OTTAWA—Kevin McCarthy, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s chief of staff and one-time chief policy adviser on the banking sector, is leaving the federal government to go to a new job at Scotiabank, the Star has learned.

Edmonton MLA Peter Sandhu aggressively lobbied ministers and department officials for changes to a provincial law which would benefit his financially troubled home-building company.

Brandon-Souris MP Merv Tweed is trading Parliament Hill for the Port of Churchill, leaving federal politics to run Omnitrax Canada.

OTTAWA — It was one in a seemingly innocuous list of emails Elections Canada received from a member of the public last year.

But the questions put forward by this particular, unidentified voter touched on what some say is a major loophole in the conduct of fair and honest federal election campaigns.

If there were more rock ‘n’ roll, at least Canadian politics would be entertaining. But the drugs, corruption and bitter negativity that have plagued every level of government this spring is just turning people off.