Former prime minister Jean Chretien stands next to his official portrait at the unveiling ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 25, 2010.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
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POLITICS BRIEFING
By Chris Hannay (@channay)
Dalton McGuinty, Ontario's 24th premier, had his official portrait unveiled at Queen's Park last night. "First they paint you in warm and glowing tones, then they frame you and then they hang you," Mr. McGuinty joked.
Mr. McGuinty quit the premier's office just over three years ago, which raises the question: when will we see an official prime ministerial portrait of Stephen Harper?
The answer: not any time soon.
The commissioning of official portraits takes time and co-ordination between both the House of Commons and the Public Services and Procurement department, formerly known as Public Works. (When contacted, spokespeople for both the House and the department said it was the other institution that was responsible for the portraits.)
The most recent painting of a prime minister that hangs in the Centre Block corridor is that of Jean Chrétien, an oil-on-canvas with a striking yellow background that was created by Ottawa-based artist Christian Nicholson. It was released in 2010.
Paul Martin, Canada's 21st prime minister, left office just over 10 years ago, and his portrait is expected to be unveiled this spring.
But those delays pale in comparison to two prime ministers from the 1890s. John Abbott, who was PM from 1891-1892, and Mackenzie Bowell, PM from 1894-1896, only had their portraits painted and placed in the halls of Parliament in 2002.
It's unlikely Mr. Harper will have to wait quite that long.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS MORNING
> Canada's spy agencies have tracked 180 Canadians who have travelled abroad for terrorism-related activities, and another 60 who have returned home. Canadian Security Intelligence Service director Michel Coulombe warned the greatest danger was from suspects who want to leave the country but can't.
> Finance Minister Bill Morneau was grilled by the finance committee over why the Liberals doubled the size of the budget's contingency fund to $6-billion. "It's a massive forecast adjustment. This fudge factor is overwhelming," said Kevin Page, former parliamentary budget officer.
> The Newfoundland and Labrador government said it will be applying for a rarely used federal financial stability program, from which Alberta was just promised $250-million. Newfoundland Finance Minister Cathy Bennett said they expect to receive about $30-million.
> The latest actuarial report of the public service pension plan shows a shortfall of $4.4-billion, which will require the government to pay $416-million a year for 15 years.
> The Ontario government will release details of its new cap-and-trade system ahead of the provincial budget Thursday. Here's a cheat sheet of seven charts highlighting the economic issues Ontario will have to grapple with.
> Former federal finance minister Michael Wilson says aid for suicide prevention should get more funding in the upcoming budget.
> The Liberals are set to repeal a citizenship law passed by the previous Conservative government.
> Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr is reportedly the chair of a secretive cabinet committee that vets major defence procurement projects.
> Christy Clark's B.C. Liberal government is hiring many out-of-work staffers who previously worked for conservative parties in Edmonton and Ottawa.
> Close to a year since it began, the trial of senator Mike Duffy is over. A verdict will be announced on April 21 or April 22.
> A leading Ukrainian politician said Canada must be wary of resuming full diplomatic ties with Russia. "Regarding the new reset policy of Canada towards Russia, we would like to tell Canadians how dangerous Russia is for global security," said Andriy Parubiy, deputy Speaker of Ukraine's parliament.
> And veteran Middle East correspondent Patrick Martin takes a close look at Parliament's rejection of the "boycott, divestment and sanctions" movement against Israel.
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WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT
"Canada has become a country of yellow lights, with project after project delayed by governments, courts, aboriginal groups and non-governmental organizations. No longer does the country have the capacity to make decisions about major projects that cause the slightest controversy. No matter what scientific review or regulatory process is put in place to examine projects, its credibility is attacked from the get-go by those who oppose the projects, full stop." – Jeffrey Simpson (for subscribers).
Tony Keller (Globe and Mail): "There are a lot of lessons to be taken from [the UPX train] failure, for a lot of people – chief among them the government in Ottawa, many of whose senior officials used to work at Queen's Park."
Margaret Somerville (Globe and Mail): "Exploring the nebulous difference between a Charter issue and one of conscience could occupy law students indefinitely, especially because freedom of conscience is a Charter right. But apart from the fact that the Supreme Court expressly left it, within broad and undefined guidelines, largely to Parliament to decide what the legislation should be, what about MPs's Charter rights to freedom of conscience?"
Paul Wells (Maclean's): "This may be the emerging model for second-generation Trudeau federalism: low on confrontation and brinksmanship, high on consultation. It's not dramatic. We'll find out soon whether it works."
Don Pitts (CBC): "A speedily aging and shrinking workforce is one of the more certain new variables that Canada's finance minister, Bill Morneau, must toss into the mix as he imagines the future impact of the deficit he plans to run up in next month's budget."
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Chris Hannay