Category: Politics/Conservatives

Flaherty fires at Alberta over national regulator: Says it's "embarrassing" Canada doesn't have one

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty took his fight for a national securities regulator Thursday straight to the heart of one of the provinces – Alberta – that is most opposed to the idea.

“We are the only nation in the G8 and G20 lacking a national securities regulatory agency,” Flaherty said in a speech prepared for delivery to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. “In a word, it is embarrassing. And, our trading partners the world-wide bring it up, over and over again.”

Flaherty wants to set up a Canadian version of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the American stock market watchdog that’s prosecuted and jailed hundreds of white-collar fraudsters.

“Canadians, who rely on capital markets for their savings and retirement plans, deserve the protection of strong and consistent securities regulation that reaches all parts of our country – a key consideration given the number of baby boomers who will be leaving the work force over the next few years,” Flaherty said. A copy of his speech was distributed to news organizations ahead before he delivered it Thursday evening.

The governments of the provinces of Alberta and Quebec, though, aren’t buying what Flaherty’s selling and are ready to go to court to prevent Ottawa from setting up a national securities regulator even though Flaherty’s plan for such a regulator would let provinces opt out if they didn’t like the idea.

Alberta Finance Minister Ted Morton has denounced Flaherty’s plan as an “unprecedented power grab.”

But Flaherty was trying to use a bit of the old Irish charm to convince Calgary's business elite that it was in their interest to sign on to the idea of a national regulator.

“We can wait and argue over federal versus provincial jurisdiction on this file until the cows come home. In the meantime, the world outside is moving ahead,” Flaherty said. “This dithering can’t continue.”

Libs vs Tories: New critics face off against new ministers

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff announced a big shuffle today to the critics lineup on the official opposition benches. There are some very interesting new matchups, the biggest of which is the House Leaders for the two parties: The ultra-combative, lifelong political foes of John Baird and David McGuinty. It will also be interesting to watch Denis Coderre go at Christian Paradis.

Here's the new Liberal critic list which I've matched up with their opposing minister where applicable. I have put bold face on what I consider matchups that will be interesting:


Leader Michael Ignatieff vs. Stephen Harper
Deputy Leader Ralph Goodale vs. Stephen Harper
House Leader David McGuinty vs. John Baird
Deputy House Leader Judy Foote vs. John Baird
Chief Opposition Whip Marcel Proulx vs. Gordon O'Connor
Deputy Opposition Whip Yasmin Ratansi vs. Gordon O'Connor
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Sen. James Cowan vs. Sen. Marjory LeBreton
Aboriginal Affairs Todd Russell vs. John Duncan
Agriculture, Agri-food & Canadian Wheat Board Wayne Easter vs. Gerry Ritz
Amateur Sport Joyce Murray vs. Gary Lunn
Arctic Issues & Northern Development Larry Bagnell vs. John Duncan
Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez vs. James Moore
Citizenship & Immigration Justin Trudeau vs. Jason Kenney
Consular Affairs, Consumer Affairs Dan McTeague vs. Peter Kent/Tony Clement
Crown Corporations Bonnie Crombie vs. Various
Economic Development Agency for Regions of Quebec + Assoc Finance Critic Alexandra Mendes vs. Denis Lebel
Democratic Renewal Carolyn Bennett vs. Steven Fletcher
Environment Gerard Kennedy vs. Jim Prentice
Finance Scott Brison vs. Jim Flaherty
Fisheries + ACOA Rodger Cuzner vs. Gail Shea
Foreign Affairs Bob Rae vs. Lawrence Cannon
La Francophonie Raymonde Folco vs. Josée Verner
Health Ujjal Dosanjh vs. Leona Aglukkaq
Human Resources & Skills Development Mike Savage vs. Diane Finley
Human Rights Irwin Cotler vs. unassigned
Industry, Science & Technology Marc Garneau vs. Tony Clement/Gary Goodyear
International Cooperation Glen Pearson vs. Bev Oda
International Trade Martha Hall Findlay vs. Peter Van Loan
Justice & Attorney-General Marlene Jennings vs. Rob Nicholson
Labour Maria Minna vs. Lisa Raitt
Multiculturalism Rob Oliphant vs. Jason Kenney
National Defence Dominic LeBlanc vs. Peter MacKay
National Revenue Jean Claude d'Amours vs. Keith Ashfield
Natural Resources Denis Coderre vs. Christian Paradis
Official Languages Mauril Belanger vs. James Moore
Pacific Gateway + Western Economic Diversification Sukh Dhaliwal vs. Stockwell Day/Lynne Yelich
Public Safety & National Security Mark Holland vs. Vic Toews
Public Works & Government Services Geoff Regan vs. Rona Ambrose
Rural Affairs Mark Eyking vs. unassigned
Seniors and Pensions Judy Sgro vs. Diane Ablonczy
Small Business Navdeep Bains vs. Rob Moore
Southern Ontario Development Agency Frank Valeriote vs. Gary Goodyear
Status of Women Anita Neville vs. Rona Ambrose
Transport, Infrastructure & Communities John McCallum vs. Chuck Strahl
Treasury Board Siobhan Coady vs. Stockwell Day
Tourism Gerry Byrne vs. Rob Moore
Veterans Affairs Kirsty Duncan vs. Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Water Francis Scarpallagia unassigned

Annals of Re-branding: From "Canada's New Government" to "Harper Government"

Have you noticed this over the summer? The federal government, in its press releases, is 're-branding' itself. With increasing frequency, it's no longer the “Government of Canada”, it's now the “Harper government” as in:

You'll recall that in its first days, back in 2006, the Harper government decreed that the “Government of Canada” be referred to as “Canada's New Government” in its press releases, a phrase that continued to be in use nearly two years after “Canada's New Government” was installed in January, 2006::

Not sure why we're back to this re-branding exercise at this point (Calls are in to the appropriate individuals) but, given the fact that we're likely within 6 months of the next general election call and given the fact that the Conservative franchise, at this point, lives or dies with its leader, Stephen Harper, I wonder if this is a slightly insidious way of using government press releases to remind voters who's behind the 'good news' in each release.

Breitkreuz and Angus trade e-mails: Tories vs NDP on the gun registry

Before Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner and her private member's bill to kill the long-gun registry, there was Saskatchewan Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz and his private member's bill to kill the registry. Breitkreuz eventually allowed his bill to die so Hoeppner could pick it up. But Breitkreuz is still working to kill the registry. Here's a note he's sending to those NDP MPs that appear ready to vote with the Tories to kill the registry. NDP MP Charlie Angus, who is one of those NDPers who opposes the registry, writes back just below:

From: Breitkreuz, Garry – M.P.

To: Angus, Charlie – Personal

Sent: Tue Aug 31 11:43:59 2010

Subject: Please consider …

I thought you might like to see a recent opinion piece I was asked to write for The Mark website.

I can appreciate that the NDP M.P.s who supported Bill C-391 are now under tremendous pressure to flip-flop by supporting the motion to kill the bill on September 22. This is just a short note to remind you that nothing has changed since you supported Bill C-391 on November 4, 2009. The vast majority of your constituents asked you to help scrap the long-gun registry then, and they have not changed their minds. If anything, they are even more resolute and growing in numbers today.

In light of the Liberal leader’s decision to whip his caucus into killing Bill C-301 on September 22, your voice is even more important. A Canadian Press/Harris Decima poll shows that the majority of NDP supporters favour scrapping the registry – you will be representing them with pride when you vote against the motion on September 22.

Regards,

Garry Breitkreuz
Yorkton-Melville

Here's the reply Charlie Angus sent back to Breitkreuz:

From: Angus, Charlie – Personal
Sent: August 31, 2010 2:48 PM
To: Breitkreuz, Garry – M.P.
Subject: Re: Please consider …
Dear Garry,

Thanks for taking the time to personally email me.

I was more than a little surprised to hear from you about the registry, again. It’s interesting that this is the only rural issue you ever seem to want to talk to us about. You and your government have hardly been collegial with rural New Democrats on addressing the concerns of our citizens.

No matter. I supported getting Bill C-391 to committee because I felt rural Canadians had legitimate concerns about the costs of the registry, its effectiveness and whether or not it is used effectively by police. I was really hoping we could all work together as Parliamentarians, listen to the problems with the registry, hear from various witnesses and finally get answers to these fundamental questions.

Unfortunately, your government has fought against information getting out, actively suppressed departmental reports and publically attacked police officers who dare disagree with you.

But I do appreciate your letter. Thanks to your opinion piece, I learned that the Harper government believes the real reason police are “strident” on this issue is because they “don’t want Canadians to own guns”. And you seem to claim the real reason police want to keep the registry is not for public safety, but so they someday will be able to burst into family homes and seize grampa's 20 gauge.
Sorry Gary, but that's just crazy talk about our police.

I’m not sure how it is in your city, but where I come from folks don't see their police as a threat. They trust the police – the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep the rest of us safe. Your extreme attitudes and wild claims just don’t reflect what Canadians are like.

We all remember your last attempt to bring in gun legislation, when you tried to slip in new regulations that would make it a-okay to carry restricted firearms like hand guns and semi-automatic assault weapons in cars in cities. That one just didn't pass the smell test, did it?

So Gary, let's be frank: we're just not on the same page here at all. Rural New Democrats have brought forward legitimate concerns of rural residents and are looking to have those issues addressed. The Harper Conservatives, on the other hand, would rather try and just stir up rural Canadians with all manner of wild and crazy conspiracy theories about our local police forces. And just for the sake of a quick fundraising buck and some negative partisan advertising.

Thanks for the advice, but no thanks.

Best,

Charlie


Iggy to Harper: "We make the rules!"

If you haven't yet done so, check out this video I shot last Thursday at the airport in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT while on tour with Prime Minister Stephen Harper:

It's that last line of Harper's that has put a big smile on the face of those in Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff's office — the “I think I make the rules” line. Ignatieff, in a stump speech in Elmsdale, Nova Scotia this morning, jumped on that line.

“Of course he meant it as a joke but I don't think it was entirely a joke. That told you — that took you right inside the head of Stephen Harper. That told you what's inside. 'I make the rules.' Well, unless I'm seriously mistaken, we make the rules! The people of Canada make the rules! We want a prime minister and team that respects the rules, that respects the Canadian people, that listen to the Canadian people, especially when the Canadian people have something to say that we might not necessarily want to hear.”

If you've got a minute-and-a-half, give the whole thing a listen as Iggy shows a bit of passion trying to connect the “I make the rules” comment to the census decision.

Listen!

Harper's ATV joyride: "I think I make the rules"

Prime Minister Stephen Harper spent a few hours in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, announcing Canada's first-ever Arctic marine protected area, meeting some locals and, just before getting on the Canadian Forces C-130J which would take him to Whitehorse, borrowed someone's all-terrain vehicle for little joyride up and down the dirt runway of Tuk's airport.

“Good fun,” Harper told the assembled reporters on the airstrip after his run. “You don't normally get a runway (and) I didn't see any speed limit signs. Too bad you guys can't do it!”

One saucy reporter pointed out that the prime minister likely didn't have a licence to be roaring about on ATV on a federal regulated airport landing strip.

Harper paused for a second. “I think I make the rules.”

But don't take my word for it, here's the raw video (click on the image to play):

Inspired by Diefenbaker: Harper follows footsteps of Prince Albert's most famous lawyer

HarperLodge.jpg

Listen to enough Stephen Harper speeches and you will hear him refer to one man over and over again: John Diefenbaker, “the Chief” from Prince Albert, Sask., who was Canada’s 13th prime minister from 1957 to 1963.

Prime Minister Harper talked about the Chief again just this week in the midst of his annual Arctic tour, noting that Diefenbaker’s northern vision was one where “traditional activities like hunting and fishing co-exist alongside cutting-edge scientific research.”

Diefenbaker, in fact, made the North one of the central themes of the 1958 general election, the one in which he would triumph with what is still the largest majority of seats in Canadian history when measured as a percentage of the seats in the Commons.

…

Harper’s annual Arctic tour, which touched down in Resolute, Nunavut, Wednesday, is his way of underlining the commitment Diefenbaker first made.

Harper sees more in common, though, with Diefenbaker than just the North.

[Read the whole column]

Flaherty's retreats: The invitees since Year 1

Following up on this post and this story, I asked the Department of Finance if they could provide the attendee list for all of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's annual summer policy retreats. They were quick to do so and here is the list:

The Minister of Finance’s Third Annual Summer Policy Retreat (Meech Lake Aug. 19-20, 2009)

  • Melanie Aitken, Commissioner of Competition, Competition Bureau of Canada
  • Theo Caldwell, President, Caldwell Asset Management
  • Mel Cappe, President, Institute for Research on Public Policy
  • Robert J. Deluce, CEO of Porter Aviation Inc.
  • Jim Dinning, Chairman, Western Financial Group
  • Wendy Dobson, Professor and Director, Institute for International Business, University of Toronto, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management
  • Samuel L. Duboc, President and Managing Partner, EdgeStone Capital Partners Inc.
  • Pierre Fortin, Professor of Economics, Université du Québec à Montréal
  • Roger Gibbins, President and CEO, Canada West Foundation
  • Donna Hayes, CEO, President and Publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited
  • Glen Hodgson, Sr. VP & Chief Economist, Conference Board of Canada
  • Peter Holle, Founding President, Frontier Centre for Public Policy
  • Andrew Jackson, Canadian Labour Congress, National Director of Social and Economic Policy
  • Jacques Lamarre, former President and CEO, SNC Lavalin
  • Bruce Little, former Globe journalist
  • Kenneth James McKenzie, Department Head Professor, University of Calgary
  • Carole-Ann Miller, President, CEO and Co-Founder, Maple Trade Finance Inc.
  • Mark Mullins, CEO, Veras Inc.
  • Heather Munroe-Blum, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, McGill University
  • Sally Pipes, President & CEO, Pacific Research Institute
  • John Richards, Professor, Simon Fraser University
  • H. Sanford (Sandy) Riley, President and CEO, Richardson Financial Group
  • William B.P. Robson, President and CEO, C.D. Howe Institute
  • Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and CEO, Canadian Red Cross Society
  • Brian Scudamore, Founder & CEO, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

Second Annual Summer Policy Retreat (Willson House at Meech Lake, August 19–20, 2008)

  • Peter Armstrong, Armstrong Group
  • Ken Battle, Caledon Institute of Social Policy
  • Stephen Blank, Arizona State University
  • Linda Hasenfratz, Linamar Corporation
  • Calvin Helin, Native Investment and Trade Association
  • Paul Jewer, Sobeys Inc.
  • Rebecca MacDonald, Energy Savings Income Fund
  • Andrea Mandel-Campbell, Author and Journalist
  • Becky McKinnon, Timothy's Coffees of the World Inc.
  • Ross McKitrick, University of Guelph
  • Jack Mintz, University of Calgary
  • Mark Mullins, Fraser Institute
  • Gary Polonsky, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (retired President)
  • Pierre Pomerleau, Pomerleau Inc.
  • Robert S. Prichard, Torstar Corporation
  • Manoj Pundit, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
  • William B.P Robson., C.D. Howe Institute
  • Indira Samarasekera, University of Alberta
  • Christopher Sands, Hudson Institute
  • François Vaillancourt, University of Montreal
  • William Watson, McGill University
  • John Williamson, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
  • Nigel Wright, Onex Corporation

First Ministerial Retreat (Merrickville, Sam Jakes Inn, August 21-22, 07)

  • Mr. Tom Adams, Executive Director, Energy Probe
  • Mr. Andrew Chisholm, Managing Director, Global Head of Financial Institutions, Group Investment Banking Division, Goldman Sachs,
  • Mr. Jason Clemens, Director of Fiscal Studies and the Centre for Entrepreneurship, The Fraser Institute,
  • Mr. Brian Lee Crowley, Clifford Clark Visiting Economist, Department of Finance,
  • Mr. Dominic D’Alessandro, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Financial,
  • Mr. Art DeFehr, President and Chief Executive Officer, Palliser Furniture,
  • Mr. Jim Dinning, Chairman, Western Financial Group
  • Mr. Shaun Francis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Medcan Health Management Inc.
  • Mr. Stanley Hartt, Chairman, Citigroup Global Markets Canada Inc,
  • Ms. Isabelle Hudon , Présidente et chef de la direction, Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain
  • Ms. Laura Jones, Vice President for Western Canada, Canadian Federation of Independent Business,
  • Mr. Doug Lord, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Xerox Canada,
  • Mr. John H. McArthur, Dean Emeritus, Harvard Business School,
  • Ms. Andrea Mandel-Campbell, Author and Journalist,
  • Ms. Bonnie Patterson, President and Vice-Chancellor, Trent University,
  • Mr. Mario Pilozzi, Chief Executive Officer, Wal-Mart Canada Corp.
  • Mr. John Prato, Managing Director, Equity Capital Markets, TD Securities TD Securities,
  • Mr. William B.P. Robson, Senior Vice-President and Director of ResearchC.D. Howe Institute
  • Monsieur Raymond Royer, Président et chef de la direction, Domtar,
  • Ms. Krista Scaldwell, Director, Global Public Policy, Johnson & Johnson,
  • Mr. Andrew Sharpe, Executive DirectorCentre for the Study of Living Standards,
  • Mr. Ajit Someshwar, Chief Executive Officer, CSI Consulting,
  • Dr. Stephen J. Toope, President, University of British Columbia
  • Monsieur Luc Vinet, Recteu, rL’Université de Montréal
  • Mr. William Watson, Associate Professor and Chairman, Department of Economics, McGill University,
  • Mr. Charles White, QC, White Ottenheimer & Baker, ,

Glover v Holland

Just in from the desk of Shelly Glover, former police officer, and currently the Conservative MP for the Manitoba riding of Saint Boniface:

Today, Michael Ignatieff's hand-picked public-safety spokesman has crossed the line, by trying to play religious politics with the issue of air security.

Moments after Liberal MP Mark Holland unilaterally shut down a parliamentary review of media reports that some air passengers are not required to show their face, he said that the Conservatives would have to find another way to “take a run at the Muslim community”

This is a shameless attempt to play religion-baiting with what should be a non-partisan security issue. Even Muslim leaders have said that passengers wearing the niqab should allow confirmation of facial identity — a fact that the Ignatieff Liberals ignore in their shameless attempt to play politics with this issue.

This is a security issue, period. Not a religious issue.

Michael Ignatieff must drop his so-called “public safety critic” and replace him with someone who won't play politics with such an important issue.”

MPs get letters: Conservative supporter ready to quit over census decision

Not everyone in the Conservative “base” seems pleased with federal government's census decision. Take Gary Reinsch, for example. He writes a letter to his MP, Mike Lake, a Conservative who represents an Edmonton riding, and sends copies of this letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Industry Minister Tony Clement and several reporters in which he notes that while he once supported the Tories he won't anymore. (And, as he doesn't like any of the alternatives, he's off creating his own party):

July 27, 2010

TO: Right Hon. Stephen Harper, Hon. Tony Clement and Mr. Mike Lake

I am writing this letter to advise you of what I believe to be a rather large error in judgement on your parts, as well as the rest of the Conservative party. This error in judgement is in relation to your intent to make the long form of the census voluntary, which will undoubtedly impact the accuracy and/or relevance of the public data that the census currently collects. By impeding this process, the voice of an already far too apathetic public will be further muted in the House of Commons – rendering the issues and/or concerns faced by Canadians (as a whole) as even less significant when proposing, debating and passing our nation's legislation.

For years I have shown support for the Conservative party and its platforms. Furthermore, I have defended many of your decisions/actions in debates in public forums. In honesty, this is due in large part to my understanding that economics and fiscal responsibility help to form the basis for all of the socio-economic programs and assistance that we enjoy as Canadians. Unfortunately, this is also due in part to my opinion that your party is simply the best of a number of inadequate choices – at least in my own eyes. To be quite blunt, I also realize that many of your highly criticized decisions as a minority Government could not have proceeded in the House without the assistance of other parties (who are often the harshest critics). However, I can promise one thing based on the act of even considering such changes to the census: my support of your party will end in the (hopefully) very near future. On the bright side (for the Conservatives), I do not intend to support any of the other parties that are making a mockery of the democratic processes on which our nation is founded (especially since many of the other parties' seated Members appear to be showing some support for this motion).

Rather than cast what I believe to be an undeserved ballot for any of Canada's current parties (one that might have been your own), I have started work on the task of describing, finding support for and forming a new federal party with the intentions of returning the voice of the Canadian public to the House of Commons, ensuring that the public and the media that we rely upon have far greater access to information from public institutions and ensuring that agencies such as Statistics Canada have the information required to provide detailed information in regard to Canada, in general. To shed some light on how I intend for this to work: I have already constructed a new model for our electoral processes and how Canadians will be represented in the House, which encourages voting based on the wishes of constituents rather than toeing a party line; have come up with proposals in regard to shifting sovereignty and tax revenues back toward the provinces and territories, thereby increasing the responsibility of each region for issues that are not common to all Canadians while responsibility of services that should be universal (healthcare & education, to name just two) are shifted back to the federal governance.

The apathy of both the Canadian public and our elected representatives in regard to these matters and others have pained me for far too long a time.

I look forward to a time in (hopefully) the near future, where myself or the chosen representative for this party (that I am currently referring to as the Public Empowerment Party of Canada) will have the opportunity to debate such matters with yourselves and the leadership of other parties in a public forum.

Kindest regards and thanks for your time,

Gary Reinsch

Constituent Edmonton-Millwoods-Beaumont &

Founder of the Public Empowerment Party of Canada