Moving time allocation

So, that 102-page omnibus crime bill? The
Conservatives have decided that enough time has been spent debating the
principle of the bill and have moved time allocation on second reading. Because
it’s not like there could be some fundamental (as opposed to technical) issues
of the bill to be addressed, from its approach to crime, the fact that it would
see mid-level pot dealers given harsher sentences than pedophiles, or
the fact that we still don’t have proper costing figures for
this bill, either on its impact on federal or provincial prison systems. And

what’s that? They control the committee, too? So this bill totally won’t get
rammed through the House of Commons to distract Canadians from the faltering
economy then, right? Thought so.

To demonstrate that he’s doing something
about the economy, Harper staged a photo op with Jim Flaherty and the governor
of the Bank of Canada. Focusing on the economy, folks! Okay, okay – so they
were meeting in advance of the G20 meeting of finance ministers and central
bankers, but still – it does nothing to contradict the established fact that
this is a government that governs by photo op.

Here’s Jason Kenney in the National Post trying to put a positive
spin on the provisions in the “human smuggling” bill that would keep refugee
claimants in detention for up to a year. Apparently they should be grateful
that we’re going to feed and house them for that year – in a detention
facility, and we the public should applaud them for it.

Here’s another tribute to Senator Lowell
Murray now that he has retired.

Another Conservative MP has stuck his nose into the Ontario provincial election, while an NDP MP is being accused of using
his office resources to help in the Ontario provincial election. Another NDP
MP’s assistant has shuttered the Ottawa office so that she can work on the Ontario

campaign.

And to quote the fantastic Tabatha Southey,
“[One] of many things I love about Canada, we’re not weird about our flag. Here’s
a private member’s bill [to] change that.” Enough said.