The National Post has an in-depth look at the issue of senators sitting on corporate boards, and it’s an interesting conversation but I’m not sure the tone of moralising really helps things. I think it needs to be more clearly acknowledged that until recently, most of these were “trophy appointments” on boards to give them prestige, and there was little real work involved. With recent changes in corporate governance, there is more of a due diligence model that is evolving with is becoming more onerous for senators to be involved with. And also with all due respect to Senator Hugh Segal, the work of the Senate is more than 80 or 90 days per year, given that most senators have a lot of committee work that extends beyond the sitting days of the chamber itself, as well as work on other projects that they are championing. I’m not sure that it’s as scandalous that the Senate rules are evolving to reflect these new realities, but we also need to be aware that in relative terms, most Senators don’t make a lot of money from being a Senator. It’s far less than an MP earns, and as has been stated many a time, most Senators take a pay cut upon appointment after an established career. I’m not sure that insisting they live lives of high-minded privation helps anyone. There were also arguments to be had that these kinds of directorships and activities were way by which Senators could still keep their feet in the “real world,” rather than to cloister themselves in the ivory tower that is the Red Chamber. As well, comparisons to the American Senate are not really applicable given the enormous differences between the two institutions, but they’re both called Senates, so it’s easy and lazy to try and cross-compare. So like I said – good conversation to have, but there are far more factors and context at play that should be recognized beyond the scope of this article.
Legislation passed last year to modernise the RCMP’s organisation may wind up having the effect of making it easier to discharge those officers who suffer from a disability or PTSD as a result of their duties, whereas the previous system would keep them on the payroll until the matter is settled properly. While the government says it wants to keep grievances from being in the system for years and affecting morale, critics argue that it puts too much power in the Commissioner’s hands.
Retired general Walt Natynczyk, now heading the Canadian Space Agency, is insisting that his appointment doesn’t spell the militarisation of the Agency. While Natynczyk talks about priorities like getting another astronaut on the International Space Station, it is worth noting that the CSA was doing a lot of projects – mostly satellites – with the military far before Natynczyk was appointed, so it would seem that the fears of militarisation were a bit overblown.
The federal government’s changed formula for refugee settlement funding means that BC is losing the money that they used towards helping traumatised refugees get some mental health services that help them integrate. Oh, but don’t worry, the government says – they’re still committed to helping refugees. They just think that these kinds of services should be taken care of by the provinces, even though refugees are a federal responsibility. But no, they’re totally not trying to deal with the deficit by downloading responsibilities onto the provinces, no sir.
Nearly half of the Royal Canadian Navy’s vessels are under repair or being upgraded, which is severely impacting our state of readiness, and it could get worse as aging ships get pulled from service before replacements are ready (such as our supply tenders).
Aaron Wherry has provided a rough guide to the Fair Elections Act, if you still have outstanding questions about it. Meanwhile, Senator Linda Frum continues her media tour about the bill, calling vouching “problematic” based on the same out-of-context reading of the Neufeld report that Poilievre swears by, but says that they need alternatives to vouching.
Here’s a look at the dwindling number of original Reform Party MPs who will be left after the next election, now that most of them are retiring. Among those remaining six is Stephen Harper, who, to be fair, took a few years off in between and hasn’t sat consecutively like the others.
Here’s a look at the government Gift Bank, where our politicians and high-ranking officials select gifts for their counterparts when the visit, or when our officials visit them.
Susan Delacourt makes a modest proposal about voter ID cards, treated as a coming-of-age ritual akin to either citizenship ceremonies, and a marketing idea that the parties have yet to adopt. What could possibly go wrong?
And Her Majesty got a new photographic portrait done for her 88th birthday, and it’s really quite lovely, showing a definite sense of humour.
Programming note: I am out of town this week, so there will be no roundup posts in my absence. I am planning a special surprise post on Wednesday afternoon, however, so tune in then. And be sure to follow my adventures on the Twitter Machine @journo_dale.