Fifth annual Halifax International Security Forum: Millions in spending, little peace or security

Even though federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay concedes "no concrete initiatives related to global peace and security" have resulted from his government's $12-million grant to a Washington-based organization to stage two-day conferences on global security every year for the past four years in Halifax, he isn't discouraged.

"We have all the ingredients in place for that to happen," he told Postmedia's Tobi Cohen on the eve of last weekend's fifth annual Halifax International Security Forum.

Manning Conference III: The right's strategies for dominating cities and wrecking medicare

Preston Manning and his self-titled hothouse for conservative scheming March 7-9 in Ottawa didn't really help the credibility of Canadian conservatism by scheduling speakers from the fringiest fringes of their movement.

But then, why worry? After all, the mainstream media that attended the conference in large packs treated everything that went on -- seminars on how to sell a kidney and all -- with the utmost seriousness and respect.

Manning Conference II: Cons' pipeline sales pitch sure to feature 'Green Conservatism'

When they weren't imaging the end of the world in a fiscal holocaust brought on by Keynesianism or worrying about the political end of the world caused by Liberal Dauphin Justin Trudeau's political talents or banished neoconservative hero Tom Flanagan's embarrassing shenanigans, conservative "big thinkers" at the Manning Centre's conference March 7-9 in Ottawa were demonstrating a remarkable tolerance for cognitive dissonance.

Leastways, the obvious differences between the current policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government and the prevailing "libertarian" views of the majority of conference participants seemed remarkably un-troubling to the conservatives in conclave.

May wants more Green MPs before 2015, not interested in party merger with Grits

OTTAWA—The Green Party of Canada will hold its convention next month in British Columbia, and leader Elizabeth May says her party’s focus is on winning more seats, not merging with another centre-left party.

“We think in different terms,” Ms. May (Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C.) observed of her party after one year in Parliament. “We’re focused on electing more members of Parliament and looking at the issues we want to discuss before the next election.”

Uncertainty about Harper’s attendance tainting First Nations conference

When Stephen Harper sits down with the Assembly of First Nations for a long-awaited conference Tuesday, much of his front bench will be with him. But aboriginal leaders are wondering if that gives credence to emerging reports that the prime minister will only stay for the morning.

The names of 11 ministers attending the one-day meeting was released by Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan’s office Friday. It lists Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver, Treasury Board President Tony Clement, Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose, Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield, Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney, Environment Minister Peter Kent, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Peter Penashue and Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency minister of state Bernard Valcourt.

Linda Duncan, the NDP’s aboriginal affairs critic, had called for the big portfolios to come to the table with Harper. The list met her approval.

“The significant ministers are there,” she said. “But what role will they be playing?”

Friday’s announcement comes as the summit’s final agenda is clouded in uncertainty. While a draft version seen by chiefs indicated Harper would give an opening and closing address, they are now hearing the prime minister may leave the conference early, in order to prepare for the Davos Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland, which begins Wednesday.

“We’ve heard that at lunch he’s going to leave,” Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, told iPolitics.