Friday 04 January 2008 OTTAWA: POLL POINTS TO ANOTHER MINORITY
A new opinion polls suggests Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper would win a national election, if one were held this year. But the Ipsos-Reid survey also shows that two-thirds of Canadians don't think the Conservative Party leader could win enough seats to form a majority government. The December telephone poll was commissioned by the Can-West News Service. Ipsos-Reid vice-president, John Wright, says his poll shows a virtual tie between Mr. Harper and the Conservatives, and the opposition Liberals led by Stephane Dion. Three-quarters of the respondents believed there will be a general election in Canada in 2008. The Conservatives have been in power, with a minority of the seats in the House of Commons, since January, 2006.
2007
Wednesday 10 October 2007 OTTAWA: FEDERAL TORIES IMPROVE IN POPULARITY
A public opinion survey indicates that the governing Conservative Party is putting distance in popularity between itself and the opposition Liberal Party. The Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll taken between last Thursday and Sunday puts Conservative popularity at 35 per cent, while the Liberals are at 28 per cent, the New Democratic Party at 17 per cent, the Green Party at 10 per cent and the Bloc Québécois eight per cent. Harris-Decima says the sagging figure for the Liberals is due in part to its political difficulties in Quebec. The 35-per cent figure for the Conservatives would not translate into a majority government
Tuesday 28 August 2007 Embarrassment of budget riches
Ottawa's Streak Of Fat Surpluses Is Drawing Flak From Economists And Taxpayers
Equalization began in 1957 as a noble gesture to help share the wealth
within the Canadian family and ever since, Ottawa and the provinces
have been squabbling over it like the putative heirs of Anna Nicole
Smith, at almost predictable 10-year intervals.
Sunday Nov 6, 2005 rci OTTAWA: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING NEW WATER METERS FOR CANADIAN HOMES Canada's government thinks that water pricing policies across the country are inefficient, so there's an idea afoot to introduce home water meters that would charge the real cost of providing water. Canadians could end up paying more for water, since the majority of communities in Canada charge much less for clean water than it costs them to produce it. In Nova Scotia, the consumer price of water is just 26 per cent of the cost of production. More than a third of Canada's utilities charge a basic flat fee for water. Many consumers in those areas use far more water than people in areas where they must pay by the litre. An internal report for the federal Finance Department is proposing the introduction of new water meters as a solution.
Sunday Nov 6, 2005 rci Canada's Liberal Party continues to lose voter support in the wake of the Gomery Commission report on the Sponsorship Scandal. The Gomery report was issued on Tuesday. A new opinion poll conducted for the Globe & Mail newspaper showed on Saturday that support for the Liberals had fallen to 28 per cent, a drop of 10 points in three weeks. Support for the opposition Conservative Party rose from 25 per cent to 31 per cent. The third national party, the New Democratic Party, had 20 per cent support, up three points. Canada's other major opposition party, the Bloc Quebecois, is a separatist party in Quebec and runs candidates only in that province. The NDP and the Bloc Quebecois have made recent threats to bring down the minority Liberal Party government, but both opposition parties realize that a holding an early election during the December holiday period would be unpopular among voters. The NDP leader, Jack Layton, says that he'll make a decision about a confidence motion by November 15. According to the poll, 60 per cent of Canadians find it "very" or "somewhat unbelievable" that Prime Minister Paul Martin was not involved in the activities surrounding the Sponsorship Scandal. And 71 per cent said that he should be held accountable for it. Mr. Martin was finance minister in the late 1990s when the government of Prime Minister Jean Chretien assigned millions of dollars to several public relations firms in Quebec to promote national unity in that province. The Gomery report exonerated Mr. Martin, but criticized Mr. Chretien and pointed a finger of blame at several highly placed government officials, civil servants and public relations executives.
Saturday Oct 29, 2005 Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and Quebec Premier Jean Charest have signed an agreement by which the province will receive $1.1 billion over five years to help finance Quebec's day care system. Mr. Martin says the accord will give Quebec extra flexibility in operating its already existing day care network and that it provides a model for the other provinces. Quebec established a $5-a-day system of centres in 1997 which now costs parents $7. The funding is part of a five-year, $5-billion commitment to early learning and day care announced in the federal budget last winter. Similar agreements have been signed with seven other provinces or territories.
Wednesday Oct 26, 2005 rci OTTAWA: U.S. TOP DIPLOMAT UNYIELDING ON TRADE DISPUTE
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has concluded a 22-hour visit to Canada, her first since assuming her position. One of the main topics in her discussions with Prime Minister Paul Martin and Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew was the bilateral trade dispute over imported Canadian softwood lumber. Miss Rice says resumed negotiation is Canada's only hope of resolving the matter. The secretary of state also deprecated the tough language on the dispute by several cabinet ministers. The U.S. has collected punitive tariffs on imported Canadian softwood since 2002 on the grounds that the Canadian forestry industry is subsidized, which Canada denies.
Canada broke off the softwood negotiations last summer after the U.S. ignored a ruling by the dispute-resolution panel of the North American Free Trade Accord which found the tariffs unjustified. On a second subject, Miss Rice responded to Canadian complaints that the U.S. isn't doing enough to stop the smuggling of guns into Canada by saying that police on both sides of the border are at present conducting 40 joint investigations into the smuggling of firearms. Dalton McGuinty, the premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, recently blamed the U.S. as the source of many of the illegal weapons in circulation in Canada. The city of Toronto has been the scene of a series of gang-related shooting deaths in recent months.
Tuesday Oct 25, 2005 ts Martin draws a line on guns
OTTAWA Guns are Prime Minister Paul Martin's newest target in what seems to be a deliberate and continuing attempt to take some careful pokes at the United States.
Sunday Oct 23, 2005 ts All quiet on the soft front
It's been fascinating to watch how CNN has covered the new war. Last week, in a phone call to President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Paul Martin indicated he was declaring war over the softwood lumber issue and would be taking that war to the court of public opinion.
Saturday 15 May 2004 cbc COPPS LEAVES FEDERAL STAGE AFTER 20 YEARS
Longtime Liberal MP Sheila Copps has decided not to run in the next
federal election. [Good! let us remember the $25,mm Flags]
Sunday Apr 11, 2004 cbc CAMPBELL AMONG 'MOST IMPORTANT' LEADERS
Although she was prime minister of Canada for less than five months, Kim
Campbell has been ranked as one of history's 50 "most important
political leaders" by the National Geographic Society.
2003
Sunday Sep 28, 2003 cbc BROADBENT MULLS RETURN TO POLITICS
A familiar face could be back on the Canadian political scene, as former
NDP leader Ed Broadbent says he's considering a return to federal politics. see wn on Ed Broadbent
Monday Dec 8, 2003 OTTAWA: CLARK WON'T SIT WITH NEW PARTY
There is already talk of defections as the Progressive Conservative
and Canadian Alliance parties forge ahead with their planned merger.
Former Tory prime minister Joe Clark says he won't sit as a member of
the new Conservative Party of Canada in the House of Commons. Mr.
Clark opposed the merger, calling in "political suicide."And Nova
Scotia Tory MP Scott Brisson, who is gay, says he has growing doubts
the new party will reflect the values held by Canadians. On Sunday,
Jim Prentice, a Calgary lawyer who ran for the leadership of the
federal Progressive Conservatives just months ago, said in a
television interview he would seek the leadership of the new party,
which will hold a leadership convention in March. Alliance leader
Stephen Harper and Tory leader Peter MacKay also hinted they would
seek the leadership. On Saturday, Tories voted 90 per cent in favour
of the merger. In a vote announced Friday, 96 per cent of the
Alliance did likewise. Mr. Harper and Mr. MacKay will meet with their
caucus members Monday in Ottawa to plan their next steps. Prime
Minister Chretien reacted to the merger Sunday at the Commonwealth
Summit in Nigeria, saying he believes members of the new Conservative
Party of Canada will have to compromise if they want the party to
succeed. Mr. Chretien said it was important not to take political
labels too seriously. He said you know you're an "absolutely good
Canadian Liberal" when the people on the left say you're a
right-winger and the people on the right say you're a left-winger.
The Alliance and Tories hold a combined 77 seats in Canada's
301-member House of Commons. The Liberals hold 170.
[Maybe & just maybe Martin will do a good job and we won't need an opposition DTN]
MONTREAL: PEOPLE EXPECT CHANGE FROM MARTIN--POLL
A new public opinion poll suggests two-thirds of Canadians want Paul
Martin to confirm his leadership with a spring election. The Leger
Marketing poll done last month also suggests half of the people
surveyed expect Mr. Martin to chart a new course as prime minister.
The poll also indicated 49 per cent of respondents believe Mr. Martin
represents change from Prime Minister Chretien's government. Mr.
Martin has strongly hinted that he will call an election in the
spring.
Saturday Dec 6, 2003 cbc TORIES VOTE FOR UNITED RIGHT
Progressive Conservative delegates voted Saturday in favour of forming a
new party with the Canadian Alliance to challenge the governing
Liberals. Of the 2,486 Tories who voted, 90 per cent said "yes" to the proposed merger to create a right-wing entity to be called the Conservative Party of Canada.
Ballots were cast a day after the Alliance voted almost 96 per cent in favour of the merger.
Friday Dec 5, 2003 cc
Alliance members agree to marriage
Canadian Alliance members have voted overwhelmingly to merge with the Tories and form a united right-of-centre party. The union will become official Saturday if Progressive Conservative delegates also vote to fold their party into the new merged entity to take on the governing Liberals.
Saturday Nov 22, 2003 TORONTO: TORY REBELS SEEK LEGAL HELP TO STOP MERGER
A group of disgruntled members of Canada's opposition Progressive
Conservative Party has asked Ontario Superior Court to quash the
proposed merger with the country's biggest opposition party, the
Canadian Alliance. The Conservative rebels claim their party's
leadership has hijacked its constitution and should not be allowed to
proceed with the merger. The Conservative leader, Peter MacKay, and
the Alliance leader, Stephen Harper, agreed on the amalgamation
several months ago. Its purpose is to form a viable, right-wing
alternative to the governing Liberal Party. [give back the real PC party dtn]
Sunday Oct 26, 2003 TORONTO: LATEST REPORT SAYS LITTLE PROGRESS MADE IN PRISONS
The overall conclusion of the latest report on how Canada's prisons
are run says there is little public accountability and inadequate
scrutiny. The annual report of the ombudsman for Canada's prison
presents a long list of examples of federal officials regularly
violating laws and ignoring recommendations to clean up the system.
The report says more aboriginal offenders remain behind bars past
their parole dates than non-aboriginals. The report also says health
care--or lack of it--for inmates remains a major complaint. It says
living conditions for women inmates are less than adequate, and there
are numerous examples of human rights violations among inmates held
in segregation or solitary confinement. The report says that--by and
large--recommendations for change are ignored
Sunday Oct 26, 2003 OTTAWA: BACKLASH AGAINST CONSERVATIVE MERGER BUILDS
Opponents of the plan to unite the Official Opposition Canadian
Alliance and the Progressive Conservative party are threatening legal
action to stop the merger. A legal opinion released Friday warned
that Tory officials who approve the implementation proposal could be
personally sued. The opinion says an agreement-in-principle must be
implemented by a properly constituted national meeting -- not a
mail-in ballot. The legal opinion came a day before a key meeting
Saturday of the Tory management committee, which set the process in
motion for a historic vote by members on the proposed merger. The
committee, which was greeted by protesters, agreed that Tories will
elect delegates to regional ratification meetings that will be
connected by telephone on Dec. 6th for a virtual national meeting,
instead of a major convention. A spokesman for Conservative leader
Peter MacKay says he's confident the main agreement-in-principle
meets all legal requirements. Mr. MacKay has said the committee could
decide to allow members to decide the fate of the party through votes
in their ridings, rather than with delegates at a convention. He
negotiated a merger pact with Alliance Leader Stephen Harper that
would speed the formation of a new entity called the Conservative
Party of Canada. Members of both parties have until December 12th to
ratify the merger.
Friday Sep 19, 2003 cbc
SECRET TALKS HELD TO UNITE THE RIGHT
The federal Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parties have
begun secret meetings in a last ditch attempt to unite the right and
fight the Liberals in the next election, sources have told CBC News.
Friday Sep 19, 2003 cbc
COMMITTEE TO PROBE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S EXPENSES
CBC News has learned that a House of Commons committee is planning to
investigate the spending habits of Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.
Thursday Sep 18, 2003 cbc
PROVINCES WAITING FOR 9/11 COMPENSATION
Three provinces are still waiting for federal compensation for welcoming
thousands of stranded travellers after the September 11 terrorist
attacks.
Sunday Sep 14, 2003 cc Boudria defends Saudi ambassador
Just hours before the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Canada was called on the carpet by Foreign Affairs yesterday, a Liberal cabinet minister defended the diplomat's handling of the case of Bill Sampson, who was allegedly tortured by Saudi jailers
Monday Aug 25, 2003 MONTREAL: SOME BLOC MPS READY TO DROP PARTNERSHIP THRUST
Some Bloc Quebecois MPs want the federal party to drop the idea of a
partnership with the rest of Canada. They say the Bloc should only
promote Quebec independence. Fourteen Bloc members have already
signed a document in support of the proposal. It will be submitted to
the party caucus this week at a meeting in Mont-Ste-Anne near Quebec
City. The partnership idea was introduced in 1995 by Jacques Parizeau
and Lucien Bouchard, leaders of the Parti Quebecois and BQ at the
time. They hoped it would persuade Quebecers to vote "Yes" in the
independence referendum. However, Bloc members have been calling for
new ideas in light of poor showings by both the PQ and BQ in recent
elections.
Thursday Mar 20, 2003 cbc PROVINCES PLAN 'HISTORIC' CHANGE TO FEDERATION
Canada's premiers and territorial leaders agreed Thursday to create a
new council that they say will fundamentally change federal-provincial
relations.
Thursday Mar 20, 2003 cbc DISARMAMENT WAS WORKING: CHRÉTIEN
The federal government came under sustained fire from the opposition
benches in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon over its decision
not to go to war against Iraq.
Saturday Mar 1, 2003 cbc ANGRY U.S. RESPONSE TO 'BASTARDS' COMMENT
For the second time in three months a CBC News Online story has provoked
hundreds of mostly angry e-mails from the United States. [the Media are the bastards DTN]
Monday Jan 27, 2003 ts PM wants $1,000 cap on donations
Party financing bill on its way [All power to the little people ..who have less judgment! ... if they had more they would't be lessor people]
Monday Jan 27, 2003 ts Layton (52) offers a new vision for cities
NDP leader says priorities include Kyoto, Romanow report ...him his favourite municipal issue — help for Canada's beleaguered cities. ..Layton carries with him four parliamentary priorities, including financial investments for the country's cities and spirited opposition to the looming military intervention in Iraq.
Wednesday Dec 18, 2002 cbc FINANCE MINISTERS LOOKING FOR BIG INCREASE FROM OTTAWA
The provincial and territorial finance ministers want an 18 per cent
increase in transfer payments from the federal government, without
conditions.
Wednesday Dec 18, 2002 OTTAWA: PROVINCES DEMAND FEDERAL BILLIONS FOR HEALTH CARE
Canada's 13 provincial and territorial finance ministers have
demanded that their federal counterpart, John Manley, give them $25
billion more for health care. That would include $5 billion for the
fiscal year ending on March 31. Ontario finance minister, Janet
Ecker, says the provinces and territories need the money immediately.
The two levels of government have been arguing about Ottawa's
shrinking contributions to health care for years. Mr. Manley met the
ministers on Tuesday night as part of his pre-budget consultations.
The federal minister says some negotiation will be necessary because
this year's forecast budget surplus is only $1 billion and that of
the following year $3.1 billion.
Tuesday Dec 3, 2002 cbc Ottawa won't force repayments before Christmas
Friday, December 06, 2002 -- Human Resources Minister Jane Stewart says she won't be the Grinch who stole Christmas. Stewart acknowledged Friday that almost 10,000 low-income parents mistakenly received family-supplement benefits recently from her department. Cheques averaging $450 each were sent to 9,500 people, amounting to $4.3 million in overpayments [just waite 'till Jan 7th when all the other bills come in! You made the mistake Live with it! We made the mistake when we gave you the job & we have to live with that! DTN] Watch Global's report
Tuesday Dec 3, 2002 cbc AUDITOR SAYS ONTARIO WASTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS ON CONSULTANTS The Ontario government has wasted hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars by paying outside consultants to do work its own staff can do
for a third of the wages, the province's auditor general said on
Tuesday.
Sunday Dec 1, 2002 OTTAWA: PM CONSIDERS BANNING CORPORATE POLITICAL DONATIONS
The Canadian Press news agency reports that Canadian Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien is considering the introduction of legislation to ban
corporation donations to federal political parties. According to CP,
the ban would apply to labour unions as well. Mr. Chrétien is said to
be worried that such donations create a public perception that
legislators are unduly influenced by special interests. CP says the
matter will likely be placed before the cabinet and the Liberal Party
caucus next week. Mr. Chrétien's governing Liberal Party may then
introduce legislation before Christmas, depending on the reaction. If
such a bill became law, Members of Parliament would depend more on
contributions from individuals and public funding for their political
campaigns. The official opposition party, the Canadian Alliance, says
corporations shouldn't be discriminated against if they want to take
part in the political process. The leader of the left-leaning New
Democratic Party, Alexa McDonough, says her party would lose $800,000
a year contributed by labour unions if the donation ban went into
effect. But she says the Liberals and the other parties would lose
even more. [all power to the little lesser informed people DTN]
Sunday Dec 1, 2002 OTTAWA: CANADA BOOSTS CONTRIBUTION TO HELP REMOVE LANDMINE PLAGUE
Canada has committed more than $70 million more to helping eradicate
anti-personnel landmines around the world. Canadian Foreign Affairs
Minister Bill Graham made the announcement on the fifth anniversary
of the signing of the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines.
Since 1997, Canada has allotted $100 million to ridding the world of
landmines. The Ottawa Convention has been ratified by at least 125
nations. But so far, the United States, Russia, China, India,
Pakistan and Israel have refused to do so. [hey! we can't give away any more $ if we want Medicare! Let those that put the mines there dig them up! DTN]
Tuesday Nov 26, 2002 cbc 'MORON' REMARK COSTS TOP AIDE HER JOB
The prime minister's director of communications has quit her job.
Francoise Ducros says the controversy over remarks she made about U.S.
President George Bush makes it impossible for her to do her job.
[who was the moron of a reporter who should have ask "is that on the record?" It is the CBC Radio reporter who should be fired! DTN]
Monday Nov 25, 2002 OTTAWA: COMMITTEE WANTS FOR MONEY FOR CHILD CARE
A Liberal party social policy committee says federal children's
programs worth $2.2 billion are doomed to fail without dramatic
spending hikes on quality child care. A new committee report backed
by at least 25 Liberal MPs says, "Unless progress is made on child
care, no early years' strategy can be successful," The report, called
A National Child Care Strategy: Getting the Architecture Right Now,
calls for $1 billion in new spending next year. Annual funding should
increase within four years to $4.5 billion so that, by 2007, "every
three- to five-year-old child who needs it should have a pre-school
place." The report is before Finance Minister John Manley as he
juggles competing priorities for a new federal budget, likely in
February. [if you can't aford childern don't have one DTN]
Wednesday Nov 13, 2002 globe OTTAWA DISBANDED GST FRAUD SQUAD IN 1995
The investigations team set up specifically to investigate GST fraud was
disbanded in 1995, despite its successes in finding a number of scams
worth millions of dollars.
Sunday Nov 17, 2002 OTTAWA: REPORT SAYS AGENCY ABOUT TO SCRAP COMPUTERS
The Ottawa Citizen reports that Human Resources Development Canada is
poised to dump almost $16 million worth of computers it acquired only
two years ago. The newspapers says the dumping is a bid to streamline
the department's computer system. The $40 million dollar plan
announced two years ago undertaken just as a series of internal
reports warned the federal department it had a massive oversupply of
network computers. The Citizen says officials already knew of the
glut in 2000 when they bought the machines they are now planning to
scrap. Most were bought the same month an internal report urged HRDC
to trim its gargantuan system, the paper reported. The internal
reports, obtained through the Access to Information Act, were
commissioned at different times by separate branches of the
department. One key report blames the excess equipment on poor
organization and lack of accountability. Other reports detail the
huge overcapacity of computers at HRDC. Outside computer experts say
the department's explanation for its purchasing choices shows top
officials did not understand the basics of what these machines,
called UNIX servers, were designed to do
Wednesday Nov 13, 2002 cbc CPP INVESTMENT BOARD POSTS $2.5 BILLION STOCK LOSS IN Q2
Tumbling stock prices led to a $2.5 billion loss at the Canada Pension
Plan Investment Board in the three-month-period ending September 30. But
the board said it remains confident it can produce positive returns over
the long term.
Wednesday Nov 6, 2002 cbc CHRÉTIEN DENIES VOTE OUTCOME IS LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE
More than 50 Liberal MPs broke ranks on Tuesday, joining with former
finance minister Paul Martin and supporting an Opposition motion to
elect the chairs of parliamentary committees by secret ballot.
Sunday Nov 3, 2002 cbc Bear market dashes retirees' dreams
The plunge in stock markets has wiped out hundreds of billions of dollars of pension savings and is already forcing some older workers to postpone -- or even come out of -- retirement, a new analysis warns.
& now for the good news
Sunday Nov 3, 2002 cc Two million are 'working poor'
For the first time since the Depression, a growing number of Canadians are working in full-time jobs that don't pay enough to support a family.
Friday Nov 1, 2002 rci OTTAWA: FEDERAL SPENDING IN DISPUTE
There were disputes in Canada's House of Commons on Thursday over how
much the federal government intends to spend over the next year. They
arose over supplementary estimates that were presented only one day
after Finance Minister John Manley made public his economic update on
the federal budget and national economic growth. Mr. Manley said on
Wednesday that while the government will spend for new projects, the
money will be trimmed from existing programs in an effort at fiscal
responsibility. The government then on Thursday introduced estimates
for additional spending of $5.8 billion. This includes $72 million
for the federal gun control program, $55 million for unique legal
cases and $14 million to foster technological innovation. The
opposition Canadian Alliance said in the House that these are all
areas in which the government should be trying to cut not to spend.
Mr. Manley replied that the extra expenditures are aimed at plugging
gaps that it was impossible for him to have foreseen in his full
budget last December.
Thursday Oct 31, 2002 cbc MANLEY SEES REDUCED SURPLUS FOR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR
Finance Minister John Manley said the country is looking at a $1 billion
surplus this year and stressed the need for improving productivity in a
speech on Wednesday to the House of Commons finance committee.
OTTAWA: FINANCE MINISTER SEES LOWER BUDGET SURPLUS
Canada's finance minister, John Manley, painted a relatively
optimistic picture of the Canadian economy on Wednesday. In his
economic update pronounced before the House of Commons finance
committee meeting in Halifax, N.S., he reported that the budget
surplus for 2002-2003 will be only $1 billion because of recent tax
reductions, the rising costs of health care and the economic
slowdown. However, Mr. Manley predicts budget surpluses of $3.1
billion and $3.5 billion for the two following years. Mr. Manley also
foresees an economic growth rate of 3.4 per cent this year and 3.5
per cent next year.
Friday Oct 25, 2002 OTTAWA: CANADA FEARS OBSTACLES TO HEMISPHERIC FREE TRADEWN on Free Trade
Thursday Oct 24, 2002 OTTAWA: GOVT. AGAIN RUNS SURPLUS
Canada's finance department reports that it enjoyed a budget surplus
of $8.9 billion in the last fiscal year which ended in March. The
surplus went to pay down the national debt. This is the fifth year in
a row that the government has had a surplus. The Liberal Party
government was elected in 1993 on a promise to end years of budget
deficits. The national debt now stands at $536 billion, less than
one-half of the annual gross domestic product. The department says
this puts Canada below the debt-and-growth proportion of the world's
developed economies. The department's annual report says the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks hurt Canada's economic growth in 2001, limiting it
to 1.5 per cent.
Sunday Oct 20, 2002 OTTAWA: MANLEY ACKNOWLEDGES NEW BUDGET SURPLUS
Canada's finance minister, John Manley, says the federal government
will enjoy a sixth straight budget surplus this year. Mr. Manley had
predicted in his budget of last December that the government would
run up a surplus of $2 billion for the 2002-2003 fiscal year. But the
minister said on Friday that the surplus would be much higher than
that figure because of Canada's unexpected rate of economic growth.
Mr. Manley's comments come at a time when the provinces are
clamouring for Ottawa to share the fruits of its surplus with them.
The government has been using the surpluses of recent years to pay
down the national debt. But Mr. Manley says he doesn't intend to do
that.
Saturday Oct 12, 2002 cbc OTTAWA WON'T INCREASE GST: MANLEY
Federal Finance Minister John Manley has reiterated a promise not to
raise taxes to pay for health care reform.
Thursday Oct 10, 2002 OTTAWA: SOCIAL INSURANCE CARDS ABUSED
There's a report that Canada's social insurance number cards are
being used for illicit purposes. The annual report by Auditor General
Sheila Fraser, the official watchdog for federal spending, says that
there are five million more SIN cards in circulation than the number
of adult Canadians. The SIN numbers are supposed to used for
accounting purposes in paying taxes and gaining access to federal
program including employment insurance, the Canada Pension Plan and
old age security. But there have been increasing reports that the
cards are being used to defraud the federal government of employment
insurance payments and fears have been expressed that criminals may
be using them, including terrorists. Mrs. Fraser's report warns that
the problem of identity fraud is growing both in Canada and in the
U.S. The human resources department has responded by announced that
starting on Nov. 1 it will only accept original documents not
photocopies in receiving applications for a SIN. The department says
that SIN cards issued to anyone not a citizen will be valid only for
the time the user is allowed to reside in Canada.
Friday Oct 4, 2002 cbc TAX HIKE NOT RULED OUT BY LIBERALS
The federal government says it has no immediate plan to raise taxes. But
it also hasn't ruled out the possibility if the country appears to be
sliding back into a deficit. [We are now the highest Taxed in the G8!]
" class=b2>EVES CALLS FOR PLAN TO IMPLEMENT KYOTO
Ontario Premier Ernie Eves said on Tuesday that reducing greenhouse
gases won't permanently damage the province's economy, but he still
wants a clear plan before the federal government ratifies the Kyoto
protocol.
Thursday Sep 26, 2002 cbc MANLEY SAYS CANADIAN ECONOMY 'NORTHERN TIGER'
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister John Manley is in New York,
meeting with members of the business community in advance of attending
the G-7 finance ministers meeting this Friday.
OTTAWA -Thursday Sep 26, 2002 National Post Kyoto cost hidden from Cabinet
Government figures showing that implementing the Kyoto Protocol on climate change will cost Canada about 200,000 jobs and up to 1.5% in lost economic growth by the year 2010 were expunged from a presentation to senior Cabinet ministers yesterday. click for more
Monday Sep 23, 2002 OTTAWA: THRONE SPEECH WILL DETAIL SPENDING HIKES
Sources say Prime Minister Jean Chretien will include a
multibillion-dollar promise to cities for improved transportation in
his throne speech next week. He'll kick it off by heading to the
border Wednesday to announce a $100-million-plus commitment to
improving the congested Windsor-Detroit corridor. That money is part
of last year's promise to improve Canada's urban roads and bridges.
But Mr. Chretien is expected to make similar announcements in the
coming months. The throne speech goes to cabinet for approval
Tuesday. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson will read it at the
opening of Parliament in a week's time to set the government's agenda
for the next 17 months. The promises will set the tone for the
governing Liberals long after he steps down in February 2004. Senior
officials say the agenda includes multi-year commitments that will go
on long after Mr. Chretien leaves the political scene.
MONTREAL: MARTIN TOUTS AIDS RESEARCH FUNDING
Former finance minister Paul Martin suggested Sunday that the federal
government should look at its funding for AIDS research. The
frontrunner to replace Jean Chretien as prime minister made the
comment as he took part in Montreal's 10th annual walkathon to raise
awareness and money to battle the deadly disease. Mr. Martin hinted
more could be done to fund AIDS research. Mr. Martin also said he
backed the federal government's decision to appeal recent court
decisions in Ontario and Quebec supporting same-sex marriages and a
British Columbia ruling against it. Similar AIDS marches were
organized in 125 communities across Canada during the weekend.
Between 12,000 to 15,000 people are estimated to have turned out for
the Montreal event.
DFAIT might have been too hasty with new rules for diplomats
Disgraced Russian diplomat Andrei Knyazev was within his rights to refuse to take a breathylizer test
click for stories of good value ...good read
by David Jones who was a political counsellor at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa from 1992 to 1996.
Wednesday Jun 12, 2002 cbc The Honourable Lucienne Robillard
Liberal Member of Parliament for Westmount - Ville-Marie Dear Friends:
It is my pleasure to welcome you to my website.
Since 1995, it has been an honour for me to represent you at the House of Commons and I would like to thank you for your support and for your trust.
The purpose of this site is to keep you informed about my work as a Member of Parliament and to further inform you about my role as President of the Treasury Board. As you know, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien proceeded to a ministerial shuffle on January 15 of this year. I am very honoured that the Prime Minister reiterated his trust in me by renewing my mandate.
BBC
her site 
COPPS LEAVES FEDERAL STAGE AFTER 20 YEARS
BROADBENT MULLS RETURN TO POLITICS
TORIES VOTE FOR UNITED RIGHT
COMMITTEE TO PROBE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S EXPENSES
ANGRY U.S. RESPONSE TO 'BASTARDS' COMMENT
Layton (52) offers a new vision for cities
FINANCE MINISTERS LOOKING FOR BIG INCREASE FROM OTTAWA
'MORON' REMARK COSTS TOP AIDE HER JOB 
FORMER CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR THIESSEN TO HEAD NEW AUDITING ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD
EVES CALLS FOR PLAN TO IMPLEMENT KYOTO
Ontario Premier Ernie Eves said on Tuesday that reducing greenhouse
gases won't permanently damage the province's economy, but he still
wants a clear plan before the federal government ratifies the Kyoto
protocol.
MANLEY SAYS CANADIAN ECONOMY 'NORTHERN TIGER'
Canada's Paperboy
The Honourable Lucienne Robillard![[Version en Français]](fr.gif){kind=small}
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