What’s that? The government is trying to create a hysteria over the Tamil ship using words like “terrorists” and “human smugglers” when they aren’t producing proof of it? This government would never do that! Especially because they don’t have anything else going on that they want to divert attention from. Toews is also making a big deal about the fact that some of these claimants must have paid between $40,000 and $50,000 each to come to Canada. Of course, this cost isn’t unheard of when it comes to smuggling legitimate refugees out of places, says the past president of the Canadian Council of Refugees, so it looks like it’s possibly one more way that Toews is trying to confuse the issue in order to create a firestorm.
Meanwhile, the NDP are renewing their call for an emergency debate on the census when the House resumes, after the industry committee was unable to reach an agreement on dates and times for new hearings on the issue.
Everyone saw this coming, but the Conservatives have opted not to renew the term of the veteran’s ombudsman after he dared to criticise the government for their failures. A number of veterans are making some noise about it, but the decision certainly has reinforced the notion that this government doesn’t want watchdogs, but lapdogs. But hey – transparency and accountability, everyone!
Conservative fundraisers are claiming to call from the PMO. If they are, it’s illegal. If they’re just saying that for leverage, it’s highly unethical. But hey – transparency and accountability, everyone!
NDP MP Bruce Hyer is planning to table a Private Members’ Bill that would allow MPs to co-sponsor Private Members’ legislation in order to cut down on toxic partisanship. Except that it’s a pretty useless bill considering that MPs can already second any Private Members’ Bill they want in order to show their support, and it’s rarely Private Members’ Bills that are the so controversial as to create a divided House (and no, Candice Hoeppner’s gun registry bill doesn’t count, because that’s a government bill masquerading as a Private Members’ Bill).
And the Liberals held a memorial yesterday in Montreal for the late Mario Leguë.
Why you can trust Xtra
