Mike Duffy, Nigel Wright and Stephen Harper

There are so many questions raised by the disclosure, by the Prime Minister’s Office no less, that the Chief of Staff cut a personal cheque to cover Mike Duffy’s illegitimate claims for a housing allowance in the place where he has been ordinarily resident for decades, that even to list them is a challenge. The ...

Why I voted against the NDP climate motion

Goodness knows, I wish the NDP had put forward a motion I could have voted for.  We need a good debate on climate and we need a strong call for government action.  But, I couldn’t vote for that motion. Here’s the text of the motion: That this House: agree with many Canadians and the International ...

Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

“Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction is obliged to stick to the possibilities.” - Mark Twain I just read two recent political pot-boilers, back to back.  If this fiction is stranger than the truth, we are in real trouble. Given the pathetic state of the national news media, with so few reporters allowed the ...

The Death of Bill C-30

It is so rare, that the tendency is to rush on to the next thing.  I speak of our victories – so few and far between. The announcement that the so-called “Protecting children from Internet Predators Act,” originally called “lawful access,” and dubbed so effectively by openmedia.ca as the “online spying bill,” C-30 will be ...

Dr. Warren Bell on the Northern Gateway Pipeline

The Joint Review Panel on Enbridge’s proposed risky pipeline and tanker scheme has had countless hours of forceful, brilliant and important testimony setting out the reasons why the project must be rejected.  However, what Dr. Warren Bell did in the Kelowna hearing is extraordinary. Please read this analysis of the social pathologies that lead to ...

Hunger Strikes

I was reading Naomi Klein’s piece the other day about her wakening to take care of her little boy and then thinking about Chief Spence, hungry in the night. I thought to myself, “she’s not feeling hungry. You don’t feel hungry after about the third day on a hunger strike.” Up till yesterday I could ...

First Nations Demand Harper Government Honour Constitutional Duty to Consult Regarding the Canada China FIPPA

I am very worried that the Prime Minister will use the Parliamentary break to ratify the Canada-China Investment Treaty. Please act in solidarity with First Nations. Please keep up the pressure, particularly on Conservative MPs, to block ratification. - Elizabeth (Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – December 14, 2012) On November 29th, the Chiefs Council of ...

Experts respond to outcome of UN climate talks in Doha

While saddened and shamed by Canadian government performance in Doha, I am so proud of our hard-working environmental representatives, especially the Canadian youth. Here is their summary press release on the outcome. - Elizabeth Experts respond to outcome of UN climate talks in Doha Rich countries brought little to the table to fulfill their promises ...

Newsflash: Lake Winnipeg is in serious trouble

Yesterday in Question Period, I was shocked to hear Parliamentary secretary Michelle Rempel proclaim that that the Conservatives have “cleaned up Lake Winnipeg.” It is true that the Prime Minister has mentioned Lake Winnipeg. He has even announced $20 million for the clean-up of Lake Winnipeg. This was done in July on a trip to ...

The most damaging things happening to Canada are the things you cannot see

I have been increasingly alarmed by what I think is a fundamental re-structuring of the internal workings of government. It is hard to create public awareness of the issue because it requires a very boring dissertation on how things used to be. Certainly, I do not think I will be seeing any newspaper headlines proclaiming ...