LIBERAL NEW FALL FEDERAL STRATEGY BOOKS BASHING Stéphane Dion should ask Martin, Upcoming fall books, including McGuinty threatens to make a Chrétien ministers to run too. p. 1 Lana S˘lezic´’s Forsaken. p. 22 federal case over Bill C-56. p. 7

EIGHTEENTH YEAR, NO. 897 ’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSWEEKLY MONDAY, JULY 23, 2007 $4.00 Government Some 75% say re-announces should $16-billion in PM Harper drop the spending in marks ‘Canada’s New last four weeks 18 months Government’ Conservatives on election title: poll footing, trying to do as many since announcements as possible Innovative Research to push their message out, winning the Group poll also found says SES pollster Nik Nanos last election: 56% think the PM is a By BEA VONGDOUANGCHANH micro-manager and 26% like his take-charge style Prime Minister Stephen Harp- is he too er’s government re-announced By ABBAS RANA close to $16-billion in spending initiatives in the last four weeks rigid, too since the House recessed on June The Harper Conservatives were 22, dishing out money for cultural elected 18 months ago and still festivals, military equipment, fed- prefer to call themselves “Canada’s controlling, or New Government,” but according eral pasture lands, biofuel energy projects and more from Stephen- to an exclusive poll by Innovative ville, Nfld., to Port Moody, B.C. Please see story on Page 10 Some experts see the moves as do you like his the minority governing Conserva- tives trying to shore up support in areas where they need to gain ‘take-charge’ more visibility, while the govern- ment says it’s the normal course DND’s refusal of government business. style? “I would say this is the new normalcy for minority govern- to release ments that doesn’t know when an election could be and I think any minority government that’s on an documents ‘a election footing is going to look to do as many announcements as He’s in charge: PM , possible in order to kind of push pictured recently in , is the focus of disregard for their message out,” SES Research an exclusive Innovative Research Group poll pollster Nik Nanos said last week. for The Hill Times this week. p. 1 “There’s a tendency to make high oversight’ priority swing areas as a great- er focus because we know just Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times from a research point of view that Michel Drapeau says Quebec is still a volatile province electorally and is up for grabs House Defence Committee and that the Conservatives have Dion should reach out to Chrétien should call DND’s ATIP been having a tougher time in and Saskatch- coordinator Julie Jansen ewan so it’s not surprising that they try to align their announce- and Martin-era ministers too: Libs By BEA VONGDOUANGCHANH ments with the areas where they need to shore up support. Why But others say it would be politically election in an effort to boost the Grit star power in its Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 would you make an announce- slate of federal candidates, say senior Liberals. But he Department of National ment in ? You wouldn’t if dangerous to bring back Manley, Tobin, others say the move would be politically dangerous. TDefence won’t release new infor- you were a Conservative because Mr. Dion (Saint-Laurent-Cartierville, Que.) mation regarding Afghan detain- Alberta is in the bag. It wouldn’t Copps, McLellan, Cauchon, Rock, et “lacks these high-profile people right now. If he ees through access to information be a high priority area. Quebec, al., as candidates in next election. really wants to become prime minister, he’s got to requests because it’s trying to avoid Atlantic Canada, Saskatchewan bring some of the people who were around before,” embarrassing revelations, say critics, and I would say the 905 belt in said one senior Liberal, who requested anonymity, who also say this represents a “huge By ABBAS RANA would be the prime time in an interview last week with The Hill Times. step backward on accountability,” “a for making announcements.” “Some of these people have to come on board disregard for civilian oversight,” and In his opinion, Mr. Nanos also Grit Leader Stéphane Dion, who announced “star” across the country that have national stature and a point out that DND’s access to infor- said the Conservatives are try- candidate Jocelyn Coulon in Outremont, Que. last national profile if he wants to win the next election.” mation and privacy coordinator is week, should also reach out to former Cabinet min- Please see story on Page 4 isters and encourage them to run in the next federal Please see story on Page 6 Please see Legislation on Page 14 10 THE HILL TIMES, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2007 NEWS: EXCLUSIVE POLL respondents said “don’t know,” and six per lots of capable Cabinet ministers there.” cent said that Finance Minister Mr. Powers said it’s not “uncommon” Some 75% say Tories (Whitby-, Ont.) was the best Cabinet for the media to focus on this aspect of the minister, by writing in their answer with no government. “This is not a criticism of the prompts or lists. Foreign Affairs Minister media but in Canadian politics, the media Peter MacKay (Central Nova, N.S.) followed focus generally upon the leader. Regardless with five per cent support and the third place of a leader’s perceived management style or should drop the ‘Canada’s was tied between Indian Affairs Minister Jim actual style, the media focus is on the leader Prentice ( Centre North, Alta.), Public of parties. I mean, could you name [Liberal Safety Minister (Okanagan- leader Stéphane] Dion’s shadow Cabinet, Coquihalla, B.C.) and Environment Minister could you name Dalton McGuinty’s key min- New Government’ title John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) with isters? You’d find that the numbers would be three per cent support each. the same if those questions were asked.” days when he ran the [Canadian] Alliance The survey also asked who was the He added that any criticism of Minster Continued from Page 1 [Party] was running a very focused, well-struc- worst minister. Similarl to the best, 40 per O’Connor, Minister Baird and Minister Fla- Research Group for The Hill Times, only one- tured, and disciplined government, and it was cent responded “don’t know,” and 10 per cent herty was unfair. “Mr. O’Connor gets a lot of fifth of agree that it’s still appro- that approach that invariably led, along with of respondents opined that Mr. Baird is the unfair criticism but here he is the Defence priate to describe the government as “new,” Peter MacKay, to the party’s merging and the worst followed by nine per cent of those who Minister who has actually brought forward which is not a good thing, says a polling success of the party coming into office. That’s thought Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor the most significant military procurement for expert. something people forget when they make that (Carleton-Mississippi Mills, Ont.) was the Canada’s Armed Forces in recent memory. The poll, released last week, found that particular comment about micro-managing,” worst and four per cent said that Minister Minister Baird brought forward the Account- 37 per cent of Canadians think that while it Mr. Powers said. “It’s a question of results: what Flaherty deserves this title. ability Act, the landmark piece of legislation, was fine for the governing Conservatives to the public views as successful or not success- Mr. Graham said that 37 per cent of the and he’s been solid at Environment and Fla- call themselves “Canada’s New Government” ful. And one good example is the trip that he respondents came up with the name of at herty brought forward significant tax relief when they were first elected, it’s no longer did this past week where he was doing some- least one Cabinet minister and 14 per cent measures and has also brought forward pret- appropriate as they have been in power now thing that hadn’t been done in 50 years—going were able to name more than one Cabinet ty good plan for Canada called Advantage for a year-and-a-half. Another 38 per cent to Colombia and beginning to expand poten- minister. “If you think about it, that’s not too Canada. There’ll always be critics but in the said the federal government is a permanent tial trade opportunities with Central America, bad. That’s higher than you think if the idea case of those three, it’s a little unfair.” institution and therefore it was never appro- Latin America, South America, all things that is that nobody can name three Cabinet min- Meanwhile, at the end of next month, priate to refer to it as the “New Government” will resonate with different people and that isters, if only 49 per cent said that they can’t there will be at least seven vacant ridings in the first place. Sixteen per cent said it’s demonstrates leadership.” name one, that’s not too bad.” where byelections would have to be held. still appropriate for the Conservatives to call Mr. Simpson in his column also criticized But Mr. Powers said that he’s not surprised Prime Minister Harper has the option to call themselves “Canada’s New Government” to the Harper government for its tight control on a significant number of respondents in this the byelections either riding by riding or in differentiate themselves from the previous the Cabinet ministers. He argued that due to poll couldn’t name the best or worst Cabinet all the ridings at the same time. The Canada governments. this control, with the exception of one or two ministers. Elections Act requires Prime Minister Harper Even by the party breakdown, 34 per cent Cabinet ministers, no Cabinet minister has a “I remember when I worked for the to call a byelection within 180 days, or six of the respondents who identified themselves high profile. “Beyond Mr. Flaherty, ask your- Mulroney government, people like Don months, of a riding becoming vacant, but as Conservatives said that it was appropriate self this: How many ministers can I name? If Mazankowski, Benoît Bouchard who were there is no specified maximum time by which to use this title initially but not anymore and you get above three, you receive a medal,” Mr. seen as good Cabinet ministers, never had the byelection has to be held. 17 per cent of the Conservatives said it was Simpson wrote. great public awareness numbers with the pub- In the survey, 43 per cent said that it is never appropriate for them to use this refer- The online Innovative Research poll, lic so that’s not unusual that people don’t nec- “extremely” or “very important” that byelec- ence. But 39 per cent of the respondents who which was conducted between July 18-20 essarily know ministers to the same extent,” tions be held simultaneously in all seven rid- identified themselves as Conservatives in the with 802 members of a national polling panel, he said. “If you look at Cabinet ministers and ings. Of the remaining, 21 per cent said it was poll said the reference is still appropriate to tested Mr. Simpson’s theory. It asked, “Think- some of the things they have done, I mean “somewhat important,” while 19 per cent said be used. ing of all of the Ministers in the Federal Cabi- Prentice with the work he has done with the that it was “not very important” and nine per “The best before date of this ‘New Gov- net, excluding the Prime Ministers, Stephen Indian Claims Commission, Flaherty and cent said that it’s “not important at all.” ernment’ title has passed. If you look at it, Harper, which Minister do you think has some of the work that he has done with tax [email protected] the majority didn’t have a problem with done the best job?” Forty-nine per cent of the relief and Peter’s Foreign Affairs work, there’s The Hill Times it in the beginning, if you combine the two, but right now they’ve lost a little bit of their backing on using that title,” said Justin Graham, an Innovative Research A look at Innovative Research Group’s polling questions for The Hill Times, July 23: consultant. “In a general sense, if people are thinking it’s no longer appropriate, it’s Thinking of all of the Ministers in the Federal Cabinet, excluding the Prime Minister, “New Government” by vote: not a positive for the government.” Stephen Harper, which Minister do you think had done the best job? Conservative government calling itself “Canada’s New Government” But Tim Powers, a strategist dis- Finance Minister Jim Flaherty: 6 per cent Appropriate when first elected, but not 18 months later: agreed. “The government is still new, thus the Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay: 5 per cent Conservative Liberal NDP Green Bloc Québécois term, because the previous government was Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day: 3 per cent 34% 39% 39% 38% 40% Indian Affairs Minister : 3 per cent Never appropriate: in place for 13 years and this one’s only been Environment Minister John Baird: 3 per cent Conservative Liberal NDP Green Bloc Québécois there for 18 months so relatively that is new,” Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor: 2 per cent 17% 53% 41% 48% 32% he said. “What’s also new and why it gets used Industry Minister : 1 per cent Still appropriate: is the leadership approach that certainly is Transport Minister : 1 per cent Conservative Liberal NDP Green Bloc Québécois very different than [former prime minister] Heath Minister : 1 per cent 39% 3% 10% 8% 10% ’s. Regardless of what the govern- Agriculture Minister : 1 per cent ment calls itself, at the end of the day, people International Cooperation Josée Verner: 1 per cent Which of the following statements is closest to your personal point of view regarding the will judge the government on its results.” Prime Minister Stephen Harper: 1 per cent leadership style of Prime Minister Stephen Harper? In the last few months, some political ana- None: 14 per cent Prime Minister Stephen Harper is a micro-manager who controls all communications from the lysts and news columnists have questioned Don’t know: 49 per cent government by keeping a lid on his ministers, sticking to a tight script and not having any why the government insists on calling itself spontaneity in interaction with the media: 56 per cent “Canada’s New Government” when it was Thinking of all of the Ministers in the Federal Cabinet, excluding the Prime Minister, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is a take-charge leader who insists on all his ministers elected 18 months ago. On July 7, Globe and Stephen Harper, which Minister do you think has done the worst job? communicating the same message by controlling what is said and by sticking to a tight Mail national affairs columnist Jeffery Simp- Environment Minister John Baird: 10 per cent script: 26 per cent son wrote, “It’s so silly, this title, as to be almost Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor: 9 per cent Don’t know: 17 per cent a parody. But Prime Minister Stephen Harper Finance Minister Jim Flaherty: 4 per cent was at it again all week as he made one of Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay: 3 per cent Harper’s leadership style by vote: his ‘It’s all about me’ tours, sprinkling billions Intergovernmental Affairs Minister : 3 per cent Harper’s style Conservative Liberal NDP Green Bloc Québécois International Cooperation Minister Josée Verner: 2 per cent Micro-manager: 22% 78% 70% 77% 58% across the country while his ministers nodded Health Minister Tony Clement: 2 per cent Take-charge leadership: 59% 11% 9% 15% 18% behind him. ‘Canada’s New Government,’ he Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day: 2 per cent kept repeating, is doing this and that.” Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice: 2 per cent Due to a variety of reasons, by the end of August there will be seven vacant seats in the Meanwhile, the poll results also show that Prime Minister Stephen Harper: 2 per cent House of Commons. According to the law, a byelection must be called within six months of 56 per cent of the respondents view Prime Citizenship and Immigration Minister : 1 per cent a seat becoming vacant. Some have advised the Prime Minister to call byelections for some Minister Harper (, Alta.) Canadian Heritage Minister : 1 per cent seats, while waiting to call them for others. How important is it in your opinion, that all of the as “a micro-manager who controls all com- Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon: 1 per cent byelections be held at the same time? Is it… munications from the government by keeping All are doing a good job: 1 per cent Extremely important: 18 per cent a lid on his ministers, sticking to a tight script None are doing a good job: 8 per cent Very important: 25 per cent and not having any spontaneity in interaction Other: 5 per cent Somewhat important: 21 per cent with the media” and 26 per cent see him as Don’t Know: 40 per cent Not very important: 19 per cent a “take-charge leader who insists on all his Not important at all: 9 per cent ministers communicating the same message Which of the following three statements best describes your personal point of view on by controlling what is said and by sticking to this topic? “Communications from the federal government and the federal government Byelections by vote a tight script.” website referring to ‘Canada’s New Government.’” How important is that all of the byelections be held at the same time? But Mr. Powers argued that when people Conservative Liberal NDP Green Bloc Québécois describe Prime Minister Harper as a micro- When they were first elected, calling themselves the “New Government” was fine, but after Important: 24% 54% 49% 53% 48% manager, they forget that his focus on main- 18 months in power, it is no longer appropriate: 37 per cent Not important: 46% 20% 20% 20% 26% The federal government is a permanent institution and therefore it was never appropriate to taining discipline within his party has led to refer to it as the “New Government”: 38 per cent —Source: Innovative Research Group online survey conducted online between July 18-20 with his electoral success. To differentiate themselves from previous regimes, it is still appropriate to refer to them- 802 Canadians. The survey is accurate to within 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. “The success that Prime Minster has always selves as the “New Government”: 16 per cent had as a political leader starting back in his