As expected, Stephen Harper has denounced the “referendum” in Crimea, and said that it would lead to further isolation for Vladimir Putin. Said vote, which was done on ten days notice, with no voters list, and with the only options of seceding from Ukraine or seceding from Ukraine and joining Russia, is said to have a result of 95 percent in favour of joining Russia, but given that it’s illegitimate and dubious at best when conducted under what amounts to military occupation, it’s only real use will be for Putin to legitimise his occupation of the region. (Incidentally, Justin Trudeau tweeted that the government did the right thing to condemn the vote; Thomas Mulcair tweeted a photo of himself pouring beers for St. Patrick’s Day).
It seems that misuse of public assets and “serious breaches” of the values and ethics code at the Communications and Security Establishment, brought to light by a whistleblower, has led them to boost training and improve oversight. But because CSE is so secretive, we don’t know what those breaches were, or how they’re actually being addressed.
Owners of those rifles that have recently been reclassified as prohibited weapons will get a two-year amnesty from criminal prosecution, thanks to the government.
Paul Wells looks at the legal issues around Quebec sovereignty, and how it’s basically a constitutional nightmare – the one big reason why the PQ really doesn’t want to talk about ithose realities on the campaign trail. And while he’s on the subject, Wells also learns that the legal challenge to Quebec’s Law 99 won’t take place until September 2016. Seriously.
Murray Brewster of The Canadian Press has been in Kabul for the Canadian pullout and has been writing a series of stories reflecting on our time there – about the uphill battle that veterans now face at home, the way that Canada is looking to help the Afghan economy through mining operations in that country, that Taliban propaganda is claiming that they have defeated the Canadians, and that the families of fallen soldiers wonder whether it was all worthwhile.
The Canadian Press also got a look at the audits that raised red flags at Aboriginal Affairs and prompted them to launch their own audit of the Métis National Council’s management and financial practices.
As the cases of suspended Senator Patrick Brazeau and former Senator Mac Harb go before the courts this week, the Senate is continuing to look at ways to cut back on their administrative staff, which is at nearly 400 – but that also includes committee clerks and financial officers, so perhaps the number of staff needs to be put into proper context without the cheap outrage machine of the Canadian Taxpayer Federation declaring arbitrarily that it’s too high. Oh, wait – too late.
The Calgary West nomination race between incumbent Rob Anders and former MLA Ron Liepert is getting heated.
And Alberta premier Alison Redford had a “brutal” but respectful meeting with the PC board of directors over the weekend, and while they say they are still united in supporting her, the party is nevertheless coming up with a “work plan” for her going forward, which could be interesting to see what it will entail.