Rumours of a late summer cabinet shuffle were quashed by Prime Minister Chrétien last month. While talk was running fast and furious (including, admittedly, in these pages) Chrétien told the media that he had no plans to move ministers before December. However, jockeying between Liberal cabinet ministers for an edge in the unofficial Liberal leadership race continued as Parliament returned from its summer break two weeks ago. Canadian Alliance Leader Stockwell Day has bowed to pressure and will resign as leader at least 90 days before a leadership vote slated for next March. Along with Mr. Day, who is expected to fight to keep his job as leader, Alberta MPs Diane Ablonczy and Monte Solberg and former MP Stephen Harper are expected to throw their hats into the ring. Progressive Conservative Leader Joe Clark remains under pressure to step aside so that a “unified conservative” leadership race could take place. NDP leader Alexa McDonough is also under fire as the NDP contemplates its political future as the party’s traditional pillar of support — labour — threatens to shun the party.

The CMA faces a busy fall session of Parliament with representatives expected to appear before six separate House and Senate Committees. Issues to be discussed range from the federal budget consultations; proposed legislation on new reproductive and genetic technologies; the review of federal privacy legislation; and the decriminalization of certain illicit drugs. The CMA will also participate in two federal studies on the future of health care. The CMA will also again address Senator Michael Kirby's Committee studying health care to discuss the "Options Paper" on the future of the system. The CMA will also make a major submission to the Romanow Commission on Health Care at the end of this month.