June 1, 2006
A call for a new Northern vision
When I was very young, we went to the foot of Champlain Street and swam in Baie Comeau, for which my hometown was named. Today, there is a park...
June 1, 2006
Accountability is job one (interview)
POLICY OPTIONS: Mr. Baird, thanks for coming in and doing this. Let’s start with the five-year cooling- off period for former officials before they can lobby government. A lot...
June 1, 2006
By a 3-1 margin, voters rank the health care guarantee most important of the top five priorities
The health care guarantee is by far the most popular item on the Harper government’s top five priorities list. In a national survey by SES Research for Policy Options,...
June 1, 2006
The old accountability shuffle
”œNever credit to conspiracy what simple incompetence can adequately describe.” Napoleon ”œTrust is the coin of the realm.” George Shultz Friends of the Harper government are divided on how...
June 1, 2006
C-2 : quand les effets pervers dépassent les conséquences positives
Le président du Conseil du trésor fédéral, John Baird, a déposé le 11 avril dernier un projet de loi fédérale sur l’imputabilité et un plan d’action qui annoncent, selon...
June 1, 2006
Limiting donations and eliminating cash – problem solved? Not exactly
To date, media and political reaction to the Federal Accountability Act (FAA) has focused on whistle-blowers, floor-crossers, and access to information. Little attention has been paid to the amendments...
June 1, 2006
Une déprimante culture de l’adjudication
« Mais alors, improbable, est-ce aÌ€ dire que vous allez devoir tout prouver? Et plausible, que vous méritez d’é‚tre applaudi? » Jean Rouaud Au cours de la dernié€re décennie,...
June 1, 2006
From Gomery to the Accountability Act: the devil is in the details
The Gomery Commission’s mandate invited it to make recommendations on whistle-blowing legislation, the governance and accountability of Crown corporations, access to information legislation, and the provisions for compliance and...
June 1, 2006
Afghanistan, Darfur and the great (unexpected) debate over Canada’s military role in the world
On May 17 something extraordinary happened in the House of Commons. Parliamentarians held the closest thing to a serious debate on a military mis- sion of direct relevance to...
June 1, 2006
Opting out of electoral reform – why PEI chose the status quo
Electoral reform is all the rage in Canada these days ””witness the 2004 report issued by the Law Commission of Canada (Voting Counts: Electoral Reform for Canada). Provincial governments...
June 1, 2006
Divergences relatives à l’évolution des appuis à la souveraineté-partenariat depuis dix ans
Les média ont largement fait mention d’une étude de Gilles Gagné et Simon Langlois relative aux progré€s des appuis aÌ€ la souveraineté-partenariat depuis dix ans (« Les jeunes appuient...
June 1, 2006
Governing with the Charter: Legislative and Judicial Activism and Framers’ Intent (book excerpt)
During the proceedings of the Special Joint Committee on the Constitution of Canada, Peter Russell observed that ”œI believe that a Charter only guarantees a change in the way...
June 1, 2006
Governing with the Charter: Legislative and Judicial Activism and Framers’ Intent (book review)
In this important new book about the origins and impact of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, James Kelly counters what he sees as a false dichotomy between...
June 1, 2006
Activisme judiciaire?
Lors de sa comparution devant le Comité de la Chambre des com- munes chargé d’examiner la nomination d’un juge aÌ€ la Cour supré‚me, le juge Marshall Rothstein a précisé...