Harper’s speech was a chance to be accountable. He blew it -

Goober

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Harper- accountability- just another phrase for him - And he is headed out of Dodge.
Harper not happy- Well that makes all the difference now doesn't it.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com...-not-happy-says-harper-as-scandals-rain-down/

Stephen Harper’s speech was a chance to be accountable. He blew it | Full Comment | National Post

Stephen Harper had a golden opportunity to say sorry to Canadians and his caucus for the Senate expenses scandal; to explain what he knew, when; and, to put forward some concrete proposals to restore the public’s faith in Parliament.

In short, his speech to caucus was a chance to be accountable. He blew it.

He expressed his unhappiness with the unspecified conduct of “some parliamentarians” and his own office and then patted himself on the back for taking “unprecedented measures” to improve accountability. Canada now has a system of governance that is the envy of the world, “something Canadians are rightly proud of”.

But pride is not the sentiment many voters are expressing to their MPs, judging by the blowback they are hearing in their ridings. “We’re taking the heat on the doorstep because of the behaviour of an unelected senator,” said one Conservative MP.

Sorry is always the hardest word for this Prime Minister, who is now en route to Peru for no apparent good reason, beyond the fact it gets him the hell out of Dodge.

The overriding impression left by the Prime Minister’s speech was that the whole Duffy Affair is an inconvenience —he called it “a distraction” — from the government’s economic agenda. Which, of course, it is.


But ethics, accountability and principled government are core to the Conservative agenda too — that’s why many people voted for the party.

This scandal can’t be wished away simply by urging caucus: “Let’s get back to work.” They are making tee-shirts in Prince Edward Island bearing the legend: ”Stuff the Duff” and a cartoon of Mike Duffy being stuffed in a garbage can.

Conservative MPs are, for the first time in my experience, talking about open mutiny. “The question for my caucus colleagues is increasingly: Who is for Harper and who is for the party that will, hopefully, outlast him?”

This story is not going away until the Prime Minister gives us some answers.
 

Goober

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lol As did the other two I mentioned. And the Circle Canuckville goes round and round .......

As usual it is a Conservative who nails it down.
Nigel Wright’s resignation not the government’s moral reclamation | Full Comment | National Post

Section 17 (1) of the Senate Conflict of Interest code states: “Neither a Senator, nor a family member, shall accept … any gift or other benefit, except compensation authorized by law, that could reasonably be considered to relate to the Senator’s position.”

Section 16 (1) of the Parliament of Canada Act states that “no member of the Senate shall receive or agree to receive any compensation, directly or indirectly, for services rendered … in relation to any bill, proceeding, contract, claim, controversy, charge, accusation, arrest or other matter before the Senate or the House of Commons or a committee of either House.” Moreover, Section 16 (3) makes “every person who gives, offers or promises to any member of the Senate” such compensation liable to imprisonment for up to one year.
Yet, if we are to believe the (latest) story we are being told, in “a moment of weakness,” Wright gave in to Duffy’s pleas — either out of pity for his impoverished state or a desire to spare the taxpayer or both — and wrote him a personal cheque for $90,000. The story, on its own, is preposterous. There is no evidence Duffy was hard up for money, and if he were, there were a dozen other, better, simpler remedies than having Wright pay him out of his own funds.

Moreover, the payment gives every appearance of having been part of a deal: Duffy’s refusal, shortly after, to co-operate with the Senate’s auditors, and the subsequent alteration of the committee’s report to eliminate references to Duffy having violated “very clear” rules with regard to his expenses, were both publicly premised on the notion that having repaid the false claims, he had, as it were, expiated his guilt. Which would be nonsense even if it were true.

James Cowan hopes to call Harper’s office in contempt of Parliament | Canadian Politics | Canada | News | National Post
 

skookumchuck

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So, is anyone grilling Chretien or Turdeau about the liberal senator? I thought not, easier to use Harper. Be honest you idiots.
I sure don't have a problem with anyone not liking a certain political party, but i sure hate the carefully controlled and judged fake upset.
 

Sal

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So, is anyone grilling Chretien or Turdeau about the liberal senator? I thought not, easier to use Harper. Be honest you idiots.
I sure don't have a problem with anyone not liking a certain political party, but i sure hate the carefully controlled and judged fake upset.

just telling ya, we are in the middle of a s h i t storm and your post reads like..."look over there" big Conservative supporter regardless right?
 

skookumchuck

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just telling ya, we are in the middle of a s h i t storm and your post reads like..."look over there" big Conservative supporter regardless right?

No it does not. It reads....... go ahead and slag Harper's Bazar or Mulchinhair, or Turdeau but be honest instead of waiting for anything to use, anything that any party would be guilty of. BTW, i am not a Harper fan or a dedicated conservative. If you have not figured that out then i need to ignore you.

Like a leather skin redneck cowboy from the west sorry is not in the Consservative dictionary.

I don't remember either of your heros saying sorry about anything.
 

Zipperfish

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So, is anyone grilling Chretien or Turdeau about the liberal senator? I thought not, easier to use Harper. Be honest you idiots.
I sure don't have a problem with anyone not liking a certain political party, but i sure hate the carefully controlled and judged fake upset.
but...but...but...the LIBERALS!!!!!
 

Goober

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So, is anyone grilling Chretien or Turdeau about the liberal senator? I thought not, easier to use Harper. Be honest you idiots.
I sure don't have a problem with anyone not liking a certain political party, but i sure hate the carefully controlled and judged fake upset.

This reached the PM's Office- Duffy was offered a deal and that the Budget Review (run by the Cons) would go easy on him. Interference with Parliament by The Chief of Staff- accepting monies from the COS by Duffy- Against Senate rules- All such monies to be reported to the the Ethics Office- or even any attempt at an offer are to be reported.
All Trudeau has to do is sit back and watch these clowns.

As I predicted the Cons would do, they keep on shooting themselves in the foot and they have continued to do so.
We have seen how the Cons are experts at screwing the pooch when it becomes public.

And they will mismanage this one Big Time.

Senator Lebreton has (Under pressure) called for another audit on Duffy (only due to the 90 k and the word of a deal to go easy became public) which I am sure will find some more abuses. And the public will ask why they did not find it on the first audit.

This gives more legs to a deal to protect Duffy- and right from the PM's Office.

Then Harper gives a little tut tut speech and off to Peru.

Then we have Pam(Big Spender)Wallin and Pat(the boxer)Brazeau.

Why would any news org go there when all the meat is with the Con Senators, The PMO's Chief of Staff and Harper.

If you were a reporter which story would you be on?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/05/21/pol-senate-debate-reports-senators-expenses.html
On Tuesday, Conservative Senator Jacques Demers commented on Duffy, Brazeau, Harb and Pamela Wallin, who have all left or been kicked out of their caucuses, saying, "If these people have done what has been speculated that they have done, they should be fired."

Hinting that he was considering leaving the Senate in disgust, Demers went on, speaking in English and French, "If it doesn't come out the way I want to ... personally, I'm not talking for other senators ... I'm gonna go."
 

Sal

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No it does not. It reads....... go ahead and slag Harper's Bazar or Mulchinhair, or Turdeau but be honest instead of waiting for anything to use, anything that any party would be guilty of. BTW, i am not a Harper fan or a dedicated conservative. If you have not figured that out then i need to ignore you.
.
buh bye
 

skookumchuck

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Lets go back at least 20 years and check all the senators spending habits, then decide if it is common to one political party. Lots of reasons not to do that huh? Particularly for the mass media.
Does anyone actually think this did not happen before the cons were in power? :roll:

I was an old style liberal until they changed into sleazy. Now i am just an opportunist.
 

Sal

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Sep 29, 2007
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Lets go back at least 20 years and check all the senators spending habits, then decide if it is common to one political party. Lots of reasons not to do that huh? Particularly for the mass media.
Does anyone actually think this did not happen before the cons were in power? :roll:

I was an old style liberal until they changed into sleazy. Now i am just an opportunist.
Why don't you go back and read the threads on this...everyone is quite aware they are both in it up to their necks. So before you paint us all stupid give a read.
 

lone wolf

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Nov 25, 2006
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So, is anyone grilling Chretien or Turdeau about the liberal senator? I thought not, easier to use Harper. Be honest you idiots.
I sure don't have a problem with anyone not liking a certain political party, but i sure hate the carefully controlled and judged fake upset.
I bet if Turd or his 2IC offered pay-out, it might be the same
 

skookumchuck

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Why don't you go back and read the threads on this...everyone is quite aware they are both in it up to their necks. So before you paint us all stupid give a read.

Gee i really worry about the liberal not getting much notice, if any. None dare of course to say much about the stupid native either. Pamela Wallin is ok to beat on a little. Lets use that old fool Duffy and beat Harper with him.
Does anyone really think they are fooling anyone?
 

lone wolf

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Gee i really worry about the liberal not getting much notice, if any. None dare of course to say much about the stupid native either. Pamela Wallin is ok to beat on a little. Lets use that old fool Duffy and beat Harper with him.
Does anyone really think they are fooling anyone?
Why not? Didn't Duffy do enough pecking on Harper when he was with CTV news?
 

Sal

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Sep 29, 2007
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Gee i really worry about the liberal not getting much notice, if any. None dare of course to say much about the stupid native either. Pamela Wallin is ok to beat on a little. Lets use that old fool Duffy and beat Harper with him.
Does anyone really think they are fooling anyone?
If we don't clean house now, we deserve everything we get. Over the years I have voted at one time or another for every party depending upon what works best for me at the time. I have never in all of my life been this mad or this disgusted with my government.

If Harper thinks he can walk from this, we'd best let him know he is wrong. Soon, very soon the phone will ring and it will be the Conservative party doing their poll, and asking if they can count on my support, it's going to be a super interesting conversation. I bet Layton is up there drinking champagne and laughing. Cheers to him.
 

Goober

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Gee i really worry about the liberal not getting much notice, if any. None dare of course to say much about the stupid native either. Pamela Wallin is ok to beat on a little. Lets use that old fool Duffy and beat Harper with him.
Does anyone really think they are fooling anyone?
Have you taken note of many Conservatives disgust over this. Recall Harper's Mantra- Transparency, accountability and honest Govt.
Read the reports from MP's who while home for the long weekend were on the BBQ Grill over this. They were the meal.