Another Conservative “tough-on-crime” agenda item has hit the brick wall of reality and quietly died. A few months ago, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews mused about restoring the charge of “rape” to the Criminal Code, rather than keeping it as various sexual assault charges. As it turns out, that was dead before it even got off the ground at the Justice Department, as “rape” is a kind of charge that is nearly impossible to prosecute, and has all kinds of stigmatising problems for victims. But hey, I’m sure Toews attempt to restore it in order to sound tough was good for the base – right?
Speaking of the party base, here is their latest fundraising letter, designed to put the fear into the hearts of the party faithful over Michael Ignatieff’s Liberal Express tour.
Speaking of the Liberal Express, here are a few of Aaron Wherry’s tales from the bus (including data on the destinations themselves).
If there’s to be any compromise on the long-form census, it had better be this week – it’s due to go to print on August 9th.
The PMO’s budget is going up again, because of higher costs for communications – engaging with regional and ethnic media isn’t cheap. Nor is employing their own photographers and videographers to bypass the more objective national media.
John Baird insists that all airport employees check under Muslim veils after an embarrassing video shows that some veiled Muslim women didn’t have to reveal their faces.
Conservative MP Rob Anders says that the Chinese are trying to woo Canadian politicians with women and gifts. Isn’t this what CSIS Director Richard Fadden was hinting at?
After that incursion by Russian bombers in our airspace, the Conservatives sent out new talking points on the need for F-35s (the link includes Liberal MP Marc Garneau’s response). Of course, just a few months ago, during a previous “incursion,” the military admitted to “playing the media like a finely-tuned fiddle”…
And the Green Party unveiled their new Quebec deputy leader – former NHL tough guy Georges Laraque, even though he has no intention of seeking a seat in the next election. Which makes me wonder – why give him a leadership position then?
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