Morning Reality Check

The following is a copy of the news headlines from Ontario News Watch for Friday May 11 2012. If the content here does not bother you, make you wonder what kind of government we have, make you wonder what else the Harper Regime is hiding and generally make you want to go out and kill something then you are either brain dead or so brainwashed by the spin machine that you need therapy. Read it and weep!

PMO letter on Helena Guergis is released The letter that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office fired off to the federal ethics commissioner that triggered Helena Guergis’ political woes was a straightforward referral of allegations that “she promised to advance private business interests.

• NDP, Liberals preview tactics on budget bill
  The NDP and Liberals today outlined some of the tactics they are considering to pick apart the government's massive budget bill in the coming weeks, including more than 20 motions at committees to study the bill in detail.

• Conservatives stifling information flow on military spending: sources
  Under fire for bungling multibillion-dollar equipment programs, the Conservative government is clamping down on the information Canadians receive about military spending, declaring previously public documents as now secret and quietly awarding a $105-million contract for 13 new armoured vehicles, then claiming the deal was for transmission parts.

True cost of Libya mission was seven times gov't. estimate: documents Amid allegations the Conservative government intentionally lowballed the price of the F-35 stealth fighter project, newly released National Defence documents indicate the full cost of last year's Libya mission was nearly $350 million - seven times what Defence Minister Peter MacKay told Canadians it cost.

• Private member’s bills cut corners on lawmaking, say critics
  The federal Conservative government is shifting the way lawmaking is done. Private member’s bills — which get less legislative analysis or parliamentary debate than government bills — are the new black.

• Internet billing records point to single culprit in robocalls investigation
  A comparison of Rogers billing records shows that “Pierre Poutine” did not use a computer in the headquarters of a Guelph Conservative candidate to launch the election-day robocalls, casting doubt on the theory that the culprit could have been any of a number of campaign workers operating out of the office.

• Auditor-General's office to cut 60 jobs, reduce number of audits
  Senators on six committees are quizzing government officials on what legislation is trying to accomplish

Former foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon to become ambassador to France Prime Minister Stephen Harper is naming one-time Tory cabinet minister Lawrence Cannon to be Canada’s next ambassador to France.

• Foreign donors not flocking to Canadian environmental charities
  Tax returns filed to the Canada Revenue Agency show most of the foreign money that fills the coffers of Canadian charities does not go to the environmental groups now in Tory crosshairs.

Tories overrule officials to fund project of Baird's 'dear friend' Rabbi’s grant application failed to meet criteria - only 25 of 355 submissions passed - but still emerged as one of five approved for federal funding