo Boo (Day Three)

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 9:41 AM - 0 Comments

Not to dwell unnecessarily on this question of timing, but compare these two sentences.

First, from Mr. Bernier’s statement today. “Last Monday, I informed the prime minister of my resignation as Canada’s minister of foreign affairs as soon as I became aware of a security breach whereby I forgot confidential government documents at Ms. Julie Couillard’s residence.”

Then, from the letter of resignation distributed Monday night by the PMO. “I informed you late this afternoon that last night I became aware that I had left behind classified government documents at a private residence.”

Is there any reading by which both those statements can be true? Continue…