They don't like us, they really don't like us

CPAC, The Cable Parliamentary Channel, caught Conservative MP Pierre Polièvre swearing at his colleagues at a committee meeting on Thursday. On Friday, CPAC reporter Martin Stringer asked him about it. The exchange shows the MP in rapid movement -- from denial to flawed explanation to threat:

Question: You might want to retract in terms of comments. There was something caught on camera where you used the “F” word towards your colleagues.

Pierre Poilièvre: Well, there is nothing that I have plans to retract this point.

Question: An apology to the committee? When you say “FU” you guys, 9:54 in the committee?

Pierre Poilièvre: Well, you know, gentlemen, I think you might have misread my lips.

Question: We have it on tape.

Pierre Poilièvre: Well, we will have to confiscate that tape and consider it, consider our next steps. Thank you.

Hockey and politics collide

The lobby of Edmonton's Westin Hotel was abuzz with what passes for celebrity sightings in this country on Friday.

With the hometown Oilers in the Stanley Cup finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton is again Canada's hockey capital.

But there was also a premiers' conference this week in the Alberta capital, so the Westin was bustling with political journalists and sports reporters and politicians and hockey royalty.

Yes, that was Hockey Night In Canada's bombastic Don Cherry and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Oiler-turned-broadcaster Kelly Hrudey and the folks from Soiree de Hockey and a bunch of other sports types that the politicos could not identify.

For the record, Cherry confided to McGuinty's entourage that the Oilers, down two games to none, are pretty much screwed by that injury to their first-string goalie.

Wow, with that penetrating analysis, think what the Coach's Corner host could do if he had been unleashed on the equalization conference!

A long good-bye

Premier Dalton McGuinty is losing his chief of staff.

Don Guy, who has run McGuinty’s office since the Liberals took power in 2003, is leaving to work on the premier’s 2007 re-election campaign as of July 1.

Guy’s replacement is Peter Wilkinson, Finance Minister Greg Sorbara’s no-nonsense chief of staff.

Diane Flanagan, a veteran Sorbara spin-doctor, will succeed Wilkinson at Finance.

The changes were announced Wednesday night.

For readers with time on their hands, here is a lengthy e-mail from Guy to his staff:

> Subject: Moving Forward >

> Most of you reading this will have a sense of what a tremendous privilege it is to work with Premier Dalton McGuinty...how truly different he is from every other politician. >

> I wish I could find the words to convey what it does for your spirit to work with a Leader who unflinchingly steers towards the right thing to do, regardless of the heat. To do that, you have to be fearless and completely honest with yourself, two qualities that well describe the Premier. > > After a decade of Conservatives who adhered rigidly to policies that they knew were wrong-headed and would hurt people, Ontario has an "anti-politician" as Premier who puts the public interest ahead of everything else, special interests, political interests or personal interest. And he has support from a tremendous cabinet, caucus and party. >

> It has been a privilege to help him and all of you get the Ontario ship of state on a course where it is helping rather than hurting people by bringing Ontarians together to fight common challenges rather than score political points by pitting Ontarians against each other. The results of this approach are already amazing, and we have much more to accomplish together. >

> But I am a realist. Conservatives will pay whatever price necessary to regain power, roll back our agenda of positive change, and put the public purse back in the service of their narrow group of interests; whether it is distorting the economy to benefit the privileged at the expense of working families; siphoning billions out public education and into the private schools only their kids can get into, or billions more from medicare into the kind of two-tier medicine only they can afford to access. I am convinced that this coming election is the most important in Ontario history...a showdown between two different ways of life, a hand up for all Ontarians with the McGuinty Liberals or an even more virulent Conservativism more carefully concealed under a bland face. >

> Given this, the biggest contribution that I can make to our Ontario Liberal project is to step aside from my position as Chief of Staff for the balance of this term to run that coming election campaign. I will do this July 1, 2006. >

> I am very pleased that Peter Wilkinson will be assuming the position of Chief of Staff to the Premier, effective that date. Peter has proven himself > to be tremendously effective in this capacity with Finance Ministers Sorbara and Duncan. His integrity and knowledge of the workings of our government are unrivalled. Peter will be inheriting a tremendously talented and committed group in the Office of the Premier, about whom I simply can't say enough, so I will simply say - thank you to all of you. >

> I look forward to working together with all of you in my different capacity, and will have new coordinates to share July 1st. > > Don >

He'll cry if he wants to....

It's the height of party season in Ottawa, with everyone celebrating the approaching end of this parliamentary session. All week, the Liberals' interim leader Bill Graham has been hosting parties at Stornoway, the official Opposition residence -- it's media night tonight --  and coveted invites went out in the past week for the big July 4 bash at the U.S. ambassador's house.

And what of the annual garden parties at 24 Sussex, you might ask? Well, there are marquee tents up on the grounds, so there's some evidence of prime ministerial socializing. Some former Tory parliamentarians were over there earlier this week, sources say -- partly because Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he wouldn't attend a larger, multipartisan annual gathering for ex-MPs that's always held this time of year too. Why? Because dreaded Liberals would be in the crowd. Seriously.

Knowing that Harper lumps Liberals and media together at the top of his enemies list, few reporters are waiting for an invitation to 24 Sussex this year. Even fewer say they would go if they were invited. Yes, the more things change in Ottawa these days, the more things seem like high school.

Making a List, Checking it Twice...

While the Prime Minister's Office is fixated on drawing up lists for would-be questioners in the media, the Liberal opposition has been busy with a list of another sort.

It's a little like the Twelve Days of Christmas, without the tune or the partridge in a pear tree.  It's a list of all the alleged Tory/Harper  missteps for each day in power since February.  Liberal MPs began to read from the list last week during the Commons session devoted to members' statements, and were still at it today.

Ruby Dhalla (Brampton Springdale) took listeners up to Day 150 today. She declared:

Number 141: ordinary Canadians making $80,000 a year.

Number 142: floor-crossing trade minister changes allegiance when he crossed the floor.

Number 143: fearmongering that crime is going up when actually crime is going down.

Number 144: having no plan of action to address the issue of climate change.

Number 145: the minister gets appointed to the Senate because he feels that he should not run in the election.

Number 146: a hypocritical trade minister shakes his head at the hypocrisy of the member who dares to criticize him.

Number 147: muzzling Conservative MPs once again on commenting on the same sex marriage of two Canadian Mounties in Nova Scotia.

Number 148: playing politics by favouring friendly media outlets and ignoring anyone else who writes against him.

Number 149: preaching about accountability while the Conservative MP from Calgary West is sued for wrongful dismissal and accused of improperly using public funds.

Number 150: introducing token Senate reform while breaking the Conservative promise to elect Senators.

Jack Knows Toronto, Toronto Knows Jack

People from Toronto don't understand the softwood-lumber dispute, Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared in the Commons today.

The GTA-dismissive comment came in response to questions by NDP leader Jack Layton about the softwood-lumber dispute. Layton argued that the recent Canada-U.S. deal is not really that good a deal at all.

"The proposed agreement restricts the access of B.C. resources to the United States market and allows 13 U.S. companies to hang on to hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal tariffs that they can use to attack us," Layton said. "Is that standing up for Canada? Absolutely not."

In reply, Harper took a shot at Layton's hometown. "What the honourable member says may be the perspective of someone from downtown Toronto but the people who work in this industry, the people who run this industry want this agreement done, and this government will be doing it."

Belinda Stronach, the former human resources minister and one-time Conservative, also asked Harper in Question Period today what he has against Toronto. Of course, we already know. As reported in the Star several weeks ago, Tory lobbyists have been telling audiences that Harper has decided he doesn't need Toronto to win the next election and is concentrating all his efforts on wooing Quebec.

Keeping the province safe for matching throw rugs

The best press release of the day arrived in our in-basket late Tuesday. We offer it without comment. Well, almost without comment. Tim Peterson, the Liberal MPP for Mississauga South, is the brother of former premier David Peterson and respected MP and former cabinet minister Jim Peterson. While his brothers have soared to the highest heights of Canadian political life, the rookie MPP has his feet firmly on the ground, pouncing upon an issue that has gripped ordinary Ontarians for decades:

 

MPP Tim Peterson Introduces Interior Designers Act, 2006 Legislation will protect the public and regulate the practice of interior design

TORONTO, June 6 / The Interior Designers Act, 2006, a Private Member, Public Bill, introduced today by MPP Tim Peterson, will protect the public from unqualified practitioners by regulating the practice of interior design in Ontario.

Interior design is currently an unregulated profession in Ontario. There are no restrictions on who may practice interior design. As a result, consumers and businesses in Ontario have no reliable way of knowing if practitioners possess the appropriate qualifications and training to practice safe interior design. If the Bill is passed, Ontario will become the second jurisdiction in Canada to regulate the practice of interior design. Interior design includes the development of all public interior spaces, such as corporate offices, restaurants, retail stores and shopping malls, health and long-term care facilities, academic institutions, airports, detention centres and public facilities. Interior design significantly affects the health and safety of the public who occupy these spaces. Interior Designers incorporate specialized knowledge of fire codes, building codes, material flammability and toxicity issues, and barrier-free design matters into each project to ensure the protection of the public.

Highlights of the proposed legislation include:

- Establishing the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) as the self-governing body responsible for regulating the profession of interior design in Ontario

- Granting ARIDO the authority to set standards of practice and entry to practice requirements for the profession; including, education, experience, examination and professional liability insurance

- Defining the scope of practice for interior design and restricting the use of the title "Interior Designer" to members of the profession who meet the necessary qualifications

The Bill regulates the practice of interior design but excludes most residential buildings, such as residential buildings under 600 sq. m (6,450 sq. ft.). The Bill does not regulate interior decorating. Architects and Engineers can continue to practice interior design subject to their own regulatory statutes.

"I am proud to introduce the Interior Designers Act, 2006" said MPP Tim Peterson. "If passed, the Bill will regulate the practice of interior design and protect the health and safety of Ontarians. ARIDO and the interior design community have been pursuing regulation for many years and I am pleased to be a part of realizing their public interest objectives."

ARIDO has widespread support for the Bill. ARIDO has consulted extensively with a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including the Ontario Association of Architects and the Professional Engineers of Ontario. The Bill is consistent with NAFTA, the National Building Code and the Ontario Building Code.

Interior design in Ontario generates over $4 billion of economic activity in the province annually. The majority of Interior Designers are small business owners. ARIDO currently has 1,800 plus members.

About ARIDO

ARIDO is currently a voluntary professional association for Interior Designers in Ontario. ARIDO’s mandate is to serve the interests of both the public and the interior design industry. It does so by registering Interior Designers who voluntarily meet required standards of education, experience and examination. For more information on ARIDO, please visit: www.arido.ca.

Getting ahead of Himself...

Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave himself a promotion today in Question Period, saying that he had been talking to his "equivalent" in the United States. By this, he meant President George W. Bush, with whom he spoke on the phone yesterday afternoon.

Bush, however, is the U.S. head of state -- not exactly Harper’s "equivalent." In Canada, that post is held by Governor-General Michaëlle Jean. Harper is head of government. Unless of course, something has changed and the media haven’t been notified.

Ernie Eves Lives!

Premier Dalton McGuinty was taking a leaf out of the book of his almost-always tardy Tory predecessor Ernie Eves on Monday afternoon.

Hundreds of Monfort Hospital workers waited around in a large tent on a sweltering hot day for the great man to arrive.

Finally, after 25 minutes, McGuinty sauntered in to speak to the hospital workers, most of whom presumably had better things to do with their time.

McGuinty’s lateness reminded reporters of how Eves used to leave people cooling their heels in the winter or sweating buckets in summer during his brief tenure as premier in 2002-03.

With a provincial election just 16 months away, McGuinty might want to reconsider adopting Evesian tendencies. Current Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory starts work by 7 a.m. most days so the Liberal premier can ill afford to waste anyone’s time.

 

Spring has sprung, a fling is flung

The Queen's Park Press Gallery's Spring Fling will be held on June 7 at Hart House on the leafy campus of the University of Toronto -- a convenient three-minute stagger from the Ontario Legislature.

An off-the-record-event -- despite the best efforts of some in this space to rectify that -- the gallery show will boast humourous speeches, sketches and videos from Premier Dalton McGuinty, Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory, NDP Leader Howard Hampton, and journalists.

Tickets are $30 and available from press gallery members.

Memo to lobbyists bugging us for ducats: we're happy to see you if we know you, but we're less thrilled if you buy tickets so your clients can schmooze cabinet ministers and MPPs. Save that for political fundraisers.