In his year-end interviews, Michael Ignatieff says that Rob Ford voters are his voters (they both represent Etobicoke), and their votes were more about governments not delivering than a comment on liberalism. Erm, okay. He also says he’s ready for an election. Good to know.
Ralph Goodale kicked off the final question period of 2010 by asking about Nortel pensioners, which Tony Clement didn’t really answer. Marcel Proulx brought up the issue of government waste, Gilles Duceppe asked about the victims of floods in Quebec, followed up by Claude Guimond with the added dimension of damaged harbours. Jack Layton asked about the announcement on pensions, which Harper demurred in answering.
Round two saw Siobhan Coady pick up the pension theme, while Mark Holland asked about cuts to victims’ programs and crime prevention. Pierre Paquette asked about those new revelations of Christian Paradis’ staff blocking ATI requests (which John Baird obfuscated about), while Jean Dorion asked about that mysterious Rights & Democracy audit. Francis Scarpaleggia and Wayne Easter returned to the issue of Paradis’ staff, while Yasmin Ratansi asked the chair of the Procedure and House Affairs Committee why questions about the non-government activities of MP Kelly Block’s former assistant were blocked.
From there, questions went to “peace and nation-building” in Afghanistan, the security contract for the Dhalla Dam, debate on the alleged perimeter agreement and the EU Free Trade agreement, Bev Oda’s refusal to answer about whether she misled the House on the KAIROS defunding decision, Christian Paradis’ staff (this one from Bill Siksay), credit card competition, the Thompson Vale-Inco job losses, EI accessibility and First Nation’s water contamination.
Sartorially speaking, I’m giving snaps to Ralph Goodale for his nice new tie. Style citations go out to Bev Oda’s bad boxy green jacket, Jean Crowder’s busy black-patterned jacket with tacky red flowers appliquéd, and bad Xmas ties of shame include Tony Clement and Adam Atamanenko. The Megan Leslie outfit watch reports a black dress with burnt orange sweater and a chunky necklace.
A former head of Canada’s aid program in Afghanistan charges that Harper’s religious beliefs are hampering development work in Afghanistan – especially when it comes to helping women, as reproductive health is a major issue there.
What’s that? The government diverted funds meant to clean up old coal mine sites in Cape Breton in order to fund its share of dredging Sydney Harbour? You don’t say!
Look! Manufactured outrage at the money spent on “temporary” MP offices for the West Block renovations. Except they’re not going to be for only five years, because of delays, the need to move other MPs and senators out of East Block and the Centre Block when those renovations start, out of any other building when they have other renovations for the various mould, asbestos and other health hazards that our parliamentary buildings are filled with. And they’re just so posh and plush! Erm, have you seen the offices they came out of in the West Block? This is their reward for hardships. And they need to last. And they’re our elected officials – why is it we have this notion that they should be kept in substandard conditions in the name of “taxpayer dollars?” Would any of you want their jobs? I’m guessing not once you find out what it really entails. In other words, lighten up – there are much bigger fish to fry.
And finally, proof that watching Fox News makes you less informed, and in fact more likely to believe falsehoods. And this is the model that SunTV wants to follow in Canada.
Why you can trust Xtra
