Elect Bob Rae in Toronto Centre!

Canada has lost a giant. Oscar Peterson was one of the world's truly great jazz artists. Composer, pianist par excellence, Oscar Peterson began playing in the Montreal of the 1940's, and went on to become a powerful presence on the world stage for over half a century.

He was also a great humanitarian, a gentle and warm human being, and a truly wonderful friend. He has been honoured in every capital and country, and became Chancellor of York University. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario.

Stephen Harper no doubt thinks he's pretty shrewd and clever - he's delayed calling by-elections for the full six months, and put them off another three. But there's no point complaining - the elections will happen when they happen, and people will make up their minds and make their decisions. Mr Harper's day of reckoning has been postponed, but not even he can avoid it entirely. It will come.

Over thirty years ago I flew standby from Belfast to London - and the plane made an emergency landing in Manchester. All passengers were taken to a hangar and interviewed at length by the Central Intelligence Branch of Scotland Yard. We were told at that time that a bomb had been found on board. Many years later I read an account of this incident in a book on the history of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. It turned out that one of the passengers on the plane was heading to Buckingham Palace to be honoured by the Queen.

Over forty years ago a group of dedicated MP's from all parties began the campaign to abolish the death penalty in Canada. The Don Jail was the scene of the last hanging, and the defence lawyer Arthur Maloney, a Member of Parliament in the Diefenbaker era (and an ardent "abolitionist") carried the memory with him for the rest of his life. The debate in Canada matched similar arguments in Europe, and we proudly joined the ranks of those abolishing the death penalty in the 1960's.

The treatment of my Conservative opponent Mark Warner by the Harper Conservatives is a national disgrace.

Mr Warner was the duly nominated candidate in Toronto Centre, and in that role I came to know him as a thoughtful and hardworking person whose differences with me did not prevent us from establishing a sense of mutual respect. For him to have been summarily removed speaks to a dangerous controlling and authoritarian streak that runs right through Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party.

Interview with Bob Rae - video available
QUESTION PERIOD
Broadcast Date: Sunday, October 14, 2007
Network: CTV

From the Monday, October 1, 2007 edition of the Globe and Mail, page A17

When Stephen Harper was president of the National Citizens Coalition, he signed a manifesto known as the "firewall" letter: Keep the federal government out of Alberta, and let the province run its own affairs.

Whether firewalls or watertight compartments - that the federal government and the provinces live in their own worlds and never the twain shall meet - Canada's leaders have been engaged for generations in an ongoing discussion about who does what.

A few months ago I visited Islamabad and Kabul. My hotel in Pakistan survived a suicide bomb attack in which two people were killed. The next day in Peshawar the local chief of police and about a dozen others were killed while walking in a funeral parade.

I read with interest Jesse Hirsh's note on how many times our new website was visited by the Privy Council Office. Welcome guys, nice to have your interest.

Mr Harper's "Canada's New Government" has always had a slightly Orwellian feel to it, the central messaging every day, the effort to micro-manage decisions, the media, the cabinet, the provinces, you name it.