There was quite the commotion yesterday morning as the mayor of Montreal was arrested on corruption charges, but possibly more interesting was Saulie Zajdel, a former “regional advisor to the Minister of Heritage,” otherwise known as the Shadow MP that the Conservatives installed in Irwin Cotler’s riding. It was on Zajdel’s behalf that the Conservatives robocalled Cotler’s riding with the misleading message that Cotler planned to retire and would they support Zajdel in a by-election that followed – an action that the Speaker termed “reprehensible.” In QP, James Moore tried to put some distance between himself and Zajdel, saying that the charges stemmed to Zajdel’s time as a city counsellor and his role in the regional office was coordinating events, and more telling, giving the blunt statement that if Zajdel was found to have broken the law that they should throw the book at him.
On the Justin Trudeau file, it seems that the Saskatoon literacy conference that he spoke at, and which premier Brad Wall was so concerned about, doesn’t want their money back because they were pleased with the performance, as were a number of other charities and organisations that Trudeau spoke at. One other organisation that lost money was still pleased with his performance. Meanwhile, the plot thickens as to why this particular charity complained, and why that complaint was directed to the PMO. As it turns out, the husband of one of its board members is part of Conservative MP Rob Moore’s riding association, and it was admitted that he directed that letter to the PMO. And while people in the organisation do admit that they didn’t do their jobs with promoting the event well enough, the finances of that charity also call into question given the amount being spent on staff and administration. Elsewhere, the PMO is sending out unsoliticed emails to local media outlets about other Trudeau speaking events that lost money – including one that was before his time as an MP, for which the Barrie Advance outed the PMO’s attempt. Althia Raj looks closer at the issue of MPs who earn a secondary income, and there are a lot of them – more Conservatives than those of any other party.
In his brief to the Ontario Superior Court, Senator Mac Harb says that the Senate authorised his living and travel expense claims back in 2003, and that he was denied his basic legal rights by the Senate’s proceedings which demanded that he repay those expenses. (The court documents can be found here). Meanwhile, Senator Patrick Brazeau has sent out questions to the rest of the Senate about the way his audit was handled (remember, he is the only one who passed all four of the residency requirements laid out), but all of them continue to cast him as the victim. In the event that you need a refresher, here is a timeline of the Senate expenses issue to date.
A former Senate staffer and one-time Conservative candidate is now under investigation by the RCMP’s commercial crime division over a role he may have played in questionable contracting for the West Block’s north tower renovation contract.
The Public Service Integrity Commissioner is launching an investigation into the practices of the head of Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation for “gross mismanagement,” especially when it comes to hiring people with Conservative ties.
A witness in the Elections Canada investigation into Dean Del Mastro’s election expense case is complaining to Stephen Harper and the Speaker that Del Mastro gratuitously slandered him under the protection of Parliamentary privilege.
Lockheed Martin has signed a deal with CAE to provide F-35 training simulators, in anticipation of the Canadian programme resuming, or to possibly try to “sweeten the deal” if it goes to a full-blown competition.
At the G8 meeting in Northern Ireland, the US-EU free trade talks were unveiled, while Harper was talking tough to Vladimir Putin about the question of Syria. Paul Wells looks back at how the Canada-EU free trade deal has been “several weeks away” for years now.
Brent Rathgeber reflects on the ten days since he left caucus, and the difference between the role of a backbencher in holding the government to account and the partisan conception of needing to be a “team player.”
Here is a look at how Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin is now the longest-serving Chief Justice in Canadian history – and she’s still got another six years left in her term.
And during Members’ Statements yesterday, Michelle Rempel delivered this ode to the honour of the job, and the plea for everyone to respect parliament for remain just that – honourable.