Stephane Dion has been elected Canadian Liberal Party leader at a convention in Montreal. Barely third (by two votes) on last night's first ballot, Dion gained support today through each of the next three ballots he needed to reach the 50%+1 level. An Quebec academic known for his federalist writings, he was originally recruited by former PM Jean Chrétien to fight Quebec separatists in the mid-nineties. He served as intergovernmental affairs minister for several years under Chrétien, then later organized the UN Climate Change summit as environment minister. He now goes to Ottawa as Leader of the Opposition, in hopes of soon replacing current PM Stephen Harper.
posted on Dec 2, 2006 - View this thread

The lefty party handled the issue by cutting taxes on dividends. And Canada's party on the right decided to tackle the thorny issue of income trusts^ by... taxing them. A response to a "clear and present danger" or the destruction of retirement savings? Issues involving corporate structure and tax law rarely appear make the front page, but Canadians just can't get enough of them.
posted on Nov 1, 2006 - View this thread

A slush fund for Bush, courtesy of Canada? The proposed softwood lumber deal, which would end the longstanding dispute over Canadian exports to the US, is being criticised for giving the White House $450 million, to be spent without congressional oversight.
posted on Aug 31, 2006 - View this thread

Last night, in the middle of the leaders debate (transcript, realmedia) Paul Martin announced a plan to amend the Canadian Constitution to remove Parliament's ability to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause.<more inside>
posted on Jan 10, 2006 - View this thread

On one side: Jim Green, the Alabama-born, opera-loving Vietnam draft-dodger, a hard-nosed community activist and the choice of the local tabloid and the outgoing mayor (himself the inspiration for not one but two Canadian television series) who together fought to bring harm-reduction (i.e. sanity) to Vancouver's drug-plagued downtown eastside; on the other: Sam Sullivan, the surprising underdog, a paraplegic -- and former lead singer in the "Spinal Chords" -- who, he's proud to say, was flat on his back and on welfare 20 years ago, then taught himself Cantonese and is the longest-serving member of city council. Who will be the next mayor of Vancouver? (It'll be close.)
posted on Nov 18, 2005 - View this thread

He's young, telegenic, bilingual, a Harvard grad... and now André Boisclair, the youngest person ever elected to a seat in Quebec's National Assembly, is the new leader of the Parti Quebecois, the nationalist -- as in Quebec nationalist -- left-leaning party founded to take Canada's mostly french-speaking province out of the federation. Oh, and he's gay. And an admitted (former) cocaine user (although that might be a good thing.) Oh, and, according to the polls, the next Premier Ministre of Quebec.
posted on Nov 16, 2005 - View this thread

The first Gomery report is out today. The US doesn't yet have a monopoly on political scandal. Today, the Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities releases its first report. At 10:15 this morning, Judge Gomery reads his statement. Who are the players? And will it bring down the government?
posted on Nov 1, 2005 - View this thread

"The loss of four police officers is unprecedented in recent history in Canada" - 4 Royal Canadian Mounted Police guarding a property suspected of running a grow-op were slain in Alberta. This man was known "[to have] hated the RCMP and blamed them for everything wrong with his life". Already there are calls to revisit Canada's stance on marijuana and grow-ops. [.]
posted on Mar 4, 2005 - View this thread