ten percenters

A Conservative senator defends the Senate’s decision to allow senators to continue sending partisan attacks through the mail, just so long as they don’t attack other senators.

The government that wants—on “principle”—to end the vote subsidy for political parties, finds a new way to use public funds for partisan purposes.

The Board of Internal Economy has tabled its latest report of MP expenses. The second biggest expenditure line: ten percenters. Seems the Canadian public was charged $10,182,707.71 for the printing of partisan flotsam during the last fiscal year.

As of April 1, MPs will have to restrict their junk mail to their own constituents.

Government is not closing the door on contraception: Bev Oda

Steven Fletcher, minister of state for democratic reform, Monday. “On the issue of the ten percenters, I do not know what the party opposite has against freedom of speech. I do not know what the party opposite has against the rights of Canadians for a public discourse. Canadians have the good sense to know what information they can find valuable. They do not need the Liberal Party of Canada to censor what they see. Canadians can judge for themselves what is relevant to their lives, to tell what information is valuable to them, and also it is an opportunity to see what other parties stand for. Everyone has equal privileges to these ten percenters. It is a way of ensuring that Canadians are informed. It improves public discourse and it is a way to improve our democracy. We live in the best country in the world and the best time in human history to be alive. The Conservative Party is the party that will ensure that Canada remains glorious and free.”

In something of a surprise—at least to me as I sat in the gallery waiting for Francine Lalonde’s bill to be debated—the NDP stood Tuesday evening and voted in favour of a Liberal motion that directs an end to the practice of ten-percenters. Those votes, together with those of the Bloc Quebecois, were just enough for the motion to pass by a count of 140-137.

Buried in a Liberal motion yesterday was a proposal that the House direct “its Board of Internal Economy to take all necessary steps to end immediately the wasteful practice of Members sending mass mailings, known as ‘ten-percenters,’ into ridings other than their own, which could represent another saving to taxpayers of more than $10 million.”

The Conservative MP seems vaguely uncomfortable with the tone of recent ten-percenters.

After Question Period just now, Navdeep Bains rose on a point of order to allege that Vic Toews, Conservative frontbencher and president of the treasury board, had used a “gun-like gesture” during QP.

James Rajotte, in Question Period yesterday. Mr. Speaker, as Canada continues to cope with the effects of the global economic recession, it remains essential for the federal government and for federal agencies to spend tax dollars wisely.

Chris Selley considers Carolyn Bennett’s week.