Talking economy without economists

At the behest of Liberal Scott Brison and, eventually, the NDP’s committee members, the Commons finance committee met briefly
yesterday to establish the parameters of a study on how the
global economic turmoil will affect the Canadian economy and the government’s
fiscal projections. But the Conservatives used their majority on the committee
to ensure that only Jim Flaherty and the governor of the Bank of Canada will be
heard. No independent economists will speak because Shelly Glover (who, I will remind
you, is Canada’s most intellectually bankrupt MP) warned that it might spook
people! Over the Twitter Machine Brison said, “Shelley Glover just told the finance committee that hearing from independent economists would lead us down a

path of no return! OMG – facts, data!” And this government could have none of
that.

Newly revealed documents show that Tony
Clement used his own office to start looking for G8 legacy projects as far back
as 2008. But hey, this is just a process story, and those are boring! Nothing
to see here!

The government has decided to rename each branch of the Canadian Forces. The Land Force Command will be known as the Canadian Army, while the Maritime Command and Air Command will again be known as the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal
Canadian Air Force. This change not only reflects their tradition, but also reminds us that the Canadian Forces serve the Crown, as the formal executive, and
the monarch, as the head of state. (The Queen of Canada is the commander-in-chief because that keeps the armed forces out of political control.) Of course, it’s also funny that Harper, with his
presidential envy, wants to reinforce those links to the Crown. Meanwhile, the
change could be divisive within the NDP caucus. Oh no! A reminder of the way
our constitutional system works is somehow un-Canadian!

Justice Minister Rob Nicholson met with the Canadian
Bar Association and proceeded to dismiss every one of its concerns about the government’s “tough on crime” legislation. Because that’s expert advice, and this government
could have none of that.

Vic Toews met with his American

counterpart, Janet Napolitano, to talk border security. Napolitano says US privacy requirements are quite similar to ours, so we needn’t worry. Toews got
snippy and sarcastically wondered if they shouldn’t just hold negotiations in
an arena so that everyone can see what’s going on. Accountability and
transparency, everyone!

Some nearly 700 jobs at Public Works will
be on the chopping block over the next three years.

Here’s a timely look back, with a bit of perspective, at the deficit-slaying days of the ’90s, during the Chrétien and Martin era. It could serve as a lesson to those countries that are facing major
deficit problems.

The RCMP has dropped its probe of the
former Conservative staffer who interfered in access-to-information requests.

And Joanna Smith at the Toronto Star goes behind the scenes of the supposed “witch hunt” of separatists in the NDP.