Layton's leadership could be hurt by gun-registry vote

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

If MPs in each of the four federal parties follow through on their stated voting intentions on Bill C-391, an act to scrap the federal long gun registry, it will be the divided NDP caucus that will cause the registry's demise, an outcome that critics say would be bad for both urban NDP MPs and Leader Jack Layton.

The private member's bill is being put forward by Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner (Portage-Lisgar, Man.), and the vote is set to take place at report stage on Sept. 22. The bill passed second reading and was sent to the House Public Safety Committee on Nov. 4, 2009, with the support of the governing Tories, along with 12 NDP MPs and six Liberals, with only the Bloc united in their opposition to the initiative. The second reading vote was 164 to 137

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff (Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Ont.) previously said, however, that when the bill comes to final reading it will be a whipped vote for his caucus, and all 76 Grit MPs are expected to show up to oppose Ms. Hoeppner's bill. Instead, the Liberals are proposing changes to the decade-old registry, such as making a first-time failure to register a firearm

Hill frustrated with PMO's 'excessive control' before being shuffled

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.

But Conservatives say that's nonsense and that Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) and the PMO had a good working relationship. The Prime Minister put Mr. Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) in the job to

Hill frustrated with PMO's 'excessive control' before being shuffled

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.

But Conservatives say that's nonsense and that Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) and the PMO had a good working relationship. The Prime Minister put Mr. Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) in the job to

Hill frustrated with PMO's 'excessive control' before being shuffled

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.

But Conservatives say that's nonsense and that Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) and the PMO had a good working relationship. The Prime Minister put Mr. Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) in the job to

Hill frustrated with PMO's 'excessive control' before being shuffled

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.

But Conservatives say that's nonsense and that Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) and the PMO had a good working relationship. The Prime Minister put Mr. Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) in the job to

Hill frustrated with PMO's 'excessive control' before being shuffled

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.

But Conservatives say that's nonsense and that Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) and the PMO had a good working relationship. The Prime Minister put Mr. Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) in the job to

Hill frustrated with PMO's 'excessive control' before being shuffled

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.

But Conservatives say that's nonsense and that Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) and the PMO had a good working relationship. The Prime Minister put Mr. Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) in the job to

Hill frustrated with PMO's 'excessive control' before being shuffled

Photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.

But Conservatives say that's nonsense and that Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) and the PMO had a good working relationship. The Prime Minister put Mr. Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) in the job to

It will be difficult for Tories to recover from census debacle

photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

The tide has turned on Prime Minister Stephen Harper since he began a summer jammed with major events he hoped would lead to rising support for his party and—had all gone as planned—a possible snap election in the fall.

In the aftermath of negative publicity over the G-8 and G-20 summits, the spectacular public relations disaster over what should have been just another routine census, and the sobering loss of nearly 140,000 jobs in the Canadian economy in July, pollsters and politicians say the only running Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest,

It will be difficult for Tories to recover from census debacle

photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

The tide has turned on Prime Minister Stephen Harper since he began a summer jammed with major events he hoped would lead to rising support for his party and—had all gone as planned—a possible snap election in the fall.

In the aftermath of negative publicity over the G-8 and G-20 summits, the spectacular public relations disaster over what should have been just another routine census, and the sobering loss of nearly 140,000 jobs in the Canadian economy in July, pollsters and politicians say the only running Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest,

It will be difficult for Tories to recover from census debacle

photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

The tide has turned on Prime Minister Stephen Harper since he began a summer jammed with major events he hoped would lead to rising support for his party and—had all gone as planned—a possible snap election in the fall.

In the aftermath of negative publicity over the G-8 and G-20 summits, the spectacular public relations disaster over what should have been just another routine census, and the sobering loss of nearly 140,000 jobs in the Canadian economy in July, pollsters and politicians say the only running Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest,

It will be difficult for Tories to recover from census debacle

photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

The tide has turned on Prime Minister Stephen Harper since he began a summer jammed with major events he hoped would lead to rising support for his party and—had all gone as planned—a possible snap election in the fall.

In the aftermath of negative publicity over the G-8 and G-20 summits, the spectacular public relations disaster over what should have been just another routine census, and the sobering loss of nearly 140,000 jobs in the Canadian economy in July, pollsters and politicians say the only running Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest,

It will be difficult for Tories to recover from census debacle

photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

The tide has turned on Prime Minister Stephen Harper since he began a summer jammed with major events he hoped would lead to rising support for his party and—had all gone as planned—a possible snap election in the fall.

In the aftermath of negative publicity over the G-8 and G-20 summits, the spectacular public relations disaster over what should have been just another routine census, and the sobering loss of nearly 140,000 jobs in the Canadian economy in July, pollsters and politicians say the only running Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest,

It will be difficult for Tories to recover from census debacle

photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

The tide has turned on Prime Minister Stephen Harper since he began a summer jammed with major events he hoped would lead to rising support for his party and—had all gone as planned—a possible snap election in the fall.

In the aftermath of negative publicity over the G-8 and G-20 summits, the spectacular public relations disaster over what should have been just another routine census, and the sobering loss of nearly 140,000 jobs in the Canadian economy in July, pollsters and politicians say the only running Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest,

It will be difficult for Tories to recover from census debacle

photograph by Jake Wright, The Hill Times

The tide has turned on Prime Minister Stephen Harper since he began a summer jammed with major events he hoped would lead to rising support for his party and—had all gone as planned—a possible snap election in the fall.

In the aftermath of negative publicity over the G-8 and G-20 summits, the spectacular public relations disaster over what should have been just another routine census, and the sobering loss of nearly 140,000 jobs in the Canadian economy in July, pollsters and politicians say the only running Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest,

Opposition MPs doubtful Harper wants to make Parliament work

The government and opposition parties agree they want to make Parliament work this fall and that means an election isn't top of mind, but opposition MPs dispute whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet shuffle last week will help accomplish that.

One of the key parts of Mr. Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) mini cabinet shuffle, John Baird's (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) switch from transport minister to government House leader to replace retiring MP Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.), had Bloc Québécois House Leader Pierre Paquette (Joliette, Que.) confused and skeptical.

"At the same time the Prime Minister said we don't

Opposition MPs doubtful Harper wants to make Parliament work

The government and opposition parties agree they want to make Parliament work this fall and that means an election isn't top of mind, but opposition MPs dispute whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet shuffle last week will help accomplish that.

One of the key parts of Mr. Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) mini cabinet shuffle, John Baird's (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) switch from transport minister to government House leader to replace retiring MP Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.), had Bloc Québécois House Leader Pierre Paquette (Joliette, Que.) confused and skeptical.

"At the same time the Prime Minister said we don't

Opposition MPs doubtful Harper wants to make Parliament work

The government and opposition parties agree they want to make Parliament work this fall and that means an election isn't top of mind, but opposition MPs dispute whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet shuffle last week will help accomplish that.

One of the key parts of Mr. Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) mini cabinet shuffle, John Baird's (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) switch from transport minister to government House leader to replace retiring MP Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.), had Bloc Québécois House Leader Pierre Paquette (Joliette, Que.) confused and skeptical.

"At the same time the Prime Minister said we don't

Opposition MPs doubtful Harper wants to make Parliament work

The government and opposition parties agree they want to make Parliament work this fall and that means an election isn't top of mind, but opposition MPs dispute whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet shuffle last week will help accomplish that.

One of the key parts of Mr. Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) mini cabinet shuffle, John Baird's (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) switch from transport minister to government House leader to replace retiring MP Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.), had Bloc Québécois House Leader Pierre Paquette (Joliette, Que.) confused and skeptical.

"At the same time the Prime Minister said we don't

Opposition MPs doubtful Harper wants to make Parliament work

The government and opposition parties agree they want to make Parliament work this fall and that means an election isn't top of mind, but opposition MPs dispute whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet shuffle last week will help accomplish that.

One of the key parts of Mr. Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) mini cabinet shuffle, John Baird's (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) switch from transport minister to government House leader to replace retiring MP Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.), had Bloc Québécois House Leader Pierre Paquette (Joliette, Que.) confused and skeptical.

"At the same time the Prime Minister said we don't

Opposition MPs doubtful Harper wants to make Parliament work

The government and opposition parties agree they want to make Parliament work this fall and that means an election isn't top of mind, but opposition MPs dispute whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet shuffle last week will help accomplish that.

One of the key parts of Mr. Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) mini cabinet shuffle, John Baird's (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) switch from transport minister to government House leader to replace retiring MP Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.), had Bloc Québécois House Leader Pierre Paquette (Joliette, Que.) confused and skeptical.

"At the same time the Prime Minister said we don't

Opposition MPs doubtful Harper wants to make Parliament work

The government and opposition parties agree they want to make Parliament work this fall and that means an election isn't top of mind, but opposition MPs dispute whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet shuffle last week will help accomplish that.

One of the key parts of Mr. Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) mini cabinet shuffle, John Baird's (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) switch from transport minister to government House leader to replace retiring MP Jay Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.), had Bloc Québécois House Leader Pierre Paquette (Joliette, Que.) confused and skeptical.

"At the same time the Prime Minister said we don't

Feds should push U.S. to investigate military log in secret military Afghan doc leaks

The Canadian government has a duty to ask the U.S. to investigate and reveal the origins of a military log that reopened wounds from the 2006 combat deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan with its claim they were killed by a U.S. bomb instead of enemy fire, says a Liberal MP and a former Canadian army officer.

Retired Col. Michel Drapeau and Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South, B.C.) told The Hill Times that despite an internal inquiry at the time by the Canadian Forces, which included a review of Canada's own combat reports on the deaths and the

Feds should push U.S. to investigate military log in secret military Afghan doc leaks

The Canadian government has a duty to ask the U.S. to investigate and reveal the origins of a military log that reopened wounds from the 2006 combat deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan with its claim they were killed by a U.S. bomb instead of enemy fire, says a Liberal MP and a former Canadian army officer.

Retired Col. Michel Drapeau and Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South, B.C.) told The Hill Times that despite an internal inquiry at the time by the Canadian Forces, which included a review of Canada's own combat reports on the deaths and the

Feds should push U.S. to investigate military log in secret military Afghan doc leaks

The Canadian government has a duty to ask the U.S. to investigate and reveal the origins of a military log that reopened wounds from the 2006 combat deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan with its claim they were killed by a U.S. bomb instead of enemy fire, says a Liberal MP and a former Canadian army officer.

Retired Col. Michel Drapeau and Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South, B.C.) told The Hill Times that despite an internal inquiry at the time by the Canadian Forces, which included a review of Canada's own combat reports on the deaths and the

Feds should push U.S. to investigate military log in secret military Afghan doc leaks

The Canadian government has a duty to ask the U.S. to investigate and reveal the origins of a military log that reopened wounds from the 2006 combat deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan with its claim they were killed by a U.S. bomb instead of enemy fire, says a Liberal MP and a former Canadian army officer.

Retired Col. Michel Drapeau and Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South, B.C.) told The Hill Times that despite an internal inquiry at the time by the Canadian Forces, which included a review of Canada's own combat reports on the deaths and the

Feds should push U.S. to investigate military log in secret military Afghan doc leaks

The Canadian government has a duty to ask the U.S. to investigate and reveal the origins of a military log that reopened wounds from the 2006 combat deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan with its claim they were killed by a U.S. bomb instead of enemy fire, says a Liberal MP and a former Canadian army officer.

Retired Col. Michel Drapeau and Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South, B.C.) told The Hill Times that despite an internal inquiry at the time by the Canadian Forces, which included a review of Canada's own combat reports on the deaths and the

Feds should push U.S. to investigate military log in secret military Afghan doc leaks

The Canadian government has a duty to ask the U.S. to investigate and reveal the origins of a military log that reopened wounds from the 2006 combat deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan with its claim they were killed by a U.S. bomb instead of enemy fire, says a Liberal MP and a former Canadian army officer.

Retired Col. Michel Drapeau and Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South, B.C.) told The Hill Times that despite an internal inquiry at the time by the Canadian Forces, which included a review of Canada's own combat reports on the deaths and the

Feds should push U.S. to investigate military log in secret military Afghan doc leaks

The Canadian government has a duty to ask the U.S. to investigate and reveal the origins of a military log that reopened wounds from the 2006 combat deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan with its claim they were killed by a U.S. bomb instead of enemy fire, says a Liberal MP and a former Canadian army officer.

Retired Col. Michel Drapeau and Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Vancouver South, B.C.) told The Hill Times that despite an internal inquiry at the time by the Canadian Forces, which included a review of Canada's own combat reports on the deaths and the

Census uproar impacts 'broader narrative' of PM's relationship with public service

The uproar over Prime Minister Stephen Harper's political interference in the 2011 mandatory census has "legs" and a deeper impact than the government expected that could influence an election if one is held this fall, pollsters and opposition MPs say.

They tell The Hill Times the order that Statistics Canada replace the mandatory long form of the national census with a voluntary and more costly questionnaire will remind voters of a string of incidents in which his government interfered with the public service—in this case leading to the resignation of the country's chief statistician—since Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.)

Census uproar impacts 'broader narrative' of PM's relationship with public service

The uproar over Prime Minister Stephen Harper's political interference in the 2011 mandatory census has "legs" and a deeper impact than the government expected that could influence an election if one is held this fall, pollsters and opposition MPs say.

They tell The Hill Times the order that Statistics Canada replace the mandatory long form of the national census with a voluntary and more costly questionnaire will remind voters of a string of incidents in which his government interfered with the public service—in this case leading to the resignation of the country's chief statistician—since Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.)