Message of the day
“This is a pan-Canadian platform for teaching history.”
Questions not answered
Museums:
James Moore was on Power & Politics to discuss the rebranding of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Moore says that with five years until the 150th anniversary of Confederation, there are limited means for the federal government to celebrate the country’s history, and this move will allow history museums around the country to network with this central hub. He also said that the current museum is lacking in certain areas, like Acadian history, and that it’s wrong to criticize a project that hasn’t been completed yet.
Moore was then on Power Play, where he added that we already have a war museum, so this will not another one. Moore also added that as minister, he can’t tell the museum what it can or can’t display.
For his MP panel, Martin hosted James Rajotte, Roger Cuzner, and Megan Leslie. Leslie is sceptical of the change, saying there is a good thing going, so why change it? Cuzner says that if they can do the same good job as with the War Museum, then it’ll be a good move. Rajotte reassured them that it’ll be balanced and not a Conservative museum.
Solomon later had his own MP panel with Paul Calandra, Andrew Cash, and Scott Simms. Cash said there is a crisis in the sector, and that this $25 million creates a solution to problems that don’t exist. Simms hoped the money goes toward the smaller museums and collections rather than just signage. Calandra said not enough Canadians know about their history, and they need to find a way to better engage them.
McGuinty resignation:
On Power & Politics, Tim Hudak told Solomon that the resignation wasn’t too much of a surprise because he noted that McGuinty had lost his “fire in the belly,” and that the prorogation shuts down a committee hearing into gas plant cancellations that was supposed to meet next week. Andrea Horvath said that she was surprised by the resignation but not the prorogation, which she is afraid could last a long time.
On Power Play, Don Martin spoke to John Duffy, historian Michael Bliss, and Ottawa Mayor (and former Liberal MPP) Jim Watson, about the move and the state of the Liberal brand. Duffy said that parties aren’t always successful in restoring their fortunes by changing leaders while in power, and that the core of the provincial Liberal brand is healthcare and education. Watson said that the party is in relatively good shape financially and organizationally compared to the other two parties, which would serve it well before a likely spring election. Bliss said the sudden resignation as a means of renewal was akin to trying to repair a canoe hurtling down the rapids, and he’s not sure the centre can hold with an increasingly popular NDP.
Nuclear waste:
Solomon spoke with reporter Margo MacDiarmid about why the town of Hornepayne, ON, is bidding to become the final resting place for the country’s nuclear waste. The answer is jobs – the remote northern town is desperate for a way to save itself, and there would be some 800 jobs created with twice-daily shipments of waste for over 30 years that would be encased in copper and concrete and placed into a deep geological depository for the next million years.
Tax evasion:
Martin spoke to Senator Percy Downe about how the government was given a list of 106 names of Canadians with Lichtenstein bank accounts five years ago, and 1700 names of Canadians with Swiss accounts two years ago, and yet they have not yet laid any charges. Downe says that while other countries have engaged in tax-information sharing agreements, Canada has not, though the minister still insists they are “working on it.”
Senator Zimmer:
After the international media attention the couple received over the summer, Martin spoke to Senator Rod Zimmer and his wife, Maygan Sensenberger. Sensenberger has been cast in the lead role for a short film with a political theme about leading an all-female government in establishing world peace. Zimmer is supportive of the career move, and called the summer’s media circus to be a joke that spiralled out of control.