http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca Blog of the Liberal Caucus in the Senate of Canada en-CA Juntos CMS marc.gendron@juntos.ca marc.gendron@juntos.ca Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:24:09 GMT Since 2009, Federal Government spending increased by over 13% (Canada’s Performance Report 2008-2009 and 2010-2011), and, with the exception of Atlantic Canada, the size of the federal public service has increased by 3%. Yet, Atlantic Canada suffered badly over the last three years, with a reduction of federal government employment amounting to 430 jobs; during the same time period, federal government employment was rapidly growing elsewhere in Canada. Now, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced that he intends to cut the number of federal government employees. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/15179_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/15179_rss Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:27:00 GMT I want to congratulate the new batch of 7 Senators and welcome them to this remarkable place. I also want to encourage their reported fervour for reform. As good as our Parliamentary system is (it is the most successful system of government on the face of the earth today having lasted for literally hundreds of years), it needs to evolve always as it has done successfully over the years. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/15173_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/15173_rss Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:23:00 GMT Senator Tommy Banks is sitting beside me this Friday morning in the Senate for the last time. After 11 years and 8 months in the Senate, he is forced to retire because he is turning 75 tomorrow. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/15117_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/15117_rss Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:08:17 GMT I remember many years ago being approached by a former Edmonton Eskimo football player (interesting as I wrote this on Grey Cup day) who was selling a personal development program of some kind. I do not remember what the program was but I do remember the technique he used to get my interest. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14900_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14900_rss Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:58:32 GMT I met with representatives of the Canadian Federation of Students recently. There were three of them, each very impressive. They are fighting for a variety of matters which they capture in the title of their booklet, “Public Education for the Public Good”. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14616_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14616_rss Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:32:09 GMT On November 2, 2011 the Minister of Energy from Norway visited Ottawa on his way to Alberta. He and his officials met with the members of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee. He is a very impressive person in his own right and his country's energy, environmental and "heritage fund" policies are very enlightened and unique. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14576_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14576_rss Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:43:16 GMT Comments to the Interfaith Committee on Climate Change Thank you for the invitation to speak. I am here because I believe this important work. There was a suggestion that my comments, in part, should deal with Bill C-311. And it fits in with what I really want say, so I thought I would. Bill C-311 was the climate change bill presented by the NDPs Bruce Hyer and passed by the opposition to Harper's minority government last year. I sponsored it and it was defeated by the Conservative majority in the Senate. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14547_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14547_rss Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:48:18 GMT Please click the link below to read a copy of a letter that I delivered to Senator LeBreton yesterday afternoon, requesting that the Clerk of the Privy Council appear before the Senate in Committee of the Whole to explain the process by which Mr. Michael Ferguson was selected as Auditor General nominee. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14484_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14484_rss Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:24:37 GMT I would like to congratulate Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette, who has been awarded a World of Difference 100 Award from the International Alliance for Women (TIAW) for her efforts to promote the advancement of women in Canada. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14445_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14445_rss Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:24:19 GMT I had a remarkable experience in Wainwright, Alberta, several weeks ago. I spent two days with the Canadian militia in a massive war game exercise, and then the better part of two days with senior military staff and members of the Senate and House of Commons Defence committees that culminated in our observation of a live fire exercise. http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14218_rss http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/blog/14218_rss