A leaked government report gives a rather stinging indictment of the Sea King helicopter replacement procurement, calling it flawed from the outset. At the time, the government treated it like they were buying “off-the-shelf” helicopters, but with so many procurements, the military loaded it up with new specifications until it was no longer “off-the-shelf,” but was rather something that should have been treated like an in-development contract. And so we get delays, and penalties, and intransigence. The report recommends re-scoping the contract in order to treat it as an in-development project so that they can start accepting delivery of helicopters and phasing in new features, but there’s no word on if the government will accept this proposal or not, or if they’ll just continue to blame the Liberals for it rather than taking responsibility or action.
While the whole of the Liberal caucus is set to post their expenses online starting September 18th using the ministerial proactive disclosure model, one Conservative senator, Bob Runciman, is pledging to also post his expenses, though one assumes that they mean in a more detailed form than the quarterly expenses reports that Senators already post publicly (unlike MPs). “Elected” Conservative Senator Doug Black already posts his expenses, and he wrote an op-ed in the Globe and Mail to offer his “seven-point plan” to clean up the Senate. Most of the suggestions have been recycled from elsewhere, and he seems oblivious to the reasons why the Chamber’s proceedings have not been broadcast to date (largely because there wasn’t an accessible venue to do so until recently), but at least he recognises the value of the Chamber and its role, which is a good start.
Laura Stone has lunch with Senator Marjory LeBreton, who defends the appointments of Wallin and Duffy, and calls Brazeau a “tragedy” who had so much potential that he squandered. She also, curiously, referred to him as a “failed experiment,” but we’re not exactly sure what the experiment was supposed to be. PostMedia’s senator profile series looks at Senator Donald Oliver, Canada’s second black Senator, and he reflects on how much the country has changed for racial minorities in his lifetime. Also profiled is Conservative Senator Denise Batters, who is an advocate for mental health issues after the suicide of her husband, former MP Dave Batters.
Incidentally, the Senate is looking for a new financial clerk, but warns that the job will likely entail conflict with the Senators whose claims that the clerk would be processing or possibly denying.
David Orchard quite rightfully takes umbrage with Peter MacKay’s characterisation of the agreement that they signed that would allow MacKay to take over the PC party back in 2003, in which MacKay promised not to merge with the Reform/Alliance party, but to which MacKay now claims the agreement gave him permission to. Too bad for MacKay that Orchard still has the agreement in writing, which makes MacKay all the more uncomfortable as Attorney General of this country.
What’s that? The Economic Action Plan™ stimulus funding was a jackpot for Quebec construction firms engaged in bid rigging? You don’t say!
There are cries of outrage with a request for proposal for a study to look at familial and criminal gang connections with the trafficking of Aboriginal women and girls, saying that it amounts to “victim blaming.”
Independent MP Bruce Hyer has written to the Governor General to try and avoid prorogation. Seriously? Is it too much to ask that our MPs have a shred of civic literacy? At least enough to know that the GG acts on advice? Or that prorogation is a normal thing and that it’s actually due for one given the exhausted and moribund legislative agenda? Cripes.
Maclean’s Michael Petrou outlines the problems with a “limited response” by the Americans in Syria.
Canadian troops begin the withdrawal from the training mission in Afghanistan next month, to be completed by March, but at least one study is showing that the Afghan National Army needs more time, training and resources if they are to fully take control of their country’s increasingly volatile security situation – especially as violent attacks are on the rise.
The Cabinet won’t ask the CRTC to revisit its decision to allow advertising on CBC Radio.
Joan Bryden notes that Senator Serge Joyal’s factum in the Supreme Court reference on Senate reform is the only one to mention the regional veto brought into law by Jean Chrétien, which makes constitutional amendments even more difficult to achieve.
Aaron Wherry speaks with one of the founders of the Marijuana Party, who later left to join the Liberals, about Justin Trudeau and the state of the marijuana debate in this country.
And here it is – the cover of the much-ballyhooed Stephen Harper hockey book. Woo.