David Akin’s On The Hill – Page 28 – Working notes, observations, links and other errata from a parliamentary bureau reporter in Ottawa, Canada

Very special guest shows up in Nova Scotia Liberal pre-election TV ad

A couple of TV ads — I assume they’ll be on TV, do let me know if you see one — from both the Nova Scotia NDP, led by incumbent Premier Darrel Dexter and from the Nova Scotia Liberals and their leader Stephen McNeil. Let’s start with the NDP. This ad debuted last December but is being pushed around again today by the Nova Scotia NDP:

And now, the Liberals. This is new today. And when you watch this one, see if you can spot a very special guest:

Continue reading Very special guest shows up in Nova Scotia Liberal pre-election TV ad

Losses could put Hudak in 'deep hole:' Prof

The top story this morning in the Niagara Falls Review and the St. Catharines Standard …

Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak’s job may be safe, but he could face a demoralized party after Thursday’s byelections, says a McMaster University political science professor.

Henry Jacek said Friday that Hudak went into five byelections Aug. 1 with his Progressive Conservatives leading the polls in three ridings. They won one, falling short in Ottawa South and London West — losses he said are just the latest instances of the Hudak-led PCs failing to seal the deal at the polls.

“At this point he’s dug himself, probably, a very deep hole,” Jacek said.

[Read the rest at: Losses could put Hudak in ‘deep hole:’ Prof | Niagara Falls Review]

Journalist McQuaig wants to be an MP

Toronto Star columnist Linda McQuaig will announce today she is seeking the NDP nomination in Toronto Centre. The Star‘s Susan Delacourt reports:

[McQuaig] recognizes that the prevailing winds in Toronto Centre and beyond may favour new Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, but McQuaig said that NDP Leader Tom Mulcair is her clear choice.“When it comes to issues, performance, brains, just sheer effectiveness, [Mulcair] just has (Trudeau) totally beat,” she said. “What’s important to me is that Mulcair and the NDP is more progressive.”

Read the rest: Columnist Linda McQuaig enters NDP race in Toronto | Toronto Star.

Once, Stephen Harper said "We believe in honest budgeting"

In the midst of my summer break, I thought I’d catch up on some of my work related e-mail and found this note from July 22:

Statement by Sonia L’Heureux, Parliamentary Budget Officer (interim)

In April 2013, I sought information necessary to undertake analysis into the 2012 federal budget. That analysis was requested by a parliamentarian pursuant to s. 79.2 of the Parliament of Canada Act. The information necessary for this purpose was requested from government departments and agencies. The first deadline for providing it came and went, and the majority of departments and agencies did not comply with the totality of my request. I informed the Speaker of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Commons. They asked me to write to the non-compliant departments and agencies again, requesting them to provide the information. That second deadline of July 19, 2013 came and went, and I have yet to be provided with all the information that I need to undertake the requested analysis. If and when I am provided with it, I look forward to performing the analysis and, thereby, discharging my legislative mandate.

I am reminded that in June I blogged the following:

Continue reading Once, Stephen Harper said "We believe in honest budgeting"

The Ministerial handout: The scorecard on who in Harper's cabinet handed out how much

Denis Lebel hands out the cash — Minister Denis Lebel (left) is one of the pros in Stephen Harper’s cabinet when it comes to handing out federal cash. Here, the mayor of Saint-Edmond-les-Plaines, QC, Rodrigue Cantin gives Lebel a hug earlier this year after taxpayers across Canada chipped in $272,000 to help fix up the community centre in Cantin’s community. See bottom of this post for more info. (PHOTO COURTOISIE/LE POINT)

One of the most important jobs for any minister is handing out tax dollars. The federal government collects more than $245 billion dollars a year in taxes and fees paid by individuals and businesses and, more often than not, spends more than it collects. Some of that spending is unavoidable — think Old Age Security benefits or transfer payments to the province for health care and social services — but a good chunk every year is quite discretionary. And when there’s a political spending choice to be made, you can bet a government minister wants his or her name associated with this decision.

As I’ve written here before, I try to track as many press releases as I can detailing spending announcements through my “OttawaSpends” project and, so far, up until Monday’s cabinet shuffle, Continue reading The Ministerial handout: The scorecard on who in Harper's cabinet handed out how much

The NDP welcomes Minister Poilievre to his new job

Pierre Poilievre in the House — Newly minted Minister of State for Democratic Reform Pierre Poilievre fires back at the opposition during Question Period in the House of Commons on Oct. 18. Note the grins on his caucus colleagues behind him (You can make out Lynne Yelich, Gary Goodyear, and Dean Del Mastro) who love Poilievre’s pugilistic style. The NDP, Liberals, and many in the Press Gallery? Not so much … (REUTERS/Chris Wattie)

Continue reading The NDP welcomes Minister Poilievre to his new job

Stephen Harper's cabinet trivia: From Flaherty to MacKay to Baird and back again

Defence Minister Peter MacKay speaks to the media as he unveils the Afghanistan Memorial Vigil on Parliament Hill on Tuesday, July 9, 2013. MacKay told reporters this was not going to be his final public appearance as defence minister. (Andre Forget/QMI Agency)

On the eve of a widely expected cabinet shuffle, some trivia on Stephen Harper and his cabinet history: Continue reading Stephen Harper's cabinet trivia: From Flaherty to MacKay to Baird and back again

A History of Harper's Cabinet Shuffles, Pt II

Harper and Johnston — Together again tomorrow for a cabinet shuffle? Governor General David Johnston and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, seen here at Rideau Hall after the Jan. 4, 2011 mini-shuffle, could be about to team up again to suffle the cabinet deck. (Chris Roussakis/QMI Agency)

I last tried to track Harper’s cabinet changes back during the Christmas break of 2011 when we were expecting a post-Christmas shuffle. Here is an updated version of that list on the eve of what we expect to be another shuffle.

On Nov 7, 2010, here’s what cabinet looked like: Continue reading A History of Harper's Cabinet Shuffles, Pt II

A polarizing politician, Vic Toews leaves public life

To those looking for reasons to dislike Stephen Harper and his Conservative government, Vic Toews was the likely poster boy. As Minister of Justice and as Minister of Public Safety, Toews was on the front lines of the Harper government’s mission to “get tough on crime” and to demonize political opponents who refused to get behind the Conservative agenda. He was the sharp end of the Conservative spear. Conservatives generally enjoyed his “take no prisoners” approach to both politics and, er, prisoners. Sometimes he went to far. Still, within the party, partisans looked past any excess and it was quite clear that Toews was a popular figure. Continue reading A polarizing politician, Vic Toews leaves public life

The stink from the Duffy-Wright scandal: Readers write

Senator Mike Duffy on Parliament Hill in May. (Andre Forget/QMI Agency)

Across our newspaper chain today, I opine:

The Duffy scandal is the stench that just keeps getting worse for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative government.
Newly released court documents filed as part of an RCMP request to get more evidence into potential fraud by three sitting senators – Duffy, Patrick Brazeau, and Mac Harb – contain explosive new information about the deal that brought down Harper’s top aide and shook the government to the core. Continue reading The stink from the Duffy-Wright scandal: Readers write