Roundup: Goguen makes everything worse

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The first of the witnesses with the prostitution bill appeared before the Commons justice committee in its special summer session yesterday, starting with Peter MacKay, who admitted that they got no outside legal advice as to the bill’s constitutionality, and everything has a chance of being sent before the Supreme Court, so he’s just shrugging it all off. Um, okay. Way to go doing the responsible thing in crafting sound laws that will pass constitutional muster, and all of that, guys. Well done. As for MacKay’s assertion that yes, the intent is to criminalize prostitution, the bill pretty much goes about doing that in the most backward and arbitrary way possible rather than just outright criminalizing it, thus setting it up for yet another defeat by the Supreme Court. Oh, but don’t forget – we’re on a deadline of mid-December, so MPs need to hurry it up. And amidst all of the other testimony around the bill, both for and against, Robert Goguen, the parliamentary secretary, decided to be clever at one point and ask one of the government-friendly witnesses, who had been trafficked into prostitution from Hungary, whether the police bursting in while she was being gang-raped would violate her freedom of expression, since someone said that the bill contravenes that Charter right. And then the nation’s collective heads exploded. Apparently Goguen confuses prostitution with rape (it’s not), trafficking with prostitution (they are not the same and trafficking remains illegal), and because sections around communication and advertising have anything to do with the illegality of rape? It’s so stunningly brain dead that it defies logic how he possibly thought he could have been scoring any points with it. Manitoba’s Attorney General thinks that the Nordic Model is great, but the current bill has problems and he doesn’t want to see any sex workers criminalised, not that criminalising their clients actually makes them any safer since it drives them underground regardless.

There is speculation that Harper may make an official visit to China in November, in advance of the APEC leaders meeting, and shortly before the G20 summit in Australia.

The next round of wireless spectrum auctions are going to be geared toward getting new players into the market, as we continue to live in hope for that fourth national carrier that never seems to be able to make it over the hurdle.

Negotiations for new public service contracts have begun, with a particular focus on competitive pay and overhauling the layoff process, while the government wants to deal more with pension overhaul and the unions want better benefits for the basis of long-term career goals. Meanwhile, all 17 federal public service unions have refused to participate in consultations around transforming banked sick days into short-term disability, saying it needs to be hammered out at the bargaining table instead.

Public service performance-pay bonuses are down in most government departments, though in some arm’s length agencies and Officers of Parliament’s offices, the bonus pay remains at the top of the scale.

Here’s an interview with the head of the Canadian Army about the state of budget cuts in the military.

Access to Information documents showed confusion and chaos at DND headquarters as Peter MacKay insisted on moving up the unveiling of an Afghan War memorial to be displayed around Canada Dominion Day last year, up on Parliament Hill, giving the families almost no time to prepare to see it being unveiled. Speculation about the change in timing has to do with the rumours of the upcoming cabinet shuffle, during which MacKay was sent from Defence to Justice.

Oh look – more security theatre, coming to an airport near you!

Dean Del Mastro’s lawyer is trying to make the case that those backdated invoices could have been altered. Because it’s all a frame job?

While it appeared that the private Christian college that appears to still be headed by our religious freedom ambassador appears to be winding down its operations, it’s apparently just switching to unincorporated status for administrative reasons. Also, Dr. Andrew Bennett may still be the dean on paper, but he has no administrative responsibilities, apparently, but he does still teach a course there. For the record.

Here’s a debate between Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan and energy economist Andrew Leach about the economics of refining in Alberta, which sounds like it’s a good thing but it’s a lot more complicated than that.

Andrew Coyne suggests replacing corporate income tax with a cash-flow tax.

And Pundit’s Guide crunches a few more numbers around the Trinity–Spadina by-election, and what the poll-by-poll results look like under the new boundaries, and it’s not good news for the NDP.

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