Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on March 1, 2011.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
1. 'We're continuing to keep every option open.' A report Monday in The Hill Times is causing a lot of buzz on Parliament Hill. Writer Tim Naumetz is suggesting the Liberals may try to defeat the government before its March 22 budget.
He lays out a delicious scenario in which the Liberals would bring in a "snap confidence motion" over a number of controversies that have recently plagued the government: the Bev Oda affair in which the Minister of International Co-operation is accused of misleading Parliament after a CIDA funding recommendation was altered; the so-called in-and-out election financing scheme; and questions over Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's public versus partisan roles.
Defeating the government before the budget would certainly render any negotiations between the Tories and NDP over the country's financial plan useless. Remember, though, that it takes all three opposition parties to take down Stephen Harper's minority government.
Michael Ignatieff's office is shooting down the report - sort of.
"This is just fodder for Parliament Hill intrigue at the moment," a senior Liberal official told The Globe Monday morning. "Lots of fiction, very little fact. We're continuing to keep every option open because what the story gets right is the fact the Speaker is set to rule on two serious controversies facing Conservatives - the refusal to disclose important financial information about government spending and Minister Oda's Kairos cover-up."
The operative phrase here being: "We're continuing to keep every option open."
2. When Greens attack. Political discourse in this country has come to this: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is launching an attack ad Monday morning.
She's been forced to, the Green Party says, because every other party has launched ads that have proven so effective - especially the Tories.
Last Monday it was the NDP; the Liberals launched a French-language ad last week and before that there has been a series of negative Tory ads.
Ms. May refused to even hint at what the ads will look like until her news conference later this morning. Lettuce being flung at her opposition colleagues? Tar sands porn - as per Ethical Oil author Ezra Levant? Or just Ms. May putting her own critical spin on the Harper government?
"Canadians who are sick and tired of attack ads will like this one," Ms. May told The Globe Monday morning.
She said the party is buying time on CTV, CBC and TVA to broadcast the ads.
3. Digital mudslinging. Marc Garneau is accusing Tony Clement of being "all tweet, no action." The Montreal MP says the Industry Minster lacks any vision when it comes to the controversial issue of usage-based Internet billing.
He and the Liberals have one, however. And Mr. Garneau - who is also Canada's first astronaut - is launching a petition Monday to ensure the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission doesn't go ahead with its plan that could affect the consumers' pocketbook by prohibiting small Internet companies from selling unlimited access plans.
There was a huge outcry from Canadians when news broke of the CRTC's intentions - and leading the charge was the Industry Minister, who is famous for his love of Twitter. In fact, during the heat of this debate, Mr. Clement tweeted that the government intended to force the CRTC to reverse its decision.
Enter Mr. Garneau, who has scheduled a news conference to criticize Mr. Clement for his failure to present a coherent government position on the issue. In addition, he wants Canadians to co-sign his submission to the CRTC.
"Testifying in Parliament last week, [Mr. Clement]failed to present a vision for Canada's digital economy or explain how the government will ensure fairness and transparency in building Canada's Internet capacity," according to a statement Mr. Garneau is to release Monday morning.
"The fight for an open web is far from over. As I write to you officials at the CRTC are poring over thousands of submissions about UBB in a public consultation that you helped to force."
He says the final CRTC decision must be one that "lays the foundation for an open, competitive and affordable Internet."