Jen Gerson: The new western conservative party’s plan is re-create the Bloc Québécois, and carve out a quasi-independent subnational entity just like Quebec
Tag Archives: Jay Hill
The quantifiable rise of partisanship
Fifteen minutes a day to say what you want
Jay Hill’s arguments against the Reform Act
The former whip has some concerns
No time for debate
While the Liberals complain that the budget implementation act received just four days of House debate at second reading—15 seconds per page, the Liberals figure—two former government House leaders defend the practice of “time allocation.”
Au revoir, Chuck Strahl and John Cummins
The Transport Minister and the Conservative backbencher will also refrain from seeking reelection. Both were members of the Reform party’s class of 1993.
MPs get bookish – Politics & the Pen
At this year’s Politics & the Pen gala, Anna Porter took home the $25 000 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for political writing for her book The Ghosts of Europe: Journeys Through Central Europe’s Troubled Past and Uncertain Future. Below, Porter with House Leader John Baird.
Jim Prentice’s goodbye bash
Former cabinet minister Jim Prentice held a goodbye party before the House rose. Prentice (left) with Justice Minister Rob Nicholson.
A plea for decency
I wasn’t in the House this afternoon on account of other commitments, but I’m told that shortly after Question Period, Speaker Peter Milliken rose to rule on a point of order previously raised by Liberal Derek Lee. Mr. Lee complained last month that a statement by Conservative MP Phil McColeman should have been ruled out of order as a personal attack on Liberal Mark Holland. That the time allotted for statements by members—15 minutes each day normally reserved for noting charitable causes, the accomplishments of constituents and such—was being used to launch partisan attacks was identified as a problem last March by Speaker Milliken, a problem he attempted to addresses with limited success.
In memoriam
The concept of ministerial accountability was born on the morning of May 25, 2010, invoked so as to protect ministerial staff from having to testify before parliamentary committees. It lived a short, but fitful life.
Mini-election
With Jay Hill announcing his departure and the Bloc’s Jean-Yves Roy expected to soon follow, as many as five ridings may now be officially put in play before year’s end. Pundits Guide circles December 13 on the calendar.