contempt
Election 2011: Respecting Parliament
From the Canadian Election Study data, responses to the statement, “The Conservatives have been disrespectful towards Parliament.”
What the House of Commons demanded
When the Harper government was found in contempt of Parliament a year ago, its breach had much to do with an order to produce documents that was moved by the finance committee. Much of the debate over that order and the Speaker’s ruling on that order concerned the cost of corporate tax cuts and the Harper government’s various crime bills. But within that the finance committee’s demand was a clause that dealt specifically with the F-35.
The committee also orders that the Government of Canada provide the committee with electronic copies of the following … All documents that outline acquisition costs, lifecycle costs, and operational requirements associated with the F-35 program and prior programs (CF-18). Such documents include but are not limited to the Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) and the report of the US Department of Defence’s Joint Estimating Team (JET) both relating to the F-35;
No consequence, no accountability
The government’s crime bill will pass Parliament without an accounting of its cost.
Mr. Harper, there’s a call for you on the Bananaphone
Raffi has some requests of the Prime Minister.
‘This is a scary election for Peter Russell’
The constitutional expert is worried about this election.
‘Does that irk you?’
From Dawna Friesen’s one-on-one interview with Stephen Harper.
Contempt and consent
Dan Gardner talks to Peter Russell and considers what this election will mean for the future of Parliament.
‘It’s about what kind of politics we’re going to have in this country’
Michael Ignatieff talks to the Star.
Near miss
Not only does this reckless, unnecessary, opportunistic election imperil everything you hold dear, it also deprived Bev Oda her place in the history books.
The Commons: And so it begins
Shortly after the bells chimed to signal three-quarters past nine—after the Prime Minister had gone to Rideau Hall and after the Governor General had formally dropped the writs—Michael Ignatieff walked out from under the Peace Tower and stepped into the sun.
‘The only course of action that remains’
The Prime Minister’s statement to reporters after his government was defeated in the House.
‘It is time for a change’
With all the usual caveats about Mr. Ignatieff’s general willingness to stick to a script, here is the prepared text for his speech to the House of Commons this morning.