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Sunday, April 3, 2011
Green Party of of Canada in court April 5
OTTAWA – On Tuesday, April 5, at 9:30 a.m. lawyer Peter Rosenthal will appear on behalf of Elizabeth May before the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa. The Court will determine whether it will hear the application of the Green Party before the first leaders’ debate on April 12.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Site report for microsoft.com
Netcraft Site Report
Site http://www.microsoft.com Last reboot unknown Uptime graph
Domain microsoft.com Netblock owner Microsoft Corp
IP address 65.55.12.249 Site rank 72
Country US Nameserver ns1.msft.net
Date first seen August 1995 DNS admin msnhst@microsoft.com
Domain Registrar melbourneit.com Reverse DNS wwwco2vip.microsoft.com
Organisation Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, 98052, United States Nameserver Organisation Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, 98052, United States
Check another site:
Hosting History
Netblock Owner IP address OS Web Server Last changed
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.131.43 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 9-Mar-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.131.43 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 4-Mar-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 65.55.21.250 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 3-Mar-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.170.10 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 2-Mar-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 65.55.12.249 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 28-Feb-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.131.43 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 26-Feb-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 65.55.12.249 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 25-Feb-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.131.43 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 24-Feb-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 65.55.12.249 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 23-Feb-2011
MS Hotmail One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 64.4.31.252 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 22-Feb-2011
Site http://www.microsoft.com Last reboot unknown Uptime graph
Domain microsoft.com Netblock owner Microsoft Corp
IP address 65.55.12.249 Site rank 72
Country US Nameserver ns1.msft.net
Date first seen August 1995 DNS admin msnhst@microsoft.com
Domain Registrar melbourneit.com Reverse DNS wwwco2vip.microsoft.com
Organisation Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, 98052, United States Nameserver Organisation Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, 98052, United States
Check another site:
Hosting History
Netblock Owner IP address OS Web Server Last changed
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.131.43 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 9-Mar-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.131.43 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 4-Mar-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 65.55.21.250 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 3-Mar-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.170.10 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 2-Mar-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 65.55.12.249 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 28-Feb-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.131.43 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 26-Feb-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 65.55.12.249 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 25-Feb-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 207.46.131.43 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 24-Feb-2011
Microsoft Corp One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 65.55.12.249 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 23-Feb-2011
MS Hotmail One Microsoft Way Redmond WA US 98052 64.4.31.252 Citrix Netscaler Microsoft-IIS/7.5 22-Feb-2011
Site report for www.conservative.ca
Netcraft Site Report
Site report for www.conservative.ca
Site http://www.conservative.ca Last reboot unknown
Domain conservative.ca Netblock owner Backbone IT Services
IP address 66.199.131.122 Site rank 496052
Country CA Nameserver ns1.telecomottawa.com
Date first seen June 2000 DNS admin johnmattocks@conservative.ca
Domain Registrar cira.ca Reverse DNS conservative.ca
Organisation Conservative Party of Canada Nameserver Organisation Atria Networks LP, 100 Maple Grove Rd, Ottawa, K2V 1B8, Canada
Hosting History
Netblock Owner IP address OS Web Server Last changed
Backbone IT Services 200 - 440 West Hastings St. Vancouver BC CA V6B-1L1 66.199.131.122 Linux Apache/2.2.3 CentOS 16-Mar-2011
Backbone IT Services 200 - 440 West Hastings St. Vancouver BC CA V6B-1L1 66.199.131.122 Linux Apache/2.2.3 CentOS 16-Feb-2011
Backbone IT Services 200 - 440 West Hastings St. Vancouver BC CA V6B-1L1 66.199.131.122 Linux Apache/2.2.3 CentOS 5-Oct-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 12-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 11-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 10-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 9-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 8-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 7-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 6-Mar-2010
Site report for www.conservative.ca
Site http://www.conservative.ca Last reboot unknown
Domain conservative.ca Netblock owner Backbone IT Services
IP address 66.199.131.122 Site rank 496052
Country CA Nameserver ns1.telecomottawa.com
Date first seen June 2000 DNS admin johnmattocks@conservative.ca
Domain Registrar cira.ca Reverse DNS conservative.ca
Organisation Conservative Party of Canada Nameserver Organisation Atria Networks LP, 100 Maple Grove Rd, Ottawa, K2V 1B8, Canada
Hosting History
Netblock Owner IP address OS Web Server Last changed
Backbone IT Services 200 - 440 West Hastings St. Vancouver BC CA V6B-1L1 66.199.131.122 Linux Apache/2.2.3 CentOS 16-Mar-2011
Backbone IT Services 200 - 440 West Hastings St. Vancouver BC CA V6B-1L1 66.199.131.122 Linux Apache/2.2.3 CentOS 16-Feb-2011
Backbone IT Services 200 - 440 West Hastings St. Vancouver BC CA V6B-1L1 66.199.131.122 Linux Apache/2.2.3 CentOS 5-Oct-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 12-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 11-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 10-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 9-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 8-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 7-Mar-2010
Allstream Corp. Corporation Allstream 200 Wellington Street West 16th Floor Toronto ON CA 66.46.145.120 F5 Big-IP Apache/1.3.37 Unix PHP/4.4.7 mod_ssl/2.8.28 OpenSSL/0.9.8e 6-Mar-2010
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Friday, April 1, 2011
Doug Ford says the Star is ruthless.
Doug Ford says the Star is ruthless.
Speaking at a meeting of the city’s government management committee, Ford condemned the Toronto Star for filing requests under the Municipal Freedom of Information Act, for asking questions of the mayor’s constituents and for what he called “stalking” his 76-year-old mother for a story.
“I’m the first to admit that 90 per cent of the media is very respectful; they don’t come charging through the office, but there is a media outlet that doesn’t respect that,” Ford told David Nickle, the city hall press gallery president, on Tuesday.
The committee was discussing a proposed change to security rules that would prevent reporters from entering the councillors’ office area without restrictions. Apparently, the idea is to require accredited media, who rent offices in City Hall, to sign in like the general public and be escorted to councillors’ offices.
It’s still before the committee.
The Ford brothers and their teams have consistently refused to talk to the paper’s reporters.
Ford complained the newspaper has gone to constituents asking the purpose of the mayor’s visits. “As far as I am concerned, that’s private,” said Ford. “That’s none of their business.” The Star denied Ford’s claims.
He also blasted Star reporters for filing what he deemed too many freedom of information requests.
The Star filed such a request for details on the mayor’s daily itinerary when reporters were unable to obtain that information from his communications team. The story published March 24 revealed, among other things, that the mayor keeps a busy schedule filled with appearances at community events. The Star spoke to business and community leaders to discuss the meetings, but not to ordinary constituents.
When David Miller was mayor, his office released a basic itinerary every week.
Ford was also angry about a Star reporter trying to speak to his mother while writing his profile before the October election. (A reporter was working on the story in Etobicoke when she spotted a Jaguar covered with “Ford for mayor” decals. When she attempted to speak with the driver, she discovered it was Ford’s mother.)
“When you start going after people’s families, it’s a witch hunt. It’s unacceptable,” he told Nickle.
“And I just want to say — 98 per cent of you are respectful, you don’t hunt someone’s mother down, except one media outlet: the Toronto Star,” said Ford. “They’re ruthless.”
Star reporters undertake their journalism in a professional and respectful manner, said Star spokesman Bob Hepburn.
“It is simply wrong to suggest that Star reporters have ‘stalked’ or ‘hunted down’ Mr. Ford’s mother,” he said. “Star reporters have interviewed Mrs. Ford in the past, but always with courtesy and professionalism.”
Speaking at a meeting of the city’s government management committee, Ford condemned the Toronto Star for filing requests under the Municipal Freedom of Information Act, for asking questions of the mayor’s constituents and for what he called “stalking” his 76-year-old mother for a story.
“I’m the first to admit that 90 per cent of the media is very respectful; they don’t come charging through the office, but there is a media outlet that doesn’t respect that,” Ford told David Nickle, the city hall press gallery president, on Tuesday.
The committee was discussing a proposed change to security rules that would prevent reporters from entering the councillors’ office area without restrictions. Apparently, the idea is to require accredited media, who rent offices in City Hall, to sign in like the general public and be escorted to councillors’ offices.
It’s still before the committee.
The Ford brothers and their teams have consistently refused to talk to the paper’s reporters.
Ford complained the newspaper has gone to constituents asking the purpose of the mayor’s visits. “As far as I am concerned, that’s private,” said Ford. “That’s none of their business.” The Star denied Ford’s claims.
He also blasted Star reporters for filing what he deemed too many freedom of information requests.
The Star filed such a request for details on the mayor’s daily itinerary when reporters were unable to obtain that information from his communications team. The story published March 24 revealed, among other things, that the mayor keeps a busy schedule filled with appearances at community events. The Star spoke to business and community leaders to discuss the meetings, but not to ordinary constituents.
When David Miller was mayor, his office released a basic itinerary every week.
Ford was also angry about a Star reporter trying to speak to his mother while writing his profile before the October election. (A reporter was working on the story in Etobicoke when she spotted a Jaguar covered with “Ford for mayor” decals. When she attempted to speak with the driver, she discovered it was Ford’s mother.)
“When you start going after people’s families, it’s a witch hunt. It’s unacceptable,” he told Nickle.
“And I just want to say — 98 per cent of you are respectful, you don’t hunt someone’s mother down, except one media outlet: the Toronto Star,” said Ford. “They’re ruthless.”
Star reporters undertake their journalism in a professional and respectful manner, said Star spokesman Bob Hepburn.
“It is simply wrong to suggest that Star reporters have ‘stalked’ or ‘hunted down’ Mr. Ford’s mother,” he said. “Star reporters have interviewed Mrs. Ford in the past, but always with courtesy and professionalism.”
Thursday, March 31, 2011
A Blow Against Democracy in Canada
here are once again efforts to exclude the Green Party from the televised leaders' debates.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Visit http://demanddemocraticdebates.ca to sign our petition, donate, and more!
2. Vote in CBC’s poll on whether Elizabeth should be invited to the leaders’ debates
3. Email the consortium members CBC, CTV, Global, TVA and Radio Canada.
- CTV: programming@ctv.ca
- CBC: ombudsman@cbc.ca
- Global TV: viewercontact.globalnational@globaltv.com
- TVA: info@tva.ca
- Radio Canada: ombudsman@radio-canada.ca
4. Email the party leaders: Stephen Harper, Jack Layton, Michael Ignatieff and Gilles Duceppe. Tell them to press the networks to include Elizabeth May.
5. Visit the Facebook pages of the party leaders, and write on their walls that you want them to demand Elizabeth May be in the debates.
6. Tweet your outrage! Use the hashtag #EMayIn.
7. Post about this on Facebook.
8. Tell your friends and family!
What other people are saying:
"It's bad enough that the Greens got nearly a million votes last election yet got no seats. It's insane that they can't even get on TV. This is UTTERLY outrageous."
-Andrew Coyne, national editor of Maclean’s magazine, via twitter.
"It is a common sense proposition that anyone who received a million votes has a right to be heard… To exclude [May] is to invite yet another examination of why we as a society delegate to television networks the right to decide issues like this.”
-Elly Alboim, Associate Professor of Journalism and former Parliamentary Bureau Chief for CBC TV News
“It is time for the people of this country to stand up and let the media and the politicians know that an election is a time for people’s voices to be heard and Elizabeth May speaks for a lot of people in this country."
-Judy Rebick, Sam Gindin Chair in Social Justice and Democracy at Ryerson University
“The decision by the broadcast consortium to exclude Green Party Leader Elizabeth May from the 2011 leaders' debate is mystifying. .. The broadcast consortium should first apologize to May and reverse its decision."
-Vancouver Sun Editorial, 30 Mar 2011
"Democracy demands that the media simply relay Parties positions without attempting to control the message. Excluding the leader of a party that garnered 1 out of every 15 votes in the 2008 federal election is just plain wrong”
-Cal Millar, President of Channel Zero.
Labels:
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
New fighter jets Canada plans to buy will be more than $100 million each — at least $25 million more per plane than government estimates — according to a top U.S. budget watchdog : GAO
New fighter jets Canada plans to buy will be more than $100 million each — at least $25 million more per plane than government estimates — according to a top U.S. budget watchdog.
Conservative government officials have said 65 new joint strike fighters being built to replace Canada's F-18 jets will cost about $75 million each, about $9 billion with training and an additional $200-$300 million a year in maintenance.
But Mike Sullivan, director of acquisition management at the US General Accountability Office, said he doesn't know where that estimate comes from.
"That's not a number that I am familiar with at all," he said in an interview Tuesday with CBC's Power & Politics with Evan Solomon, cautioning he hasn't seen the methodology behind the numbers.
Sullivan said the estimated cost of the F-35A model that Canada is buying is "in the low 100 millions."
"Probably somewhere between $110-115 million," he said.
Canada buying jets at bottom of cost curve: Tories' Hawn
A prominent Conservative admitted to CBC that the cost of the F-35 fight jets might not be as the government has promised.
Earlier on Power & Politics, Conservative MP Laurie Hawn said Canada is buying the planes at the peak of their production, making them cheaper than the $133 million the U.S. estimates their jets will cost. Hawn also said the $133 million estimate is an average of three models being built, of which the Canadian jet is the cheapest.
"We're buying our planes at the bottom of that [cost] curve," said Hawn, who was parliamentary secretary to Defence Minister Peter MacKay before the election was called.
But when asked whether the cost could change, Hawn replied: "Anything can happen."
Sullivan said that while the last planes off the production line cost less than the first ones, Canada's jets are set to be delivered in 2016, which he viewed as early in the production run.
"That tells me I don't think that's going to be the least expensive buy," he said.
Conservative government officials have said 65 new joint strike fighters being built to replace Canada's F-18 jets will cost about $75 million each, about $9 billion with training and an additional $200-$300 million a year in maintenance.
But Mike Sullivan, director of acquisition management at the US General Accountability Office, said he doesn't know where that estimate comes from.
"That's not a number that I am familiar with at all," he said in an interview Tuesday with CBC's Power & Politics with Evan Solomon, cautioning he hasn't seen the methodology behind the numbers.
Sullivan said the estimated cost of the F-35A model that Canada is buying is "in the low 100 millions."
"Probably somewhere between $110-115 million," he said.
Canada buying jets at bottom of cost curve: Tories' Hawn
A prominent Conservative admitted to CBC that the cost of the F-35 fight jets might not be as the government has promised.
Earlier on Power & Politics, Conservative MP Laurie Hawn said Canada is buying the planes at the peak of their production, making them cheaper than the $133 million the U.S. estimates their jets will cost. Hawn also said the $133 million estimate is an average of three models being built, of which the Canadian jet is the cheapest.
"We're buying our planes at the bottom of that [cost] curve," said Hawn, who was parliamentary secretary to Defence Minister Peter MacKay before the election was called.
But when asked whether the cost could change, Hawn replied: "Anything can happen."
Sullivan said that while the last planes off the production line cost less than the first ones, Canada's jets are set to be delivered in 2016, which he viewed as early in the production run.
"That tells me I don't think that's going to be the least expensive buy," he said.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
An odd way to woo retirees.... Shelly Glover your time as secretary to the Finance has an expiry date.”
1. An odd way to woo retirees. The Conservatives have run afoul of Canada’s national seniors organization after a rising star of the Tory caucus described Winnipeg Liberal MP Anita Neville, 68, as having “passed her expiry date.”
Shelly Glover – the Tory incumbent in the Manitoba riding of St. Boniface who is a bilingual police officer and was recently named parliamentary secretary to the Finance Minister – made the controversial remarks in an interview with Global News.
News reports say Ms. Glover was asked about the fact a Conservative candidate had yet to be named to run against Ms. Neville, who has held the riding of Winnipeg South Centre since 2000. “We need some fresh blood, we need some new people who have some new ideas and who are willing to stand up for their constituents. And I’m afraid Ms. Neville has passed her expiry date,” she said.
Ms. Glover’s spokesperson later told Global News that the comment was a reference to how long Ms. Neville has held the seat and not a comment about her age.
CARP, a national group that advocates on behalf of seniors and retired Canadians, is not convinced. The organization issued a news release late Monday urging Ms. Glover to retract her comments and apologize.
“Ageism seems to be the final frontier of acceptable discrimination,” CARP vice-president Susan Eng said in a statement. “Even when all the parties are actively wooing older voters, a sitting MP thinks this is appropriate…. Ms. Glover should retract her comments about Ms. Neville and apologize to the voters of her riding and Ms. Neville’s riding for offending and marginalizing a significant portion of their voter base.”
All parties make no secret of the fact that they are trying very hard to target seniors’ votes this campaign. Sensing opportunity, the Liberals chimed in themselves Tuesday morning.
“I am not so much offended for myself as I am outraged on behalf of all seniors – especially senior women – whom the Conservatives seem to think are past their ‘expiry’ dates,” Ms. Neville said in a statement. “There are millions of seniors out there who live active and productive lives, who continue to contribute to the Canadian economy by staying in the workforce, whether by choice or because they have to in order to make ends meet and pay the bills.
“For Ms. Glover to refer to me in this insulting way is a slur against all seniors. On their behalf I demand an apology.”
---
UPDATE Ms. Glover issued a statement on the issue Tuesday morning, just after 10 a.m.
“First of all, I would like to remind seniors in the Winnipeg area that Ms. Neville just voted to oppose the Conservative Government’s plan to increase [Guaranteed Income Supplement] payments to the most vulnerable, lowest income seniors in Canada -- a measure that would benefit single seniors by up to $600 and senior couples by up to $840.
“My remarks were clear: I was referring to Ms. Neville's performance as an MP, and only that. In my opinion, Ms. Neville has ceased to be an effective representative of her constituents. I believe someone new, of any age, with new ideas would be a more effective representative for the people of Winnipeg South Centre."
---
2. On tap today. The Globe’s Jane Taber reports that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff will unveil his first platform plank Tuesday – a pledge to help low-income Canadians pay for post-secondary education.
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is in Regina and Winnipeg Tuesday focussing on small business issues. A Tory official says Mr. Harper will “announce an incentive for small businesses to expand and hire new employees.”
The official says the party will also “continue to demonstrate the difference between our low tax plan to complete the economic recovery and the Coalition’s high tax agenda that would stall our recovery, kill jobs and set hardworking families back.”
It is not clear whether Tuesday’s announcement is connected to a similar item that appeared in the 2011 budget. It included a Hiring Credit for Small Business, which was described as a temporary measure that would allow a credit of up to $1,000 against a small employer’s increase in its 2011 EI premiums over those paid in 2010.
NDP leader Jack Layton is in Brantford to announce measures expected to focus on credit card fees. The NDP will also be highlighting the fact that its tour so far has focused on Conservative ridings.
3. Revisionist coalition history. Conservative campaign manager Jenni Byrne used her Twitter account Monday night to challenge reported comments from Tom Flanagan, a former Harper campaign manager. Mr. Flanagan said this week that Mr. Harper, when he was leader of the Official Opposition, must have wanted to become prime minister in 2004 without an election.
Mr. Flanagan’s comments to PostMedia contradict what Mr. Harper said Monday, when he categorically denied that his 2004 news conference announcing he, NDP leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe had written to the Governor General regarding the potential defeat of the Paul Martin minority Liberal government was part of a plan for him to assume power without an election – the very thing he is currently accusing Mr. Ignatieff of plotting.
“I can’t see what other point there would have been in writing the letter except to remind everybody that it was possible to change the government in that set of circumstances without an election,” said Mr. Flanagan.
The Conservative response?
“Flanagan agrees he wasn't in Ottawa or involved - only coalition remains the deal with the Iggy [Liberal Party], NDP, Bloc Québecois,” Ms. Byrne said on Twitter.
Asked for comment, Mr. Harper’s spokesman Dimitri Soudas offered a similar response. “Flanagan didn’t know,” said Mr. Soudas. “He even said so. And he wasn’t in Ottawa.”
Shelly Glover – the Tory incumbent in the Manitoba riding of St. Boniface who is a bilingual police officer and was recently named parliamentary secretary to the Finance Minister – made the controversial remarks in an interview with Global News.
News reports say Ms. Glover was asked about the fact a Conservative candidate had yet to be named to run against Ms. Neville, who has held the riding of Winnipeg South Centre since 2000. “We need some fresh blood, we need some new people who have some new ideas and who are willing to stand up for their constituents. And I’m afraid Ms. Neville has passed her expiry date,” she said.
Ms. Glover’s spokesperson later told Global News that the comment was a reference to how long Ms. Neville has held the seat and not a comment about her age.
CARP, a national group that advocates on behalf of seniors and retired Canadians, is not convinced. The organization issued a news release late Monday urging Ms. Glover to retract her comments and apologize.
“Ageism seems to be the final frontier of acceptable discrimination,” CARP vice-president Susan Eng said in a statement. “Even when all the parties are actively wooing older voters, a sitting MP thinks this is appropriate…. Ms. Glover should retract her comments about Ms. Neville and apologize to the voters of her riding and Ms. Neville’s riding for offending and marginalizing a significant portion of their voter base.”
All parties make no secret of the fact that they are trying very hard to target seniors’ votes this campaign. Sensing opportunity, the Liberals chimed in themselves Tuesday morning.
“I am not so much offended for myself as I am outraged on behalf of all seniors – especially senior women – whom the Conservatives seem to think are past their ‘expiry’ dates,” Ms. Neville said in a statement. “There are millions of seniors out there who live active and productive lives, who continue to contribute to the Canadian economy by staying in the workforce, whether by choice or because they have to in order to make ends meet and pay the bills.
“For Ms. Glover to refer to me in this insulting way is a slur against all seniors. On their behalf I demand an apology.”
---
UPDATE Ms. Glover issued a statement on the issue Tuesday morning, just after 10 a.m.
“First of all, I would like to remind seniors in the Winnipeg area that Ms. Neville just voted to oppose the Conservative Government’s plan to increase [Guaranteed Income Supplement] payments to the most vulnerable, lowest income seniors in Canada -- a measure that would benefit single seniors by up to $600 and senior couples by up to $840.
“My remarks were clear: I was referring to Ms. Neville's performance as an MP, and only that. In my opinion, Ms. Neville has ceased to be an effective representative of her constituents. I believe someone new, of any age, with new ideas would be a more effective representative for the people of Winnipeg South Centre."
---
2. On tap today. The Globe’s Jane Taber reports that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff will unveil his first platform plank Tuesday – a pledge to help low-income Canadians pay for post-secondary education.
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is in Regina and Winnipeg Tuesday focussing on small business issues. A Tory official says Mr. Harper will “announce an incentive for small businesses to expand and hire new employees.”
The official says the party will also “continue to demonstrate the difference between our low tax plan to complete the economic recovery and the Coalition’s high tax agenda that would stall our recovery, kill jobs and set hardworking families back.”
It is not clear whether Tuesday’s announcement is connected to a similar item that appeared in the 2011 budget. It included a Hiring Credit for Small Business, which was described as a temporary measure that would allow a credit of up to $1,000 against a small employer’s increase in its 2011 EI premiums over those paid in 2010.
NDP leader Jack Layton is in Brantford to announce measures expected to focus on credit card fees. The NDP will also be highlighting the fact that its tour so far has focused on Conservative ridings.
3. Revisionist coalition history. Conservative campaign manager Jenni Byrne used her Twitter account Monday night to challenge reported comments from Tom Flanagan, a former Harper campaign manager. Mr. Flanagan said this week that Mr. Harper, when he was leader of the Official Opposition, must have wanted to become prime minister in 2004 without an election.
Mr. Flanagan’s comments to PostMedia contradict what Mr. Harper said Monday, when he categorically denied that his 2004 news conference announcing he, NDP leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe had written to the Governor General regarding the potential defeat of the Paul Martin minority Liberal government was part of a plan for him to assume power without an election – the very thing he is currently accusing Mr. Ignatieff of plotting.
“I can’t see what other point there would have been in writing the letter except to remind everybody that it was possible to change the government in that set of circumstances without an election,” said Mr. Flanagan.
The Conservative response?
“Flanagan agrees he wasn't in Ottawa or involved - only coalition remains the deal with the Iggy [Liberal Party], NDP, Bloc Québecois,” Ms. Byrne said on Twitter.
Asked for comment, Mr. Harper’s spokesman Dimitri Soudas offered a similar response. “Flanagan didn’t know,” said Mr. Soudas. “He even said so. And he wasn’t in Ottawa.”
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Conservative Party of Canada,
news,
people
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