Connect to share and comment

Tory attacks on Trudeau boomerang, raise questions about PMO involvement

OTTAWA - Conservative attacks against Justin Trudeau's paid public speaking career have boomeranged into questions about the propriety of using the Prime Minister's Office to fire off purely partisan missiles. The tables have turned since the Barrie Advancer outed the PMO as the source of documents circulated to media Monday that showed three fundraising events headlined by the Liberal leader in 2006 — before he became an MP — lost money.

Wynne won't call an election this year, but hints at 3 byelections this summer

TORONTO - Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said Tuesday she won't call or trigger a general election this year to get her own mandate from voters, but suggested that people in Windsor, London and Ottawa will head to the polls in byelections this summer. Four months after moving into the premier's office, Wynne said Liberals and non-Liberals alike have made it clear they expect her to try and make the minority government work, and that's what she intends to do for at least another year.

Western premiers discuss bullies; say topic will be part of all-premiers meeting

WINNIPEG - Canada's western premiers say bullying is a serious issue and all provinces and territories need to find ways to tackle the new dimension that the Internet brings to the torment. Following a brief meeting of Canada's western leaders in Winnipeg, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger said they are putting bullying on the agenda when the country's premiers meet in Ontario next month. "There are real serious incidents occurring out there, including through the social media ... with very negative and tragic consequences," Selinger said Monday.

NDP proposes independent scrutiny of MP expenses after killing Liberal proposal

OTTAWA - One week after defeating Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's attempt to open MPs' expenses to public scrutiny, the NDP has come up with a proposal of its own. New Democrat MP Peter Julian has tabled a motion aimed at creating an independent body to oversee House of Commons spending, including MPs' expenses. The new oversight body would replace the secretive board of internal economy, a multi-party committee that is currently responsible for the financial administration of the Commons.

Hike in disclosure for public servants should apply to unions too: Liberals

OTTAWA - Call it the Rathgeber clause: Liberals in the Senate say a Conservative bill that would force unions to disclose their expenses should match another Tory bill on disclosure of public sector salaries. Conservative backbencher Brent Rathgeber quit the party caucus earlier this month after his private members' bill on public sector salary disclosure was effectively gutted by the government. Rathgeber wanted the publication of all federal salaries of more than $188,000 a year, including employees at Crown corporations such as CBC.

Former McGuinty chief of staff Chris Morley says rules required emails be wiped

TORONTO - There are dozens of reasons for government employees to delete emails, a top aide to former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty's testified Tuesday at a legislative committee probing the Liberals' $585-million decisions to cancel gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga.

Elections Canada witness accuses Conservative MP of intimidation, bullying

OTTAWA - A witness who is helping Elections Canada unravel a Conservative MP's 2008 campaign expenses says he has been publicly bullied, discredited and intimidated. Frank Hall, who ran an Ottawa-based polling firm that did work for Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro, has written to both the Speaker of the House of Commons and the prime minister saying Del Mastro has abused the concept of parliamentary immunity.

Saulie Zajdel, once the Tories' best hope to finally win Montreal seat, arrested

MONTREAL - A little more than a year ago, Saulie Zajdel joined Stephen Harper for a happy-hour pub stop in Montreal as perhaps the Conservatives' best hope to win their first seat in this city in a quarter-century. Today, Zajdel is facing a list of criminal charges after his arrest Monday as part of Quebec's ongoing anti-corruption crackdown. The Conservative election candidate was picked up along with Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum and was slapped with five charges from acts allegedly committed back in his days as a municipal councillor.

Harper says no reservations about G8 proposal to fight tax havens

DUBLIN - Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he has no reservations — in principle — to a G8 proposal to combat tax havens. But Harper says any measures would need the approval of Canada's provinces and territories. Among the items on the agenda at the annual meeting of leaders of the world's eight richest countries is a British proposal aimed at tackling hidden company ownership. British Prime Minister David Cameron told Sky News every member of the G8 supports a plan to identify who actually owns companies.

Saskatchewan premier says Trudeau should return $20K speaking fee to literacy group

REGINA - Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he won't apologize for saying federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau should return $20,000 he charged for speaking at a literacy conference in Saskatoon. Wall says it's inappropriate for an elected official to accept a fee to talk at such an event, so Trudeau should pay back the money. "I just think in terms of an example of leadership that that's the right thing to do at this point," Wall said Friday.
Syndicate content