Senator Doug Finley and his wife, Human Resources Minister Diane Finley arrive at Rideau Hall for the swearing in of Stephen Harper new cabinet on May 18, 2011. (Andre Forget/QMI AGENCY)
Statement from the Honourable Diane Finley on the death of Senator Doug Finley at age 66: Read more…
So this is great — if it all turns out to be true. Blogger The Sixth Estate has the name, rank and serial number for the 1,135 Conservative donors and sympathizers who have received patronage appointments since 2006. (Versus the 78 Liberals, 4 New Democrats, 1 Bloc Quebecois and 1 Green Party member who have received a federal government appointment since then).
“Stephen Harper once denounced this system as the Prime Minister rewarding his “buddies,” but while in office has been uninterested in changing the system. Instead he has continued to appoint party insiders and supporters at a frenzied pace, even to the Senate, which he once demanded be fully democratized through elected Senators with term limits. Since the May 2011 general election, he has even appointed several losing candidates to the Senate, so that they could have a seat in Parliament anyways after being denied one by the public.” Sixth Estate writes.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the tiniest of tweaks to his cabinet yesterday, moving Julian Fantino from his job as Associate Minister of Defence (procurement) to Minister of International Co-Operation, a job that came open with Bev Oda quit. Bernard Valcourt will move into Fantino’s old defence spot while holding on to his previous duties as minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
Plenty of us here in the Ottawa press gallery thought Harper would do something much more radical to his cabinet. Today, in Calgary, Harper spoke to talk radio host Dave Rutherford about his cabinet shuffle and prorogation plans. (Transcript courtesy of the PMO) Read more…
Lee Richardson, the MP for Calgary-Centre announced in the House of Commons this afternoon that he is resigning his seat in order to become Principal Secretary to Alberta Premier Alison Redford. Richardson is a popular MP, well-liked by those on all sides of the House and has always been cordial and helpful with reporters. He’s one of the good guys. Here’s his final speech in the House: Read more…
Angelo Persichilli, who quit life as a journalist last August to become Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s director of communications, has just announced his resignation. Here is the letter released to the Parliamentary Press Gallery: Read more…
Latest from my Parliamentary Bureau colleagues