Cabinet has “work to do” on security following the arrest of a suspected Canadian spy at NATO headquarters, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said yesterday. The Minister said he was leaving the investigation up to Belgian police for the time being: "There will obviously be some serious learning that comes out of that." READ MORE
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne yesterday would not answer the Commons finance committee when asked if he would cap spending on cabinet’s regional high speed rail venture at $90 billion. The Budget Office has predicted costs are already 26 percent over budget: "Are you uneasy with this?" READ MORE
The Department of Heritage yesterday would not explain why it approved thousand in foreign travel expenses by an advisor after cabinet promised to cut unnecessary travel. Taxpayers were billed more than $46,000 in five months for business-class junkets abroad by Amira Elghawaby, former Toronto Star columnist and Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia: "It's really important to be a fiscally responsible government." READ MORE
Governor General Louise Arbour’s son-in-law in a rare political commentary by a Rideau Hall family member has publicly denounced Rebel News Network. “My mother-in-law has nothing, directly or indirectly, to do with it,” said Michael Spratt, an Ottawa lawyer. READ MORE
MPs yesterday took up Second Reading of a private bill mandating compensation for damage to religious properties by arsonists or vandals. It follows federal data documenting numerous arson attacks on churches: 'Compensation to the property owner is novel.' READ MORE
Ex-cabinet advisor and Toronto Star columnist Amira Elghawaby billed taxpayers nearly $18,000 for a business-class junket to England to ‘define Islamophobia,’ newly-released expense accounts show. Expenses included a $2,947 stay at a four-star hotel in Piccadilly: "Personal attendance was required." READ MORE
Cabinet is now censoring internal audits at the passport office after successive investigations documented mismanagement that cost taxpayers millions. The latest Audit Of Passport Delivery Service redacted its findings: "I wouldn’t be surprised if they claim some sort of success despite the disaster we’ve seen." READ MORE
The men who kidnapped me called themselves mujahadeen, Holy Warriors of God. They once asked me, “What would you do if the Americans invaded Canada? Would you not take up a gun and fight to protect your family and your country?” My experience as a hostage is a window into the psychology of violence. Every act of violence seems to have a pointing finger behind it, an accusation, a narrative that explains and justifies it. War turns us into the very thing we hate.
