Evening Lemons Report Newman Duff June 1

Duff - Red Day on Parliament Hill, Report on Benefits to Cdn Soldiers, Pirates of the Canadian Being
Brawdcast - Sale of Stelco, New Anti-Pirate Law, Charest Govt Survives to screw up another day

Duff: Greg Thompson on supporting Canadian soldiers - Minister O'Connor addresses problem very quickly. Was Treasury Board guideline left over from Grits. Duff asks, what about the big events in Arena's? Should Feds pay for this? Greg - what are reasonable expenses? Gagetown had event on the base. Tough issue. What about wounded soldiers? Get 3 years to rehab then lump sum if can't get back to service. Vet's Charter - among most generous in world - lump sum and % of salary based upon level of disability. Death payment receive $250k tax free plus education benefits for spouse and education for children.

Newman talking about foreign takeovers. No complaints about how Canadians buy more foreign companies than the reverse. Collin Carrie on for first time - does pretty well.

Duff on NDP supporting soldiers but disagreeing with mission. Peggy Nash says their job to ask if correct mission. Say biggest fan of soldiers - even knows a family that had a son that knew someone who actually met a soldier who was wounded in battle, so she knows what it's really like.
What about another $1.2 mill in travel budget, sez Duff. Ablonzcy says travel is part of the job.

Judy Sgro of Moncton and stripper campaign worker fame goes on and on and says nothing. Says 90% of world not accounted for in foreign policy. What about Vanuatu and Paul Martin using it as a tax haven?

Captain Jack Sparrow on to discuss film piracy. Actually it's Sam Bulte's fundraiser Doug Frith - amazing resemble to Johnny Depp. (Sam was in charge of this under the Grits and Doug is head of Motion Picture Association in Canada). He does give credit to Oda and Nicholson for pushing bill through.
With Newman, Oda explains that Canada was put on the watch list many years ago. 2 year sentence for first charge. Will try to rush through House before recess.

Duff - Quebec Budget passes. Old news.
Newman on Quebec budget passing. Old news. Time for a spellcheck.

Sask has bought ad on Duff - another one of our starving provinces with extra cash lying around.

Scott Reid against Powers on Duff. What is up with Power's hair? Dom Leblanc, multi-generational Grit member from Shediac has comparison of Harper statements and GWB's. Powers says MacCallum said that Iggy was a right wing American. Come on, scotty - get loud and stupid - you're more fun. Reid mentions presentation doe to CPC leadership by US pollster. Powers reminds Howard Dean and Jim Carville both acted as consultants to Grit.
I am falling asleep.
Galloway and Blinky Oliver on Duff next.
Travesty and the rest of the Liberal Media Team on Newman - 2 Star opinion heads, 1 CBC, a CP and Greg Weston - lotsa Grit fans there - no CPC types from the Post. Delacourt seems to be bored - certainly is dull. Needs a makeover. Weston might see better but doesn't look better without specs. Tit for Tat in QP - Newman says that Grits need to continue to be disappointed about Dion - even Travers agrees with this. Newman says Dion is unintelligible with no enthusiasm. CBC geek says HOC will be on til June 22 - says Iggy always overshadows Steffi. Newman says there is obvious competition between Iggy and Steffi. Everyone looking for Cabinet shuffle this summer. Delacourt leaks story that Grits want to bring down government after Ontario election.
Says Grits will campaign on big Grit team and history not on leadership. (Of course the CPC will make it about leadership).
Travers says unlikely - all parties have to vote against CPC and means Bloc and NDP will both do what the Grits want.
Weston says that Dion can only get better. Guess what, Greg, ask a golfer - when you think it can't possibly get worse, it gets waaaay worse. Dion if he stays the same will more and more every day be seen as a weak leader.
Blinky says that O'Connor bad at politics. Duff says that the bureaucracy is frozen as far as having initiative. Forgets about how anxious they are to leak private documents.

Dull and dreary program. Everyone is just putting in time in the media and in the house. Steffi, for your own well being and my sanity, let PMSH know that you will let a couple of bills go through and let him call this session mercifully to an end!!!
3/10 because of Delacourt's leak that some Grits wanna take down the CPC after Ontario election. Too bad she doesn't talk to anyone but the Liberals or she'd know this dog don't hunt. Shows her limited breadth of relationships.