Tax the rich (Reuters)'Raise taxes on the rich' is a verse straight from the NDP hymn books.

Well, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll released on Thursday, most of us feel that way:

Nine in ten (88%) Canadians ‘support’ (48% strongly/40% somewhat) the following resolution...the rich should pay more taxes. Just one in ten (12%) Canadians ‘oppose’ (3% strongly/8% somewhat) this resolution.

The survey also shows a similar proportion (89%) of Canadians also indicate they’d be ‘supportive’ (54% very/34% somewhat) of a ‘millionaire’s tax’, whereby families with a combined annual household income greater than $1,000,000 would pay a special or additional tax on all income over a million dollars.

The pollster also asked Canadians what they considered to be "rich". That answer —which might surprise you — is a household income of $195,000.

[ More Political Points: Political parties, MPs penalized for robocalls: is it time to ban them? ]

Gregory Thomas of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says that raising taxes on the rich

Read More »from New poll suggests the vast majority of Canadians support more taxes for the rich

Senator Mike Duffy heading into the Senate chambers earlier this week

Just when you thought Senator Mike Duffy didn't have any friends left in Ottawa, something incredible happens.

Somebody is actually coming to the defence of the much maligned Senator.

According to a story in the Ottawa Citizen, Duffy's former temporary administrative assistant says she may be to blame for some of his inappropriate expense claims.

Diane Scharf, a veteran Parliament Hill staffer, worked for the Prince Edward Island senator from September 2011 to March 2012 when his regular assistant went on maternity leave.

She says she had trouble keeping track of Duffy’s whereabouts because he travelled often.

“Mike was so busy and so much in demand. ‘Go here, go there, do this, do that’ — it was hard to know if he was in Ottawa or PEI.”

She said she would fill out the forms in Duffy’s office and he would sign them later.

“If I made a mistake in filling out a form, I’m happy to own up to it,” Scharf said.

The Citizen notes that Scharf — who worked for two other Senators and a Liberal MP — went

Read More »from Former Mike Duffy staffer says she may be to blame for senator's fraudulent expenses: report

It appears that the Conservatives are sticking to their 'no talk about abortion' rule.

Doctor Henry Morgentaler, known as the leader of Canada's abortion movement, died at the age of 90 on Wednesday.

As explained by Yahoo Canada News' Matt Coutts, the doctor — who was awarded the Order of Canada in 2008 — was a polarizing figure.

"He broke the law and opened the country’s first abortion clinic in Montreal in 1969. His work made him the most notorious name in Canada’s polarizing abortion debate, garnering him both credit and criticism through his extensive career."

[ Related: Women’s rights crusader Henry Morgentaler dead at 90 ]

On Wednesday, journalists tried, in vain, to get a quote about Morgentaler's death from the Conservative Party:

I asked Justice Minister Rob Nicholson's office for a statement on Dr. Henry Morgentaler's death. Here's the response: (1/2) #hw

— Laura Payton (@laura_payton) May 29, 2013

"The Prime Minister has been very clear: our Government will not reopen this debate."

Read More »from Conservatives quiet, other parties react to death of Doctor Henry Morgentaler

It's a fine-palooza for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

On Wednesday, the CRTC announced that they've imposed penalties — totaling $369,000 — on the Federal Conservatives, the NDP, the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, the Alberta Wildrose Party, Liberal MP Marc Garneau, Conservative MP Blake Richards and Edmonton-based telemarketer RackNine Inc. for breaking federal robocall rules.

Most of the infractions included not identifying who the calls were from.

Today, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that it has issued seven notices of violation totalling $369,000 in penalties following a wide-ranging investigation into the use of robocalls by political parties, elected officials and telemarketers.

The CRTC received the cooperation of the following parties, firms and an individual who, further to settlement agreements, have paid penalties totaling $277,500: the Wildrose Alliance Political Association, the

Read More »from Political parties, MPs penalized for robocalls: is it time to ban them?

You can file this story under WTF?

The Bank of Canada has actually written a letter to a political cartoonist asking him to delete an illustration of a $90,000 bill featuring Senator Mike Duffy's mug and a picture of the prime minister's former chief of staff Nigel Wright. (see above)

The picture, of course, is a witty take on Wright personally funding Duffy’s repayment of $90,000 in improperly-claimed living expenses.

[ Related: CTV reporter chases PM’s former chief of staff Nigel Wright during early morning jog ]

According to the Victoria Times-Columnist, Dan Murphy's cartoon from last week — which was also featured at Yahoo! Canada News — has raised the ire of the some under-worked bureaucrat at at the BoC.

You have to get permission before reproducing a bank note image, the letter said, and Murphy didn’t ask.

“Moreover,” it continued, “the bank will not approve requests where the reproduction tarnishes or diminishes the importance of currency to Canadians.”

Sure, Murphy included the

Read More »from Bank of Canada tries to kill the $90,000 ‘Duffybuck’

Harry Rosen ad

Justin Trudeau has had his share of vocations over the past several years: As explained in the E-book 'Contender: The Justin Trudeau Story', Trudeau was a "camp counsellor, white water rafting instructor, bungee jumping coach, snowboarding instructor, bouncer, high school teacher, radio host, engineer school dropout, grad school dropout, not-for-profit administrator, public speaker [and] member of Parliament."

But did you know that Trudeau was also a suit model?

No? Well neither did he.

[ Related: Conservative Party slams Justin Trudeau for "divisive" comments about the Senate ]

Suit retailer Harry Rosen has decided to use to photogenic Liberal leader — without his authorization — for one of their latest ad campaigns.

In the picture (above) we see Trudeau walking down the steps in Parliament with a caption that reads, "I guess you've heard. I've been invited to Harry's Private Sale."

Larry Rosen, the chairman of Harry Rosen, told CBC News that the company chose Trudeau because he's

Read More »from Justin Trudeau appears in clothing advertisement without his permission

It was probably one of the most highly anticipated Question Period's in months, if not years.

For the first time since the prime minister's chief of staff resigned after gifting Senator Mike Duffy $90,000, Stephen Harper was present in the House of Commons.

While the prime minister didn't provide any new information, it made for great parliamentary theatre.

[ Related: CTV reporter chases PM’s former chief of staff Nigel Wright during early morning jog ]

NDP leader Thomas Mulcair was not his usual 'angry' self. He was calm while he asked short, poignant questions like a litigator.

At what date and what time was the prime minister informed that Nigel Wright had made a payment to Conservative Senator Mike Duffy?

When did the prime minister first speak with Nigel Wright about Mike Duffy's expenses?

How many times did he speak with Nigel Wright in the week preceding his resignation?

What directives were given to Nigel Wright or to other members of his office to resolve the problems with spending by

Read More »from NDP leader Thomas Mulcair shines in parliamentary duel with Stephen Harper

Nigel WrightNever underestimate the persistence of a reporter chasing a quote.

On Tuesday morning, CTV's Daniele Hamamdjian literally chased down Nigel Wright — the prime minister's now-former chief of staff — during his daily 4 a.m jog.

"I'm going to first of all give my submissions to the ethics commissioner, she's going to look into this and I think I can stand behind everything I did," Wright told Hamamdjian.

"I made some mistakes, I'm living with the consequences of those mistakes, but I believe I can account for my actions and I think that's the right forum for it."

Hamamdjian then asked if Senator Mike Duffy just called him one day and said 'Nigel, I need $90,000.'

Instead of answering, Wright graciously thanked the reporter for her questions and continued on with his morning run.

The full interview can be seen here.

[ Related: Former senator says Senate expense shenanigans are nothing new ]

We hadn't heard from the prime minister's now-former Chief of Staff Nigel Wright since he released a

Read More »from CTV reporter chases PM’s former chief of staff Nigel Wright during early morning jog