Nova Scotia Premier Dexter on election timing: "Very shortly"

After spending the last few weeks showering the province with spending announcements, including $100 million commitment for new housing in Halifax, Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter tells a Labour Day rally that the election is right around the corner:

“Very shortly we’re going to have the opportunity to profoundly influence the direction of this province in the years to come,” he told the strongly pro-NDP crowd at the Halifax Common on Monday.

via Premier tells Labour Day rally in Halifax that election call is coming ‘shortly’ – Local – The News.

 

My bet — and it’s just a hunch — is that the writ gets dropped Wednesday but maybe it’ll be tomorrow. Either way: Sun News Network will be the only national news network providing wire-to-wire daily coverage of the Nova Scotia general election on my program Battleground at 1900/000 Atlantic, 1800/2300 Eastern and 1500/2000 pm Pacific.

Looking back at Harper's first St. Petersburg trip

The Official Summer Residence of Peter the Great. Konstantinovsky Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia. I was there covering the 2006 G8 Summit. This is now an official residence of the Russian President.I Could Have Had a G-8At Saint Petersburg AirportAt Saint Petersburg AirportKonstantinovsky PalaceKonstantinovsky Palace
The Official Summer Residence of Peter the Great. Konstantinovsky Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia. Now an official residence of the Russian President. View across the grounds towards the Baltic Sea.Konstantinovsky PalaceKonstantinovsky PalaceHarper's G8 CottageThe 'Cottages' at the G-8Harper's G8 cottage
St. Petersburg ferrySt. Petersburg

G8 2006, a set on Flickr.

On Wednesday night, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will touch down in St. Petersburg for his second summit in that city since he became PM. St. Petersburg was the site of Harper’s very first major international summit in the summer of 2006, a G8 hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This week, Putin hosts the G20 and he, Harper and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are the three G8 leaders who will have been at both of Putin’s summits.

Harper returns to St. Petersburg older but is he wiser?

Harper in the back of the plane
Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks to reporters on his plane en route to the 2006 G8 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia (DAVID AKIN)

Stephen Harper had hardly every stepped outside of his native Canada when, in the first few months as Canada’s prime minister, he found himself flying to St. Petersburg for his first G8 summit.  This week, Harper will return to St. Petersburg for the annual summit of G20 leaders.

I was among the reporters covering his 2006 trip and I will be among the press pack covering this 2013 G20 summit. Continue reading Harper returns to St. Petersburg older but is he wiser?

As Trudeau visits, Liberal riding association de-registered

A bunch of federal riding associations — mostly Green Party electoral district associations — were de-registered by Elections Canada over the last week, all for failing to live up to one provision or another of the Canada Elections Act.

The only Liberal EDA to be de-registered in the latest batch of de-registrations: The Central Nova Federal Liberal Association, in the riding currently held by Conservative Peter MacKay. The notice from Elections Canada that the Central Nova Liberal EDA will be de-registered as of Sept. 30 comes in the same week  that party leader Justin Trudeau was in the riding drawing (as usual) huge and enthusiastic crowds.

Continue reading As Trudeau visits, Liberal riding association de-registered

How it works between the press and the PMO

At a press conference Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave on Friday in northern Quebec, a journalist who is an accredited member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery but who works for the Chinese state-owned China’s People Daily, shoved a member of Harper’s communications staff. He was upset that he was being denied a chance to ask the PM a question. The RCMP were forced to intervene.

I was not there but you can read eyewitness accounts of this episode from reporters who were there, including Sun Media’s Bryn Weese, Postmedia’s Michael Den Tandt, CBC’s James Cudmore , The Toronto Star’s Tonda MacCharles, and The Canadian Press’ Murray Brewster.

As a result of this incident, my social networks have filled up with people talking about how things work between the press and the PMO. And a lot of people — including some who ought to know better — have allowed a lot of myths to fester. So let’s set the record straight starting with this canard advanced on Twitter by former Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish:

Continue reading How it works between the press and the PMO

Trudeau is right – "Embarrassed" pot activist says "I am wrong, wrong, wrong."

Earlier this week, Justin Trudeau was telling reporters that he had smoked pot perhaps “five or six times” in his life.

But in a 2010 video, Canada’s most well-known pot activist, Marc Emery said he had smoked “gaggers” with Trudeau “four or five times.”

Watch:

Asked this week about Emery’s claim, Trudeau said Emery had it wrong.

So how to settle this?

Continue reading Trudeau is right – "Embarrassed" pot activist says "I am wrong, wrong, wrong."

Female columnist goes topless in mid-interview with Kelowna mayor to prove point

Lori Welbourne writes a column for the Vancouver Province. To get to the bottom of the debate about banning women from running around topless, Welbourne takes off her top in the video above while interviewing Kelowna’s mayor. Her post at The Province explains more.

Meanwhile, Mayor Walter Gray — Welbourne’s co-star in this video — appears to be getting a little heat for participating. 

 

Alice live-tweets the #NDP debate in Toronto Centre

Tonight in Toronto, the three individuals who hope to carry the New Democrat flag in the soon-to-be called by-election in Toronto Centre met for a debate. Alice Funke, known to her fans as PunditsGuide was there and live-tweeted the proceedings. I have grabbed her tweets, lightly edited them and presented them in chronological order: Thanks, Alice!

Throughout the timeline here, the following applies: Continue reading Alice live-tweets the #NDP debate in Toronto Centre

VIDEO: Ross counts on community connection to win Liberal nod in Toronto-Centre

Todd Ross, a former navy man and a long-time assistant to former Ontario Liberal MPP George Smitherman, has heard the rumours that federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau favours the candidacy of journalist Chrystia Freeland in Toronto Centre but he is not deterred. He believes his long and constant connection to the riding — which includes some of the city’s poorest and richest neighbourhoods — St. James Town to Rosedale — will stand him in good stead with Liberals in the riding.

The date for the nomination has yet to be set but, according to three Liberal sources with knowledge about the riding, there were, as of last week, about 1,175 members of the Toronto Centre Liberal riding association, a number that has grown only by about 300 since the nomination race began. (Diana Burke is the third nominee running). Continue reading VIDEO: Ross counts on community connection to win Liberal nod in Toronto-Centre