Cabinet for a third time in five years is reviewing federal regulation of legal internet content, the Department of Industry said yesterday. “Details will be made public at the appropriate time,” it said. READ MORE
Biggest Defection Since 1917
Floor-crossing by a fifth opposition MP to the Liberal caucus yesterday marked the largest mass defection to a federal governing party in the Commons in 109 years. MP Marilyn Gladu (Sarnia-Lambton, Ont.), former Conservative Party leadership candidate, said she hoped to gain more federal funding for her riding as a Liberal: "I thought, should I quit?" READ MORE
Bloc Vows To Hold The Line
Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet yesterday appealed to voters to hold the line on a close Liberal majority in a Montréal-area byelection. A Bloc win in Terrebonne, Que. would limit cabinet to a thin but working majority in the Commons: "‘Who the hell speaks for me?" READ MORE
Hired Friend From The Gym
The Prime Minister’s Office yesterday had no comment after a senior executive was censured for cronyism. Christiane Fox, now-Deputy Minister of National Defence, breached an Act of Parliament in finding an $80,000-a year government job for a school friend whose experience consisted of working as manager at a Good Life gym: "Giving someone preferential treatment is in itself improper." READ MORE
Gov’t Skipped Daycare Target
Cabinet’s $30 billion promise to create a quarter million new daycare spaces by March 31 was not met, says a federal document. Then-Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in 2021 promised billions in five-year subsidies on a promise of $10-a day fees and “250,000 new high quality child care spaces by 2026.” READ MORE
“We Got The Train Through”
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne boasted to senators he was personally involved in details of construction for regional high speed rail in Québec, records show. It contradicts Champagne’s claim he recused himself under the Conflict Of Interest Act after his wife was hired by the railway: "We got the train through Trois-Rivières." READ MORE
PM Praises Cabinet Spouses
It’s a “good situation” when cabinet ministers’ spouses can enjoy their own careers, Prime Minister Mark Carney said yesterday. He dismissed questions regarding the finance minister’s personal involvement in promoting a regional rail corporation that hired his wife as vice-president: "It’s important that we have a system that those individuals can continue to pursue their career." READ MORE
Guest Commentary
He didn’t want to get into politics. He told me, “Patty, you’re lucky if you get one honest man in politics; you start out with a few that are crooked, and the rest are bought off.” He called it one of the dirtiest businesses to ever be in. Everything he did, he gave full credit to Jesus. He said to me, “Patty, whatever job you take or person you fall in love with, if you take Jesus with you, you’ll succeed.” I never forgot that. I’m probably a little bit prejudiced, but I think he bordered on genius. He’s the only man I ever met who knew the Bible by heart in three languages: Hebrew, Greek and English. He had a photographic memory.
