Conservatives trying to undercut other parties

[typingrandomstuff]

um. Duh. He got some shady parts. It sounds too familiar.

 

[typingrandomstuff]

Other parties are not that soft. I'm sure his manipulation controls is limited. I think he already believes in his own publicity.

 

[elevennevele]

Other parties are not that soft. I'm sure his manipulation controls is limited. I think he already believes in his own publicity.

Hence what we are going to be sadly in for if we give Harper a majority government.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

Wow,ignore facts that don't suit you. We were committed to take over in Kandahar way before the conservatives were in power.

Shifting to a warfighting mission needed debate that never happened as did the prisoner question. The Liberals haven't been in power for over a year and a half, stop using them as an excuse for very poor conservative behaviour.

Thanks for mentioning Bush,the boogeyman,as the mention of his name somehow verifies your spin.

You're welcome.

A couple hours of debate is still more than the libs allowed.Now,Dion says we should pull out without any vote,liberal democracy at it's finest.

The two missions were very different, the greatest threat in north was from friendly fire. The move to the south needed to be treated for what it was, a departure from a long tradition of peacekeeping. We're fighting to support a government that has strong local opposition, we own it to our own citiznes and the people of Afghanistan to make sure we know what we're doing is correct. Harper gets praise from that scary boogeyman Bush for what he's doing but little else.

Many farmers did not want change but the MAJORITY did. That is how democracy works.

Now democracy is important to you, damn I thought the conservatives are the ones trying to throw a monkey wrench in the works of aour democratic system by disrupting Commons. Isn't that what the leaked pamphlet was all about, tactics to prevetn the functioning of Parliment. Don't talk to me about conservatives caring at all for democracy when one of the first things the PM did on taking power was reverse the democratic choice of thousands of Canadians. Harper is all about and so is everything he does. The Wheat Board was no differnet and that's why he was reversed by the Supreme Court.

See people vote and if more want something that is what is done,now if more farmers wanted the status quo,then it would be maintained.

See my post above, Harper doesn't give a damn how Canadians vote, he wants as much power as he can get his greddy little hands on, period.

How can you possibly blame the conservatives on the detainee issue? They have improved a flawed policy put in place by the liberals,and then were attacked by the liberals and the media for not fixing a liberal mess sooner. BTW,there never has been any documentation of torture,but I guess that little fact doesn't matter.

They're the ones in power now and are responsible, the Liberals have been gone since early 2006. The conservatives told us they were monitoring the situation and that they were sure no prisoners were being tortured. What they didnt admit was there was no real apparatus in place to find out, there still isn't. Depending on the local authorities is pointless, because they're the ones who are engaging in any possible torture. In case you're not aware the Afghani government isn't the wonderful bunch of reformers we keep hearing about from our government. It's member include war criminal at least the equal of any Taliban and drug lords responsible for the productio of almost all the herion in the world.
98% of the world herion comes from Afhgan poppies is that something you want to support. And don't blame this on the the Liberals, this is a developing situation and the government needs to be flexible on this subject instead of sticking to it's corrupt party line.

The softwood industry is happy having the deal,they did not want 8 more years of uncertainty. They did not get all they wanted,but that happens in any negotiated deal.Ces't la vie.[/quote]

Like hell they are, most of the Canadian industry is gone, all of the Canadian companies in the town where Iive are gone, they've been bought by US businesses. There was a lot of opposition to the deal but the producers had no choice, they couldn't fight the US lumber lobby and their own government.

What's the point in talking to you, the conservative brainwashing has obviously taken root deep in your brain. So much for critical thinking skills.:roll:

1984 is here welcome to the world of doublespeak:

less=more
war=peace
lies=truth
slavery=freedom

 

[Tonington]

Theres nothing hysterical about the core issue here. The basis of our democracy is representatives voted by constituents. Take it a step further, if the Conservatives were to place these appointees in all of the ridings in which they were not elected, that is a majority of ridings of course, and it circumvents the duties of an elected MP. Of course this isn't happening in all ridings, it would be much worse if this were the case.

Electoral and Parliamentary reform is basically what won the Conservatives their majority, though they had a lot of help from the previous Liberal record.


I for one am getting sick of bringing up past history as justification for any current sitting governments actions. The previous government screwed up, so what. We elect a new government that defends it's own shady actions by bringing up the past said actions which helped them get elected. What a farce.

 

[wallyj]

The mission in Afghanistan was never a peace-keeping mission. We were told that right from day one. Wishing it was, won't do anyone any good. The detainee problem is a sticky one,but the liberal solution did not work. Maybe we should let the Americans look after them.The wheat board was voted on by farmers,why do you not accept thier vote. As for Emerson crossing the floor,I agree with you on that. I would be screaming if the guy I voted for went to the liberals or ugh the dippers. Belinda crossed for a cabinet post,sleazy also.Scotty Brison did the same.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

Theres nothing hysterical about the core issue here. The basis of our democracy is representatives voted by constituents. Take it a step further, if the Conservatives were to place these appointees in all of the ridings in which they were not elected, that is a majority of ridings of course, and it circumvents the duties of an elected MP. Of course this isn't happening in all ridings, it would be much worse if this were the case.

Electoral and Parliamentary reform is basically what won the Conservatives their majority, though they had a lot of help from the previous Liberal record.


I for one am getting sick of bringing up past history as justification for any current sitting governments actions. The previous government screwed up, so what. We elect a new government that defends it's own shady actions by bringing up the past said actions which helped them get elected. What a farce.

Call it the two-faced shuffle. Through one face I'm telling you how terrible the other guys were and I'd never do that. Through the other I'm busy explaining how I'm justified in behaving like the other guys did and it's for your benefit.

It would be funny if the consequences weren't so serious.

 

[BitWhys]

http://www.terracedaily.ca/cgi-bin/show_sitemap_article.cgi?ID=954

Dick Harris MP for Cariboo-Prince George has named Houston Mayor and Conservative candidate Sharon Smith as the person that residents of Skeena-Bulkley Valley can contact when they have concerns or issues with the federal government.

Harris said, “As Chairman of the BC Caucus of Conservative MPs, I am pleased that Sharon has accepted this role, and I know the constituents of Skeena-Bulkley Valley will derive a huge benefit from having direct contact with government, something that they have not had since 2004.

I and other BC Conservative MPs will work closely with Sharon Smith as she represents constituents of her riding to the government members. It will be a bonus for people of Skeena-Bulkley Valley to have direct representation to the government on so many issues,” continued Harris

Harris concluded, “Having an MP from the fourth party in the House just doesn’t cut it when it comes to actually getting things done for the folks in Skeena-Bulkley Valley . Sharon Smith with her direct government contact will ensure that things DO get done. The Terrace water infrastructure, Smithers Airport expansion, and Houston event center’s new “green” system are just a few examples of what can be accomplished when you have a direct link to government”.

The underlying assumption being that the Conservatives are all about partisanship.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

Feel the sleaze.

I and other BC Conservative MPs will work closely with Sharon Smith as she represents constituents of her riding to the government members.

Amazing, she's never been elected and it's already her riding, funny how the conservatives feel they have the power to give a sittings MPs seat away to someone else.

cough*Nazis*cough

 

[Tonington]

So according to Harris, our government is not capable of working with opposition MP's for funding on any project, unless of course there is a direct government contact which is more pleasing than dealing with whomever the silly constituents voted for......or perhaps to buy votes, but that's a given.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

I love how they try and spin it like it benefits the residents of the region. Take this trend far enough and we won't have any say in our government, which is the point I guess.

They may carry the name conservative but that party died with MacKays sellout to Harper. This smacks of the reform lunatic fringe.:roll:

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

I dropped an email to Nathan Cullen saying I'd support him any way I can. I don't know if there's a formal way to complain about the performance of my dick MP, but if there is I'm going to use it. This is interfering with Cullens democratic right to represent his constituents, no matter what Harris has to say on the matter the people of Skeena-Bulkly Valley elected an NDP member, not some reform/alliance/conservative flake.

edit- I also sent an enquiry into the office of the federal ethics commissioner, it should be interesting to see what they say.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

So are we to assume from this that if the reform/alliance/conservatives ever get a majority in Parliment they'll appoint their own MPs in every riding to remove any road-blocks to the smooth running of government...and any checks and balances...and any democracy.

I guess we understand what "Canadas New Government"really means now.

 

[typingrandomstuff]

Um. I'm angry at the montebello event. I'm very angry.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

I wonder if Harper is a fan of Star Trek and gets some of his political ideas from the show.

This kind of reminds me of the Borg, the reform/alliance/conservatives will be assimilating all of Canada one riding at a time. No wonder they don't support democratic reforms in Canada,they have other plans for us.

"Resistance is futile".:lol:

 

[BitWhys]

update and uptown

the first bolded was rather predictable but answers the pay-to-play question

the second bolded part highlights where this is going.

'Realistic' Conservatives try to bypass an elected MP
Barbara Yaffe, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, August 29, 2007

An aggressive Conservative plan has bestowed a group of British Columbians with a representative from the governing party before they've voted one in.

Houston Mayor Sharon Smith has been appointed "government go-to person" for the NDP-held riding of Skeena-Bulkley Valley by the federal Conservative caucus chair for B.C., Dick Harris.

The MP for Cariboo-Prince George justifies his action with some pretty blunt opinions about how government really works in this country.

He says that, realistically, it's not possible for Nathan Cullen, the elected New Democrat representing Skeena, to access government services on behalf of his constituents in the manner that an MP of Conservative stripe would be able to.

Throwing in the waste bin the principles that make representative government in Canada function, Harris explained on a local radio show the other week: "To have access to the ministers, realistically, you have to be part of the government. You want to contact the Prime Minister's Office or even the prime minister when you need to, it helps immensely to be part of the government."

He said Smith, working through Conservative channels, would be able to get constituents' concerns in Cullen's riding "right to the ministers involved."

Asked if Conservative MPs in Opposition -- before January 2006 -- were thus ineffective, Harris elaborated further.

"There's a bit of a pecking order in Parliament. As a member of the official Opposition you're quite a bit closer to government than, say, a member of the fourth or the third party.

"There seems to be a cooperation between the official Opposition and the government when it comes to riding issues, so we were able to get a fair amount done.

"It's a matter of having the access and being effective with the access and, quite frankly ... the fact is, it hasn't been happening" in Cullen's riding.

Cullen, for his part, says his first reaction to the Smith appointment was "to scratch my head a little bit and laugh. I mean, this is ridiculous."

But his second reaction was anger. He calls the Smith appointment "sleazy [and] poisonous politics."

Noting that for the first time in the history of his riding there are now four constituency offices, Cullen says this issue goes straight to the fundamentals of democracy.

"It's almost like Mr. Harris and Mr. Harper want to replay the last election. Canadians have spoken in the last election .... When the election is over it's over, and it's time to work on behalf of everybody."
In the 2006 election, Cullen won his northern riding with 48 per cent of the vote. The Conservative, Mike Scott, won 33 per cent.

Smith, who will compete against Cullen in the next election, is volunteering her services to Skeena's voters, Harris says.

The situation in B.C. has caught the attention of Duff Conacher, coordinator of the Ottawa-based ethics group Democracy Watch.

Conacher told CBC radio the Smith appointment is "improper" and an investigation should be launched by Canada's new ethics commissioner, Mary Dawson.

Conacher says the naming of Smith as a government liaison person violates the Conflict of Interest Code for MPs.

Harris "is essentially saying that the federal government system is corrupt and is run by the ruling party only, and that voters who vote for other parties will not get served."

Conacher makes the point that Canada's public service is supposed to be impartial.

In 14 years of eyeballing politicians, the ethics watchdog reports he hasn't come across this particular tactic, though "MPs and cabinet ministers have tried pretty much everything you can think of ... to further their own interests."

He says of the Skeena situation: "What [Harris] is essentially saying is that it matters whether your MP is from the ruling party or not, which is saying, essentially, that the ruling party MPs get -- what? -- more favours from the public service?

"Is he implying that ruling party MPs can somehow solve a constituent's problems that are dealing with the bureaucracy, in terms of immigration applications or small business problems or just general citizen problems with government?"

This is an important question; it should be addressed not just by Harris but by Stephen Harper.

There's so many reasons for Harper to NOT prorogue its no wonder Layton and Dion are telling him not to. The little imp just won't be able to resist.:lol:

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

"There's a bit of a pecking order in Parliament. As a member of the official Opposition you're quite a bit closer to government than, say, a member of the fourth or the third party.

"There seems to be a cooperation between the official Opposition and the government when it comes to riding issues, so we were able to get a fair amount done.

It's up to the government to give equal access to all MPs when it comes to constituency issues, not deny access for political purposes. They're not forced by law or tradition to ignore the NDP, it's a matter of choice. Why is it we need to make major changes to other aspect of our economic and political structure to please Harper and Co. but they can't do something as minor as listening to fellow MPs who after all were elected by Canadians to represent them. This is just one more indication of the contempt this government has for our rights and freedoms, they may claim to be working for our best interests but it's all just spin. I wonder how many millions they spend on media "consultants"each year.

This is worse than anything the Liberals ever did, the ad agency scandal in Quebec came about as part of highly contentious sovereignty fight where the Liberals were acting to hold the country together. This is an attempt by the sitting government to destroy some of the basic foundations of our democratic system. This government was elected as a result of the democratic deficit in this country, they've increased it by several orders of magnitude by their actions.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

Dick Harris says:

"It's a matter of having the access and being effective with the access and, quite frankly ... the fact is, it hasn't been happening" in Cullen's riding.

This is a defacto admission of corruption, the public service isn't intended to meet the political needs of the governing party, it's there to serve all Canadians. It's clear that Harper is unsuited to the demanding task of managing a democratic government, he's taken the easy way out and is using his position of trust to further his own ambitions, not the will of the people of Canada.

 

[BitWhys]

...This is a defacto admission of corruption, the public service isn't intended to meet the political needs of the governing party, it's there to serve all Canadians...

Indeed.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

With its tight control of the media, Harpers government is the political equivalent of an iceberg, only a small fraction of it's behaviour shows above the surface. With this admission they're interfering with the lawful performance of the public service for political purposes is there any doubt there's more malfeasance going on behind the scenes.

Canadas New Government of self-righteous windbags could possibly be it's most corrupt.