Tag Archives: canadian politics

Opposition strives to brew outcry against federal budget bill

Canada’s opposition parties plan to make life difficult for the Harper government and its wide-ranging budget bill, throwing up procedural roadblocks with the hope of splitting up the massive document and drawing public attention to some of its more controversial … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged | Leave a comment

Plan to cut inmates’ pay will accomplish nothing

Last week Vic Toews, minister of public safety, announced that the Harper government intends to “restore balance” to the criminal justice system and increase “offender accountability,” by taking measures to reduce the amount of income prisoners can earn while incarcerated. … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Plamondon: Harper is the anti-Trudeau

It seems every Canadian political columnist passed judgment on the one-year anniversary of Harper’s majority government. But, oddly enough, the punditry on the man and his vision were all over the map. To some he is an authoritarian with a … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

McParland: Ottawa’s anti-riot law needs a mask to hide its flaws

The federal Conservatives have developed a disturbingly reflexive tic. They awake in the morning, read something in news that annoys them, and race off to pass a quick law banning or punishing it. They discover Clifford Olsen is receiving pension plan payments, … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Coren: NDP unfriendly to Israel

It was only fitting that Israeli president and elder statesman, Shimon Peres, should visit Canada and thank this country for its support of the Jewish state, and by extension its support for democracy and decency in the Middle East. He … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Duhaime: Mulcair aims to divide and conquer

New Democrat Party Leader Thomas Mulcair recently showed the true colours of his divisive politics when he compared the impact of the oilsands to the “Dutch disease.” He was referring to the collapse of employment in the Netherlands in the … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

McParland: Vic Toews’ bizarre plan to introduce his own personal inflation rate to prison

Someone is going to have to explain the new federal position on prison incomes in single-syllable words, because I don’t get it. Prisoners are “paid” for their work, allegedly in an attempt to teach them some responsibility, and prepare them … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Kline: Getting to the bottom of Harper’s ‘war on nature’ (1)

Depending on who you listen to, one could easily get the impression the Harper government has an anti-environment agenda and is trying to squash the free-speech rights of green advocacy groups; or that foreign terrorists are illegally funnelling money into … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Den Tandt: Conservative omnibus bill is sensible reforms wrapped in a bad package

There are, believe it or not, arguments in favour of omnibus bills — call them kitchen-sink bills, if you wish. There are even arguments that might, somewhat plausibly, be used to defend the Harper government’s current omnibus extravaganza, Bill C-38, … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Ivison: Conservatives risk backlash over inaction on environment

The Harper government sees politics as a constant battle of “sword” and “shield” issues. The Prime Minister wields them like a great lord in Game of Thrones – going on the offensive on “sword” issues; parrying on “shield” issues, where … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall goes after Mulcair’s oilsands comments on Twitter

REGINA – Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall used Twitter Monday to poke at Thomas Mulcair and comments the federal NDP leader made about resources and the high Canadian dollar. Wall took issue with comments Mulcair made over the weekend while discussing … Continue reading

Posted in Featured | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment