The Commons: Ms. Oda has something to say
By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, February 17, 2011 - 55 Comments
The Scene. On the third day, she did stand. Bev Oda did rise up on her own two feet. She did speak publicly in response to a question posed by a Member of Parliament on the opposition side of the House. She did fulfill, in this regard, her responsibility as a minister of the crown in this democracy of ours.
Alas, it was nothing to do with the decision to reject a funding request from a group named KAIROS. It was nothing to do with how that decision was explained. Nothing to do with how a relevant document came to be so sloppily edited. Nothing to do with how Ms. Oda had explained that editing. Indeed, barring a sudden turn tomorrow, it seems Ms. Oda will escape this week without having to answer any of the questions that arose out of her statement to the House on Monday afternoon.
The government swears she has been responsible in this regard, but they won’t let her take responsibility. The government applauds her abilities, but won’t let her stand. The government expounds on her courage, but they won’t let her speak.
“I’ve been very clear to my ministers that they are responsible for the decisions they make,” the Prime Minister apparently said today.
In fairness, he did not say specifically “when” or “how” his ministers are so responsible. And we are clearly now at a point where only by asking with the correct combination of passwords can we expect to get at the truth. Continue…
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Hey there, CBC, glad you could finally make it.
By Michael Petrou - Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 9:23 PM - 15 Comments
The CBC catches up with a story Maclean’s broke more than a year and a half ago.
CBC: Nov 11, 2010
Maclean’s: March 23, 2009.
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The day after all that
By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 1:16 PM - 39 Comments
The Star reports that atop one of the proposals submitted by Green Power Corporation were the words “From Rahim.” Two businessmen who met with Mr. Jaffer say he was presented to them and presented himself as someone with access to government (and they provide the CBC with the MP business card they say Mr. Jaffer gave them). Nazim Gillani’s spokesman says Mr. Gillani thought Mr. Jaffer worked in “government relations.”
And Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi, chair of the government operations committee, passes on a letter, reprinted below, that she has directed to Transport Minister John Baird, after Mr. Baird sent an unsolicited package to her last evening. Continue…
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MPs herd over to eat beef
By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 7:38 PM - 2 Comments
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association were on the Hill and held a beef
reception which had 200 West Block packed. Beef gets MPs and staffers
every time. Below, Liberal MP Mark Eyking.
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Liberal MP Justin Trudeau.
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The Commons: A question of maturity
By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 6:43 PM - 63 Comments
The Scene. “Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Prime Minister,” Bob Rae said quite matter-of-factly. And this being Question Period, the Speaker allowed him to proceed.
“What was supposed to be the Canadian signature initiative on maternal health has been described as completely inadequate by the two major allies, that could get to a microphone, both the United States and the United Kingdom,” Mr. Rae continued. “I wonder if the Prime Minister can explain how such a major diplomatic setback could be occurring in the build up to the G8 which Canada is hosting.”
The Prime Minister stood to put Mr. Rae at ease.
“On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, the initiative on maternal a child health is supported throughout the G8. Of course G8 countries will have different priorities in terms of the specific things they fund. Particularly on the issue of abortion a number of G8 countries have a different position,” Mr. Harper said, without actually saying what his government’s position is.
“Whether it comes to our role in Afghanistan, our sovereignty over our Arctic or ultimately our foreign aid priorities,” Mr. Harper declared, “it is Canada and Canadians who will make Canadian decisions.”
Happy Conservatives leapt to their feet to applaud their leader’s coming-of-age. Indeed, the Prime Minister has surely matured greatly in the seven years since he felt Canada should stand with the Brits and Americans and go charging into war. Continue…
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Audible Noises of the Day
By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5:50 PM - 1 Comment
Government members audibly hissed as Liberal Yasmin Ratansi asked a question about various allegations concerning the Natural Resources Minister.
Later, a Liberal member made kissy noises as Conservative Peter Kent remarked on how “eloquently and firmly” the Minister of Defence has urged the Afghan government to deal with corruption.
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The Commons: If we can't talk to each other, we can only talk to ourselves
By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 6:39 PM - 52 Comments
The Scene. The Conservatives cheered as Bob Rae, perhaps their preferred opponent, stood to start Question Period. Then, though, he spoke.“Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for public health and for H1N1,” said the white-haired one. “It is very clear that there was a delay in the decision of the federal government to order the vaccine. It is very clear that there has been a delay in the distribution of the vaccine. I would like to ask the minister, in light of these two clear facts that are delineated by the evidence, does she not understand that these delays have cost and will cost lives?”
The Conservatives groaned, having apparently expected something more laudatory of their efforts.
On this question of health policy, it was of course Tony Clement, the Industry Minister, who was offered up to respond. Just as Christian Paradis, the Minister of Public Works, would later take a question on climate change, the Treasury Board President Vic Toews would expound on the scourge of organized crime, and Heritage Minister James Moore would stand and account for the government’s approach to taxation.
“Mr. Speaker, in fact our Minister of Health has been working with the Chief Public Health Officer and has been working assiduously with the provinces and territories across this land to deliver the vaccine,” Mr. Clement informed the House
And surely we can all agree that assiduously is a very impressive-sounding word. Continue…
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Hosted by terrorists?
By Michael Petrou - Monday, March 23, 2009 at 12:01 AM - 8 Comments
An organization in Ottawa’s bad books wined and dined Canadian politicians
Eight current and former Canadian parliamentarians attended a conference and rally in Paris last summer that was organized by the political wing of an Iranian opposition group that Canada and the United States have designated as a terrorist organization. At least four had some of their expenses covered by supporters of the banned group. The visit shows how difficult it can be for Western politicians to navigate the confusing waters of Iranian politics, where even those opposed to the theocracy in Tehran can be tainted by accusations of violence and human rights abuses.The National Council of Resistance of Iran staged a massive rally in Paris last June to support its now-disarmed military wing, the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, also known as the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or simply the People’s Mujahedeen. The group invited hundreds of politicians from around the world, and Maryam Rajavi, “president-elect” of the NCRI, met with many of them at her home outside Paris. Canadian politicians who attended included: Liberal MPs Carolyn Bennett, Yasmin Ratansi and Raymonde Folco; Bloc Québécois MP Meili Faille; Andrew Telegdi and Tom Wappel, who were Liberal MPs at the time but are no longer; and Liberal Senator David Smith. David Kilgour, who sat as both a Progressive Conservative and Liberal MP before leaving politics as an Independent in 2006, was also there. Bennett and Telegdi were given a little less than $2,000 each toward transportation, accommodation, and meals. Wappel’s bill for the same totalled $3,780. Smith says he was put up free of charge in a hotel.
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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… -
BTC: Stepping on the rake
By Aaron Wherry - Friday, June 6, 2008 at 3:05 PM - 0 Comments
This was so inevitable it’s only a wonder the Liberals waited until Friday to ask. From Ralph Goodale during today’s QP.
“Mr. Speaker, rarely does a government try to take the spotlight off of one of its scandals by highlighting another. That is exactly what it tried to do this week. It produced a sworn affidavit from Dona Cadman, the Conservative candidate in Surrey North who said: ‘On May 17, 2005, my husband told me that earlier that day two Conservative Party representatives had offered him a $1 million insurance policy.’ This is a sworn affidavit just two weeks ago. Is it the government’s position that Mrs. Cadman has committed perjury?”
One suspects even James Moore would admit that’s a pretty good question. Continue…
