What's the worst part of the Mike Duffy - Nigel Wright scandal?
Yesterday, Mike Duffy stepped down from the Conservative caucus, but remains a sitting independent Senator. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's Office has stated that Stephen Harper has "full confidence" in Chief-of-Staff Nigel Wright, who apparently secretly wrote a personal cheque to help Duffy pay back his debts. Clearly, there are still many questions that need to be answered.
What's the worst part of the Mike Duffy - Nigel Wright scandal?
Should Andrea Horwath and the Ontario NDP support Premier Kathleen Wynne's budget?
The fate of Ontario's minority Liberal government is in the hands of NDP leader Andrea Horwath, who has said she is taking the next few days to hear from the public about whether or not her party should vote for the Liberals' budget. The Conservative Party led by Tim Hudak will vote against the budget. If the budget is defeated that would mean an election will be called.
What do you think of the 'anti-terror' legislation, Bill S-7?
This week Parliament is voting on Bill S-7, 'anti-terror' legislation that the Conservatives rescheduled for this week. See Karl Nerenberg's report from earlier this week for background.
What do you think of the proposed changes to the NDP's constitution?
With the NDP's federal convention in Montreal just one week away, there is already a lot of discussion about a proposal to 'soften the language' around the word 'socialist' in the party's constitution.
The proposed new preamble to the party constitution reads:
"New Democrats seek a future which brings together the best of the insights and objectives of Canadians who, within the social democratic and democratic socialist traditions, have worked through farmer, labour, co-operative, feminist, human rights and environmental movements to build a more just, equal, and sustainable Canada within a global community dedicated to the same goals..."
What do you think of these proposed change to the NDP's constitution?
On party discipline and parliamentary privilege: Should backbenchers be allowed to speak?
The Globe and Mail reports:
Mark Warawa, the Tory MP who represents the B.C. riding of Langley, has asked Speaker Andrew Scheer to find that his parliamentary privilege was breached when the party refused to allow him to talk about his private member’s motion condemning sex-selective abortions.
Mr. Harper has made it clear he does not want the issue of abortion to be raised, and Gordon O’Connor, the government whip, says it is the party’s right to draw up the list of its caucus members who will be permitted to speak.
What do you think: Should backbenchers be allowed to speak in the House of Commons, even when they are raising issues that their party leadership does not want to see raised?
Should Canadian border authorities be participating in a reality TV program?
This week, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers in Vancouver carried out a number of raids targeting undocumented workers on construction work sites. On at least one of the raids CBSA officers were accompanied by a film crew for the reality TV show 'Border Security: Canada's Front Line'.
This has resulted in protest and calls for the cancellation of the reality TV program, which airs on the National Geographic Channel and is being produced by Vancouver-based Force Four Productions.
A CBSA spokesperson defended the agency's participation with the reality TV program, stating: "The show follows the regular day-to-day duties of CBSA employees, including at the land border, airports, mail centres and inland... While a film crew was present at yesterday's enforcement action, our officers do this on a daily basis in the absence of cameras."
We want to know what you think.
Should the CBSA be participating in a reality TV program?
