IN THE NEWS
Todayville
Staff
CBC on Trial: CBC CEO Catherine Tait Faces Brutal Takedown in Canadian Heritage Committee Hearing
MP Damien Kurek opened the proceedings with a scathing indictment of CBC’s financial priorities, taking aim at the $18 million in executive bonuses awarded during a period of layoffs and budget shortfalls.
Toronto Sun
Kris Sims
SIMS: Defunding money-grubbing CBC would benefit Canadians
“Will you share with this committee whether or not you will refuse a severance package or bonus at the conclusion of your term as president and CEO of the CBC?” asked MP Damien Kurek.
“I consider that to be a personal matter,” Tait responded.
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Franco Terrazzano
Taxpayers to Tait: No bonus or severance pay outs
At a meeting of the House of Commons Heritage Committee today, member of Parliament Damien Kurek asked Tait if she would commit to not taking a severance pay out or bonus when her term at the state broadcaster ends in January 2025.
CBC
Benjamin Shingler
MPs grill Canadian oil and gas executives over profits and emissions
Conservatives, like Alberta MP Damien Kurek, defended a sector he said underpins the national economy and employs more than 400,000 Canadians.
"It boggles my mind how Liberals, NDP and the Bloc can sleep at night when they want to put my constituents out of work," Kurek said.
Drumheller Mail
Jason Blanke
Rotary Celebrates 100 Years In Style
On Saturday, May 25th, the Cretaceous Conference Centre welcomed a number of guest to the Rotary Centennial Banquet. According to Rotarian Jim Fisher, a highlight was the Recognition of Accomplishment from our local MP for Battle River - Crowfoot, Damien Kurek. It reads: It is a privilege to recognize the outstanding contributions of the Rotary Clubs of Drumheller and the exceptional work it has accomplished over the years.
National Post
Bryan Passifiume
Guilbeault's two-day Beijing trip cost $140K, records show
Costs to attend the annual general meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development — an advisory board of the People’s Republic of China on which Guilbeault serves as executive vice chairperson — are detailed in the response to an Oct. 24 order paper question filed by Conservative MP Damien Kurek.
Stettler Independent
Carson Ellis
Conservative MP Damien Kurek holds town hall in Stettler
Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for the Battle River-Crowfoot Riding, Damien Kurek, was in Stettler on Thu, June 6. Kurek was hosting one of three Town Halls that day, with the second being in Galahad and the last in Halkirk.
Drumheller Online
Jason Blanke
Owners Of Happy Belly Very Happy To Have Grand Opening
They've been open for a few weeks now but on Monday, May 15th, they officially opened Happy Belly Restaurant at Grove Place in Drumheller.
A number of dignitaries were on hand for the official ribbon cutting on Monday just after noon, including MP Battle River-Crowfoot Damien Kurek, Nate Horner, Mayor Heather Colberg, Deputy Mayor Crystal Sereda, and many others from the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce and Community Futures Big Country. Rahul Gunjal Owner / Manager of Happy Belly is excited about opening this new venture. "As a team we are really excited. We don't have anything where people can have breakfast until 3 o'clock, so we decided to open something where people can have a good place, from 7 am to 3 pm.
Blacklock's Reporter
Staff
I’ll Name Names, Says Ex-Spy
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service has 30 years’ worth of records on federal ridings that are “hunting grounds” for Chinese Communist agents, says a former chief analyst. The retired spy told the Commons ethics committee he was prepared to name names.
Blacklock's Reporter
Staff
Secret Contract Talks Are OK
The Lobbying Act permits corporations to secretly negotiate sole-sourced federal contracts without disclosing the fact, the Commons ethics committee has learned. MPs questioned the practice in cases like Baylis Medical Co., a firm run by former Liberal MP Frank Baylis that subcontracted a $237.3 million order for pandemic ventilators.
Western Standard
Matthew Horwood
Treasury Board regulations further delay Access to Information Act requests
New regulations by Treasury Board President Mona Fortier would further delay Access To Information disclosures that currently stretch into years. The Board, in a Christmas Eve notice, said Canadians seeking public records should be required to show their birth certificate or other proof of citizenship, according to Blacklock's Reporter.
Drumheller Mail
Lacie Nairn
MP Kurek calls on federal government for three-digit mental health hot line
Battle River-Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek is imploring the federal government to keep its promise to implement a three-digit mental health crisis line and helping to raise awareness and reduce the stigma around mental health in a new mail out.
Drumheller Mail
Lacie Nairn
Kneehill County drafts letter to MPs over rural economic development concerns
Conservative Members of Parliament Damien Kurek, Shannon Stubbs, and Jacques Gourde have reached out to rural municipalities, including Kneehill County, to inquire about issues the region faces for rural economic development.
BioMetric Update
Tyler Choi
Canadian lawmakers demand clearer answers on facial recognition from national police
A standing committee of Canadian Members of Parliament examining face biometrics use in the country saw further clarification of the RCMP’s use of facial recognition and the expected safeguards. The hearing was also beset by allegations from lawmakers that unclear testimony from the RCMP is leading to a lack of trust.
The Stettler Independent
Kevin Sabo
Weighing services and costs, Castor council raises mil rate
Kurek's letter to council included a copy of a letter that he had sent on behalf of the town to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the impact the carbon levy is having on the community and all small communities like Castor.
National Post
Ryan Tumilty
'It's a content studio': Inside the rule-bending, highly-scripted strategies to make a splash in question period
Two Conservative MPs, Damien Kurek and Raquel Dancho, have crossed over the line of unparliamentary language by calling people on the other side liars. Kurek posted video of his expulsion less than an hour after the deputy speaker told him to leave the chamber.
iPolitics
Kady O'Malley
Ethics committee to consider Conservative-initiated call to investigate PM’s Jamaica vacation
The meeting was triggered by a written request to Conservative committee chair John Brassard, which was co-signed by Conservative MPs Michael Barrett, Jacques Gourde and Damien Kurek, as well as Bloc Québécois MP René Villemure, and notes that the “estimated commercial value” of the “luxurious villa … provided to (Trudeau) free of charge” works out to $84,000 for his nine-day stay, which “(raises) major red flags under Canada’s ethics laws,” it contends.
Globe and Mail
Ian Bailey
Politics Briefing: Conservative MP kicked out of Commons for calling Trudeau liar, refusing to retract
Damien Kurek’s exit came on a tumultuous day with Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre threatening to delay the government’s agenda as the Commons prepares for a Christmas break scheduled to begin Dec. 15. MPs are expected to return to the Commons on Jan. 29.
Blacklock's Reporter
Staff
Ng’s Friends Named As Front
Trade Minister Mary Ng will not comment on her association with a group one parliamentary witness on Friday named as a Communist Party front. Ng is one of four Liberal MPs to publicly endorse the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations.
Drumheller Mail
Lacie Nairn
Bill C-21 amendments could impact rural farmers, hunters
The Liberal federal government brought forward several proposed amendments to its gun control legislation, Bill C-21, in late November which could potentially lead to many rifles and shotguns commonly used for hunting prohibited.
Drumheller Online
Jason Blanke
McMullen Island Now All Season Venue
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mayor Colberg and the Town of Drumheller Council, as well as the folks at the Badlands Trail Society, local MLA and Provincial Finance Minister Nate Horner, and Alberta Forestry and Parks,” states Damien Kurek, MP Battle-River Crowfoot.
Global News
Global News
Liberals’ ‘job-killing’ oil and gas cap will ‘drive investment out of Canada’: Conservative MP
During question period in the house of Commons on Thursday, Conservative MP Damien Kurek laid into Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault for the federal government's newly-announced greenhouse emissions cap in the oil and gas sectors. Kurek said the "job-killing" initiative will "drive investment out of Canada," and cost Canadians thousands of jobs in an already-tough economy.
The Stettler Independent
Kevin Sabo
Stettler Rotary celebrates a century of service
Goddard's welcome was followed by a video letter from Member of Parliament Damien Kurek from his Ottawa office.
In his letter, Kurek complimented the Rotary for the "lasting difference in the lives of countless people" the service club makes.
ECA Review
Stu Salkeld
Battle River Crowfoot MP Kurek says NDP working to keep Liberal Party in power
The Member of Parliament for Battle River Crowfoot says his Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) is happy to see itself soaring in public opinion polls, but fears a Liberal-NDP alliance will keep a general election away in the short term.
Blacklock's Reporter
Staff
Feds Face Green-Wash Probe
“There is a basic question of trust here,” said Conservative MP Damien Kurek (Battle River-Crowfoot, Alta.). “Certainly I hear from Canadians on a daily basis that there is not trust in the government and as a result I think this committee needs to have the ability to ask for those documents.”
“It is concerning we would not permit the committee to take a look,” said MP Kurek. Cabinet had “a track record of covering up, hiding, not producing documents when asked, hiding behind things like cabinet confidences,” he added.
Drumheller Mail
Lacie Nairn
Travel Drumheller welcomes one new, returning board members during AGM
Travel Drumheller held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, April 5 and welcomed one new member to the board, and one returning board member.
The evening started off with greetings from Drumheller Mayor Heather Colberg and Battle River-Crowfoot Member of Parliament Damien Kurek, as well as presentations from Travel Alberta Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Goldstein.
Hill Times
Kevin Philipupillai
Ethics committee chair slams RCMP’s ‘point-blank refusal’ to provide information on spyware tools
New federal Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne tells the House Ethics Committee his office learned about the RCMP’s use of spyware on phones and other devices through the media.