January 2012 – Page 4 – David Akin’s On The Hill

New 'green group' poll: Foreign oil patch money a bigger concern than foreign money in green groups

For the last month or so, there has been increasing attention (partly, I’d like to think based on some of the reporting our organization has done on the issue) of the influence foreign, mostly U.S., organization have had on what could broadly be termed the Canadian environmental lobby. This PR war is now heating to a fever pitch as the three-member independent review panel gets set to start hearings tomorrow into a proposal to build a $5.5 billion 1,177-kilometre from the Alberta oilsands to a port on the northern B.C. coast, from where supertankers would take Alberta bitumen to markets in Asia and the U.S.

Today, the green groups started firing back, Continue reading New 'green group' poll: Foreign oil patch money a bigger concern than foreign money in green groups

Oliver: "Environmental and other radical groups" would hijack job-creating development

On the eve of the beginning of a review process to determine the feasibility/suitability of building an oil pipeline from Alberta, through the Rockies, to a northern B.C. port, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver issues this “open letter”:

Canada is on the edge of an historic choice: to diversify our energy markets away from our traditional trading partner in the United States or to continue with the status quo.
Virtually all our energy exports go to the US. As a country, we must seek new markets for our products and services and the booming Asia-Pacific economies have shown great interest in our oil, gas, metals and minerals. For our government, the choice is clear: we need to diversify our markets in order to create jobs and economic growth for Canadians across this country. We must expand our trade with the fast growing Asian economies. We know that increasing trade will help ensure the financial security of Canadians and their families.
Unfortunately, there are environmental and other radical groups Continue reading Oliver: "Environmental and other radical groups" would hijack job-creating development

Trudeau at 28: The Senate is "perfectly useless" filled with "doddering old monks"

Given the events of Friday, I was particularly interested to read what the 28-year-old PIerre Elliott Trudeau had to say about our Senate in a presentation he gave in Paris, France in 1947:

“Our Senate is an odd mixture of the U.S. Senate and the British House of Lords, and, as it lacks the justification of either of these Chambers, it is perfectly useless. Continue reading Trudeau at 28: The Senate is "perfectly useless" filled with "doddering old monks"

Canada in the middle of Chinese anger over luxury cars for officials

Canada’s ambassador to China, David Mulroney, is whisked around the streets of Beijing in his official government car, a Toyota Camry that cost less than $30,000. Hardly any news there. The Camry is a relatively modest vehicle and was purchased and is operated entirely within the federal government’s “Fleet Management Directive”.

But when Mulroney blogged about the car he is assigned, it sparked a wave of reaction from Chinese readers, garnering more than 1,000 comments and more than 3,000 ‘shares.’ Why the interest? Canada’s modesty when it comes to official vehicles is being compared to the gross immodesty of Chinese government officials. And China’s citizenry are angry. Continue reading Canada in the middle of Chinese anger over luxury cars for officials

The top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2011

AutoBlog lists the 10 ten worst-selling vehicles in America for 2011 and two of them — including the worst-seller — are from Honda’s Acura brand. Continue reading The top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2011

In the Senate, the new majority is the Harper Party

While my family and I were out snowshoeing this afternoon, enjoying the last day of our Christmas break, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced seven more appointments to the Senate. When they are sworn in, 43 of the country’s 105 Senators will be Harper appointees. By the time the next federal election rolls around in October, 2015, 62 Senators will be Harper appointees. Continue reading In the Senate, the new majority is the Harper Party

Irwin Cotler: Legislation Rushed is Justice Denied

From Liberal MP Irwin Cotler:

While much has been written about the Conservative government’s omnibus
crime bill, C-10, little attention has been paid to one of its nine
constituent bills, the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, landmark
legislation that would allow – for the first time – Canadian victims of
terror to sue their terrorist perpetrators in Canadian courts.
I supported this legislation and had even proposed something similar in a
Private Member’s Bill during a previous Parliament. Regrettably, the
Government’s legislation was flawed Continue reading Irwin Cotler: Legislation Rushed is Justice Denied

With less than 4 months to go, who's got mo' in the NDP Leadership Race?

I’m still on a Christmas break but that NDP Leadership Race is just too darn exciting to stay away from until I get back to work officially next week!

So a quick roundup, then, for your consideration:

Before the holiday break, I reported here that, based on my discussions with senior officials from several campaigns, that the race at that point had sorted itself into three tiers of support: Continue reading With less than 4 months to go, who's got mo' in the NDP Leadership Race?