Ish Theilheimer and Samantha Bayard

Ish Theilheimer is founder and publisher of SG News and lives in Golden Lake, ON. Samantha Bayard is an Ottawa reporter and an editorial and administrative assistant at SGNews.

Robyn Benson – Prairies activist to lead PSAC through turblence

Oct 182012

Public services

New president emphasizes unity, reaching out to the public for support.

by Ish Theilheimer, with YouTube video by Samantha Bayard

Robyn Benson knows her work is cut out for her. She’s a grassroots public service union activist from Winnipeg who cut her teeth in a famous wildcat strike in 1980. Last May, Benson was elected national president of the 186,000-member Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), a union that finds itself in the crosshairs of political gunsights. On one hand, tens of thousands of her members are losing their jobs; on the other hand, the government is threatening action to end automatic union membership for federal employees.

Harperites disrespect women, UN, immigrants

Sep 282012

Hill report

Ambrose votes pro-life; Immigration Committee invites white supremacists.

by Ish Theilheimer and Samantha Bayard, with YouTube video by Samantha Bayard

OTTAWA, September 27, 2012, Straight Goods News — Women's minister Rona Ambrose drew fire today for voting — and being allowed to vote — in favour of Conservative backbencher Stephen Woodworth's anti-abortion Motion 312. Her only explanation has come via tweet:"I have repeatedly raised concerns about discrimination of girls by sex selection abortion: no law needed, but we need awareness!" she posted after the vote Wednesday night.

Re-defining “person” would re-open abortion debate

Sep 262012

Hill report

Stephen Harper has let Conservative backbencher Stephen Woodworth re-open the abortion debate.

Anti-choice Motion 312 wouldn't see light of day without PM's thumbprints: Mulcair.

by Ish Theilheimer and Samantha Bayard

Ottawa, Sept. 25, 2012 — Straight Goods News: Despite repeated pledges from Prime Minister Stephen Harper not to re-open the abortion debate, the controversy is back in Parliament. Wednesday, the House will vote on Conservative backbencher and longtime anti-abortion crusader Stephen Woodworth’s private member's bill, Motion 312. [Update: On September 26, the House voted 203-91 to reject Motion 312, although eight Cabinet ministers, including women's minister Rona Ambrose voted in favour of it.]

Harperites attack their own

Jun 252012

Hill report

Parliamentary Budget Officer latest watchdog to feel the bite.

by Ish Theilheimer and Samantha Bayard with YouTube video

OTTAWA, Straight Goods News, June 25, 2012 — The House rose for a three-month break this week with the Conservatives in yet another battle with a government watchdog, this time Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) Kevin Page. In an irony missed by no one on the Hill, Page, whose position was created by the Harper Conservatives in response to accountability issues with previous Liberal governments, has threatened to go to court to get financial information being denied him by most departments (64 out of 84) of the Harper government.

Sleepless on the Hill

Jun 202012

Hill report

Forced insomnia unites MPs as Conservatives ram budget bill through.

by Ish Theilheimer and Samantha Bayard with YouTube video

OTTAWA, Straight Goods News, June 18, 2012 — The outcome was never truly in doubt. This week, despite three months of protest, the Conservative "Trojan Horse" omnibus budget bill, all 400+ pages changing more than 70 laws passed, despite a two-date filibuster.

Budget filibuster looms

Jun 132012

Hill report

Government plays defence all week.

by Ish Theilheimer and Samantha Bayard, with YouTube video

OTTAWA, Straight Goods News, June 11, 2012 — The government played defence, again, all week.

Things started off poorly for the Conservatives with news that Elections Canada is investigating Dean Del Mastro (Peterborough) for serious 2008 elections finance concerns. "He has been the number one attack dog on the issues of allegations of electoral fraud and they have been very bullish on their attacks on Elections Canada," said the NDP's Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay), who urged Del Mastro to step down as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister during the investigation. "I have no desire to see Mr Del Mastro punished. He is a good parliamentarian. I have worked with him. We fight all the time but I have respect for him. While an investigation is underway Mr. Del Mastro is compromised in his ability. He should step down."

Charlie Angus wants Dean Del Mastro to step down

Trojan Horse contents keep spilling out

Jun 052012

Hill report

And Harper finds a friendly audience for Fisheries Act changes.

by Ish Theilheimer

and Samantha Bayard with YouTube video

OTTAWA, Straight Goods News, June 2, 2012 — Usually things on Parliament Hill slow down when the Prime Minister is away. This week the PM was in town but NDP leader Tom Mulair was touring the tar/oilsands in Alberta. Mulcair's absence took some pressure off the government, still taking heat on many aspects of its omnibus budget bill, which critics are calling a Trojan Horse.

NDP finance critic Peggy Nash reacted to a report from the Parliamentary Budgetary Officer that documents cuts under the federal budget — much deeper than the Conservatives are revealing. "If you have enough time, enough scrutiny, the people who are experts in this field you can probably dig down and find much of the information. Some of it we still don't know, some of it will depend on ministerial decisions, some of it will depend on regulations which is to be decided by cabinet, definitions that could be decided by ministers — so there is still an obscurity to much of this bill," said Nash.

Oil, and sex, and Trojan horse ooze

May 222012

Hill report

Conservatives attempt to change channel on omnibus budget bill outcry.

by Ish Theilheimer

and Samatha Bayard, with YouTube video

One of Canada's best-funded lobbyists came to town promoting low-cost, so-called "ethical oil." Jamie Ellerton, Executive Director of Ethicaloil.org showed off radio ads his corporate-funded pressure group is running across Ontario to encourage public and political support for the reversing of the pipeline known as Line 9, which is owned by Enbridge and currently flows from Montreal to Sarnia, ON, to bring West Coast oil to Ontario.

Environment Commissioner slams Harperites

May 152012

Hill report

Environment Commissioner slams Harperites

More of the same on the Hill: eco-wars, pork and public service crisis.

by Ish Theilheimer

and Samantha Bayard with YouTube video

OTTAWA, Straight Goods News May 14, 2012 — The government handed out a few plums, it was slammed by another official report (environment), and it went on the defensive over search-and-rescue services and ministerial perks.

Black is back, with help from friends

May 082012

Hill report

Soliders and veterans take hits, criminal gets welcome mat.

by Ish Theilheimer

and Samantha Bayard with YouTube video

OTTAWA, Straight Goods News, May 7, 2012 — On May Day, the global celebration of organized labour, federal workers and progressive activists demonstrated against federal budget cuts in Ottawa.

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