Canada General Discussion

[RogueBeaver]

Last I checked the Grit caucus wins the geriatry prize.

[RogueBeaver]

Paradis is suing Caron for defamation.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/201203/03/01-4502214-christian-paradis-poursuit-guy-caron-pour-diffamation.php

[RogueBeaver]

Our Quebec bench was wiped out when Cannon and Verner lost. Unless Bernier manages to rehab himself ASAP in the next 4 years... not looking good. Pelciquistes have the best bench. The Hill Times had a lot of nice things to say about Paradis in their latest issue. Then again, they also really like Vic Toews.

All that said, I do agree that it's nepotism.

[RogueBeaver]

New Nanos poll: Tories 36, Grits 30, Dippers 25. That Place pegs a Liberal OO and Tory minority.

[RogueBeaver]

Dippers go for some nationalist showboating.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/national/201203/05/01-4502646-francais-au-travail-le-npd-blame-les-autres-partis.php

[RogueBeaver]

Robocalls, OAS, F-35. Now if someone can explain why the Grits voted against the Jordanian FTA... thx.

[RogueBeaver]

QP should have a different tone with Mulcair in LOTO's seat. Personally I'm waiting for the Grits to retake second place in the polls.

[RogueBeaver]

BC teachers go on strike.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/03/05/b-c-schools-shut-down-across-the-province-as-teachers-begin-strike/

[RogueBeaver]

QP has been the same this week, so I'll only update if something different happens.

1) Harper v. Turmel, we all know who wins that one.

2) Pat Martin gets up and acts entirely in character.

3) Del Maestro gets up and acts entirely in character.

4) Boulerice or Angus fire off a robocall question.

5) Poilievre or Del Maestro give either nonsequiturs or sarcastic barbs in response.

6) Rae scores a hit on Harper. Sometimes Harper scores back, but that hasn't happened since pre-Vikileaks.

7) Peter Julian asks an economic question. Always a draw with whichever Tory answers.

8] Either veterans' or fisheries issues are raised by their respective critics.

9) White noise from Dipper poteaux.

10) Miscellaneous questions from various opposition MPs.

[RogueBeaver]

Air Canada strike? What Air Canada strike?

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Government%2Bappears%2Bpoised%2Bprevent%2BCanada%2Bstrike/6267915/story.html

[RogueBeaver]

Le Match will be nationally televised.

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2012/03/20120307-174840.html

[RogueBeaver]

Let the judge handle that. We don't know a) if it's true b) if they voted, and c) it wouldn't change the outcome.

Excellent news.

http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/canada/344550/engorgement-du-systeme-d-immigration-la-solution-d-ottawa-ne-fait-pas-l-unanimite

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/201203/08/01-4503632-plus-de-pouvoirs-denquete-reclames-pour-elections-canada.php

[RogueBeaver]

Which brings me to a larger point raised by, IIRC, Chantal Hebert: all these allegations make it hard to separate wheat from chaff. Right now the only wheat is in Guelph.

[RogueBeaver]

Volpe is just "meh" to me. If any GTA Liberal were to come back, I'd take Kennedy and/or Hall Findlay. No one else.

Air Canada: Meh. I don't think airlines are an absolutely essential service, but I wouldn't be upset if Raitt kept the planes flying.

Immigration: Keep it coming.

Le Match: I'm rooting for Trudeau, but I don't think this is nearly the BFD media's making it out to be. 'Tis for charity, people.

[RogueBeaver]

Air Canada lockout starts Monday.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/air-canada-to-lock-out-pilots/article2362836/

[RogueBeaver]

Scratch that, Raitt's referring it to the IRB.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Government%2Bappears%2Bpoised%2Bprevent%2BCanada%2Bstrike/6267915/story.html

[RogueBeaver]

Excellent.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/03/08/pierre-poutine-robocalls/

http://www.canada.com/life/Sweeping%2BTory%2Bbudget%2Bplans%2Bbreathtaking%2Bscope%2BTandt/6273161/story.html

 

[RogueBeaver]

Alas, this will have to be the norm because we'll never get an RTW law.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/03/09/air-canada-harper.html

[RogueBeaver]

Dual messaging? Cause that's not what Flaherty's saying.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/10/pol-tony-clement-march-budget-culture-shift.html

Agreed, and very regrettable.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Where%2BConservatives/6280804/story.html

My already-favourable opinion of Diane Finley increases weekly.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Feds%2Bwant%2Bprivate%2Bsector%2Bplug%2Bholes%2Bsocial%2Bsafety/6282478/story.html


In case no one saw last week, Trudeau gave his tacit approval to Charest's tuition hike.

[RogueBeaver]

Surprise!

The Conservative Party isn't conservative, it is neoliberal.

And while I have respect for conservatism, I have no for neoliberalism.

Coyne's article bemoaned Harper/Flaherty's deficit spending, it wasn't a Red Tory lament. Brison does the same thing whenever he gets an opportunity in the House.

[RogueBeaver]

Mmm hmm. I'm hoping for a pincer movement next election by Grits and Tories on this subject.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/03/12/stephane-dion-ndps-separatist-pandering-threatens-national-unity/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Good.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-news/canada-to-seek-more-trade-ties-with-russia/article2365945/

Either the MSM converts en masse to the American rules or doesn't at all. Ridiculous to have one set of journalistic standards for Toews and another for everyone else when it comes to personal lives.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1144549--vikileaks-case-raises-debate-about-whether-divorce-files-should-be-open-to-public

[RogueBeaver]

Oh Lord, what p'tit crisse had this brilliant idea?

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/House%2BCommons%2Bhold%2Babortion%2Brelated%2Bdebate%2BApril/6296017/story.html

[RogueBeaver]

Oh Lord, what p'tit crisse had this brilliant idea?

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/House%2BCommons%2Bhold%2Babortion%2Brelated%2Bdebate%2BApril/6296017/story.html

It is written in the article, it's Stephen Woodworth, MP for Kitchener Centre.

I suppose it is irony, or you really favor reopening that debate?

Irony.

[RogueBeaver]

Step in the right direction.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/14/paradis-industry.html

I'll be generous and say this is a "Plan B if we don't regain OO" thing, since he's been quite certain that the Grits will recover. Plus saying he'd entertain discussion of the idea under similar circumstances back in August. Sort of like how the separatist thing is only repeating something he said 2 years ago. It's a pattern, but what's behind it... don't ask me.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2012/03/14/trudeau-endorses-future-coalition-with-ndp

[RogueBeaver]

OK, who's actually leading in Ontario with the new Nanos poll showing a 10-point Grit lead and Forum showing a 10-point Tory lead? One thing I hate about our pollsters is the wide range of results they produce.

Oops.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/03/15/john-ivison-ag-to-deliver-scathing-report-on-f35s/