Lord and Smith Commission, Episode 10

My friend Destine Lord and I have a new video up, in which we talk about the framing device around faux “carbon taxes,” and the political games with MP pensions.

Roundup: Framing the faux-debate

As the whole carbon tax faux-debate continues to rage unabated, it turns out that the Conservatives’ sector-by-sector regulatory approach has a lot of hidden costs to it. Bruce Cheadle delves into how the faux-debate is all about framing the issue, no matter how true or false it actually may be.

Changes to MP pensions may mean lifting the freeze on their salaries. The Liberals are demanding that the changes be in a separate bill, so that they can support it. Of course, the likely calculation is that the changes will be put into an otherwise unpalatable omnibus bill so that the Conservatives can accuse them of trying to protect their pensions.

Plans to allow American law enforcement agents to pursue suspects across land borders are “on hold” while they sort out legal issues.

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Roundup: Fictional carbon taxes

The first day back in the Commons, and all anyone can talk about is whether or not the NDP was proposing a carbon tax. Which they weren’t. But hey, why not use this hysteria as a distraction from actual debate? Van Loan laid out what the plans were for the fall – new budget implementation bill, which will likely include changes to MP pensions, RCMP bill, more tough on crime measures – but the Lawful Access bill was notably absent. Amidst the whole Conservative/NDP carbon tax vs. cap-and-trade punch and counter-punch, economist Stephen Gordon lays out the economic differences between the two.

Oh noes! Government backbenchers are showing a bit of backbone and having independent thought. We The Media must immediately crush this by writing “IS STEPHEN HAPRER LOSING CONTROL OF HIS CAUCUS?” stories.

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Roundup post: Parliament’s back!

Hey everyone – Parliament is back today! Yes, I’m quite giddy with excitement. The Conservatives are gearing up to attack the NDP quite aggressively. Thomas Mulcair, incidentally, wants Harper to get the Conservatives to stop lying about his supposed “carbon tax” plan.

The CNOOC-Nexen deal is exposing some fault-lines in the Conservative party, going right up to the cabinet level, between those who recognise the need for better trade deals, and those anti-communists suspicious of the Chinese regime.

Some Conservative MPs are dealing with the fallout out budget cuts in their ridings, and hoping to change a few minds in cabinet.

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Roundup: The road to 2015

From the NDP caucus meeting in St. John’s, Thomas Mulcair made a speech about their “positive, optimistic” future, and how the road to 2015 starts now. As part of that road, the party plans to target youth voters in the next election. Meanwhile, MPs have reaffirmed their belief that 50 percent-plus-one is enough for Quebec to separate, which has the Liberals sounding like they plan to put a motion on the Order Paper about support for the Clarity Act this fall.

The Liberals have formally announced the rules for their leadership contest, which kicks off in November. While We The Media wait to hear whether or not Justin Trudeau will run (who says the party needs teamwork and not a saviour), we’re now getting musings from Jim Karygiannis (aka “Jimmy K”) and Joyce Murray.

Pauline Marois referred to herself as “Head of State.” Um, no. That’s the Queen. You might be the province’s head of government (provided that you can maintain the confidence of the Chamber in a minority context), but you’re not the Head of State. Not even close.

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Roundup: Green infrastructure dollars diverted

It looks like the Conservatives have been using their billion dollar “green infrastructure fund” to help fund pipelines and forestry projects. Liberal John McCallum has asked the Auditor General to investigate the fund, but hasn’t received word yet.

The government has also spent over $86,000 in rebranding the “Harper government” in government communications. It’s not really a big number in context, but age of austerity, and all of that.

Thomas Mulcair defended his comments on the resource sector at the provincial NDP convention in Saskatchewan last weekend. According to Mulcair, people from Saskatchewan believe the polluter should pay, which is what he’s trying to say. Mulcair, meanwhile, joined forces to Pauline Marois to slam Harper as being anti-Quebec in the wake of the “secret meeting” with Mulroney. Harper’s Quebec lieutenant, Christian Paradis, says his government is ready to work with the PQ if they get elected. Oh, how I wish there was a QP today for this to come up in.

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Roundup: A too-predictable sympathetic report

The NDP have release their “report” on their “consultations” on the omnibus budget bill around the country. Their condemnation comes from having panels stuffed with representatives from sympathetic groups, and by avoiding Alberta or any regions whose economies are dependent on resource extraction. Funny how that happens. Meanwhile, they’re also promising some 200 deletion amendments at report stage of the bill in the Commons, which on top of Elizabeth May’s 50 substantive amendments and the 200 deletion amendments she’s working with the Liberals on means that there could be 30 hours or so of votes, depending on what the Speaker rules to be in order or how he groups them.

It cost $47,000 for Peter MacKay and company to put on the photo op with the mock-up F-35 when the government announced they initially were going to be buying those planes.

The NDP wants to charge the deputy minister of DND with contempt of parliament over his testimony on the F-35s. And while this drama unfolds in the Public Accounts Committee, Liberal MP Gerry Byrne charges that the NDP has been doing a lot of in camera cooperation with the Conservatives in order to try to stick it to the Liberals. Sigh.

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Roundup: Victoria Day Diamond Jubilee Royal Tour Edition

Happy Victoria Day, everyone! Be sure to raise a glass in honour of Victoria, the first Queen of Canada, as well as in honour of the official birthday of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, the present Queen of Canada. In case you didn’t realise, Victoria Day is actually a distinctly Canadian holiday not celebrated by anyone else.

Speaking of the Canadian royal family, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have arrived and begin their brief royal tour in New Brunswick today, before heading to Toronto later on for the Victoria Day fireworks there.

Thomas Mulcair, digging his heels in on the “Dutch disease” issue, declares that this will be the defining issue for the next election. You know, not a scandal-plagued and incompetent government with heavy-headed and dictatorial tendencies, but something that the Conservatives can rouse their Western base about, along with any other region that is involved in resource extraction. That’s tactical genius at work.

Voter-identification robo-calls have already started in Etobicoke Centre, and the by-election hasn’t even been called yet. Because apparently it’s never too early to get started on this kind of work. Meanwhile, Pundit’s Guide breaks down the riding’s recent electoral history and the dynamics at play.

Peter MacKay indicates that we won’t be extending our current training mission in Afghanistan.

Instead of providing a reasonable explanation why Environment Canada was dumping a bunch of office furniture rather than recycling it, Peter Kent’s office decided to go the route of blaming the media and calling the story “false.” Transparency and accountability, everyone!

Here’s a strange little tale about mysterious Canadian bank accounts in Liechtenstein.

And Lisa Raitt is cautioning CP Rail to think twice about striking. Because she’s apparently not afraid to drop the hammer – again.