Inside Politics

RCMP fleet details too secret for Toews are only a click away

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:36:44 -0500

This week Public Safety Minister Vic Toews claimed that "for security reasons and to maintain the integrity of police operations" he could not fully answer a question from NDP MP Sylvain Chicoine about the RCMP's fleet of aircraft.

Toews was among many ministers who, on Monday, provided answers to hundreds of outstanding questions from last year. Chicoine had asked Toews for a tally of how many aircraft are in the RCMP fleet, how often they fly, what they cost and how they are used, as well as a breakdown of their make, model and age.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the RCMP taking to the air. And as someone who has written about the Mounties' planes, I found Toews' response a little curious.

"Mr. Speaker, the RCMP owns 12 fixed-wing aircraft of various makes and models, ranging from 3 to 26 years of age, for surveillance. Aircraft are deployed for use across the country, as and when required. Requests from outside police forces may be considered based on operational availability," Toews said in his answer tabled in the House of Commons.

"For security reasons and to maintain the integrity of police operations, the RCMP cannot further identify these resources or release additional details as to their usage without jeopardizing ongoing police operations and investigational techniques, as well as the safety of RCMP personnel and the public," Toews said.

Last September, I checked in with the RCMP for an update on the force's fleet. I was told the Mounties have 32 planes and 10 choppers. The fleet is used for surveillance, air support, patrols, getting around remote areas, searches, transporting supplies and personnel as well as executive travel.

The makes and models of the aircraft can all be found with the click of a mouse on the RCMP Air Services web page, where the force proudly describes its fleet of 3 Cessna Caravans, 2 De Havilland Twin Otters, 2 Eurocopter EC 120Bs, 8 Eurocopter AS 350B3s, 15 Pilatus PC-12s, 10 Cessnas and let's not forget former Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli's Italian vanity jet, the Piaggio Avanti P180.

Now if the Mounties don't mind sharing information about the fleet, I'm not sure why Toews does, especially when speaking on behalf of the RCMP.

Liberal hopeful in Toronto-Danforth tries colourful approach

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:08:46 -0500

A Toronto man is asking Conservatives, New Democrats and members of any other party in existence to support his bid for the Liberal Party nomination for the upcoming by-election in the riding of Toronto-Danforth.

In his unconventional online pitch, Grant Gordon has written specific messages to people of all political stripes.

Hit the jump for more...

The prankster behind the snow shovelling tax credit hoax

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:46:29 -0500

He denied it at first, but I asked one more time.

"Are you the prankster who sent me a media release from Health Canada?"

Dougald Lamont replied that yes, it was him.

I received the email from the bogus media-relation@hc-sc.gc.ca email address early this afternoon, entitled "Harper Government Announces New Fitness Tax Credits for Seniors Shovelling Snow."

In a clever parody of a government of Canada announcement, it attributed the following comment to Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq: "By instituting a Seniors Fitness Tax Credit for Shovelling Snow, seniors on fixed incomes will not have to pay anyone to shovel their walks, they will be rewarded - even posthumously - for doing it themselves."

More, including the full text of the hoax e-mail, after the jump:

Liberal mad men target legal beagles over C-10

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:42:06 -0500

The Liberals want members of Canada's legal community to join the fight against bill C-10, the government's omnibus crime legislation. The party is running ads in a number of law publications, including Lawyers WeeklyTimes, Canadian Lawyer, Law Times, Le Journal du Barreau du Quebec, National Magazine and University Affairs.

The ad features a Canadian flag behind prison bars and an open letter from the Liberal party's interim leader Bob Rae asking readers, "If you don't oppose the omnibus crime bill, who will?"

Read more and see the ad after the jump...

His name is Robert Paulson. No, it's Bob

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:40:29 -0500

It was getting really annoying.

I mean, it was nice that so many people responded to my piece about the new RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson, but many of the online comments simply read, "His name is Robert Paulson."

In one case someone turned on the caps lock and typed out, "HIS NAME IS ROBERT PAULSON" several times. I also received tweets and emails telling me, "His name is Robert Paulson."

Now I know for a fact the new RCMP commissioner goes by Bob, not Robert, so I could not understand all these accusations that I had mistakenly abbreviated his name.

Curious, and growing suspicious that I one the wrong side of an inside joke, I turned to my google machine and typed in "His name is Robert Paulson". I got 156,000 results.

More, after the jump....

Liberal renewal: looking for an outside fix?

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:59:38 -0500

While the NDP leadership race heats up, scant attention has been paid to the Liberal Party and its renewal activities.

Having changed its constitution in June in order to give it more time to select a leader, the party is heading towards a January policy convention where members will help shape a future platform, choose a new president and officers, as well as improve the party's structure and governance.

Liberals have been invited to go online and vote on the issues they want considered at the convention. The most popular resolutions will make it through.

So far, the two top resolutions have nothing to do with policy or party renewal.

More, after the jump:

Massachusetts and the Sacred Cod

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:53:23 -0500

Republican State Rep. Dan Winslow wants this fish (look up) to swim the other way.

The 1.5-metre pine carving of a cod, Massachusetts' official state fish, hangs over the public gallery at the back of the Chamber of the House of Representatives. Dubbed the "Sacred Cod," the fish serves to remind those present of the historic importance of fishing to the state's economy.

And it matters which way the fish is facing.

Find out why, after the jump...

A thumb verde

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:06:23 -0500

If you've got a green thumb, Canada's embassy in Italy wants to hear from you. Hit the jump to see how you could win a contract worth $500,000 to $1,000,000.

SCOC vacancies: Harper's process

Tue, 17 May 2011 11:36:30 -0500

Supreme Court of Canada Justices Louise Charron and Ian Binnie surprised many in the country's legal community last Friday when they announced their retirements.

It's not often two judges leave at the same time. Charron, 60, is also nowhere near the court's mandatory retirement age of 75.

While many observers of the top court have spoken fondly about the contributions and personal style of Charron and Binnie, others have wondered how Prime Minister Stephen Harper will select their replacements.

More, after the jump:

Ignatieff interview: Wheels on the bus

Sun, 01 May 2011 11:45:31 -0500

All things considered, the suite at the back of Michael Ignatieff's Liberal bus is pretty cosy.

I sat on the squishy green couch to interview the Liberal leader this afternoon on our bumpy drive from Paris to Stoney Creek, Ontario.

While his wife Zsuzsanna Zsohar read quietly in the corner, I asked Ignatieff about frustrated voters who think Canada needs electoral reform or some kind of unification of parties on the political left.

Hear the interview and read a partial transcript, after the jump:

RCMP reform a forgotten issue in 2011 campaign

Sun, 01 May 2011 11:27:45 -0500

It's certainly not one of the highest-profile topics of this campaign, but more than 30,000 employees of the RCMP and other Canadians care deeply about following through with at least some of the recommendations in the 2007 David Brown report on structural and cultural change at Canada's national police force.

I took a look at how the different platforms address the issue ... after the jump.

Strategic thinking in Guelph

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:12:45 -0500

In what's shaping up to be a tight four-way race, many people in Guelph are thinking strategically.

Chris Fischer is one of them.

"Under the circumstances it makes more sense. I know it's strategic voting, it's not something, in a perfect world you wouldn't want to make up your mind that way but I don't see any alternative here."

More after the jump...

Ignatieff's 'most important resource'

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:49:48 -0500

(Paul Chiasson, The Canadian Press)

For the third time in three days, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has talked about what he calls Canada's most important natural resource: brains.

I didn't think much about it when Ignatieff busted out the new line earlier this week at a high school in Sault Ste. Marie. Responding to a question from a student at St. Mary's College, Ignatieff made his pitch for the Liberal Learning Passport and pointed at the young woman, saying she possessed Canada's richest natural resources between her ears.

Ignatieff did the same thing yesterday at a rally in Quebec City that was well-attended by CEGEP students. The line went over very well with the crowd. However, as all those cameras zoomed in on the young woman, she turned red. Ignatieff quickly apologized for making her the centre of attention.

After today, I would bet we've seen the last of Ignatieff spotlighting the brains of women in the audience.

Ignatieff: Just say no to pot

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:16:01 -0500

Today at St. Mary's College, a Catholic high school in Sault Ste. Marie, students peppered Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff with questions about everything from affordable housing for aboriginal people to whether he thinks the price of natural gas will ever go down.

And then a student named Andrew approached the microphone. "I was wondering what your opinion is about the case in Southern Ontario about the potential legalization of marijuana?"

Ignatieff paused for a few seconds before answering and for the first time that morning, almost every teenager looked up to listen to the answer.

He had quite a bit to say...after the jump.

Moving beyond the Indian Act

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:48:34 -0500

The question came at Michael Ignatieff's last town hall in Vancouver.

A man asked what the Liberal leader thinks about National Chief Shawn Atleo's goal to eliminate the Indian Act.

It's not in the Liberal platform, but Ignatieff said he has given it some thought.

More after the jump....