Roundup: Ham-fisting a simple request

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The signs of the current government’s incompetence at handling the big files are numerous, but recent revelations about their anti-terrorism legislation just may take the cake. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press show that last year, Canadian intelligence services said that they were looking for “significant improvements” to information sharing between the various agencies – but they wanted them within the existing legislative framework. They didn’t need all kinds of new powers or expanded mandates, and yet, the government turn around and brought in C-51, which did just that. Because this government, after almost a decade in office, apparently doesn’t know what they’re doing, gave the intelligence services a ham-fisted, overly broad new suite of powers that they didn’t need – or even want, if these documents are to be believed – because they had managed to terrify themselves thanks to a couple of lone-wolf attacks on home soil. They drafted a bill that was so sloppy and terrible that every expert on the subject could hardly believe it. And their inept communications strategy around the bill managed to get every civil society group up in arms over it, creating a second sweep of paranoia (despite the fact that no, the bill had nothing to do with trying to expand surveillance to civil society groups or use terrorists as cover for trying to bring the hammer down on First Nations – a simple look at the fact that the government has underfunded CSIS and the RCMP will tell you pretty much everything you need to know about their intentions). It looks to be just one more example of where this government once again rejected expert advice in order to make themselves look like they were getting tough on terrorism – as effectively as they’ve gotten “tough on crime” – and they managed to balls things up for themselves and everyone else in the process. Would that we could have some grown-ups leading this country for a change.

Good reads:

  • Here is more about the Senate inquiry into leaks of the AG’s report, where they are concerned that the leaks started before the reports were delivered to the Senate.
  • Instead of holding a gathering at 24 Sussex for parliamentarians and their families, this year Harper held it for the families of soldiers deployed to Iraq.
  • Diane Finley says the Joint Support Ship construction will get underway on time. Her optimism is so precious.
  • The former Chief Electoral Officer says new third party advertisers – result of the fixed election date – undoes years of work of getting big money out of politics.
  • In advance of a crucial meeting on the Victims of Communism memorial, the board of the National Capital Commission was shuffled.
  • Rob Nicholson apparently has nothing better to do as a minister than attack Justin Trudeau. Neither, it seems, does Rona Ambrose.
  • Money Sense crunched the numbers on the Liberal versus Conservative family tax plans. (Sorry singletons – nothing for you. Again).
  • Kady O’Malley takes us through Elections Canada’s Opinions, Guidelines and Interpretations Registry.
  • Laura Payton’s series on maternal and child health looks at the ways that gains are limited by budgets and short timelines.

Odds and ends:

Paul Wells has an exit interview with James Rajotte.

Marjory LeBreton’s nakedly self-serving legacy-building farewell tour continues to roll along…

Dean Del Mastro is due to be sentenced today in his election overspending conviction, and has already filed his appeal of the verdict.