November 1, 2005

Gomery: Chrétien "accountable" for AdScam

Report alleges kickbacks, illegal campaign contributions Justice John Gomery says the Liberal government "subverted and betrayed" the public trust, "not only because public funds were wasted and misappropriated, but also because no one was held responsible or punished for his... More...

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Filed in: Politics / Canada

July 9, 2005

Martin has "nice butt," says Bono

Irish rocker to kick Prime Ministerial posterior anyway If you needed even more evidence that ageing rock stars should stay out of international diplomacy, here it is. Bono, from the Irish band U2 (one of the best bands ever), announced... More...

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June 8, 2005

Feds to end right to backup software

New law to be introduced next week: CTV Ottawa plans to give into pressure from the record industry next week when it introduces legislation that will ban file-sharing and effectively make it illegal for consumers to create backup copies of... More...

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Filed in: Business Politics / Canada Science and Technology

June 7, 2005

What's eating Gurmant Grewal

Tory MP takes stress leave Yesterday, the office of Official Opposition leader Stephen Harper announced the man dubbed "Secret Agent Grewal" by some in the Parliamentary Press Gallery is taking stress leave. British Columbia MP Gurmant Grewal earned his nickname... More...

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May 25, 2005

Sinclair Stevens is at it again

Former Conservative Cabinet Minister in bungled black-op A bunch of my fellow bloggers are abuzz about new shenanigans from former Mulroney-era Cabinet Minister Sinclair Stevens. Mr. Stevens detested the Reform Party and the Canadian Alliance, waged a (sometimes dirty) war... More...

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May 19, 2005

Liberals survive non-confidence vote

Cadman votes to keep government alive Independent MP Chuck Cadman saved Prime Minister Paul Martin's faltering government from defeat in a confidence vote this afternoon. The BC MP says he voted for the government because his constituents did not want... More...

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Kilgour to vote against government

It's down to Cadman David Kilgour has issued this news release announcing his intention to vote against the Martin government in this afternoon's confidence vote. It all now comes down to BC's Chuck Cadman. May 19th/ le 19 mai, 2005.... More...

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Another Liberal seeks to remove Gomery

Former Public Works Minister Alfonso Gagliano is joining Jean Chrétien in his legal action to have Justice John Gomery as the head of the inquiry into AdScam. Mr. Gagliano, who is one of the people at the centre of the... More...

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Plot thicken for confidence vote - again

Health troubles could mean Parrish misses crucial votes Last night as we all tucked ourselves into bed, it appeared the outcome of today's votes on the Budget was fairly certain. Belinda Stronach's defection to the Liberals coupled with Chuck Cadman's... More...

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May 18, 2005

Create your own Lib lawnsign

Small Dead Animals is giving you the chance to create your own Liberal election sign. Give it a try - it's fun! Here's my effort:... More...

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Belinda Bolts

Stronach bails on Tories, becomes Liberal Minister From time to time in politics an MP faces a crisis of identity they ask themselves if they still belong in the party they represent. Usually these crises are spurred by fundamental questions... More...

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May 3, 2005

All systems go: Harper

Tories to force election at the "earliest opportunity" Despite a weekend of polls showing his Conservative Party's "Gomery bounce" has evaporated, Stephen Harper reaffirmed the commitment he made last week to bring down Paul Martin's government in a non-confidence vote... More...

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Filed in: Politics / Canada

April 27, 2005

Martin reneges on deal with NDP

Layton accuses PM of "playing games" It took less than twenty-four hours for Prime Minister Paul Martin to go back on his word. Last night, his Liberal government inked a deal with the NDP Leader Jack Layton that would see... More...

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April 23, 2005

Martin to court NDP

PM needs Layton's support to survive Prime Minister Paul Martin will meet with NDP Leader Jack Layton tomorrow in an attempt to save his government from falling at the hands of the Opposition Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois.Mr. Layton's credibility and... More...

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April 22, 2005

Martin calls election... for February

It will be written in the great book of bizarre political decisions that yesterday's address to the nation by Prime Minister Paul Martin clearly signaled the beginning of an election campaign. The only question is whether the campaign will be... More...

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April 21, 2005

What could the PM do tonight?

The National Post has this (somewhat humourous) look at what Prime Minister Paul Martin could say tonight. The Post ran it as a large "fact box" on its front page complete with appropriate photo illustrations. My favorite is the last... More...

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Filed in: Politics / Canada

Martin's "Magna Budget"

Remember the so-called Magna Budget? The government of then-Ontario Premier Ernie Eves decided to present its annual Budget speech at auto parts manufacturer Magna instead of in front of Parliamentarians as had been done previously. Simply, Eves Government transformed a... More...

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April 20, 2005

Martin to address Canadians tomorrow

PMO rules out resignation, prorogation, election call With his party's support plummeting as a result of damaging testimony from the Gomery inquiry and his personal integrity under attack in the Commons, Paul Martin has decided to take his case directly... More...

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April 14, 2005

Harper, Martin stake out territory for election

With the country in pre-election mode after the testimony of Jean Brault to the Gomery inquiry into AdScam, Prime Minister Paul Martin and Opposition Leader Stephen Harper are beginning the process of branding the opposing party. Mr. Harper wants Canadians... More...

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April 7, 2005

Gomery: Brault testimony claims its first victim

The Chief of Staff to Heritage Minister Liza Frulla has stepped aside as a result of being named in the course of Jean Brault's testimony to the Gomery Commission. According to Brault, Mr. Welch was paid an $80,000 a year... More...

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Gomery: Brault testimony revealed

Phantom employees, kickbacks and envelopes of cash greased the wheels of Liberals' Quebec wing AdScam commissioner John Gomery lifted the publication ban on most of the testimony of Jean Brault, one of the advertising executives at the heart of the... More...

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Gomery may rule on publication ban today

The publication ban covering the testimony of Groupaction boss Jean Brault may be lifted or, more likely, eased by AdScam inquiry commissioner John Gomery. Mr. Brault's testimony before the inquiry has been described as explosive and devastating to the Federal... More...

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April 6, 2005

Gomery: Brault fallout prompts Liberal step-down on Kyoto

Last week Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberals were full of vim and vigour. They dared the opposition Conservatives to defeat them in a confidence motion over the Budget by including a controversial reference to the Kyoto Protocol in the Budget... More...

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April 5, 2005

Gomery: PM playing the long game on Brault testimony

Prime Minister Paul Marin’s Liberals were on the defensive yesterday over the testimony of former advertising executive Jean Brault. Though the testimony continues to be the subject of a publication ban imposed by Sponsorship Inquiry head John Gomery, some details... More...

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Gomery: Feds may go after bloggers

From today's Toronto Sun: Feds bid to plug Gomery leaks By Stephanie Rubec CANADA'S attorney general is probing possible breaches of a publication ban set up to protect explosive testimony at the AdScam inquiry. Justice spokesman Patrick Charette said federal... More...

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April 4, 2005

Gomery grants standing to Liberals

Justice John Gomery, who heads the inquiry into AdScam, has granted full standing to the Liberal Party Canada. Their request for standing comes in the wake of testimony of advertising executive Jean Brault last week that is reportedly extremely damaging... More...

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April 3, 2005

Gomery publication ban in tatters?

An American blogger has posted what he says are the details of ad firm executive Jean Brault's testimony last week at the AdScam inquiry. The testimony, which was described by the media as devastating to Paul Martin's Liberals, is the... More...

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April 2, 2005

Privilege may not be enough to skirt AdScam ban

In the wake of yesterday's reports the Gomery inquiry into AdScam heard testimony so damning it could topple Paul Martin's Liberal government, some have speculated the Bloc Québecois might attempt to make the testimony public in the House of Commons... More...

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April 1, 2005

Secret AdScam testimony spurs election talk

Testimony heard today by the Gomery inquiry into AdScam is considered so explosive it could prompt the dissolution of Parliament and a Spring election. The testimony from Jean Brault of ad firm Groupaction is the subject of a publication ban... More...

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March 10, 2005

Ottawa to sue Ad Firms, says Radio-Canada

The French service of the CBC is reporting Ottawa will launch a $39-million law suit in an attempt to recover funds from four Quebec advertising firms that made millions as a result of AdScam. According to Radio-Canada, the federal government... More...

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March 2, 2005

Missile defense decision already hurting Canada-US relationship

When Prime Minister Paul Martin caved to pressure from his Liberal caucus and announced Canada would not support the United States Missile Defense program, he likely did not anticipated the degree of antipathy the decision would create south of the... More...

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Filed in: Politics / Canada

February 23, 2005

Budget 2005: Government will survive

A "happier than expected" Stephen Harper said his Conservative Opposition will not force an election over the 2005 budget tabled this afternoon by Finance Minister Ralph Goodale. "We're not going to cause an unnecessary election at this point," Mr. Harper... More...

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Filed in: Politics / Canada

Budget 2005: Reaction

Here is a sampling of the early reaction to the 2005 Budget tabled by Finance Minister Ralph Goodale this afternoon. Air Transport Association of Canada: By not reducing airport rent, the Government is wilfully undermining the economic competitiveness of the... More...

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Budget 2005: No real surprises

The Federal Budget, tabled in the House of Commons this afternoon, was pretty much as advertised. Finance Minister Ralph Goodale is still delivering the non-stop list of platitudes that passes for a budget speech which could be summarized simply: "Move... More...

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Filed in: Politics / Canada

$12B for Military

The Federal Budget, to be tabled today, will include the first true investment in Canada's armed froces since the 1980s. According several media outlets, sourced on Parliament Hill say Ralph Goodale will give the Forces a cash infusion of $12-billion... More...

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February 22, 2005

Singh countersuing Sgro

The Pizzas for Visas controversy simply won't go away. In a last-ditch attempt to avoid deportation last January, pizza guy Harjit Singh made public allegations that Judy Sgro, then the Minister of Citizenship, offered to help him stay in Canada... More...

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February 18, 2005

PM is Mr. Dithers: Magazine

Britain's The Economist paints a very unflattering picture of Prime Minister Paul Martin in this week's issue. In the article, the magazine calls the PM "Mr. Dithers" and accuses him of setting up a "fiscal cafeteria" for the provinces. It... More...

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February 8, 2005

Chrétien ends testimony with a parting shot for Gomery

Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien finished up his testimony today with devastating parting blow aimed at inquiry Commissioner John Gomery. Justice Gomery famously called the Mr. Chrétien "small-town cheap" for the purchase of golf balls bearing his name and the... More...

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Chrétien off to a good start

Jean Chrétien's opening statement to the Gomery Inquiry into AdScam showed he hasn't lost his touch. The former Prime Minister's lengthy monologue put forward the case for the maligned Sponsorship Program in the context of the time when it was... More...

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January 26, 2005

Strippers, Pizza and Sgro

Tracking the troubles former Immigration Minister Judy Sgro has caused for Paul Martin's Liberal government in Ottawa requires a scorecard just to keep up. Every day, there is at least one new development about her or her accuser. Here's the... More...

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Filed in: Politics / Canada Politics / Ontario

January 19, 2005

It's going to get worse for Sgro

Judy Sgro says she wants to clear her name. So, immediately in the wake of the Pizza Guy's allegations of pizzas for visas, she fled to Florida and is not taking questions from the media. That probably isn't the most... More...

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January 14, 2005

Sgro to finally resign

The Toronto Star is reporting this morning that Immigration Minister Judy Sgro will announce her resignation today. Ms. Sgro has been in trouble for months over corruption in her Ministry and her immigration assistance to a Romanian stripper. But it... More...

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January 4, 2005

PM's PR play

Remember the days after Prime Minister Paul Martin declared he was "mad as hell" about the sponsorship scandal? The government's reputation was suffering as a result of its slow and inadequate response to AdScam. The Prime Minister was getting was... More...

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December 30, 2004

Canada finally comes through

Yesterday Ottawa either bowed to public pressure or finally came to its sense. The federal government announced an increase to its Asian Tsunami aid package making it a credible, if not yet creditable, $40-million. Today, several provinces including Ontario and... More...

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December 29, 2004

What is Canada waiting for?

With the death toll from the weekend's massive earthquake and tsunami now surpassing 60,000, the focus of the relief effort is now to ensure the effected areas have safe drinking water and medical facilities. Canada has a special military unit... More...

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December 17, 2004

More trouble for Sgro

Immigration Minister Judy Sgro was probably thanking her lucky stars. The Fall Session of Parliament had ended and MPs, the media and the general public were turning their attention away from her woes and onto more important things. What she... More...

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November 19, 2004

Parrish the thought

He finally did it. Prime Minister Paul Martin finally found it in himself to do the right thing and kicked Carolyn Parrish out of his Liberal Caucus. Ms. Parrish has become famous for her anti-American remarks. She has called Americans... More...

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Gagliano denies mob links

Former federal Cabinet Minister Alphonso Gagliano had been through a lot in the last few months. He's been fingered as responsible for misspending millions of dollars in AdScam, he lost his Ambassadorship to to Denmark as a result and now,... More...

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November 4, 2004

An encore performance from Parrish

MP Carolyn Parrish, who has called Americans "idiots" and "bastards" now says they are "out of step" with the rest of the free world.... More...

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October 25, 2004

Alberta election call expected today

All of the signs point to an election call in Alberta as early as today. Massive billboards appeared last week in Edmonton and Calgary sporting Premier Ralph Klein's mug and the Conservative Party's slogan for the campaign: Proud to be... More...

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October 8, 2004

They took us to the brink

Perched on the precipice of another election, Canada's federal politicians pulled back and compromised late yesterday. Nobody wanted another election but stubbornness and a desire to test each other pushed Canadians into the unenviable position of actually worrying about the... More...

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October 6, 2004

Some Tories may be asked to skip Throne Speech vote

Yesterday's Speech from the Throne was underwhelming for the Conservatives and the Bloc. They plan to vote against the Throne Speech motion unless the amendments they propose today are approved by the Commons. Given that combined, the Tories and the... More...

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October 5, 2004

Just who is J.C.?

I am absolutely shocked – shocked and appalled - at those who so quickly assume that those 25 dozen golf balls involved in the sponsorship scandal monogrammed with JC meant then-prime minister Jean Chretien. A senior civil servant at the... More...

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October 4, 2004

Putting the Minority to the test

As our MPs gather in Ottawa this week to open the first Session of Parliament to feature a minority government since 1979, I have to admit I'm getting a little nervous. The Bloc Québecois and the Conservatives have said they... More...

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September 15, 2004

Premiers still united going into day three

Canada's Provincial Premiers continue to sing from the same songbook. As they entered the convention centre for the third day of speechifying they continue to press the point that the money Prime Minister Paul Martin has put on the table... More...

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September 14, 2004

Strategy change enrages Premiers

Paul Martin's strategy of turning the health care debate into a battle for the hearts of Canadians by having this week's First Ministers' Meeting live on television backfired yesterday. As the Premiers entered the conference centre yesterday they were united... More...

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September 13, 2004

Health Care Conference begins

Well, the speechifying has begun in Ottawa and already the Premiers are on the attack. According to a number of provincial leaders, the Prime Minister made them a decidedly unsatisfactory offer at a private meeting last night (I thought this... More...

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September 7, 2004

AdScam Inquiry begins today

Justice John Gomery will finally begin hearing testimony today as he tries to get to the bottom of how millions of dollars were misspent by the federal government. None other than Auditor-General Shiela Fraser (who became a celebrity after her... More...

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