Preserving the Legacy, Volume Two: Lloyd Richards, Gordon Davidson Andtonen Sara O'Connor
Impolitical (Free subscription) | 4 hours ago
There's an item in the Globe this morning that is found at the end of a report but which seems pretty important: Separately, two human-rights professors, acting on Mr. Colvin's testimony, have asked the International Criminal Court in The Hague to expand a preliminary analysis of allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan to include figures beyond retired general Rick Hillier and former defence minister...
BigCityLib Strikes Back (Free subscription) | 6 hours ago
"As Conservatives, we're supportive of a combined tax. It's not a tax grab... That is a misnomer to mislead the public to get them excited about something that's not accurate." Mike Wallace (MP, Burlington) October 12, 2009 - The Hill Times. "It's a massive tax reduction for those that employ Ontarians, for those that drive the Ontario economy. It's a politically courageous decision."...
liberal catnip (Free subscription) | 12/01/2009
Via The TO Star : PORT OF SPAIN–Prime Minister Stephen Harper took a partisan shot at his opposition critics while touring the HMCS Quebec in Trinidad-Tobago Sunday. The Canadian ship and navy officers are helping with security for the Commonwealth summit. Harper, in brief comments to the Canadians, was addressing allegations that Canadian civilian and military leaders ignored warnings of a risk...
Creekside (Free subscription) | 11/21/2009
Commenter Stephen Phillips under this CBC poll has a question of his own : "What kind of a question is this? Mr. Colvin is a distinguished career diplomat under attack by a Government that has misled Parliament and the country about prisoner transfers and is now systematically blocking the work of the Military Complaints Tribunal. The real question is this: why is the Government trying to smear...
They Call Me "Mr. Sinister" (Free subscription) | 11/20/2009
The Conservatives are using the old "functionaries at a low level" defense in the torture scandal. Gordon O'Connor said yesterday: “Reports like this may have occurred and gone through the system and people at lower levels may have decided there’s no credibility to different reports,” That does not even sound remotely credible to me. If an official from your own embassy...
Macleans.ca (Free subscription) | 11/20/2009
Former defence minister Gordon O’Connor’s exchange with reporters after QP today. Question: What about the allegations of coverup? He said that officials like Mr. Mulroney were saying to him do not write reports like this. Is that – can you say categorically that’s not true? Hon. Gordon O’Connor: Well, I don’t know if it’s true or not. [...]
Creekside (Free subscription) | 11/18/2009
A month ago, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time Peter MacKay , and Minister of Defence at the time Gordon O'Connor all denied ever seeing any of the 16 reports "circulated widely throughout the Foreign Affairs and Defence departments and also shared with senior military commanders in Ottawa and Afghanistan" warning that Afghan authorities were abusing detainees...
Dr Roy's Thoughts (Free subscription) | 10/30/2009
His Worship Mayor O'Brien and Colleen McBride HM Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) Keith Ashfield and Judy Ashfield I had the great pleasure of attending the CMMC 5TH Annual Fall Supper. Steve Liakos is President of the EDA and a good friend. The dinner was great with a lot of great guests including Laureen Harper, Mayor O'Brien, of course HM Minister of State and Party Whip...
Canadian Cynic (Free subscription) | 10/20/2009
I see a pattern here (emphasis tail-waggingly added): Canada's current top soldier says he's working to get to the bottom of what happened to Colvin's reports. Gen. Walter Natynczyk, chief of defence staff, said Friday he did not yet know where the diplomat's reports landed back in Ottawa, who read them, and what was done with the information... Harper told reporters in Toronto he didn't see the reports...
The Galloping Beaver (Free subscription) | 10/16/2009
Looking more like Dick all the time, Steve. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has now joined then Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter MacKay and then Minister of Defence Gordon O'Connor in denying he ever saw any of the 16 reports from the political director at the Canadian-run Afghan reconstruction base in 2006 warning that Afghan authorities were abusing detainees handed over by Canadian forces. Yesterday...
Full Comment (Free subscription) | 10/14/2009
OTTAWA -- Peter MacKay should tread lightly or the curse of the Afghan detainees will claim yet another victim. Allegations of abuse of detainees handed over by Canadian troops in Afghanistan have already had a career-limiting impact on two defence ministers. Now they have come back to haunt the present holder of that office. Mr. MacKay has been winning good reviews for the no-nonsense way he has...
The Galloping Beaver (Free subscription) | 09/22/2009
Map of Taliban presence in Afghanistan from The International Council on Security and Development : Data detailing the presence of the Taliban in Afghanistan was gathered from daily insurgent activity reports between January and September 2009. ICOS believes that the level of incidents recorded by this methodology is conservative. If we are to have standing armies, the very least we can do, the absolute...
Morton's Musings (Free subscription) | 09/15/2009
Here's a substantive passage from a piece that is generally down on the Liberals. And it's a good point: Gerard Kennedy, the infrastructure critic (and, dear God, the fifth Liberal to rise), suggested the Conservatives have been guilty of pork-barreling when it comes to spending stimulus money. Of the top 10 ridings in Ontario receiving infrastructure funds, four are represented by cabinet ministers,...
They Call Me "Mr. Sinister" (Free subscription) | 06/10/2009
Under the headline: Replace Raitt With Gallant : Minister of Human Resources Lisa Raitt shouldn't have the option of voluntarily stepping down, she should be fired. By allowing her to continue at her Cabinet position, PM Harper has shown us once again who, in his Conservative caucus, he will back at any cost and which ones he will snub at the least bit of controversy. Prior to the campaign leading...
Accidental Deliberations (Free subscription) | 11/10/2008
The Cons apparently aren't shy about saying that their dirty tricks manual will be put back into effect as soon as Parliament starts up again. But it might be worth the opposition's while to call Gordon O'Connor's bluff about what's included: The infamous House "committee obstruction manual" from the last Parliament will be refined, improved and will be back in play, says new Chief Government...
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