That's why the Senate should be gotten rid of.
And so a new era begins in Canadian politics.......
Sun, 2016-02-07 00:17
#302
Sun, 2016-02-07 00:55
#303
That's why the Senate should be gotten rid of.
Easier said then done and the Senate does serve as a check on PM power. I don't know if it's by law or not but they only send legislation back to the house once. If it is submitted again it is allowed to pass.
To me the problem with the senate is the quality of senators. We have had wonderful senators, still do. I am anxiously awaiting the names of the first five and the subsequent ones.
Some women's oganizations have asked Trudeau to appoint all women in order to create gender parity in the senate. I don't expect it to happen but I would like significantly more women. I think we need to have as many minorities as possible represented.
I feel like we dodged a bullet when Harper didn't replace the 22 senators that left.
Sun, 2016-02-07 01:10
#304
Arthur Cramer
Pondering, you missed Trudeau's real IGNORANCE on the mimimum wage. Why does he hate working Canadians so much?
Sun, 2016-02-07 02:04
#305
Pondering, you missed Trudeau's real IGNORANCE on the mimimum wage. Why does he hate working Canadians so much?
I didn't miss it. I was disappointed. I agree he is misinformed on the topic. Ignorance on a topic does not imply hatred of anyone.
It is actually possible for people to believe they are doing the right thing even when it is the wrong thing.
Sun, 2016-02-07 02:50
#306
That's why the Senate should be gotten rid of.
Easier said then done and the Senate does serve as a check on PM power.
The Senate blocked the Climate Change Accountability Act. For them to now threaten to block the repeal of C-377 and C-525 means they're doing nothing other than stifling democracy. Off with their heads! The Senate should be gone.
Sat, 2016-04-09 01:00
#307
*
Sun, 2016-04-10 01:03
#308
Why Won't The Liberals Tell Us Who Paid $500 To Hang Out With Justice Minister?
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/kady-omalley-...
"It would have been a devastatingly swift and succint way to shut down any suggestion that there was anything untoward in Justice Minister Jody Wilson Raybould's fundraiser hosted out of the downtown Toronto offices of one of Canada's leading law firms..."
how Canadian 'democracy' aka influence peddling, really works..
Mon, 2016-04-25 14:24
#309
A new era in Canadian politics?
Any but the most complacent with their heads in the sands of the global matrix, can recognize the perilous fragility of the present economic depression and financial collapse in the running, now!
The growing sense of frustration and rage need not be transferred to fascist parties...
Time for a human and ecology based movement based political party in Canada!
View image on Twitter 
Follow Carl Bildt ✔ @carlbildt
Political earthquake in Austria presidential elections. Neither ÖVP nor SPÖ candidates make it to 2nd round.
Tue, 2016-07-19 12:04
#310
What took so long? It's about time.
Ottawa announces diplomatic shakeup with 26 new appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion removes high-profile Harper-era appointees
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/diplomatic-appointments-shake-up-1.3685157
Tue, 2016-07-19 15:36
#311
What took so long? It's about time.
Ottawa announces diplomatic shakeup with 26 new appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion removes high-profile Harper-era appointees
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/diplomatic-appointments-shake-up-1.3685157
Gordon Campbell among those who got the sack
Tue, 2016-07-19 17:59
#312
...Gordon Campbell among those who got the sack
Aw, the poor man! After doing his best to destroy BC, then having to spend several years living off the taxpayers in London, what's he going to do now? I'll suggest he be given a post representiing Canada in, oh I don't know, Uzbekistan, maybe. Or how aboiut Moresby in New Guinea. That second house on the right would be appropriate:
Wed, 2016-07-20 00:37
#313
Gordon Campbell among those who got the sack
gawd now back to annoy us.
Sun, 2016-08-21 23:42
#314
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/08/20/gord-downie-trudeau-first-nation...
Downie and the Tragically Hip are known for their activism. Downie has served on the board of environmental group Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. He's also performed concerts near James Bay to raise awareness of the many issues facing those First Nations communities....
"We're in good hands, folks, real good hands," Downie told the live audience, as cameras cut to Trudeau who was in attendance. "He cares about the people way up North, that we were trained our entire lives to ignore, trained our entire lives to hear not a word of what's going on up there.
"And what's going on up there ain't good. It's maybe worse than it's ever been ... (but) we're going to get it fixed and we got the guy to do it, to start, to help.''
A few songs into the band's nationally televised concert, Downie said: "Prime Minister Trudeau's got me, his work with First Nations. He's got everybody. He's going to take us where we need to go."
He continued, "It's going to take us 100 years to figure out what the hell went on up there, but it isn't cool and everybody knows that. It's really, really bad, but we're going to figure it out, you're going to figure it out."
Downie's endorsement of Trudeau was equal parts admiration and challenge.
"He's going to be looking good for about at least 12 more years, I don't know if they let you go beyond that. But he'll do it,'' Downie, 52, told concertgoers between songs.
Trudeau could be seen nodding and mouthing "thank you."
Mon, 2016-08-22 06:29
#315
Back to the hagiography, eh Pondering?
When are you going to understand that the sun does not shine out of Justin's bum?
Mon, 2016-08-22 09:41
#316
swallow
I heard it doesn't so much shine out of his bum, as glint off his sculptured torso.
Mon, 2016-08-22 10:03
#317
You don't see criticism of Downie for this here; It does exist elsewhere but not here. It was a very political comment and it does make sense to have it raised and commented on here.
Downie has long spoken about the North and he chose to bring attention to the issue. As a very sick man who has limited time and has not just come to this recently, I would say he earned the ability to say whatever he wants. I suspect most, if not everyone here, agrees.
He is saying that the current PM needs support to accomplish change and that it must be done. It was both a challenge and an endorsement. Downie believes that Trudeau is the man to get it done. At this point he is elected and the NDP is floundering. It is entirely possible that Downie could be right. I won't fault him for optimism as we need that too.
Trudeau has the opportunity as PM, he seems to have the interest. Of the Liberal committments made in the election the ones to Aboriginal peoples and the environment remain the most important. When he speaks of the North, Downie gathers together justice for Aboriginal people, for the North and its people generally and for policy change to protect the environment. That is how I heard it.
All of that is fair enough comment and we will certainly judge the outcome and every measure.
As well, Trudeau has a greater connection to the North than most previous PMs. We focus on his privilege and the fact that his father was PET. In this case both led him to have greater connection to the North than most previous PMs.
There is a huge opportunity for Trudeau to prove that his promises with respect to the North and to Aboriginal peoples are not empty.
We can criticize when he falls short, express that he was not our choice but still hope that he just might deliver on change -- becuase that is very much needed.
I would be delighted to reverse many of my opinions on Trudeau if he delivers in this area as this is what I think is the most critical policy area before the government.
Mon, 2016-08-22 19:22
#318
The Hip's song, Grace, Too, reminds me of Gord Downie and also Justin Trudeau:
"Grace, Two"
He said, "I'm fabulously rich, come on just let's go"
She kind of bit her lip, "Jeez, I don't know"
But I can guarantee, there'll be no knock on the door
I'm total pro, that's what I'm here for
I come from downtown, born ready for you
Armed with will and determination, and grace, too
The secret rules of engagement are hard to endorse
When the appearance of conflict meets the appearance of force
But I can guarantee, there'll be no knock on the door
I'm total pro here, that's what I'm here for
I come from downtown, born ready for you
Armed with skill and it's frustration, and grace, too
Downie's emotional heartrending rendition of this song last night will not be forgotten any time soon.
Mon, 2016-08-22 20:32
#319
Back to the hagiography, eh Pondering? When are you going to understand that the sun does not shine out of Justin's bum?
Nicky you are projecting. I know that is how you support a political party. The NDP could blow up a bridge and you would defend them. The Liberals could achieve a carbon neutral economy and you would diss them.
I didn't even comment in that post. I have said multiple times that I am not satisfied with Trudeau or the Liberal Party. In 2019 I hope there is a political party willing to fight climate change and income inequality not just pay lip service to it. We have a short window of opportunity, maybe a decade, to overturn neoliberalism. Who knows when we will get another chance? I view our current government as a place holder until something better comes up. I don't want CETA or TPP to pass. Trudeau is pushing CETA and if the US signs TPP so will Trudeau. He is being noncommital now but if the US signs Trudeau will have a strong argument that we must sign too and will most likely have the support of Canadians in signing it.
The NDP's severe drop might be the best thing that has happened to the party since Layton became leader. Many "moderates" have shifted to the Liberals. I am not suggesting the most extreme members take charge but the remaining members and supporters are farther left. You might say "the Overton" window shifted left. Members left can now demand greater democracy within the party because the executive failed not just Mulcair. The executive can no longer demand that members accept the move to the centre based on electability.
Back to the topic, I have been predicting at least 2 or 3 terms for Trudeau UNLESS something really dramatic happens. Looks like Gordie agrees that Trudeau on track to get 12 years. That is not because Trudeau is so fantastic because he isn't fantastic at all. He's actually performing better than I expected but even so he is really quite an ordinary man who is PM in large part because his father was.
Mon, 2016-08-22 21:10
#320
Bennett acknowledges Downie's words: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wherry-downie-bennett-1.3730281
Mon, 2016-08-22 21:23
#321
A new era. Seems Philpott, the Minister of Health, who I think is responsible for the marijuana legalization file (it was her who made the reefer madness announcement of "save the children"), has been dipping pretty heavily into the golden money pot of parliamentary privilege:
The controversy surrounding Health Minister Jane Philpott's travel expenses grew on Monday as evidence surfaced that she billed taxpayers $520 for access to Air Canada's executive airport lounges in North America and Europe.
Last week, Philpott said she would repay $3,700 in high-end car service costs after it was revealed she billed for $1,700 on one day and more than $1,900 on another day.
The minister's department is also reviewing 20 trips to Toronto Pearson International Airport that cost a total of $3,815 to see if taxpayers were charged fair-market value.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/philpott-airport-lounge-executive-1.3731578
Mon, 2016-08-22 21:51
#322
A new era. Seems Philpott, the Minister of Health, who I think is responsible for the marijuana legalization file (it was her who made the reefer madness announcement of "save the children"), has been dipping pretty heavily into the golden money pot of parliamentary privilege:
The controversy surrounding Health Minister Jane Philpott's travel expenses grew on Monday as evidence surfaced that she billed taxpayers $520 for access to Air Canada's executive airport lounges in North America and Europe.
Last week, Philpott said she would repay $3,700 in high-end car service costs after it was revealed she billed for $1,700 on one day and more than $1,900 on another day.
The minister's department is also reviewing 20 trips to Toronto Pearson International Airport that cost a total of $3,815 to see if taxpayers were charged fair-market value.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/philpott-airport-lounge-executive-1.3731578
Sometimes when I see stories like this I wonder if the politician was aware of the amount of the expense at the time. Politicians really ought to make sure they actually know becuase I suspect that there are millions being spent by staffers wanting to please their bosses and the boss not in enough control to ask the right questions. In the end it is not much of a favour since these numbers do eventually come out.
Inexperienced staff and a boss who does not know enough yet to provide proper oversight and instructions means new government often get into this kind of a problem. The leadership might have given little direction as to what is normal and what isn't to ministers. And they are often preoccupied and in this case also inexperienced. Takes a story like this to get them to do due diligence.
I have seen this pattern with governments of all stripes.
Mon, 2016-08-22 22:38
#323
A new era. Seems Philpott, the Minister of Health, who I think is responsible for the marijuana legalization file (it was her who made the reefer madness announcement of "save the children"), has been dipping pretty heavily into the golden money pot of parliamentary privilege:
The controversy surrounding Health Minister Jane Philpott's travel expenses grew on Monday as evidence surfaced that she billed taxpayers $520 for access to Air Canada's executive airport lounges in North America and Europe.
Last week, Philpott said she would repay $3,700 in high-end car service costs after it was revealed she billed for $1,700 on one day and more than $1,900 on another day.
The minister's department is also reviewing 20 trips to Toronto Pearson International Airport that cost a total of $3,815 to see if taxpayers were charged fair-market value.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/philpott-airport-lounge-executive-1.3731578
Sometimes when I see stories like this I wonder if the politician was aware of the amount of the expense at the time. Politicians really ought to make sure they actually know becuase I suspect that there are millions being spent by staffers wanting to please their bosses and the boss not in enough control to ask the right questions. In the end it is not much of a favour since these numbers do eventually come out.
Inexperienced staff and a boss who does not know enough yet to provide proper oversight and instructions means new government often get into this kind of a problem. The leadership might have given little direction as to what is normal and what isn't to ministers. And they are often preoccupied and in this case also inexperienced. Takes a story like this to get them to do due diligence.
I have seen this pattern with governments of all stripes.
I appreciate the fairness but I read somewhere she had to personally sign off. My greater concern is that the limo service owner helped out her campaign and the amount she was paying was not market rate even for limo service. Nor did she immediately offer to pay it back. It doesn't mean she's a bad minister but it does show a sense of inappropriate entitlement.
Mon, 2016-08-22 23:28
#324
Another minister lax with public money. http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/feds-spent-10-681-on-photos-of-catherine-...
Mon, 2016-08-22 23:32
#325
The Liberals had their cabinet retreat. McKenna spoke after about the environment. Their target remains the same as the Conservatives, which is to cut GHG emissions by 30% by below 2005 levels by 2030. Regarding the carbon pricing plan, she seemed to indicate that those provinces which already have a pricing plan will not be affected (IE, any national standard for pricing carbon will be lower than any of the existing provincial pricing plans). Also, she suggested that revenues from it could be given back to people in tax cuts, rather than going solely to environmental initiatives. Doesn't sound very impressive to me. Here's the clip from Power and Politics: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/powerandpolitics/environment-minister-on...
Tue, 2016-08-23 00:16
#326
Good overview by Aaron Wherry on what's coming up in this new era: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wherry-trudeau-cabinet-sudbury-1.3728440
In addition to a national plan on climate change (merely the sort of endeavour that could be foremost in this government's legacy), the provinces would also like to discuss health care — Health Minister Philpott wants new health accords in place by the end of the year.
There are 20 vacancies on the Senate to be filled and a seat on the Supreme Court will open up in September.
The government must decide by Sept. 22 whether to appeal a federal court's decision to strike down the conditional approval of Northern Gateway. A decision on Pacific Northwest LNG is due in early October. And cabinet must decide whether to approve the TransMountain pipeline by Dec. 19.
A "discussion paper" from the task force on Canada Post is due in September. The task force on the legalization of marijuana is to issue a final report in November. And the special House of Commons committee on electoral reform is required to report back by December.
Somewhere in there the finance minister, who has expert panels considering economic growth and tax code reform, will be expected to deliver the fall economic and fiscal update.
A new office for de-radicalization is expected to be established. Legislation on expanding the Canada Pension Plan will have to be passed. Perhaps there'll be a decision on a peacekeeping mission. And there's an innovation agenda being put together.
These are the sorts of things that can define a government and change a country.
Tue, 2016-08-23 12:11
#327
A new era. Seems Philpott, the Minister of Health, who I think is responsible for the marijuana legalization file (it was her who made the reefer madness announcement of "save the children"), has been dipping pretty heavily into the golden money pot of parliamentary privilege:
The controversy surrounding Health Minister Jane Philpott's travel expenses grew on Monday as evidence surfaced that she billed taxpayers $520 for access to Air Canada's executive airport lounges in North America and Europe.
Last week, Philpott said she would repay $3,700 in high-end car service costs after it was revealed she billed for $1,700 on one day and more than $1,900 on another day.
The minister's department is also reviewing 20 trips to Toronto Pearson International Airport that cost a total of $3,815 to see if taxpayers were charged fair-market value.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/philpott-airport-lounge-executive-1.3731578
Sometimes when I see stories like this I wonder if the politician was aware of the amount of the expense at the time. Politicians really ought to make sure they actually know becuase I suspect that there are millions being spent by staffers wanting to please their bosses and the boss not in enough control to ask the right questions. In the end it is not much of a favour since these numbers do eventually come out.
Inexperienced staff and a boss who does not know enough yet to provide proper oversight and instructions means new government often get into this kind of a problem. The leadership might have given little direction as to what is normal and what isn't to ministers. And they are often preoccupied and in this case also inexperienced. Takes a story like this to get them to do due diligence.
I have seen this pattern with governments of all stripes.
I appreciate the fairness but I read somewhere she had to personally sign off. My greater concern is that the limo service owner helped out her campaign and the amount she was paying was not market rate even for limo service. Nor did she immediately offer to pay it back. It doesn't mean she's a bad minister but it does show a sense of inappropriate entitlement.
Ok some details I was not aware of here. Still this is something not uncommon when a government is new. The question of course is whether it continues. I am sure that the most important issue, while this is something that will be watched, is how quickly the rhetoric can move to action on some other important initiatives which for the moment we have little indication. When it comes to health care many are quite concerned to see how the government will go about financing it given difficulties in the economy. The population will notice transgressions like this especially if there are others but the real issue for now remains what the government does on the divisive issues that it has so far been able to avoid, the need for timely action and the conversion of more vague promises.
As a non-Liberal, I would say that the record is mixed so far. Caution given challenges is understandable but time will run out soon. No big sleeper issue has come up as yet -- although I remain somewhat disappointed that the Liberals got away with an upper class tax cut being called a middle class tax cut. The population just ignored this even though quite a few journalists pointed it out.
For me the most important commitments surround Aboriginal peoples and the environment and the grand promises the Liberals made to them. At the end of the day, as a person with no loyalty to the Liberals and a great deal of skepticism, I will judge this government to a great extent by the degree to which those promises are kept. The reminder from Gord Downie in that sense is timely. If the Liberals were to deliver here, there is little that could not be forgiven by the public I think. If they fail then it really matters little what else they do.
Tue, 2016-08-23 13:36
#328
Good overview by Aaron Wherry on what's coming up in this new era: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wherry-trudeau-cabinet-sudbury-1.3728440
In addition to a national plan on climate change (merely the sort of endeavour that could be foremost in this government's legacy), the provinces would also like to discuss health care — Health Minister Philpott wants new health accords in place by the end of the year.
There are 20 vacancies on the Senate to be filled and a seat on the Supreme Court will open up in September.
The government must decide by Sept. 22 whether to appeal a federal court's decision to strike down the conditional approval of Northern Gateway. A decision on Pacific Northwest LNG is due in early October. And cabinet must decide whether to approve the TransMountain pipeline by Dec. 19.
A "discussion paper" from the task force on Canada Post is due in September. The task force on the legalization of marijuana is to issue a final report in November. And the special House of Commons committee on electoral reform is required to report back by December.
Somewhere in there the finance minister, who has expert panels considering economic growth and tax code reform, will be expected to deliver the fall economic and fiscal update.
A new office for de-radicalization is expected to be established. Legislation on expanding the Canada Pension Plan will have to be passed. Perhaps there'll be a decision on a peacekeeping mission. And there's an innovation agenda being put together.
These are the sorts of things that can define a government and change a country.
But in the end he is wrong:
Big things go in the history books, but small failures can grind away.
That might be true with the pundits but it isn't true of Canadians in general, the ones who elect elect government, and the right knows it. If Harper wasn't enough to teach us that then all that can help us is the God I don't believe exists.
Jounalists are in the bubble. They make their money by printing stuff they hope political junkies will read. They have no clue what drives voters who only pay attention a couple of weeks before the next election.
Gord Downie is right about one thing. Odds are Trudeau will likely be our PM for 12 years, until 2028. It could even go beyond that unless a party rises that is willing to attack neoliberalism.
I expect the "Conservative" party to continue shrinking because young people are less and less conservative. They were hoping that immigrants would vote based on social conservatism and low taxes but it isn't happening. If the Conservatives had been smart they wouldn't have messed with family reunification or fear monguered on Muslims. Now the Liberals get to be the heroes on that file which is a big one for immigrants.
In my opinion the NDP is well positioned to be the alternative to the Liberals but not on the track they are on now and my guess is that proportional representation is off the table. Not even Dion's P3 model has a chance. The committee is not going to be able to agree on an alternative system to what we have now. Electoral reform will be far more moderate. At best it will be ranked ballots but more likely it will be other reforms like mandatory voting or electronic voting or both.
Tue, 2016-08-23 13:39
#329
Big disappointment for me here:
http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/08/22/news/stephane-dion-booted-tru...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has removed Global Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion from the environment, climate change and energy committee which he chaired.
I believe he was removed because he is too far on the side of the environment. I was hoping he would be able to influence Trudeau.
Tue, 2016-08-23 17:09
#330
Big disappointment for me here:
http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/08/22/news/stephane-dion-booted-tru...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has removed Global Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion from the environment, climate change and energy committee which he chaired.
I believe he was removed because he is too far on the side of the environment. I was hoping he would be able to influence Trudeau.
You might be wrong here. Politics is sometimes the opposite of what you see.
Dion does have credibility with the environmental movement and that is all very well. But if Trudeau intends to make real change then he needs someone with credibility with those he needs to bring on side and those are not the people who already support Dion. In fact Dion is the perfect one to be the mouthpiece for a government backing down -- to tell the people they can't get what they are looking for. But he is not the one to actually make change and sell it. If you look who else is on this committee you can see there are significant names there. If the government were planning to back down they might leave few big names left and those people not related to the file through their portfolios. And Trudeau, in what is a very good signal, is putting his science people there: Bains minister of innovation and economic development and Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science. Bennett being on this suggests that there is a desire to not conflict with Aboriginal people. If this committee craps out he has put a lot of careers at risk.
It is possible that you are right and this is a negative signal. It is also possible that the government is willing to go down a road they expect will be rough and they don't want Dion central to that given history. Dominic LeBlanc being on this is also a suggestion that the committee is not meant to fail. Amarjeet Sohi is the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. Of course the environment Minister is there as well. This is a committee with a lot of key Liberals.
What I see is a doubling down on the file with strong people who would lose a lot if this committee does not produce something.
I don't see this particular change as necessarily a problem.
Wed, 2016-08-24 10:10
#331
Seems part of the new era is to limit access for news photographers from events. Instead, it's often promo shots taken by photographers commissioned by either the government or, in the case of the Tragically Hip concert, the event promoter, while news media photographers were barred.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/justin-trudeau-tragically-hip-canadian-press-phot...
That, suggested The Canadian Press editor-in-chief Stephen Meurice, is part of a troubling trend, where "increasingly, limitations are being placed on journalists' access to various kinds of events."
While some news agencies (including CBC News) made use of these Hip concert photos, The Canadian Press and Reuters declined to distribute them. CP argued it's the news agency's policy not to use handouts if CP journalists are barred from shooting an event.
"Using handout pictures produced and controlled by a person or organization we cover removes our ability to exercise that editorial independence," Meurice wrote in a piece for TVO.org. "The images become, essentially, promotional material, and we do not distribute such material as part of our news file."
Wed, 2016-08-24 11:21
#332
they're just taking another play out of the Harper play book. the one minister, whose expenses for a personal photographer are being questioned stated, "the Conservatives used photographers..."
Wed, 2016-08-24 16:55
#333
The Tragically Hip Concert did not allow news photographers and that is not that unusual for a concert. Their reason was space.
In this case I think the media were whining. Likely the press photographers wanted to see the show. Who can blame them? We all did. This was not a political event. It became more political when Downie decided to make statements that were entirely his prerogative to make but is was not a government or party event. People need to get over it.
I said this before when Harper was in power -- complain about the big stuff, the important stuff and you gain credibility. Trying to make an issue out of stuff like this is how you can spend that credibility.
If you want the important things to stick to the Liberals and hold them accountable you have to ignore the temptation to react to non-issues.
Now we can focus on access to real government and political events -- because that is where the access has to be. Do we have a story about that?
Wed, 2016-08-24 22:49
#334
Big disappointment for me here:
http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/08/22/news/stephane-dion-booted-tru...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has removed Global Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion from the environment, climate change and energy committee which he chaired.
I believe he was removed because he is too far on the side of the environment. I was hoping he would be able to influence Trudeau.
You might be wrong here. Politics is sometimes the opposite of what you see.
Dion does have credibility with the environmental movement and that is all very well. But if Trudeau intends to make real change then he needs someone with credibility with those he needs to bring on side and those are not the people who already support Dion. In fact Dion is the perfect one to be the mouthpiece for a government backing down -- to tell the people they can't get what they are looking for. But he is not the one to actually make change and sell it. If you look who else is on this committee you can see there are significant names there. If the government were planning to back down they might leave few big names left and those people not related to the file through their portfolios. And Trudeau, in what is a very good signal, is putting his science people there: Bains minister of innovation and economic development and Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science. Bennett being on this suggests that there is a desire to not conflict with Aboriginal people. If this committee craps out he has put a lot of careers at risk.
It is possible that you are right and this is a negative signal. It is also possible that the government is willing to go down a road they expect will be rough and they don't want Dion central to that given history. Dominic LeBlanc being on this is also a suggestion that the committee is not meant to fail. Amarjeet Sohi is the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. Of course the environment Minister is there as well. This is a committee with a lot of key Liberals.
What I see is a doubling down on the file with strong people who would lose a lot if this committee does not produce something.
I don't see this particular change as necessarily a problem.
Thank-you. That is a much more sophisticated analysis. I don't know if you are right but I do suspect that Trudeau intends his legacy to include improving life for indigenous peoples which isn't to say that they will get everything they want or is due them.
Wed, 2016-08-24 23:17
#335
Interesting article. Basically Coyne argues that the " little stuff" is very often connected to the big stuff. This was my experience as well. Most of leadership is about setting examples. If the minister makes dubious decisions on spending public funds she/ he can hardly expect those that report to him/her to make better choices. http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/news/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com/...
Thu, 2016-08-25 10:13
#336
good article and pretty much shuts down those whose propaganda says "go for the big stuff"!!!
Thu, 2016-08-25 10:49
#337
good article and pretty much shuts down those whose propaganda says "go for the big stuff"!!!
I think the best part is here:
"This attitude belongs to no party or government. It is not even reserved to the public sector. It happens wherever and whenever people forget whose money it is. This is, it should be said, all too easy to do. The minister who is engaged in the daily business of persuading the public that her party stands for all that is right and should — no, must — be in government for that reason, will over time persuade herself of the same."
Thu, 2016-08-25 11:40
#338
The thing about these mini scandals is that the effect may be cumlative but it is not simply an arithmetic progression in which each scandal costs a certain percentage of support. Instead you usually see a threshold effect in which these scandals have no impact on a government's support. Then one captures the media and public's attention and all those stories get linked back to prior transgressions and the impact can become huge. A classic case of this would be the Reagan and administration and Iran Contragate. If you look at the ethical record of the Reagan administration prior to this scandal it was quite sorry. But it is took that scandal to show the discussion bious nature of Reagan and his underlings.
Thu, 2016-08-25 11:45
#339
Oh, another day, another Liberal MP stepping into an ethical morass.
http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/
Thu, 2016-08-25 12:25
#340
The thing about these mini scandals is that the effect may be cumlative but it is not simply an arithmetic progression in which each scandal costs a certain percentage of support. Instead you usually see a threshold effect in which these scandals have no impact on a government's support. Then one captures the media and public's attention and all those stories get linked back to prior transgressions and the impact can become huge. A classic case of this would be the Reagan and administration and Iran Contragate. If you look at the ethical record of the Reagan administration prior to this scandal it was quite sorry. But it is took that scandal to show the discussion bious nature of Reagan and his underlings.
The Liberals haven't had any scandals since taking office. A scandal by definition causes public outrage. The only outrage is from the Conservatives, NDP and political pundits with nothing better to talk about. Media has again tried to declare the Trudeau Honeymoon over even though polls say no such thing.
Have we learned nothing from the Harper decade of scandal after scandal that did nothing to dampen their electoral success? Harper was in a hairsbreath of winning the last election. It is absolutely plausible that we were in for another 4 years of Harper.
Thu, 2016-08-25 13:06
#341
it's the biggest "hairsbreath" i've ever seen.
and yes the Liberals have had mini scandals. maybe not in your world but enough to make Liberal voting people watch ever more closely.
Thu, 2016-08-25 14:00
#342
it's the biggest "hairsbreath" i've ever seen.
and yes the Liberals have had mini scandals. maybe not in your world but enough to make Liberal voting people watch ever more closely.
Of course you are right about the results as well as the mini scandals. The Philpott one is still unravelling. She is facing a review from the ethics commissioner as well as needing to explain her statement that she did not use limo services. For Liberal bootllickers in the media and the public none of this will matter and doing this crap in the summer is helpful to the Liberals as well. But keep it up Liberals and we shall see.
Thu, 2016-08-25 14:08
#343
My goodness even the CBC is referring to these things as Liberal scandals. Wow, I believe I just saw some flying pigs.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wherry-government-spending-expenses-1.37...
Thu, 2016-08-25 14:18
#344
The thing about these mini scandals is that the effect may be cumlative but it is not simply an arithmetic progression in which each scandal costs a certain percentage of support. Instead you usually see a threshold effect in which these scandals have no impact on a government's support. Then one captures the media and public's attention and all those stories get linked back to prior transgressions and the impact can become huge. A classic case of this would be the Reagan and administration and Iran Contragate. If you look at the ethical record of the Reagan administration prior to this scandal it was quite sorry. But it is took that scandal to show the discussion bious nature of Reagan and his underlings.The Liberals haven't had any scandals since taking office. A scandal by definition causes public outrage. The only outrage is from the Conservatives, NDP and political pundits with nothing better to talk about. Media has again tried to declare the Trudeau Honeymoon over even though polls say no such thing.
Have we learned nothing from the Harper decade of scandal after scandal that did nothing to dampen their electoral success? Harper was in a hairsbreath of winning the last election. It is absolutely plausible that we were in for another 4 years of Harper.
False comfort for Liberals.
First, spending scandals did not hurt Harper much becuase people assumed the other parties would spend even more.The anger of hypocrisy took time to build. The crowd most upset by spending would be the crowd most loyal to electing a right wing government. Liberals are not in this position so this means that the number of spending scandals that would cause severe problems for the Liberals is less than for the Conservatives and most certainly even less for the NDP when they govern. Life is not fair and impressions trump reality.
The second thing Liberals should consider is that like certain spiked drinks these really creep up on you till you suddenly realize you have a problem. People cannot tell easily when they are becoming drunk. They know before they start that they are sober and they know (hopefully) when they are quite unrecoverably (for a time) drunk. Scandals work that way becuase while they are meaningless now, scandals get reviewed in a later context when and patterns emerge. Again, life is not fair and some of the associations won't be. Not that the Liberals would not try to pin the tail on the donkey when they get the chance.
So no, the Liberals as high as they may be in the polls today should not be comfortable. Both opposition parties are picking new leaders and having difficulty. One of the two, I would guess, will get it right and the polls will reflect that. Time, scandals, a more moderate conservative leader (if they pick one), an NDP back even to 20% and the Liberals would end up in trouble. Recreating the perfect storm that brought them to power is impossible. The Liberals will have to earn the next election with difficult but correct choices. These spending issues are scandals they just have not phoned home yet. Hopefully for the Liberals the government will have delivered enough to be forgiven and will find a way to inspire the coalition of people, that included previous non-voters, to come out a second time for them.
Thu, 2016-08-25 14:31
#345
By the way, are people here familiar with the concept of global dimming? This global dimming is due to light reflected away from the planet -- it actually has a cooling effect. The effect of this is that the models for global warming are way off becuase they do not account for this dynamic. It means global warming is much worse than what scientists thought previously. As Europe has reduced air pollution as they needed to, their tempuratures have increased more than anywhere else in the world. To make matters worse, we have an increased El Nino effect and the result of that also masks global warming in Europe.
Why do I write this here?
The analogy works when it comes to politics. The cost of the scandals is still there but it is masked by widespread hope and optimism following the defeat of Harper, goodwill from the tone and messaging from Trudeau and the Liberals. Right now Liberals think these scandals are not hurting as much as they are.
New Democrats know this analogy fits as things were hurting Mulcair earlier on. We could see them but people were saying they were not hurting until suddenly they were, he was down, and people were talking about all those things that the NDP thought he got away with. Politics, like the environment, like drinking sweet drinks, is like that. Creeps up on you and then it is too late.
Thu, 2016-08-25 14:43
#346
Spending stuff like this doesn't concern me too much, I confess. Granted, if allowed to go unchecked, it can lead to stuff like the Adscam scandal where Libs were simply funnelling large amounts of money to their pals (I note from Aaron Wherry's article: "But even if paying too much for a car service — an expense that is potentially more problematic because a Liberal campaign volunteer owns said service"). Still, it does seem to simply be an attack on parliamentarians and the public service in general. I figure if you have perks in your job, then you should use them. And that goes for parliamentarians as well.
Thu, 2016-08-25 14:57
#347
it's the biggest "hairsbreath" i've ever seen.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-grenier-polls-oct1-...
Slowly but surely, the Conservatives have inched up in the polls, putting them in the best position they have held since this long campaign began to win the most seats on election night.
The CBC Poll Tracker shows the Conservatives holding a modest lead over the Liberals, with 32.5 per cent support against 30.4 per cent for the Liberals. The New Democrats sit in third with 27.2 per cent of the vote.
- Poll Tracker: Follow the latest numbers
- Podcast: Subscribe to Éric Grenier's Election Pollcast
There have been some clear trends working in favour of the Conservatives. In the week of Sept. 13-17, the party was averaging 29 to 30 per cent in the Poll Tracker. That increased to between 30 and 31 per cent in the following week, and between 32 and 33 per cent this week.
The Liberals have held steady over that time, averaging 30 to 31 per cent over the last two weeks.
Instead, the New Democrats have felt the brunt of the Conservatives' increase. From an average of 31 to 32 per cent in the week of Sept. 13-17, the party fell to 29 to 30 per cent and now to between 27 and 28 per cent support.
You can delude yourself into believing whatever you want. Despite the gazillion Harper scandals from small to large Canadians were willing to re-elect him.
and yes the Liberals have had mini scandals. maybe not in your world but enough to make Liberal voting people watch ever more closely.
You know nothing about Liberal voting people and most people pay no attention to politics between elections. They don't care who pays for Trudeau's nannies or who is on the jet with him when he vacations seeing as the jet would be flying there anyway. If they are even aware of it they aren't shocked that photographers are paid to take pictures at international events. Most people are unaware that Phillpot took a limo hired from a former volunteer and would not be outraged at finding out because it is what they expect of government. The Conservatives and NDP are trying to manufacture outrage but the only people outraged are their own followers. Everyone else is yawning. The media is not "the Liberal media" they are a branch of entertainment media that needs "scandal" to have something to write about.
Thu, 2016-08-25 15:02
#348
Spending stuff like this doesn't concern me too much, I confess. Granted, if allowed to go unchecked, it can lead to stuff like the Adscam scandal where Libs were simply funnelling large amounts of money to their pals (I note from Aaron Wherry's article: "But even if paying too much for a car service — an expense that is potentially more problematic because a Liberal campaign volunteer owns said service"). Still, it does seem to simply be an attack on parliamentarians and the public service in general. I figure if you have perks in your job, then you should use them. And that goes for parliamentarians as well.
The problem is that these things lead to less faith in and respect for government and greater support for those who would cut it. This is why a scandal for a conservative is not as damaging as it is for a Liberal or New Democrat.
The Liberals are slow learners if they don't see this dynamic and are not worried by it.
Scandals in programs have more opportunity to exist in both NDP and Liberal governments becuase these governments tend to initiate more. Problems with Ministers are a bigger issue for Liberals than Conservatives becuase both Liberals and New Democrats have more new programs that could also have spending issues creating perceptions pattern. Conservatives are more likely to cut programs so they are unlikely to have many more issues than with the Ministers. However, for them the issue of hypocrisy comes up -- "you cut what for that glass of orange juice or gazebo or, or, or" but this only comes up when there is a pattern of Ministerial spending issues?
Thu, 2016-08-25 15:35
#349
I think Con misspending, particularly on issues surrounding the Senate (IE, Duffy) did affect them. Harper appointed this guy and used him for his own purposes (fundraising) and seemingly went out of his way to protect him (IE, his chief of staff spending $90K to get him off the hook). Duffy, a high profile Con, meanwhile, seemingly went on a lavish self-serving spending spree. It affected Con support. So spending stuff like this can affect Cons quite a bit. So, don't know if I buy your argument that Libs and NDP need to be more careful about spending issues then Cons. The Cons were deemed to be self-interested and unreliable, leading to a stagnating economy and shabby life for Canadians. I think it's way too early to deem the Libs as having earned the image of "self-interested and unreliable", though. At this point no one cares. But yes, if the economy continues to fumble, and deficits climb with no tangible effect whatsoever on people's lives (IE, it was not the "jumpstart" people were promised) and further there's continued tales of Libs living high on the hog, then their fate potentially would be the same as the Cons come next election.
ETA:
Scandals in programs have more opportunity to exist in both NDP and Liberal governments becuase these governments tend to initiate more.
Yes, I'll concede this point. I think you are correct here.
Thu, 2016-08-25 16:42
#350
I think Con misspending, particularly on issues surrounding the Senate (IE, Duffy) did affect them. Harper appointed this guy and used him for his own purposes (fundraising) and seemingly went out of his way to protect him (IE, his chief of staff spending $90K to get him off the hook). Duffy, a high profile Con, meanwhile, seemingly went on a lavish self-serving spending spree. It affected Con support. So spending stuff like this can affect Cons quite a bit. So, don't know if I buy your argument that Libs and NDP need to be more careful about spending issues then Cons. The Cons were deemed to be self-interested and unreliable, leading to a stagnating economy and shabby life for Canadians. I think it's way too early to deem the Libs as having earned the image of "self-interested and unreliable", though. At this point no one cares. But yes, if the economy continues to fumble, and deficits climb with no tangible effect whatsoever on people's lives (IE, it was not the "jumpstart" people were promised) and further there's continued tales of Libs living high on the hog, then their fate potentially would be the same as the Cons come next election.
ETA:
Scandals in programs have more opportunity to exist in both NDP and Liberal governments becuase these governments tend to initiate more.Yes, I'll concede this point. I think you are correct here.
I am not saying it did not affect them. I am saying it took a lot longer with a lot more examples and I gave the reasons. Eventually they did add up but look what it took.
Thu, 2016-08-25 17:03
#351
Trudeau tells Liberal caucus to get back to basics and take the long view
Some interesting issues in this article. One is the mention of the protest by Quebec farmers over the Liberal refusal to better regulate diafiltered milk proteins regarding imports from the US (something that Brosseau worked on and the Libs refused to budge on it, since kissing corporate ass is more important to them).
Another thing is the Canada Child Benefit. Any idea what the feedback on this has been? I've not heard much. Presumably those who are receiving more cash are happy.
Some stuff about Bombardier and some about security. Other than that, it's Mr. Sunshine telling his faithful team to get back to basics.
Liberal MPs who spent the summer chatting up constituents seem to sense the sunny ways may be coming to an end.
Trudeau touched on that concern in his speech to caucus.
"As a government, we need to look 40 years down the road, not just four. To the next generation, not just to the next election," Trudeau said.
He pointed to this summer's roll-out of the Liberals long-promised Canada Child Benefit. Trudeau claimed the measure is helping raise 300,000 children out of poverty. He also noted efforts made by MPs and cabinet ministers who held grassroots consultations and knocked on doors.
That, says Trudeau, is the gold standard for how the government should engage with Canadians.
"So, let's get back to basics," he said.