Political Yearbook

By Jonathon Gatehouse - Monday, December 7, 2009 at 12:22 PM - 6 Comments

'It can be boring. It can be riveting. It can be silly. It can be vital to democracy'

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 10:55 AM - 3 Comments

The Star’s Joanna Smith gazes upon the Senate, survives to report back.

In the back row, her fellow newbie Patrick Brazeau puts away his package of photocopied news clippings in time for oral questions, only to become engrossed in a game of what appears to be Sudoku.

Senator Mike Duffy, who ambled in a little late to sit down in his seat closer to the centre of the row, soon looks up from his mobile device to notice the lone individual sitting in the press gallery – usually an abandoned space outside of throne speeches and constitutional squabbles of decades past – and begins consulting with a nearby colleague about what she could possibly be doing up there.

The Commons: The baby face of Canadian conservatism

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, March 16, 2009 at 2:50 PM - 46 Comments

Pierre Poilievre climbed on stage, extended a hand and greeted Bernard Lord as “premier.” Noticing a couple dignitaries in the first row of seats in front of him, he smiled and struck up a conversation.

Organizers walked around handing out a workbook for “personal reflection.” Poilievre—baby-faced and not yet 30, short hair parted to the left and slick with product, wearing rimless glasses, a dark blue suit, light blue shirt and maroon-and-blue-striped tie—sat and studied his audience, a group of maybe 25, many of them his age or younger.

To his left sat Patrick Brazeau, a 34-year-old Aboriginal man, recently appointed to the Senate and the subject of various controversies. To his right, sat Fraser Macdonald, a 20-something who had already managed a campaign for federal office. At the microphone, stood Bernard Lord, emcee for this forum. In 1999, at the age of 33, Lord was elected premier of New Brunswick and was quickly hailed as a potential saviour for the federal Progressive Conservative party. Seven years later, the PC party now in the past tense, Lord was voted out of office in New Brunswick. Still charming and boyish, though with as much grey hair as black hair, he’s now a lobbyist for the telecommunications industry.

The panel, part of a weekend conservative conference in Ottawa, was entitled “Next Generation: For those new to politics, particulary students and young people—Imagine what could be, imagine what you could do.”

Though 14 years older, Lord introduced Poilievre in tones approaching reverence. “I’m very pleased to introduce Pierre Poilievre. He is an energetic and outspoken member of parliament, who gets results and is not afraid to take principled stands on difficult issues … a great example of youth, energy, results and success in Canadian politics.” Continue…

Someone's looking to get kicked out of caucus

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, March 16, 2009 at 11:44 AM - 13 Comments

Another excerpt from Saturday’s panel discussion. This from Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau.

We have to stand up for what we believe in, as opposed to what we’re against. And I think, it doesn’t matter what walk of life, what type of work you do, what type of studies you do, everybody, by human nature, is looking for leadership. And I think that, often times, unfortunately, we get into the game of also opposing and such as the attack ads, for example. I would much rather, as a Canadian citizen, see what our government is working towards, what they’ve achieved and what they actually believe in, as opposed to doing the easy work, such as the attack on the Dion campaign for example, where I don’t think the attack ads were necessary. I think the individual spoke for himself … But it’s a question of leadership, standing up for what you believe in and individuals will attach themselves to that. I think that’s what’s needed.

Just like being there (II)

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 3:04 PM - 0 Comments

Pool report #2.

 Rotunda:
 Media pool is in place 20 minutes in advance of arrival.
 Sgt-at-Arms Kevin Vickers (sp?) ambles over to talk to media.
 Only visible non-official person (media, security, PMO, embassy staff) present behind the secure area appears to be Sen. Patrick Brazeau, who stands at back of media area surveying    scene.
 Lone PMO photog has prime position in alcove/catwalk above and behind the signning area in rotunda.
 Hush descends once PM arrives and casually greets the assembled parliamentary officers:
 Usher of the black rod; senate speaker; senate clerk; commons speaker; Commons clerk; and sgt at arms.
 President and PM enter and formally greet the officials. Inaudible.
 Harper leads Obama to a desk where the president sits and signs two guest books.
 ”Thanks so much. It’s a great honour,” says Obama.
 The two leaders walk down hallway to their right toward PM’s office. Continue…

Pat Martin will not go unquoted

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at 10:38 AM - 15 Comments

The NDP MP considers the latest troubles for newish Tory senator Patrick Brazeau.

“Senator Brazeau has been running around like he won the lottery. He doesn’t have to be Gandhi wearing a hair shirt, but for God’s sake, think about the people you’re put there to represent.”

UPDATED: Was this the kind of story he had in mind?

By kadyomalley - Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:00 AM - 29 Comments

UPDATE: Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff weighs in on the controversy during his post-caucus scrum- very, very carefully and likely mindful of the fact that parliamentary privilege does not extend to the Hall of Honour:

“Serious questions have been  raised by Mr. Brazeau. Every person in Canada is  entitled to be considered  innocent until proven guilty,  particularly in relation to  sexual harassment allegations,  which I understand have been dealt with by a tribunal. So I don’t want to make any  presumptions of guilt in  respect of Mr. Brazeau. But I think it’s fair to say that there’s an accumulation  of doubt as to whether Mr. Brazeau meets the criteria for  a senate appointment. And I’ll just leave it at  that.”

From a post to then-national chief Patrick Brazeau’s blog  ”No Reservations” (May 20, 2o08):

In the midst of the increasing amount of stories pertaining to accountability or lack thereof and CAP’s call for greater accountability, I’ve decided to post stories that justifies the need to deal with this issue for the benefit of grassroots Aboriginal people all across Canada.

If you have stories you would like to share, which could include governance, accountability, discrimination, election procedures/issues, mismanagement, fearmongering, intimidation and bullying, please forward these stories so they could be shared to highlight the day-to-day activities that many people are faced with each day.

Please forward any news or information links regarding the subject matter.

From today’s Globe and Mail:

Health Canada is demanding the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples return up to $260,000 in ineligible expenses after an audit found directors of the native advocacy group divvied up thousands of dollars in federal cash with insufficient evidence of where the money went.

The federal department has suspended all funding to the organization, led until recently by new Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau, until the group comes up with a plan to pay back the money and respond to the government’s concerns. [...]

Mr. Brazeau, 34, was vice-chief of the organization in 2005 and rose to president and national chief in February of 2006. During his nearly three years in charge of the advocacy group for off-reserve aboriginals, he attracted attention with his blunt calls for native leaders to be more transparent and accountable with taxpayers’ money.

The draft Health Canada audit disputes $16,050 in payments to the congress president and vice-president, but the organization said the salaries of those two office-holders are usually adjusted based on the number of programs in which they participate.

Auditors took issue with a practice whereby thousands of dollars in cash would be handed out at board meetings.

“The audit found that large amounts of money (varying between $11,000 and $18,000 – exceptionally $65,000 for the Annual General Assembly) were sometimes disbursed to the Finance Officer to enable the distribution of cash allocation to the CAP Directors when they attended meetings. It was also noted that the accounting records only showed ‘Miscellaneous’ instead of showing the payees’ names on some of the cheques issued.” [...]

In some cases, it can be considered a compliment when one's departure leaves an organization "on the verge of collapse" …

By kadyomalley - Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 7:12 AM - 23 Comments

… but not, however, when it comes to the furore that continues to swirl around former Congress of Aboriginal People national chief Patrick Brazeau, one of the eighteen senators-in-waiting named to the Upper Chamber by the Prime Minister just before Christmas:

The national aboriginal organization led until last Friday by new Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau is on the verge of collapse amid the fallout from his controversial leadership as national chief.

Continue…