Could Jason Kenny Be the Next PM

[Cannuck]

CTV.ca | Tories wonder if Jason Kenney next to lead party
But who might replace Stephen Harper once he leaves is the stuff of constant speculation behind the scenes -- and the chatter is getting louder about one rising star in particular: Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
Kenney is whispered about as the potential dark horse in a race that might one day include Defence Minister Peter MacKay, Environment Minister Jim Prentice and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, to name a few of the names often bandied about.
The 41-year-old workaholic has attracted attention for taking a pain-in-the-butt portfolio like immigration and making it seem like a tier-one department.

 

[Cannuck]

Jason Kenney - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Political career

Kenney was originally a member of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party, and in 1988 he served as an executive assistant to Ralph Goodale, who at that time was party leader. Kenney later served a term as Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Taxpayers Association, and later as President and CEO of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, a political advocacy organization.
He was a member of the Reform Party of Canada (1997-2000), which became the Canadian Alliance (2000-2003). He co-chaired the United Alternative Task Force, and served as the national co-chairman of Stockwell Day's campaign for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance. He also served as National Co-Chair of the Canadian Alliance 2000 election campaign. While on the Opposition benches in 1997-2005, Kenney served in a number of prominent roles in the Shadow Cabinet, including Deputy House Leader for the Official Opposition, critic for Canada-United States relations, critic for National Revenue, and critic for Finance.
He has also served as a volunteer director for several non-profit political organizations. These include the Catholic Civil Rights League and the National Foundation for Family Research.
Kenney has been named one of Canada's "100 Leaders of the Future" by Maclean's magazine; "one of Canada's leading conservative activists" by the Globe and Mail; and "one of 21 Canadians to watch in the 21st century" by the Financial PostCanadian House of Commons of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. magazine. Kenney was one of the leading supporters in the
In 2005, during parliamentary debate on same-sex marriage in Canada, Kenney stated that fellow MPs Libby Davies and Svend Robinson, both of whom had opposite sex relationships before coming out, stood as proof that marriage law doesn't discriminate against LGBT individuals since they can still marry members of the opposite sex.
In a later debate, when Don Boudria noted that a Christian group had registered a web domain in his name, using it to attack his position on same-sex marriage, Kenney criticized Boudria for being too "ignorant" to register his own web domain. In a spoof of Kenney's remarks, comedian Rick Mercer registered jasonkenney.org and made the domain redirect to the website of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada. Mercer subsequently changed it to Egale Canada, and more recently to the site of Michael Chong (a Conservative MP who resigned from cabinet on November 27, 2006 over a government motion recognizing the Québécois as a nation within a united Canada.) On Mercer's website he lists jasonkenney.org in his links section with the phrase "Where's it pointing to this week?", but the URL JasonKenney.org still redirects to Chong's page.
Kenney has also been active in promoting human rights (particularly freedom of religion) in autocratic countries. He is a member of Parliament's Canada-Tibet Committee, and was instrumental in causing honorary Canadian citizenship to be granted to the Dalai Lama in June 2006.[citation needed]
In January 2005, during a government trade mission in China, Kenney visited the home of recently deceased Zhao Ziyang, the deposed Communist party chief. Zhao was a reformist purged for sympathizing with pro-democracy protesters before they were crushed by the military in 1989. Then-Prime Minister Paul Martin, who also attended the Chinese trade mission, was critical of him for this visit.
On February 6, 2006, he was appointed to be Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper, with the portfolio of multiculturalism.
In August 2006, Kenney compared Hezbollah with the Nazi Party of 1930s Germany. He also rebuked Prime Minister of Lebanon Fuad Saniora for having criticized Canada's support for Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Saniora had argued that most nations of the world, apart from Canada, regarded Israel's military actions in Lebanon as disproportionate and illegal. Kenney's response was, "Canada took a responsible position and I would hope that the Lebanese prime minister would express gratitude" for supporting attempts to help the Lebanese government regain control over those parts of its territory controlled by Hezbollah.[1]
In April 2006, Kenney attended a rally supporting the People's Mujahedin of Iran, a group designated by Canadian federal legislation and UN agreements as a terrorist organization because it advocates the violent overthrow of the Iranian government and the purging of Western influence from the region. Kenney later claimed that he did not remember attending the rally, and then that he did not know at the time the group was connected to a terrorist organization.[2]
In May-June 2007 Kenney attended the 2007 Bilderberg Meeting in Istanbul, TurkeyHeather Reisman, Chair and CEO, Indigo Books & Music Inc., and Gerald Butts, Principal Secretary in the Office of the Premier of Ontario[3] with other Notable Canadians
In early 2008, Kenney openly supported Progressive Conservative candidate Jonathan Denis, who later became the MLA for Calgary-Egmont, defeating Liberal Cathie Williams and the independent candidate, Craig Chandler, by a large margin. In early 2008 Kenney posted an announcement on his web site announcing that the Government of Canada recognizes the flag of the Republic of Vietnam as the symbol of the Vietnamese-Canadian community. He said "Our government recognises the flag as an important symbol of the Vietnamese-Canadian community's independence, strength, and belief in national unity,and attempts to disparage it are a deeply troubling attack on one of Canada's ethnic communities and on the principles of multiculturalism." [4] In May 2008 he made a speech at one of their rallies lending strong support to their program.[5]
In January 2009, Kenney made public statements critical of U.S. soldiers seeking asylum in Canada who were facing punishment for their refusal to participate in the Iraq war. He said that unlike in the Vietnam era, the current asylum seekers are neither "draft dodgers" nor "resisters", but rather are "people who volunteer to serve in the armed forces of a democratic country and simply change their mind to desert. And that's fine, that's the decision they have made, but they are not refugees." He also said that he considered them to be "bogus refugee claimants".[6] These remarks have been seen by some supporters of the asylum seekers as being a form of interference in the asylum process.[7][8] (See details)
In March 2009, Kenney said he would not overturn the Canada Border Services Agency's decision to bar British MP George Galloway from coming to Ontario, British Columbia and Québec, where he planned to give a series of speeches at the end of the month. The Immigration Minister's Office stated that the Canada Border Services Agency deemed Galloway as inadmissible to Canada due to national security concerns.
A spokesperson for the Minister claimed that Galloway openly admits giving "financial support" to Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist group in Canada.[9][10]
Galloway described the decision to forbid him entry as "irrational, inexplicable and an affront to Canada's good name", adding that it "further vindicated the anti-war movement's contention that unjust wars abroad will end up consuming the very liberties that make us who we are".[11] He threatened legal action against the Harper government, asserting that he was not a supporter of terrorism and was not barred from entering any other country, including Israel.[12] He was later quoted as saying, "I don't raise money for Hamas. That's just a false statement. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a supporter of Hamas".[13]

 

[AnnaG]

Scary. And people say we live in a democracy.
Who the heck is Kenney representing when he won't let Lennikov stay in Canada?

Canadians and British Columbians Oppose Lennikov Deportation

[VANCOUVER – Jun. 6, 2009] – Canadians disagree with the federal government’s course of action in the highly-publicized case of Russian immigrant Mikhail Lennikov, and few consider the man who worked for the now defunct KGB in the Soviet Union as a threat to Canada, a new Angus Reid Strategies poll has found.

- Canadians and British Columbians Oppose Lennikov Deportation | Angus Reid Strategies

Lennikov should stay

 

[Cannuck]

You are confused. The courts won't let Lennikov stay in Canada. If you want to get upset at Kenny, get upset with him because he doesn't want politics involved in the legal arena. Of course, then you can't get upset when politicians stick their noses into legal issues.

 

[AnnaG]

Yes I am confused now. According to links in the Lennikov thread, the deportation order did not come from the courts, but from bureaucrats like Kenney and Van Loan.

http://forums.canadiancontent.net/news/84524-mikhail-lennikov.html

 

[AnnaG]

Either way, Kenney is just as spooky as Harpy and Flatulence Flaherty.

 

[Cannuck]

Yes I am confused now. According to links in the Lennikov thread, the deportation order did not come from the courts, but from bureaucrats like Kenney and Van Loan.

http://forums.canadiancontent.net/news/84524-mikhail-lennikov.html

Kenny isn't a bureaucrat. He is a politician. A bureaucrat made a decision and it has been upheld by the courts. If you want Kenny (the politician) to get involved in legal issues before the courts, that's fine. Just don't complain once Pandora's box is open.

 

[gerryh]

Kenny isn't a bureaucrat. He is a politician. A bureaucrat made a decision and it has been upheld by the courts. If you want Kenny (the politician) to get involved in legal issues before the courts, that's fine. Just don't complain once Pandora's box is open.

Maybe you need to do just a little bit of research into who can do what when it comes to immigration and deportations. Especially considering your first statement that the courts are responsible for the deportation order. It's obvious from that statement that you are lacking, just a little, in the knowledge depar
tment when it comes to this.

Unless, of course, you would prefer to just continually change feet in your mouth.

 

[AnnaG]

Kenny isn't a bureaucrat. He is a politician. A bureaucrat made a decision and it has been upheld by the courts. If you want Kenny (the politician) to get involved in legal issues before the courts, that's fine. Just don't complain once Pandora's box is open.

Are Ministers Responsible for Immigration and Citizenship responsible for immigration and NCitizenship or not?
Bureaucrats have bosses. And why can't a politician be considered a bureaucrat?

 

[AnnaG]

Mikhail Lennikov wins broadening party supportÂ* | NDP

theleftcoast.ca :: Mikhail Lennikov Wins Broadening Party Support

 

[Cannuck]

Maybe you need to do just a little bit of research into who can do what when it comes to immigration and deportations. Especially considering your first statement that the courts are responsible for the deportation order. It's obvious from that statement that you are lacking, just a little, in the knowledge department when it comes to this.

Unless, of course, you would prefer to just continually change feet in your mouth.

Unfortunately Gerry, I have to go to bed now so I won't be able to stay up tonight and hand you your ass as usual. Nowhere have I said the courts were "responsible for the deportation order". I don't know why you bother to involve yourself in these debates when you can't even grasp simple comments.

While you may think (given your limited intelligence) that "The courts won't let Lennikov stay in Canada." is the same thing as "the court is responsible for the deportation order". I can assure you that those of us with a reading level above grade six can see that they aren't the same statement.

In any event, I should be around tomorrow evening if you are in the mood for yet another public spanking. (BTW - I meant that figuratively...I just wanted to clarify that because of your comprehension problems)

 

[AnnaG]

When the courts back up an unjust decision, it IS time to do something and it is the politicians that make the stupid laws and decisions in the first place so it IS they that should fix the problem.

 

[Cannuck]

Are Ministers Responsible for Immigration and Citizenship responsible for immigration and NCitizenship or not?
Bureaucrats have bosses. And why can't a politician be considered a bureaucrat?

Kenny's job as a politician is to change the law that the bureaucrats follow and the courts enforce. Now before Gerry gets his panties all twisted again, I know that technically speaking the courts are not enforcement, but I'm not as anal as Gerry so that is the phrase I'm going to use. (I hope Gerry doesn't get so upset by the term that he can't sleep tonight).

 

[Cannuck]

In any event, I should be around tomorrow evening if you are in the mood for yet another public spanking.

I guess the answer was no. It's all for the best as I have to go out again tonight.

 

[Tonington]

Kenny's job as a politician is to change the law that the bureaucrats follow and the courts enforce.

So if the court's are ruling that his department's deportation order is legal, and satisfies our countries legal frameworks, then it can't really be the courts that aren't letting Lennikov stay. The deportation order starts with the Immigration officials, and ends with the court's rubber stamp that all i's are dotted and t's crossed. Letting him stay implies that the court's have a choice in this matter. They do not, unless Lennikov appeals to higher courts with a valid consideration.

It falls to nobody else but Kenney to address this. His department, his responsibility. If he can't handle that, I don't know why anyone would want to give him anymore of the responsibility he shirks so blatantly.

 

[Cannuck]

So if the court's are ruling that his department's deportation order is legal, and satisfies our countries legal frameworks, then it can't really be the courts that aren't letting Lennikov stay.

They are upholding the law. There are two ways to deal with this. Change the law or allow politicians to intervene and (in effect) circumvent the law. While I prefer the former, I might be able to live with the latter. I'm just saying that if that is what people want then they can't complain when politicians interfere in other areas and instances.

It falls to nobody else but Kenney to address this. His department, his responsibility.

That is an overly simplistic view. In reality, the Canadian government needs to address this. Blaming Kenny is a cop out. Being an NDP supporter, I'm not surprised you would stoop to that level. Immigration law, hell...the entire Canadian government is to complex and monolithic to easily turn on a dime. If you want to give it that type of capability, you have to give it more flexibility. It needs less oversight and structure. People are putting the cart before the horse.

As a side note, the immigration people said he was a threat. I understand how the average person looks at this guy and sees no threat. The same types of things were said about people like John Demjanjuk. The reality is that the KGB didn't recruit nice folks. I don't know this guys history but neither am I blinded by what I want to believe.

 

[Tonington]

Change the law or allow politicians to intervene and (in effect) circumvent the law.

This is the same thing. Politicians are law makers. They make and change the laws. The court (in this case) upholds them.

That is an overly simplistic view. In reality, the Canadian government needs to address this. Blaming Kenny is a cop out.

It is Kenney's department which would have to change the relevant Act. It's Van Loan's fault that Lennikov wasn't given special consideration under that Act. Considering how tightly Harper controls his caucus, I suppose we should ultimately pass the responsibility on to him, as the Prime Minister.

But since this is a thread about the possible leadership of one Jason Kenney, I tried to keep it in the ball park. He could have taken the lead and should have. Though it all depends on if Harper gives Kenney enough lead to do so...

Being an NDP supporter, I'm not surprised you would stoop to that level. Immigration law, hell...the entire Canadian government is to complex and monolithic to easily turn on a dime. If you want to give it that type of capability, you have to give it more flexibility. It needs less oversight and structure. People are putting the cart before the horse.

I voted for them once...I'm not surprised you would think that is relevant.

As a side note, the immigration people said he was a threat. I understand how the average person looks at this guy and sees no threat. The same types of things were said about people like John Demjanjuk. The reality is that the KGB didn't recruit nice folks. I don't know this guys history but neither am I blinded by what I want to believe.

I haven't voiced my opinion on this at all, except to say whom deserves the credit for this play. Kenney won't be able to wash his hands of this. He'll need to accept responsibility for his part. He doesn't need an apologist.

 

[Cannuck]

This is the same thing. Politicians are law makers. They make and change the laws. The court (in this case) upholds them.

The government makes the laws. Jason Kenney does not. If he wants a law changed, he has to take it to parliament to have it voted on. Jason Kenny is not "the government". It is most definitely not the same thing.

It is Kenney's department which would have to change the relevant Act. It's Van Loan's fault that Lennikov wasn't given special consideration under that Act. Considering how tightly Harper controls his caucus, I suppose we should ultimately pass the responsibility on to him, as the Prime Minister.

Or perhaps we can pass it on to whomever wrote the initial bill. Do you know who that was? Mind you, we really should blame all those that voted for it.

But since this is a thread about the possible leadership of one Jason Kenney, I tried to keep it in the ball park. He could have taken the lead and should have.

Taken the lead to do what, unilaterally say that the law is irrelevant and he is going to do what he wants? Funny, the left were the ones complaining about Dubya acting unilaterally on Iraq. At least I'm consistent in my desire to see politicians follow the guidelines that are spelled out for them. Politicians acting unilaterally scares the hell out of me. Granted, as an NDP supporter, I'm sure you just love the dictatorial leadership style.

He doesn't need an apologist.

Well, you finally got something right.

 

[Polygong]

What is the Tory obsession lately with having fat ugly guys for their leader?

 

[AnnaG]

The government makes the laws. Jason Kenney does not. If he wants a law changed, he has to take it to parliament to have it voted on. Jason Kenny is not "the government". It is most definitely not the same thing.

It wasn't a law. It was an order based on Van Loan's ministry's opinion (or assessment). The opinion or assessment was out to lunch. Kenney can reverse the order and he doesn't have to change any laws to do that.

I know this is an old W5, but apparently things don't change in the CIC. They still only go after the easiest to catch and ignore the nastiest people who SHOULD be deported. CTV.ca | Criminal Immigrants

About Lennikov's case:

Judicial review of Mikhail Lennikov case coming in September

Mikhail Lennikov wins broadening party support  | NDP

Lennikov should stay

A good country for crooks: Canada's losing war against white-collar crime | Managing | Strategy | Canadian Business Online