Posts Tagged: 2009 Canadian Politics
Putting The Olympics Before The House Of Commons?
Posted by on Thursday, December 31, 2009 in - 7 comments
I presume I am not the only one who understands the Olympics to be on one point of a sliding scale that includes little league summer's end tournaments and Junior B hockey. How, then, could a government become so confused that this editorial observation can be made in the Globe and Mail this …
All Quiet In the Deep Midwinter
Posted by on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 in - 15 comments
I think I forgot to write here. I have been writing a bit on the beer blog but the morning discipline of coffee and writing has dissipated in a sea of egg nog and fruit cake. There really is nothing happening. In Canadian politics, the opposition has decided to do what the nation tells it and is … read more »
Group Project: Does Ministerial Responsibility Exist?
Posted by on Monday, December 21, 2009 in - 4 comments
Maybe it's just like the memories of Christmastime from when I was a kid. The snows were deeper, the tree more packed with presents. But I also recall a time when Ministers of government actually stood down for events they were involved with - sometimes quite tangentially. Yet thoughts of …
The Undiplomatic Mr. Colvin
Posted by on Thursday, December 17, 2009 in - 2 comments
It is good to see Mr. Colvin - the diplomat who did his job, was ignored, spoke the truth as he knew it to a Committee of Parliment and was slagged by politicians for doing so - speaking up. Diplomats do not speak up. That is the point of being diplomatic: • The Canadian government lost track of …
When Division Of Power Meets Populism
Posted by on Tuesday, December 8, 2009 in - leave a comment
For a relatively unpopular guy at least socially speaking, Mr. Harper it has to be recalled rose to power on a wave of populism. The Reform Party was bring the polis back into politics, govern by referendum and make sure there was a red phone in every house with a direct line into the halls of …
What? No Friday Bullets For The First Of Yule???
Posted by on Friday, December 4, 2009 in - 2 comments
So late. So very late. If I were to get in the car right now it would be too late. • You know the curse is upon Tiger when Swedes mock - ""We probably thought he was a better guy than he is. I would probably need to apologize to her."I had to de-Facebook someone who went on and on about how the …
"The Next Chapter In The New Brunswick Story"?
Posted by on Thursday, December 3, 2009 in - leave a comment
Would the Globe and Mail ever run a column with that title. Would it run the by line "Let's give Manitobans the future they desire and deserve"? Not likely. But we are subject to another slightly needy, ittybit insular column by the province of 10% that would rule us all about a conference to deal …
Royal Commission Or MP Complaints Commission?
Posted by on Wednesday, November 25, 2009 in - 5 comments
Everyone's favorite retired member of the military, Lewis MacKenzie, has posted in column in this morning's Globe and Mail on how to deal with the Afghan prisoner scandal that is starting to stick despite the Harper government's seeming Teflon sheen: • In the wake of the Somalia inquiry and …
Friday Bullets For The Week We Finally Did It
Posted by on Friday, November 20, 2009 in - 2 comments
We did it, right? Must have done something. Well, we learned that one day not that far from now we will not have to deal with Oprah. Could Dr. Phil maybe take the hint, too? • Henry may be an admitted cheat but Roy Keen is still a big doofus.Don't tell them we ate pumpkin like fools six weeks … read more »
Hi-Jinx And Fun Times In Canada's Parliament
Posted by on Thursday, November 19, 2009 in - leave a comment
I had a sense that there was the word going out this week to raise little bubbles of discredit of the legislative process when young Tory Stephen Taylor¹ put out the message "did you know that 15 minutes in the House of Commons costs the taxpayer $75,000?" Makes sense. Dad's out of town. Juniors …
