Diane Finley has unveiled her proposed EI reform regulations, and it seems to be a lot about twice-daily emails about “appropriate” jobs in the local area to EI recipients. Which is great – provided you have a computer and Internet access, and aren’t one of those poor schmucks who has to rely on their local library for the Internet, especially seeing as the federal funding for those library computers is now at an end. The changes will also track how often one claims EI, and start taking away benefits the more you claim it. Rona Ambrose likens it to E-Harmony for jobseekers. No, seriously. Meanwhile, here is some more reaction, plus Scott Brison relays concerns from the agricultural sector in his riding with regards to these reforms’ limits on temporary foreign workers, who they say the use of actually creates more jobs for local residents. Steve Murray casts his satirical eye on the situation here.
To say nothing about him personally, John Baird has been pretty vocal about promoting GBLT rights around the world in his capacity as foreign affairs minister. With that in mind, it’s awfully curious that he was speaking at an event sponsored by an anti-gay church on the topic of religious freedom. His speech, however, was pretty bland, and offered no real clues about the still undefined Office of Religious Freedoms.
The Conservatives sent out a glut of good news announcements yesterday, announcing the construction of new war memorials all over the country. Half a million dollars worth of new announcements, while the department of Veterans Affairs faces cuts. Fiscal austerity, everyone!
Opponents of the Lawful Access bill are keeping up their fight, as despite all appearances, the bill is not actually dead. Vic Toews has said that it will see the light of day once more in the fall.
Borys Wrzesnewskyj continues to allege that voter suppression did happen in his riding during the last election, even though that wasn’t the grounds by which the judge overturned the Etobicoke Centre results. Meanwhile, here’s a look at Ted Opitz’s campaign financing in the last election, while we wait to hear if he’ll challenge the ruling, and the Conservatives have invoked the ancient and obscure legal prohibition of “champerty and maintenance” to try to get those other six court challenges dismissed.
And Alberta premier Alison Redford is opening up an office in Ottawa to ensure her province’s interests get represented. Other provinces do this – notably Newfoudland and Labrador and Nova Scotia until recently, while Alberta closed their sixteen years ago. That said, it is kind of interesting when the Prime Minister’s riding and his party’s power base lie in the province, but the premier doesn’t feel adequately represented – not that anyone is admitted to a strained relationship.