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The Corruption Begins
20 February 2006
[indent]It didn't take very long for Steven Harper's government to get into the patronage quagmire, and show itself to be as dismally self-serving, as corrupt and underhanded as every other government in the past, regardless of party. The old Mulroney legacy lingers over Harper like a fart in a crowded elevator.
First, Harper appointed his crony, Michael Fortier, to the crucial Cabinet Board, basically putting an unelected sycophant into a governing role. Harper also gave his buddy the role of Public Works Minister, giving him enormous power to spend the public money - without even a shred of accountability. And to ice the cake, he was given a Senate position as well. Well, that was to make the other entitlements legal.
According to a report in the Windsor Star, the Canadian Taxpayers' federation said of Fortier's appointments:
Aside from the obvious corruption this entails, it also violates very clear Conservative Party policy, which stated in March 2005, "Elected and Equal (distribution of senators by population/region) senate. If a province or territory choses a senator by election, a CPC government will fill vacancies for that position from among those elected person(s). Harper campaigned on that platform. Must have been a balsa-wood platform!
Fortier's qualifications for these prestigious and powerful roles? He co-chaired Harper's campaign for the leadership of the new Conservative Party in 2004. Reward your friends and supporters, even when they're not elected. Kind of makes the Liberal sponsorship scandal look tame.
So that was the first broken promise. Hell, the toilet in the PMO hadn't even finished flushing for the final time under Martin before Harper was breaking his word. Which basically defines the sort of government he offers Canadians. Mulroney's kind.
But it gets better. Harper then took under his wing the turncoat, former Liberal industry minister David Emerson, now given the post of Minister of International Trade. Emerson's riding erupted in angry protests about his betrayal of the residents, and the party. Emerson didn't even have the courtesy to tell his own party he was leaving. But for people like him, parties are vehicles of convenience and opportunity, not vehicles of policy or principle.
Quoted in the Toronto Sun, Emerson said of himself, " maybe not the sharpest, but certainly many see him as the dirtiest in this particular drawer.
Emerson was defending his betrayal on CTV. I wonder if his "clear conscience" has something to do with being offered the plum position of minister instead of being a nameless backbencher in the Opposition? Money and power can, after all, buy your soul.
Conservative MP Garth Turner had this to say to Harper:
Then there's Gordon O'Connor, a former general and another patronage appointment. As reported in the Galloping Beaver,
Finally, a Toronto Star story says Harper will name a new judge to the Supreme Court. The new judge will appear at a public hearing before an all-party committee of the House of Commons. But of course, the committee has no power - it can't veto Harper's choice. The Canadian Constitution gives the prime minister sole responsibility for naming members of the Supreme Court, but that doesn't mean the process is honest, open and fair. Harper is merely window-dressing the event to make it look like he's actually doing something when it's all stage-managed.
said Thomas Axworthy in the Toronto Star.
Now I get to say, "I told you so." I told you if Harper was elected, Mulroney would continue to haunt the PMO. I warned you Mulroney's tactics of patronage and sleazy cronyism would come back, no matter what sort of promises Harper made. And trust me, it will only get worse.
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First, Harper appointed his crony, Michael Fortier, to the crucial Cabinet Board, basically putting an unelected sycophant into a governing role. Harper also gave his buddy the role of Public Works Minister, giving him enormous power to spend the public money - without even a shred of accountability. And to ice the cake, he was given a Senate position as well. Well, that was to make the other entitlements legal.
According to a report in the Windsor Star, the Canadian Taxpayers' federation said of Fortier's appointments:
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"We think it's inappropriate simply because parliamentary oversight is an essential component of representative democracy. Just as you can't have taxation without representation, you shouldn't be able to have spending tax dollars without representation."
Aside from the obvious corruption this entails, it also violates very clear Conservative Party policy, which stated in March 2005, "Elected and Equal (distribution of senators by population/region) senate. If a province or territory choses a senator by election, a CPC government will fill vacancies for that position from among those elected person(s). Harper campaigned on that platform. Must have been a balsa-wood platform!
Fortier's qualifications for these prestigious and powerful roles? He co-chaired Harper's campaign for the leadership of the new Conservative Party in 2004. Reward your friends and supporters, even when they're not elected. Kind of makes the Liberal sponsorship scandal look tame.
So that was the first broken promise. Hell, the toilet in the PMO hadn't even finished flushing for the final time under Martin before Harper was breaking his word. Which basically defines the sort of government he offers Canadians. Mulroney's kind.
But it gets better. Harper then took under his wing the turncoat, former Liberal industry minister David Emerson, now given the post of Minister of International Trade. Emerson's riding erupted in angry protests about his betrayal of the residents, and the party. Emerson didn't even have the courtesy to tell his own party he was leaving. But for people like him, parties are vehicles of convenience and opportunity, not vehicles of policy or principle.
Quoted in the Toronto Sun, Emerson said of himself, "
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I'm I'm not the sharpest political knife in the drawer, I quite freely admit that."
Quote
During the campaign, Emerson harshly criticized the Conservatives, saying Harper's vision for Canada would be one where the rich got richer and the poor would get poorer.
But, Emerson says his opinion of Harper has evolved since the election campaign.
But, Emerson says his opinion of Harper has evolved since the election campaign.
Conservative MP Garth Turner had this to say to Harper:
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Everybody who makes up the government should be elected. They should be elected as members of the party that forms the government. Anybody who switches parties should go back to the people. To do otherwise is to place politicians above the people when, actually, it’s the other way around.
Then there's Gordon O'Connor, a former general and another patronage appointment. As reported in the Galloping Beaver,
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Gordon O'Connor joined the Conservative ranks 18 months ago. Before that he was a senior lobbyist for the defence industry. Now he's the Minister of National Defence. So much for ethics....O'Connor has another problem. He was a brigadier general in the army. While it may sound advantageous to have a retired military man in the defence seat at cabinet, it actually bodes poorly for relationships with senior officers who are unshakably apolitical.
Finally, a Toronto Star story says Harper will name a new judge to the Supreme Court. The new judge will appear at a public hearing before an all-party committee of the House of Commons. But of course, the committee has no power - it can't veto Harper's choice. The Canadian Constitution gives the prime minister sole responsibility for naming members of the Supreme Court, but that doesn't mean the process is honest, open and fair. Harper is merely window-dressing the event to make it look like he's actually doing something when it's all stage-managed.
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Harper's cynicism, in breaking his campaign promises about ethics in his first decision as prime minister, and Emerson's opportunism, in switching parties the day after he won election, are simply breathtaking.
Now I get to say, "I told you so." I told you if Harper was elected, Mulroney would continue to haunt the PMO. I warned you Mulroney's tactics of patronage and sleazy cronyism would come back, no matter what sort of promises Harper made. And trust me, it will only get worse.
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Sandra Buckler took over the "politically critical" job of the Prime Minister's director of communications, replacing William Stairs barely two weeks after his appointment. Although the PMO gave no reason for Stairs's departure, analysts believe he was the fall-guy for Harper's disastrous cabinet appointments last week.
Buckler represented the Tories on a number of TV panels during the recent campaign. She is described as "an experienced communications adviser to several national and international companies."
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Anyone recall that Harper promised to introduce major restrictions on the lobbying industry during his campaign? Now he puts a former lobbyist into one of his most important positions. Hear that? It's the sound of Harper's credibility hitting a new low.
The only question that remains is how many election promises can Harper break before his minority government is overturned?
Story from The Record.
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