Roundup: Scrutiny versus populist outrage

The government is backing another private members’ bill, this time about establishing a mandatory minimum sentence on kidnapping a person under 16 – despite the fact that a former Supreme Court justice calls this unnecessary and creating a more patchwork Criminal Code that increasingly is ad hoc and full of loopholes and inconsistencies. It’s like the government were going along with anything that sounded good without giving it proper thought or analysis. Oh, wait –that’s exactly what they’re doing. Who needs proper scrutiny when you’ve got populist outrage on your side?

Thomas Mulcair dismisses the premiers of Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan as “Harper’s messengers” when they go after him about his comments on the oil sands and our supposed “petro dollar.” Erm, okay. Because that makes sense. Paul Wells further dissects that particular line of thinking here.

Diane Finley says that EI rules need teeth because too many people would rather be on EI than take a job that’s offered to them. No, really, she said that. And no, she won’t provide the guidelines that will outline what “suitable employment” will mean either but says it’ll be forthcoming. Or just trust her and pass the bill, in other words. What could possibly go wrong?

What’s that? The new fighter jet procurement secretariat is composed of the very same people who ballsed up the process the last time? You don’t say! Meanwhile, the Auditor General was back before Public Accounts committee and remains concerned that DND isn’t following their own costing guidelines.

One of NRTEE’s final reports shows that the delays in getting emissions regulations out to industry means decades of repercussions as industry continues with status quo infrastructure that doesn’t allow for changes to be made in time to meet emissions targets.

Among the government cuts are the police recruitment fund. The government claims it’s no longer needed, despite provinces and police associations saying otherwise.

The government’s latest “money-saving” distraction gimmick is the elimination of SIN cards. Not the numbers – just the cards. Let’s obsess over this and not talk about other issues, everyone!

Per that question from QP yesterday, here is more about the chair of the Veterans Appeal and Review Board and his trip to London.

And it appears that James Moore may have lost a $10,000 bet he made with Liberal MP Geoff Regan that there wouldn’t be amendments to the copyright bill. Well, there weren’t. Does Moore have to pay up now?