Canada General Discussion

[DC Al Fine]

*Sigh*

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2012/11/prepare-the-parliamentary-sleeping-bags-for-the-biannual-budget-vote-a-thon.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Whatever happened to the good old days where the majority government rammed through it's legislation in an hour and everyone went home for steaks?

[RogueBeaver]

My problem isn't with 2 sitting days of debate, but with 3000+ amendments which are essentially trivial rather than substantive, designed to force all-nighters. Even Brison himself tacitly admits this.

Olivia Chow is "considering her role" in TO, but wants to see how the court drama plays out first.

[RogueBeaver]

Tomassi and Beauchamp were named yesterday.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/11/28/montreal-charbonneau-guestlist.html

[MaxQue]

Tomassi and Beauchamp were named yesterday.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/11/28/montreal-charbonneau-guestlist.html

Conservative senator Léo Housakos got named, too.

[MaxQue]

*Sigh*

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2012/11/prepare-the-parliamentary-sleeping-bags-for-the-biannual-budget-vote-a-thon.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Whatever happened to the good old days where the majority government rammed through it's legislation in an hour and everyone went home for steaks?

Again, don't blame Liberals, that tactic was used by Reform Party before.

[RogueBeaver]

Yep.

Maclean's Power Rankings.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/11/27/25-most-important-people-in-ottawa/

More cronyism in Alberta.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Politics/ID/2310345475/

Max: The rules should still be changed. Up-or-down votes on blocks of amendments in cases like this.

[MaxQue]

Yep.

Maclean's Power Rankings.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/11/27/25-most-important-people-in-ottawa/

More cronyism in Alberta.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Politics/ID/2310345475/

Max: The rules should still be changed. Up-or-down votes on blocks of amendments in cases like this.

Oh, I agree. Role of Parliament is to debate laws, not lose hours voting down very similar amendments.

Let's see. Up-or-down votes on block of amendments, but no more "mammoth" bills?

It's important to remember than Liberals are wanting to make Conservatives lost their time, because Parliament didn't have the time to study the way too big bill which was proposed.

About the power rankings, it's a bit worrying than most of the people on that list are unknown of most people. I suppose than most Tories never heard about those which have links with the party.

Same at NDP. I suppose than most members never heard about Gébert (Well, I did, but he was the president of the NDP group of my university when I joined.).

Those are obscure people. Powerful, but obscure.

[RogueBeaver]

Yeah. Or block out a sitting week or 2 for omnibus bills.

Power ranking: Yeah, quite insidery.

[Orion0]

Yep.

Maclean's Power Rankings.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/11/27/25-most-important-people-in-ottawa/

More cronyism in Alberta.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Politics/ID/2310345475/

Max: The rules should still be changed. Up-or-down votes on blocks of amendments in cases like this.

Power rankings quite interesting indeed. Kenney probably the heir apparent if Harper loses/steps down even if the article suggests he's merely the power broker for any credible successor.

Nothing new in alberta. Say what you will about the wildrose, but they are using their time & political capital wisely to expose the rampant corruption in this dynasty. If the wildrose can perform a little image makeover in the coming years, the NDP can increase their vote share in Edmonton, and the liberals in Calgary (which are all very doable) Redford will be the last of the dynasty. Could turn into an anything but pc election. The growing distaste for the current admin is a force to be reckoned with, and the only thing keeping the PCs looking to be in good shape is the perceived lack of credible options. The Liberals and leftists who banded together to support the pc gov can't be counted on to do the same in the future, and the wildrose-pc split of the right will only continue to grow as more (and oh Lordy are there more) instances of gross misuse and abuse of the system come to light.

[RogueBeaver]

Yeah, Kenney's the heir apparent. If the Reds are smart they run Moore instead of MacKay.

Alberta: There needs to be a tipping point, and so far that hasn't arrived. The national media has also been rather, to be polite, easy on her.

[Orion0]

Yeah, Kenney's the heir apparent. If the Reds are smart they run Moore instead of MacKay.

Alberta: There needs to be a tipping point, and so far that hasn't arrived. The national media has also been rather, to be polite, easy on her.

The media loves her, she's the epitomy of an eastern-Canada elitist, a mcguinty in lipstick if you will, with all her platitudes of cooperation and a national energy strategy. People of all political stripes are peeved at the growing list of indiscretions coming to light, from young voters duped into voting pc to prevent wildrose, to older voters betrayed by Redfords indiscriminate spending (the return to debt is a giant issue, and if not addressed by the pcs it will haunt them in coming elections, Albertans are proud of the sacrifices made to pay off the debt under Klein). I'd make the argument that the tipping point is fast approaching on the ground here, but it remains that the wildrose is still in growing pains, and the NDP is largely confined to Edmonton, and the liberals Calgary. the reasons to vote against pc are many, but the alternative options are not as attractive as they need to be to win.

I agree Moore is better than mackay, but I think the reds days of power are still a long ways out.

[RogueBeaver]

Agreed on both counts.

[Holmes]

Can MacLeans' use any less flattering pictures? Well, either way, Angus is there, so I'm glad.

[DC Al Fine]

Yeah, Kenney's the heir apparent. If the Reds are smart they run Moore instead of MacKay.

Alberta: There needs to be a tipping point, and so far that hasn't arrived. The national media has also been rather, to be polite, easy on her.

So Kenney, Moore and/or MacKay, Bernier will make a run as the libertarian candidate. Anyone else?

[RogueBeaver]

Maybe Ambrose or Aglukkaq.

[Orion0]

Maybe Ambrose or Aglukkaq.

Ambrose is an intellectual lightweight and generally disliked even here in Alberta, but who knows..
Aglukkaq would be a welcome candidate in my opinion, with experience and gravitas.

[RogueBeaver]

Enbridge to reroute east?

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/11/28/enbridge-looks-east-for-gateway-alternative/

Old Port Corporation will be dissolved.

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/11/29/tories-to-clean-house-at-old-port-of-montreal-high-rolling-ceo-claude-benoit-on-way-out

Marois loses her first minister.

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/daniel-breton-resigns-as-environment-minister-1.1058629

As I predicted, no CEGEP-101.

http://blogues.lapresse.ca/gilbertlavoie/2012/11/28/pas-de-loi-101-dans-les-cegeps/

[RogueBeaver]

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/11/29/pol-budget-votes-limited-to-47.html

[Hatman 🍁]

BOO!

[RogueBeaver]

Rob Ford will be allowed to run in a mayoral by-election if one's held.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1295629--rob-ford-eligible-to-run-in-by-election

Redford might get a contempt citation.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Braid%2BPremier%2BRedford%2Btroubles%2Bdeepen%2Btobacco%2Bcontract/7630899/story.html

[Holmes]

Why does Speaker Scheer hate democracy?

[Hatman 🍁]

Why does Speaker Scheer hate democracy?

His partisan affiliation might give you a clue.

[anvi]

I'm confused about the Toronto mayor, Rob Ford.  More specifically, I'm confused by the judges ruling that, on the one hand, his alleged misconduct merits his removal from office, but on the other, the judge's opinion that he would be eligible to run for the office in a special election after that took place.  What's the point of saying someone has disqualified himself to serve in office and then allowing him to run for the same office again immediately after getting kicked out?  Can someone help me here?  Thanks.

[Orion0]

I'm confused about the Toronto mayor, Rob Ford.  More specifically, I'm confused by the judges ruling that, on the one hand, his alleged misconduct merits his removal from office, but on the other, the judge's opinion that he would be eligible to run for the office in a special election after that took place.  What's the point of saying someone has disqualified himself to serve in office and then allowing him to run for the same office again immediately after getting kicked out?  Can someone help me here?  Thanks.

It's a witch hunt, plain and simple. Ford's opponents have thrown everything at him, hoping for something to stick. They tried election fraud, driving violations, past arrests, and compromised city appointments, all in vain. In this case it's over $3000 give or take that he collected for a football charity. He had a lack of forethought and used official letterhead, and the seal of the city when sending letters asking for donations (for charity, if I might add again). I think anyone looking objectively can see that it was not with malicious or criminal intent that he acted, but quite simply a minor technicality under the letter of the law. There really is nothing contained in the current case that would bar him from office that other allegations should have already proven, but did not.

[DC Al Fine]

I'm confused about the Toronto mayor, Rob Ford.  More specifically, I'm confused by the judges ruling that, on the one hand, his alleged misconduct merits his removal from office, but on the other, the judge's opinion that he would be eligible to run for the office in a special election after that took place.  What's the point of saying someone has disqualified himself to serve in office and then allowing him to run for the same office again immediately after getting kicked out?  Can someone help me here?  Thanks.

Basically, it's a standard case of the law not being logical.