Harper's jet to be repainted for $50K amid fiscal restraint

For Prime Minister Stephen Harper, there is no better way to practice fiscal restraint than to spend $50,000 on repainting the old jet. This raises three questions: Do we really need to repaint it now? When did blue become one of Canada's official colors? What happened to fiscal restraint?

Duffy trying to Dodge Audit?

It turns out that Conservative Senator Mike Duffy is out of breath running away from the media. With the controversy over his housing allowance gaining ever more spin, and a senate spending audit underway, Duffty decided he would pay back the funds he received admitting they were not entitled to him and he also claimed the situation to be a misunderstanding. Based on Duffy's actions, it may be well worth questioning the authenticity of this action.

Conservatives: It's alright for Senators to be loose with taxpayer money

Stephen Harper's recent defense of Senator Pamela Wallin's travelling expenses in times of austerity should have raised a red flag. Add on top of that, Senator Bert Brown's claim that asking for his traveling expenses is a "threat" and what we already know of Senators Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau and only one thing can be said: for Conservatives, it's alright for senators to be loose with taxpayer money.

Fantino Defends Funding Homophobic Evangelical Group

International Cooperation Minister Julian Fantino is defending $544,813 in federal funding that went to Ontario-based evangelical group Crossroads Christian Communications that describes homosexuality as a perversion and a sin. The group produces television programs and received the money to dig wells, build latrines and promote hygiene awareness in Uganda until 2014.

Information Commissioner: Conservative Government is "Not Transparent"

Accountability and transparency were the hallmarks of Stephen Harper's win in 2006 but despite robotic scripts that claim accountability is the utmost priority, recent report cards and trends show that accountability and transparency have been thrown out the window.

"High risk" label a step in the right direction

Canada's justice system has allowed criminals to use mental illness as a way to dodge justice. The Conservative government introduced a new "high risk" label for people found not criminally responsible for a crime they've committed. While this modification to the Criminal Code is a step in the right direction, it would also be beneficial to enact and focus on crime prevention before these people enter the system.

The free hand senators have: Once you're in, you're in

The senate is supposed to be a chamber of sober thought. Once the partisan House of Commons has finished getting legislation passed, the Senate is to revise it and amend it where necessary. In recent years, however, the senate has become as much a political obstacle as the House and not without its fair share of grievances  Canadians can fire a corrupt parliamentarian but getting rid of a corrupt senator is a much harder task.

Recent Conservative 'push-poll' calls linked to robocall scandal

Last Friday, Saskatchewan residents received an automated message criticizing the province's new federal riding boundaries. The calls weren't identified and the Conservatives denied involvement until Tuesday when communications director Fred DeLorey released a statement blaming "internal miscommunication" for the slip up. Meanwhile, it appears that what seemed to be an isolated occurrence of a robocall is linked to the massive campaign that happened in 2011.