Creekside (Free subscription) | 21/11/2009
Commenter Stephen Phillips under this CBC poll has a question of his own : "What kind of a question is this? Mr. Colvin is a distinguished career diplomat under attack by a Government that has misled Parliament and the country about prisoner transfers and is now systematically blocking the work of the Military Complaints Tribunal. The real question is this: why is the Government trying to smear...
They Call Me "Mr. Sinister" (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009
The Conservatives are using the old "functionaries at a low level" defense in the torture scandal. Gordon O'Connor said yesterday: “Reports like this may have occurred and gone through the system and people at lower levels may have decided there’s no credibility to different reports,” That does not even sound remotely credible to me. If an official from your own embassy...
Macleans.ca (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009
Former defence minister Gordon O’Connor’s exchange with reporters after QP today. Question: What about the allegations of coverup? He said that officials like Mr. Mulroney were saying to him do not write reports like this. Is that – can you say categorically that’s not true? Hon. Gordon O’Connor: Well, I don’t know if it’s true or not. [...]
Creekside (Free subscription) | 18/11/2009
A month ago, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time Peter MacKay , and Minister of Defence at the time Gordon O'Connor all denied ever seeing any of the 16 reports "circulated widely throughout the Foreign Affairs and Defence departments and also shared with senior military commanders in Ottawa and Afghanistan" warning that Afghan authorities were abusing detainees...
Dr Roy's Thoughts (Free subscription) | 30/10/2009
His Worship Mayor O'Brien and Colleen McBride HM Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) Keith Ashfield and Judy Ashfield I had the great pleasure of attending the CMMC 5TH Annual Fall Supper. Steve Liakos is President of the EDA and a good friend. The dinner was great with a lot of great guests including Laureen Harper, Mayor O'Brien, of course HM Minister of State and Party Whip...
Canadian Cynic (Free subscription) | 20/10/2009
I see a pattern here (emphasis tail-waggingly added): Canada's current top soldier says he's working to get to the bottom of what happened to Colvin's reports. Gen. Walter Natynczyk, chief of defence staff, said Friday he did not yet know where the diplomat's reports landed back in Ottawa, who read them, and what was done with the information... Harper told reporters in Toronto he didn't see the reports...
The Galloping Beaver (Free subscription) | 16/10/2009
Looking more like Dick all the time, Steve. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has now joined then Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter MacKay and then Minister of Defence Gordon O'Connor in denying he ever saw any of the 16 reports from the political director at the Canadian-run Afghan reconstruction base in 2006 warning that Afghan authorities were abusing detainees handed over by Canadian forces. Yesterday...
Full Comment (Free subscription) | 14/10/2009
OTTAWA -- Peter MacKay should tread lightly or the curse of the Afghan detainees will claim yet another victim. Allegations of abuse of detainees handed over by Canadian troops in Afghanistan have already had a career-limiting impact on two defence ministers. Now they have come back to haunt the present holder of that office. Mr. MacKay has been winning good reviews for the no-nonsense way he has...
The Galloping Beaver (Free subscription) | 22/09/2009
Map of Taliban presence in Afghanistan from The International Council on Security and Development : Data detailing the presence of the Taliban in Afghanistan was gathered from daily insurgent activity reports between January and September 2009. ICOS believes that the level of incidents recorded by this methodology is conservative. If we are to have standing armies, the very least we can do, the absolute...
Morton's Musings (Free subscription) | 15/09/2009
Here's a substantive passage from a piece that is generally down on the Liberals. And it's a good point: Gerard Kennedy, the infrastructure critic (and, dear God, the fifth Liberal to rise), suggested the Conservatives have been guilty of pork-barreling when it comes to spending stimulus money. Of the top 10 ridings in Ontario receiving infrastructure funds, four are represented by cabinet ministers,...
They Call Me "Mr. Sinister" (Free subscription) | 10/06/2009
Under the headline: Replace Raitt With Gallant : Minister of Human Resources Lisa Raitt shouldn't have the option of voluntarily stepping down, she should be fired. By allowing her to continue at her Cabinet position, PM Harper has shown us once again who, in his Conservative caucus, he will back at any cost and which ones he will snub at the least bit of controversy. Prior to the campaign leading...
Accidental Deliberations (Free subscription) | 10/11/2008
The Cons apparently aren't shy about saying that their dirty tricks manual will be put back into effect as soon as Parliament starts up again. But it might be worth the opposition's while to call Gordon O'Connor's bluff about what's included: The infamous House "committee obstruction manual" from the last Parliament will be refined, improved and will be back in play, says new Chief Government...
David Akin's On the Hill (Free subscription) | 15/10/2008
Based on the preliminary data up at Elections Canada's Web site this morning: 10 MPs with the highest vote totals Jason Kenney - Conservative in Calgary Southeast: 41322 Pierre Poilievre - Conservative in Nepean--Carleton: 39915 Kevin Sorenson - Conservative in Crowfoot: 39396 Gordon O'Connor - Conservative in Carleton--Mississippi Mills: 39338...
Progressive Bloggers (Free subscription) | 12/09/2008
click on image to enlarge Harper made a big deal about announcing 3 new Navy supply ships back in 2006. The announcement was made by then Defense Minister Gordon O'Connor who said: "These ships are an essential component of our maritime forces," said Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier, who attended Monday's announcement along with Public Works Minister Michael Fortier."On August 21st...
The Shotgun (Free subscription) | 30/08/2008
When health related news is released by the Minister of National Revenue, you can be quite sure that revenue, and not health, is what is really at issue. National Revenue Minister Gordon O'Connor today announced a $20 million “investment” over...
Videos