Harper Mutes Ministers

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NaturalLemonFlavour

New Member
Mar 17, 2006
44
0
6
Toronto, Ontario
I'm surprised no one has posted on this yet...

The Globe and Mail said:
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper has imposed central control over all information and comments to the public issued by government officials and even cabinet ministers, directing them to have everything cleared by the Prime Minister's Office, according to an internal e-mail and government sources.

To read the English article in full, please click here
Cet article est indisponible en français.
Click to expand...

I'm curious to see what sort of reactions this will get. Judging from the discussion on the Globe and Mail boards, people aren't very happy, and rightfully so.

If I have an issue that I want to discuss with my MP, The Honorable Joe Volpe, P.C., M.P., Member for Eglinton-Lawrence and Official Treasury Critic for Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, my issue first must be sent through some unelected official at the PMO's office, and then come back to my MP, and then I finally get an answer from him, and who knows how long that will take? And it will probably be further delayed, if it has nothing to do with the five priorities of the Government of Canada. And if it does have anything to do with the Government of Canada and their priorities, am I to expect some cut and paste, cardboard answer?

Anyways. Discuss!

:!: The link is fixed... hehe, sorry!
 
J

Jersay

House Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,837
2
38
Independent Palestine
I actually think this is a good sign.

A good sign that the Conservatives are living a shorter and shorter office life span.

But didn't you know Harper wanted to be a little dictator.
 
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orpheus

Nominee Member
Mar 14, 2006
85
0
6
Canada, I would presume.
RE: Harper Mutes Minister

That's the way to control public image. It will also create even more inefficiency within the house. They should take a note from Wal-Mart. Wally decided that managers didn't have to check in with head office every time they wanted to order something, but that they could do it all on their own like big kids. And Wal-Mart is now failing because of it--no wait, that's wrong isn't it.

Harper's only causing problems for himself.
 
FiveParadox

FiveParadox

Governor General
Dec 20, 2005
5,875
43
48
Vancouver, BC
Welcome to Canadian Content, NaturalLemonFlavour.

I have serious reservations about how the current Government of Canada, or more to the point, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P., the Member for Calgary Southeast and Prime Minister of Canada, intends to conduct the governance of Canada. I would hope that the citizens of Canada are outraged by this utter lack of accountability and transparency — it would appear that the Prime Minister has tossed his ethics out the window; first with a openly-partisan appointment to the Senate of Canada, receiving a crossed member before being made aware of the causes to summon the Parliament of Canada, the attempt to dismiss Doctor Bernard Shapiro, the Ethics Commissioner of Canada, and now muting the Ministers of the Crown.

We should be concerned.

:!: P.S.
NaturalLemonFlavour, I love how you wrote your post. ;)
 
FiveParadox

FiveParadox

Governor General
Dec 20, 2005
5,875
43
48
Vancouver, BC
Re: RE: Harper Mutes Ministers

NaturalLemonFlavour said:
What can I say, you're an inspiration. I thought it may be a bit too creepy if I color-coded it, but I love that you do that. :D
Click to expand...
Hehehe! I love this guy (girl?) already! :D Yes, yes, I do enjoy my colours... :)
 
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elevennevele

Electoral Member
Mar 13, 2006
787
11
18
Canada
RE: Harper Mutes Minister

This control over the message and avoidance of media scrutiny is right out of the play book of the Bush Administration. This isn't what Canada is all about. He is suppose to be accountable to the public. This isn't where we need to go for our democracy. This is a dangerous road to take our politics down and is contrary to pubic transparency and accountability. I don’t care whether one is left or right, this isn’t Canadian Conservatism.

Canadians better start talking to one another. I'm sure Harper is counting on public apathy when wishing to act more like a dictator. This is totally unacceptable.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060317.wxpmo17/BNStory/National/home
 
FiveParadox

FiveParadox

Governor General
Dec 20, 2005
5,875
43
48
Vancouver, BC
Despite my respect for the principles of good and stable government in Canada, I must admit that I am beginning to see some merit in the idea of the opposition parties denying the Government of Canada their support for their Speech From the Throne. The conduct of the current Government of Canada, even before the House of Commons has heard the causes for its summoning, has disappointed me to no end.
 
Johnny Utah

Johnny Utah

Council Member
Mar 11, 2006
1,434
1
38
This could be to prevent episodes such as Carolyn Parrish with her grandstanding BS stunts calling Americans "Stupid Americans" among other BS stunts she did while Jean Ch sat back and did nothing. This could also be the result of the Media's Anti-Tone towards PM Harper and his Government.
 
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elevennevele

Electoral Member
Mar 13, 2006
787
11
18
Canada
RE: Harper Mutes Minister

Two things right off the bat and the globe and mail is a typically Conservative paper...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060317.wxpmo17/BNStory/National/home

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper has imposed central control over all information and comments to the public issued by government officials and even cabinet ministers, directing them to have everything cleared by the Prime Minister's Office”

and

“The orders, described in an e-mail to bureaucrats, indicate that ministers have been told to avoid talking about the direction of the government, and that the government wants them to be less accessible to the news media.”

That does not equal transparency and accountability. I want a government run by human beings with individual personalities free to speak their thoughts and show who they really are. Not a bunch of talking robots in suits spewing a repetition of party lines.

It’s important in knowing who these people really are who run the government. Harper is being a total hypocrite.

Come’on people. This is Canada. What kind of government is it that’s afraid to openly show the true colours of it’s members.

That isn’t Conservatism.
 
FiveParadox

FiveParadox

Governor General
Dec 20, 2005
5,875
43
48
Vancouver, BC
Johnny Utah, a Member of Parliament should be free to say whatever he or she wishes in the safety of knowing that they are protected by parliamentary privilege — such is one of the cornerstones of the Westminster system — and one worth defending, in my opinion. The "outburst" by Carolyn Parrish should not have been done, in my opinion, but she had the right to do it.

And I would argue that the media has been particularly kind to the Prime Minister and his Government of Canada thus far — they could have barraged them with the appointment to the Senate (which went without so much as a hoarse whisper), the induction of an opposition member into Cabinet, but they chose not to.

Mr. Harper has, in my opinion, been blessed with an apathetic media.
 
O

Outta here

Senate Member
Jul 8, 2005
6,778
157
63
Edmonton AB
This is completely unacceptable. I don't possibly see how this will be enforcable by Harper...

5Paradox - do you really think even an apathetic media will tolerate this? What about the Canadian public? people just won't stand for it.... will they? 8O

Gawd! What's happening to Canada?
 
Johnny Utah

Johnny Utah

Council Member
Mar 11, 2006
1,434
1
38
Re: RE: Harper Mutes Ministers

FiveParadox said:
Johnny Utah, a Member of Parliament should be free to say whatever he or she wishes in the safety of knowing that they are protected by parliamentary privilege — such is one of the cornerstones of the Westminster system — and one worth defending, in my opinion. The "outburst" by Carolyn Parrish should not have been done, in my opinion, but she had the right to do it.

And I would argue that the media has been particularly kind to the Prime Minister and his Government of Canada thus far — they could have barraged them with the appointment to the Senate (which went without so much as a hoarse whisper), the induction of an opposition member into Cabinet, but they chose not to.

Mr. Harper has, in my opinion, been blessed with an apathetic media.
Click to expand...

I don't think Carolyn Parrish should have said the BS comments she did because all she did was become a National Embarrassment for Canada and the Liberal Party and Jean Ch did nothing. Yes they have freedom to say what they like but to say what she did was abusing that Freedom for her few mins of grandstanding, she never had the interest of Canada or her party(Liberals) at mind only herself. It took Paul Martin to reign her in and put her in her place.

So PM Harper could be taking a lesson from that and trying to prevent a National Embarrassment in the making.

I find the CBC somewhat has an Anti-Harper Government tone.

We will see how this plays out so I'm waiting before handing down a judgement against PM Harper..
 
FiveParadox

FiveParadox

Governor General
Dec 20, 2005
5,875
43
48
Vancouver, BC
Nonetheless, Ms. Parrish was put in her place eventually; she lost all of her power as a Member of Parliament when she was ejected from the Liberal caucus. I was giving Mr. Harper a chance; however, his continued political maneuvers in what is supposed to be a new era of ethics and accountability leaves me with nothing to desire from this Government's program.
 
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