David Akin's On the HillWorking notes, observations, links and other errata from a parliamentary bureau reporter in Ottawa, Canada.For MPs, summer is the season to spend- July 13, 2008 Conservatives hope summer spending wins votes OTTAWA -- Three weeks into their summer break, Conservative government MPs have been busy crossing the country handing out cash some hope will boost their party's political fortunes.... And, as soon aircraft maker Bombardier announced a new jet Sunday at an air show in England, Industry Minister Jim Prentice put out a news release reminding voters in Quebec that the federal government was giving the company $350 million to ensure it made those...http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/13/3791080.html Iggy only Canadian named in global poll of public intellectuals- July 12, 2008 Prospect magazine says half a million people around the world took part in its poll to find the world's top public intellectual.... The magazine then tries to figure out how Fethullah ended up on top and says: On 1st May, Zamanthe highest-selling newspaper in Turkey, with a circulation of over 700,000 and a string of international editionsran a story on its front page alerting its readership to the appearance of Glen on the ProspectFP list, and to the fact that we were inviting people to...http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/12/3789397.html More changes at the PMO and elsewhere- July 11, 2008 Mr. Novak was working on his master's thesis on parliamentary reform at the University of Calgary, and was recommended for the project by Rainer Knopff, a political-science professor at Mr. Harper's alma mater, the University of Calgary.... Meanwhile, over in Environment Minister John Baird's office, press secretary Eric Richer is wrapping his tenure as a political communicator and heading back to the public service. Richer had been doing communicatins for the Governor General when he moved..http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/11/3788447.html Latest From the Need-To-Know-Everything-About-Peter-Mansbridge Dept. ...- July 10, 2008 The individual, whose identity cannot legally be revealed, sent 448 separate requests for information from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in the four-month period between Sept. 1, 2007 and the end of the year. The CBC first became subject to federal access-to-information laws on Sept. 1 and, to date, has now received 604 requests -- and almost all of them are from that same one individual. The CBC, the Canadian Wheat Board, and more than 65 other federal agencies, crown corporations...http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/10/3787011.html Saskatchwan Tory MP hospitalized- July 10, 2008 Dave Batters, one of the cheeriest, up-tempo MPs you'll ever meet, is on medical leave, the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix reports.... Regina MP in hospital with serious medical issue By Anne Kyle The StarPhoenix 10 Jul 2008 REGINA Palliser MP Dave Batters confirmed Wednesday he is on medical leave dealing with a serious issue. I would like to thank all the people who have wished me well during this difficult time, Batters, 38, said in a prepared statement.http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/10/3786440.html The Liberal joke that Conservatives don't find so funny- July 9, 2008 On page 3 of that newsletter, riding association president Jane Cornelius included the following joke in a column she wrote: This story was sent to me with the comment Enjoy!... One little boy stood up and offered: If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a tragedy.... A little girl raised her hand: If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy.http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/9/3784749.html Access to Information: Govt claims one guygal is gumming it all up- July 9, 2008 One of the House Cards, prepared by Treasury Board Senior Communications Strategist Fanny Lemieux (and approved by TBS Chief Information Officer Ken Cochrane), addresses the the complaint that, because complaints about the Access to Information system have doubled, the government must be restricting access.... meeting of the Access to Information communty in February 2008, Ms. Andrew Neill, Assistant Commissioner, stated that 60 per cent of complaints are made by 10 complainants. For...http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/8/3783474.html Byelections on September 8- July 8, 2008 My colleague John Ivison has all the intrigue involved with the calling of byelections but the word on the Hill right now is that byelections in Guelph, Westmount, and Saint Lambert will be called on July 20 with a vote set for Monday, September 8. Liberals are the incumbents and favourites in Guelph and Westmount; the Bloc Quebecois holds Saint Lambert and it is theirs to lose.http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/8/3783324.html From Corncob Bob to the PMO: Day 2- July 8, 2008 If you're from the States or somewhere else, though, watch of one of Rob Corddry's finest moments while he was the exec director of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association -- opened up his second day in the Langevin Block as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's new Director of Communications by meeting with the chiefs of the big news bureaus here in Ottawa -- Canwest, Canadian Press, the Globe, CBC, CTV and so on. Teneycke is succeeding Sandra Buckler, a communications director who placed less...http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/8/3783314.html June's greatest hits- July 4, 2008 I don't know why they're here or where they're coming from, but ever since I posted a picture (right) I took at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show of a Mercedes SmartCar, it has consistently been among the top 20 posts every month around here. And, sure enough, among the 76,000-plus individuals who dropped by this blog at least once last month, the SmartCar was the top pick. Here are the other most popular posts here for last monthhttp://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/3/3775026.html |