Well, today is election day in the US. It promises to be very
interesting. Here in Canada, the government continues to gear up for the next
session. In today's news, it appears that the Speakers of Parliament and Senate
are trying to curtail the activities of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin
Page, arguing that he has overstepped his mandate. One wonders why, as more
accountability is generally a good thing. But we don't know the whole story, of
course.
Another story of interest to me today pertains to a treaty being negotiated
on copyright law - in secret. All Canadians should keep an eye on this, as it
will affect research, the arts and consumers.
A third story that has had some legs is the growing debate over the use of
sitting judges in inquiries. Canadians for Accountability has noted that it is
common for inquiries to be manipulated to protect wrongdoers, usually by
restricting the mandate of the inquiry, limiting resources or access to
information and interviewees, and by calling in so-called neutral investigators
- who actually have a connection or bias. As such, we will be following this
story with interest.
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In This Update
Parliamentary Budget Officer Under Pressure
Intellectual Property Treaty Being Negotiated in Secret
Debate Over Judges Leading Inquiries
Lost Environment Canada Document
Parliamentary Budget Officer Under Pressure
Speakers move to handcuff parliamentary budget officer Ottawa Citizen,
November 4, 2008 Summary: The man the Harper government hired to help MPs get a
handle on federal spending is fighting for his job.
Intellectual Property Treaty Being Negotiated in Secret
Treaty consultation process snubs public
Toronto Star, November 3, 2008
Summary: To date, it appears that Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)
is pushing Canada toward a host of new international commitments drafted by
officials in Washington and Tokyo with virtually no public input. With the next
round of talks only weeks away, these revelations reinforce the need for new
Industry Minister Tony Clement and Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore to
open the process to greater scrutiny.
Canadian wish list for secret ACTA treaty long, varied
Ars Technica, November 3, 2008
Summary: ACTA rolls secretly onward, with all negotiations conducted
privately, as all draft documents are kept confidential. Bits of information
have dribbled out over the past year-the US has made public the various comments
on the treaty submitted by stakeholders-but several of the main players involved
have been even less forthcoming. There is evidence of a wide gap between "big
content" and ACTA skeptics.
Debate Over Judges Leading Inquiries
Debate grows over judges accepting inquiry posts
Vancouver Sun, November 3, 2008
Summary: Canada's passion for public probes has taken a beating in recent
months, reviving a dormant debate over whether sitting judges should accept
inquiry appointments, particularly when they risk being dragged into the
political realm, or relinquish control over the process and jeopardize their
independence.
Lost Environment Canada Document
Lost document more sensitive than Baird indicated, expert says
CBC.ca, November 4, 2008
Summary: A government document found on an Ottawa street last summer might be
more sensitive than the environment minister John Baird initially led the public
to believe, the CBC has learned.
