God bless Merwan Saher, Alberta’s Auditor General! He grabbed the government by the scruff of the neck and gave it a shake for dragging us into the abyss of “Enron” accounting. Sadly, the government refuses to budge and opaque financial reporting will continue. Merwan Saher has been a government auditor
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The Canadian Progressive: Harper Gvt Withholds Docs on Controversial Canadian Mining Company: United Steelworkers
by: United Steelworkers | Press Release: TORONTO, July 11, 2013 – The United Steelworkers (USW) union is asking federal Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault to investigate the Conservative government’s failure, for more than eight months, to release information on a Canadian mining company’s controversial operations in Mexico. “This case reflects a
Continue readingeaves.ca: Duffy, the Government and the problem with “no-notes” meetings
So, for my non-canadian readers, there is a significant scandal brewing up here in Canadaland, regarding a senator, who claimed certain expenses he was not allowed to (to the tune of $90,000) and then had that debt paid for by the Prime Minister’s chief of staff (who has now resigned).
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Appalled by Harper’s decision to kill the Health Council of Canada
Council of Canadians denounces Harper decision to kill the Health Council of Canada By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: Canada`s leading progressive citizen’s advocacy group says it`s appalled by Harper’s decision to kill the Health Council of Canada. In a press release issued earlier this week, the Council of Canadians said it’s “sadly not shocked” by
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Jeremy Hammond: Aaron Swartz & the Criminalization of Digital Dissent
It is not the “crimes” Aaron (Swartz) may have committed that made him a target of federal prosecution, but his ideas – elaborated in his “Guerrilla Open Access Manifesto” – that the government has found so dangerous. By Jeremy Hammond – #18729-424 | Metropolitan Correctional Center, Feb. 20, 2013: The tragic
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Aagh, Harper Conservatives Nuked Democratic NDP Motion On Role Of PBO
By Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Feb. 14, 2013: Showing their burgeoning disdain for accountability, transparency, financial oversight and the independence of federal watchdogs, the Harper Conservatives earlier this week nuked a progressive NDP motion on the role of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO). The motion, tabled by the Official Opposition’s Finance critic, Peggy
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Is Christy Clark Lying to Us About the LNG Tax Windfall?
I don’t know. Do you? No. And, it seems, we won’t be permitted to determine if the BC Liberal government is lying to us about their future vision of rolling in billions in fresh new LNG tax money because the supporting reports won’t be released. So much for accountability and open
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Who’s Running BC?
It has been a month of amateurish politics starting with the government posting the auditor-general’s job. Then this week the government backed down several steps to keep from ejecting the well-respected A-G John Doyle from his chair with an attempt at saving face by changing the legislation surrounding his appointment.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Welcome to #Ottawapiskat, the “Settler Nations” reserve and Canada’s capital
You’ll get a kick out of this post. I guarantee it! Recently exposed: Gross mismanagement of funds and lewd sense of entitlement by #Ottawapiskat Chief Harper. #idlenomore twitter.com/shootsleft/sta… — Joanne DiNova (@shootsleft) January 14, 2013 Last week, right-wing character assassins in the corporate and social media universes mounted an unprecedented
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Michael Geist: Secrecy the standard at Trans-Pacific Partnership talks
Another round of talks has concluded on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a secretive trade agreement that could criminalize everyday Internet use, confiscate online data and give more power to corporate lobbyists. With Canada having joined the TPP as a ‘second-tier’ status member, it’s clear that our government has little to gain
Continue readingOPSEU Diablogue: Who should you trust? Former PC advisor shills in the Star for private health care
Francesca Grosso says she is an established expert in health care policy. A former PC health care policy director, her day job these days is a principal at Grosso McCarthy, a public affairs company for hire. So when she writes … Continue reading →
Continue readingCanadian Progressive: Harper Conservatives and Big Oil turning Canada into a “petro-state”
by The Polaris Institute | December 4, 2012: A new report entitled “Big Oil’s Oily Grasp – The making of Canada as a Petro-State and how oil money is corrupting Canadian politics” released today by the Ottawa-based Polaris Institute found that six main oil industry players, including Enbridge and TransCanada, met
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Huffington Post: Canada creating secret ‘insider group’ of lobbyists through TPP
The government has mistakenly sent us at OpenMedia a non-disclosure agreement intended for lobbyists involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. This is confirmation that this secretive and extre…
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: You told us, we told them: A report-back from our meeting with Telus
When several senior representatives from Telus asked us to meet with them we knew immediately what we wanted the meeting to include: direct citizen stories about disrespectful and expensive cell…
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: Canada’s PBO Kevin Page Takes Harper Conservative Government To Court
Canada’s Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page has had enough of the Harper government’s lack of accountability and transparency, highlighted by it’s refusal to comply with his repeated requests for information on the $5.2 billion in fiscal…
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: Three Things I Like About the New Alberta Liberal Party Website
A lot of things about politics is what you say, the policies you stand for, and what you vote on in the legislature. One thing that is rarely talked about, and is even more important, is how you go about being involved in politics. One of the ways to look how
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Another victory for Canadians as CRTC calls for increased transparency
A CRTC decision came down on Friday for more transparency to how Big Telecom assigns wholesale rates and pricing. This is another sign of progress for the +500,000 Canadian citizens who spoke out through StopTheMeter.ca. Use our online tool at OpenMedia.ca/Switch to find independent providers in your area and read
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Harper Government Winging It With Canada’s Future
The Auditor General has slammed the Harper regime for spending tens of billions of dollars without cabinet, much less Parliament, knowing the long-term consequences. In his fall 2012 report released Tuesday, Auditor General Michael Ferguson concluded the Department of Finance Canada often does not take into account the impact of tens
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer to take Harper Gvt to court
Make no mistake about it: Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) is on a mission to save the soul of Canadian democracy. Kevin Page is proceeding with his earlier threat to sue the Harper Government for its refusal to comply with his repeated requests for financial information relating to the 2012
Continue readingsomecanuckchick dot com: When is an Agriculture minister ^NOT an Agriculture minister?
Silence is golden. A proverbial saying… With respect to the Harper government, specifically the Agriculture minister and the XL Foods recall, saying nothing is preferable to speaking. For those of you keeping track… It has been 1 week and 1 day since Gerry Ritz, the Minister of Agriculture, updated Canadians
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