So Many Assholes, So Little Time...
Friday, March 10, 2006
--- THIS BLOG HAS BEEN ABANDONED. OUR NEW HOME IS: THE WEASEL SOAP BOX ---
I don't know where to begin...
I mean, we've got 'Prime Minster' Stephan Harper telling the Ethics Commission, Ben Shapiro that he's going to 'not co-operate' with the investigation into David Emerson's choice to cross the floor, two days following the federal election.
He's up in arms because Scott Brisson who crossed the floor in 2003 didn't get investigated by the Ethics Commissioner. Mind you, the post was created in 2004, so, it would've been unconstitutional, unless there were viable grounds, to investigate his choice to switch parties.
And, then there was Belinda Stronach. She crossed the floor in 2005, when there was the Gay Marriage bill before the House of Commons. At the time, she was in direct conflict with her party's mandate and she didn't agree with Harper on many policies, and hence, joined the Liberals because she felt they better represented her views.
She then stood for re-election in the Aurora-New Market riding in the most recent election and her constituants voted to send her back to Ottawa for another term.
Meanwhile, we have Emerson who crossed the floor on a blatant offer from Harper and the Conservatives following a campaign in which they promised to end the 'culture of entitlement' and 'clean up parliament' and implement Justice Gomery's suggestions on how to make the system more 'accountable'.
It looks like 'accountability' only matters when you're trying to take down the Liberals...
NDP wants Stronach switch also probed
Harper has maintained an iron grip on his cabinet and caucus since the election, Easter noted, and Obhrai - as a parliamentary secretary - must be considered to be speaking for the government.
"This kind of character assassination can only be sanctioned by Mr. Harper himself."
The salvos are the latest in an unseemly dispute that outside observers say reflects poorly on everyone from Harper to Shapiro and a variety of MPs.
"Stephen Harper's hypocritical appointment to cabinet of the dishonest, party-switching David Emerson is being matched by hypocritical and dishonest criticism from the opposition parties," said Duff Conacher of the non-partisan Democracy Watch.
"Canadians should be disgusted by the prime minister's and Emerson's actions, but also by the opposition parties' defence of the incompetent, biased ethics commissioner."
The brouhaha began quietly enough a week ago when Shapiro announced a "preliminary inquiry" into both Harper and Emerson under the conflict of interest rules for MPs.
The investigation was prompted by Liberal and New Democrat MPs, who argued that Emerson's floor crossing worked to his personal benefit because of the increased salary and perks of a cabinet post and was therefore an illegal inducement.
"If it's wrong to offer somebody $50,000 to cross the floor, why is it not wrong to offer $50,000 per year plus a car and driver to cross the floor?" New Democrat MP Pat Martin said Friday.
"It's a simple question."
By that measure, Stronach and Emerson's sudden defections are "so similar that they just cry out for being dealt with in the same investigation," he said.
Just a nice little highlight of the new government we've got.
Paul Martin's Liberals were a far more ethic bunch than Harper's Conservatives.
Martin's Liberals were never involved in the Ad-Scandal any Liberal who was, was subsequently relieved of his duties. It was Martin who called for the inquiry and it was Martin who actually apologised to the Canadian public for the Liberals. Remember his little speech?
All Harper done is stuck it to the Canadian public.
To the 36% Canadians who voted for the Conservatives - I hope you're happy with yourselves. You made your bed, now you sleep in it!