Macleans.ca (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
A pair of young journalists led Jack Layton’s scrum yesterday with questions about heckling in the House. They would seem to have followed up with a couple other MPs, similar exchanges showing up in the scrum transcripts. The last question posed to Jim Flaherty surely demonstrates a degree of chutzpah that bodes well for the [...]
Devin Johnston (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
I get press releases from the Liberals, New Democrats, Conservatives, and Greens delivered to me daily via RSS . As you might imagine, most press releases from most of the parties are asinine most of the time. The point of a press release is to try to frame an issue in a way that is favourable for your party and unfavourable for other parties. Fair enough, I get that. But today's press release from...
Morton's Musings (Free subscription) | 11/05/2009
I suppose the legislature's intention is clear. And with that guns become anonymous in Canada -- well, fair is fair, gun advocates organised, got the votes and won. That's the way it's supposed to work so good for them. I disagree but recognise and respect the decision. I do hope this doesn't presage removing the limits on handguns in Canada. Vote to kill gun registry passes Private member's bill now...
Cowboys for Social Responsibility (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
This is a 50 calibre sniper rifle. In Canada, this rifle can be sold to anybody with a firearms license. A 50 caliber rifle will penetrate concrete and is accurate at well over a mile. It is not a hunting rifle. There are few ranges secure enough to even fire a 50 cal rifle. It isn't just sporting rifles and shotguns that fall under Bill C-391's spell. If the Bill passes, large caliber sniper rifles...
Morton's Musings (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
Well, this seems to be it. A peculiar "law and order" agenda. Tonda MacCharles Ottawa Bureau OTTAWA – Opponents of a long-gun registry in Canada are about to put a bullet in it. Both sides of the gun-control debate believe the Conservatives now have enough Commons votes to give parliamentary approval in principle to a private member's bill to kill the registry for rifles and shotguns....
They Call Me "Mr. Sinister" (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
Tonda MacCharles reports today in the Star : After a heavy lobbying effort, including a Tory-backed radio ad campaign targeting vulnerable opposition ridings, the bill's sponsor, MP Candice Hoeppner (Portage-Lisgar), says she is confident at least eight NDP and Liberal MPs will vote to get rid of the law that requires rifles and shotguns to be registered. That's because Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff...
BigCityLib Strikes Back (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
Tory's won't vote for him, and now Iggy is set to throw away the Liberal vote. Plus, another reason to despise Keith Martin. Lets make something clear: the cries of "our hands are tied" from Jack Layton and Michael Ignatieff are nonsense. The NDP has a history of "whipping" free votes, and of course nobody really expects any urban Tory to be voting their conscience at 5:30 today....
Full Comment (Free subscription) | 11/03/2009
When Liberals aren't accusing the government of deliberately sabotaging the H1N1 vaccine campaign, they apparently fill in the hours reading NDP policy manuals. NDP leader Jack Layton has spent many happy hours flaying credit card companies for their devious and dishonest practices. The credit card industry is a natural target for the NDP, since it makes much of its money by charging usurious interest...
Macleans.ca (Free subscription) | 11/03/2009
Here then is last night’s full discussion, just about five full hours in all. The first hour and a half or so includes Carolyn Bennett (the first speaker, though it’s not entirely clear on Hansard), Michael Ignatieff, Leona Aglukkaq, Jack Layton and some discussion of Luc Malo’s 36th birthday. [...]
Macleans.ca (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009
Judging from the moustache—and the fact that the picture was uploaded to Twitter by Olivia Chow—this would seem to be Jack Layton’s Halloween costume. The Prime Minister went particularly wild and removed his tie for the night. Michael Ignatieff donned a blue sweater, perhaps pretending to be Mr. Harper.
BigCityLib Strikes Back (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009
...which abolishes the long-gun registry. Thank you for contacting me about Bill C-391, An Act to amend theCriminal Code and the Firearms Act (repeal of long-gun registry). As with the Canadian population at large, there are a variety ofopinions on this issue within our party and our caucus. The vote on this Bill at second reading will be a free vote for New Democratic Party MPs. However, it is clear...
Torontoist (Free subscription) | 10/30/2009
Illustration by Brian McLachlan/Torontoist. You know the old saying: laughter is the best philanthropy. Earlier this month, the Stephen Lewis Foundation , in an effort to further fund its community-driven education and action programs in AIDS-ravaged Africa, launched the A Dare to Remember program—individuals take on dares (no wiener truths) and get cash sponsorship for seeing it through. Local...
Full Comment (Free subscription) | 10/30/2009
You may not be surprised to learn that Jack Layton believes sexism is rampant in the House of Commons. “During Question Period, we have been witnessing undeniably sexist heckling from members of the government side,” he pronounced Wednesday. “This abuse is growing hotter, it is growing more frequent and there is more bullying.” Mr. Layton was ostensibly sticking up for his...
Russ Campbell's Blog (Free subscription) | 10/29/2009
T he latest EKOS research poll brings into sharp focus the size and degree of difficulty of the job in which Peter Donolo now finds himself. Michael Ignatieff and his former chief of staff, Ian Davey, could not have dug the Liberal Party of Canada a deeper hole had they deliberately set out to do so. Could Davey and Ignatieff have been secret conservatives … no, no, not possible. Still …...
They Call Me "Mr. Sinister" (Free subscription) | 10/29/2009
The House is a very uncivilized place these days. It has gotten to the point where Jack Layton had to make a statement about the lack of civility, yesterday. It made no difference , apparently. MP's are able to get away with bad behaviour in the House because they are anonymous. The rules of the House forbid moving the single TV camera away from the member speaking at that moment. I propose that that...
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