Lots of news on the Elections Canada front yesterday, starting with word that they are investigating Dean Del Mastro’s campaign financing activities. You know, Del Mastro, who has been one of the government’s attack dogs on this whole file, suddenly humbled and looking quite contrite when he made a surprise appearance on Power & Politics last night. But then again, when you’re looking at five years in prison and $5000 in fines, that could humble a person. Meanwhile, the NDP refuse to say how much they needed to pay back and to whom, after Elections Canada ruled that some union sponsorship of their 2011 convention was out of bounds. Because apparently transparency requirements are only for the other parties.
Ted Opitz wants the Supreme Court to hear his appeal against overturning the Etobicoke Centre election results on October 6th, the first available date on the Court’s fall session, and that they have all of their responses filed by August 31st. Is this expeditious, and considering they’re already blanketing the riding with voter identification calls, does this draw out the process even more unnecessarily?
A new official Canadian portrait of the Queen was unveiled yesterday in London. It’s so big that the Queen joked they may have to rebuild Rideau Hall. I’m just glad it replaces that awful, awful Jean-Paul Lemieux portrait that’s been there for years (albeit has currently been shunted to the Citadel in Quebec City). Here’s a bit more about Harper’s Diamond Jubilee trip to London.
The four Atlantic premiers got together to send a strongly worded letter to Harper about the proposed changes to EI.
While Harper has been putting pressure on the caucus to defeat Stephen Woodworth’s crypto-anti-abortion motion, it seems that the last hour of debate has been delayed until the fall due to family illness.
What’s that? Canada’s information security is vulnerable to cyber attacks? You don’t say!
Part two of the series on how the Conservatives soured on the environment takes a close look at the changes to the Fisheries Act.
In case you were wondering, Bev Oda still hasn’t offered an explanation as to why she’s been retroactively changing her expense reports.
As Bob Rae gets closer to making a decision as to whether or not he’ll honour the promise to his wife that he won’t run to be permanent leader, here’s a look at how such a race is shaping up.
And Brian Mulroney stopped by Parliament Hill before heading to a fundraising dinner, and got a bit of the rock start treatment from the tourist crowds.