While considering the challenges posed by the new frontier of cyber-security and hacker attacks, Senator Pamela Wallin says that the government shouldn’t introduce more regulation, but should rely on businesses to report breaches and for people to educate themselves about staying safe from cyber-criminals. Um, yeah – good luck with that – which was pretty much the opinion of experts, who say that more regulation is pretty much necessary to force companies to do something about their cyber-security.
In a not un-related fun story that looks at the Order of Precedence, PostMedia wonders what would happen if we suffered a Cylon attack. As astute viewers of Battlestar Galactica will remember, Laura Roslin was 42nd in line when she became president after everyone else was wiped out in the attack. In Canada, there are 37 names on the list – err, except that this is simply the cabinet list. After that, there are provisions that would allow for the Queen or Governor General to ensure that there was a continuity of government.
Kady O’Malley looks at the proposition for those other committees to study the various aspects of Omnibus Budget Bill 2: The Revenge, and finds that because of the Remembrance Day constituency week, there are a mere six sitting days for committee study, which in practice will be less because of time spent selecting witnesses and drafting reports.
There are warnings about costs spiralling out of control in the oil sands, which could drive away investment if the price of oil doesn’t remain high enough to absorb it. Which is really nothing new – Peter Lougheed was calling for a moratorium on development a few years ago because the economy was overheated, and costs were rising at an alarming rate because of shortages. I wonder how much of that remains relevant.
Delving into that suspect and possibly “corporate” donation to Peter Penashue’s campaign, it seems that the six executives’ donations were deposited as a single cheque – which could be proof that something more suspect did indeed take place.
The cost of the West Block renovations has crossed over the billion-dollar mark – or on paper, anyway. The department says that it’s because it includes the costs or relocating offices and the work on the Sir John A. Macdonald building across the street, where the ballroom from the West Block will be relocating.
It has also been revealed that the costs to date of bringing back our supplies and equipment from Afghanistan and reconditioning it – without including personnel costs and such – has exceeded $651 million, which wasn’t helped by the loss of our base in the Emirates.
The long-gun registry data is now officially destroyed, with the exception of the records from Quebec, which were protected thanks to a court case.
Here’s an interesting interview with the Official Languages Commissioner, who dispels a number of myths about the supposed decline of French in Canada, and shows how the systems are actually working.
Former MP Bill Casey wants parliamentary committees to reflect a regional balance in their composition – a nice enough ideal, but considering how regionally concentrated certain parties are, I’m not sure how feasible it is. While there is a federal principle to cabinet construction in this country, I don’t think we simply have enough MPs to make this feasible over every standing committee.
Here is your recap of last night’s rather scattershot political shows.
And Susan Delacourt looks at the analysis of Justin Trudeau’s political Twitter activity.