Lorne Gunter points to media chatter about the number one problem facing Conservatives electorally – the Liberal domination of the nation’s cities;
The morning after the vote, the CBC reported “Results of Canada’s 39th general election reveal an urban-rural divide in voting patterns.”
Canadian Press divined a “a stubborn urban-rural divide” developing in Canadian politics. And the Globe and Mail insisted Monday’s balloting “suggested an urban-rural split, with the Conservatives making inroads in much of the country, but being shut out of Canada’s three biggest centres, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.”
It’s a development drawing the attention of those in halls of higher learning.
David Docherty, a Wilfrid Laurier University political scientist, examining the outcome in Ontario claimed “We’re seeing more of an urban- rural split in the province. The larger cities are staying Liberal and the rural areas are Conservative.”
When there is such a deep cultural divide and growing gap between “values” held by rural folk and those of modern urbane Canadians…
with such disparity between the relative levels of education …
and sophistication in business, science and technology …
… how does a political party most closely identified with those of that certain rural social and economic class find ways to broaden their tent widely enough to resonate with the people of “progressive” metropolitan Canada?
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(Read the rest of Gunter’s piece here.)
As pointed out elsewhere, it’s more of a ‘metro’ split.. many urban centers did not stay/go liberal, but went all Tories, or a division of the major parties.. I think efforts are being formulated by MSM and others to characterize the results as an urban/rural split, when such is not really the case.
The Liberals will try to find [as usual] some other ‘reason’ to explain the results, rather than examining themselves.
Does anybody know how to find out how allowing criminals a vote affects the final results? Can a prison determine a riding?
Isn’t the reality less of an Urban-Rural divide and more of a Toronto/Montreal and the rest of Canada divide?
Not to simply state the obvious but if it wasn’t for Toronto and Montreal wouldn’t the Liberal party’s representation in government be (about) half what it is currently? Why is there no discussion as to why the Liberal party is so out of step with the values of Canadians living in Rural and Mid-sized to large Urban centers?
Ah, yes. The next few years are going to be interesting. Trust the Canadian MSM to accelerate a process of pandering to the lowest common denominator of the loony-liberal base. How American a process! Hopefully, the result will mirror the marginalization of the US Democrat party, and Canada will see a resurgence of robust, sensible Conservative governance for the next decade.
Is the conceit of the MSM worth the analysis? The difficulty I have with trying to rebut the editors and headline writers is the futility of it all. Sure, calling them on it might be a woth passing the absurd reference along but isn’t that a command of the obvious? Let’s face it, most of these individuals are lazy journalists. If the blogosphere focused on what’s real, the unreal is just going to fade away.
Folks, be sure to read the Gunter piece.
So, what he is saying is that I am a country bumpkin. I am not sophisticated enough to vote Liberal and everyone in my rural area that put our conservative MP back in is not quite as highly educated as those in Toronto. Well, now we will get to the real reason that Van, Montreal and TO voted Liberal. These areas have the majority of the artsy – fartsy crowd. This is where the largest of the gay community hang out. It is also where the most immigrants migrate to. Now, let’s see if the MSM has the guts to print the real reasons. It doesn’t take a PHD to figure it out. I will take my laid back life, my time to look at nature and ponder the real reasons I exist to that form of lifestye that those gigantic metropolis offer.
jypsy, re-read what Gunter wrote. The MSM/urban “sophisticates” *think* we are country bumpkins, even though the Liberals were unsuccessful in electing a majority of MPs in 22 of the 25 largest cities in Canada. In other words, they can’t see the forest for the trees…
The other interesting thing that I keep noticing is that the “3 Largest” argument is just plain WRONG anyway.
Vancouver is NOT in the top 3 for population, unless you are counting all of the outlying cities (Surrey, Burnaby, PoCo, etc.) And once you start counting those areas, then the Vancover argument falls apart since some of those areas DID elect conservatives.
I guess all the people in Van, T.O and Montreal are gay.
Me too, I’m happy.:)
So…
The MSM position is that we beyond the shadows of VAN, TO and MO are special – you know what I mean – for not repeating the gruesome error that they thrust upon us the last time, do they.
Perhaps what we have is a case of the tail failing to wag the dog, for once? Three lonely cities versus all the rest of Canada?
Maybe the continuous stream of pinko drivel that saturates those three wonderful, gangland shooting galleries – oops, cities – has permanently curdled the brains of the residents? (Goebbels, again?)
Garbage in=garbage out?
Yes, the New Canadian is likely a factor, due to (1)coming from a communistic land, or, (2)having had to promise to vote forever Lib to gain entry, or, (3)simple honest gratitude for being here.
That leaves the uncaring, the perverts, and the deranged to bolster the Lib vote… lots of them, eh?
Gunter is absolutely right. Dave Warren has an interesting view of this phenomenon at http://tinyurl.com/79hrv.
John
Aren’t TO, Montreal and Vancouver also where the pollsters seem to get it wrong? Why is that? Polling either works or it doesn’t. Is there enough electoral fraud in those places to return the Liberals time after time? Why get it wrong there and nowhere else?
Just read the essay of David Warren. It was excellant and it almost made me feel sorry for those living in Toronto. Since we each have a choice, my heart does not bleed for them. We passed that opportunity up many years ago and have never looked back. I like fresh air.
It’s the favorite leftist pastime to pit one leftist created group against another. The politics of envy.
It’s like Marx had to create the myth of capitalism as a foil for his communism.
Free enterprise doesn’t make a good monolith.
Awwh! It’s so comforting to see that the CBC and other MSM bastions/sycophants still have their heads up their collective arses, in their eternal quest for the “truth” as they know it.
I guess anybody living outside of Trawna, Monreaal, and Vancouver will just have to muddle on, until the great Liberal machine can resurrect itself and once again come to our rescue. So sad really. Already I am beginning to miss their smug arrogance, their hollow promises, and their sticky fingers. God, I feel so un-Canadian now.
:-))
Does it suprise anyone that the major readership of the “National” media concentrates on urban areas where information is easily disseminated? Or instances such as the Toronto Star where it is exclusively Toronto? These areas are where the traditional “National” media sell their stories.
As a resident of Rubesville or is it Hicksburg?Anyways… I find the numbers breakdown enlightening.
If one looks closely the inner city/Metro ridings that the Libs managed to carry are…er..some of the most eclectic in the country.
The socio-economic demographics are a study in Liberal social policy. In lefty PC terminology you could describe the metro centers as.. “All inclusive communities with a diverse cultural mosiac, a vibrant artistic beat and a strong social conscience”.
In less glowing terms one might describe the metro centers as an amalgum of the urban hipsters, the moneyed class/champagne socialists, clusters of recent immigrants and the down and out. Oh yea and the moonbats.
In other words the entittled left and the “marginalized” masses which they are so dogmatically devoted to protecting.
Unfortunately for the latter their entittlements are not nearly as lucrative as the former.
Let’s take a closer look at the polling results of one metro’s core:
Vancover Center
Heddy Fry Lib 43.8%
Svend Robinson NDP 28.7%
Tony Fogarassy CPC 20.5%
Vancover East
Libby Davies NDP 56.6%
David Haggard Lib 23.4%
Elizabeth Pagtakhan CPC 13.3%
Vancover Kingsway
David Emerson Lib 43.5%
Ian Waddel NDP 33.5%
Kanman Wong CPC 18.8%
Lets move a little further out from the rotten core of lefty social engineering to some of the more tonier metro hoods.
Vancover Quadra
Stephen Owen Lib 49.1%
Stephen Rogers CPC 28.9%
David Askew NDP 10.1%
Vancover South
Ujjal Dosanjh Lib 48.0%
Tarlok Sablok CPC 27.1%
Bev Meslo NDP 21.1%
Is it just me or does anybody else see a trend emerging?
Can you say self perpetuating paradigm.
The further one gets from the stark failures of the left’s social policy the less likely people are to support the waste of money and human potential.
Syncro
Vancouver is a weird mix of extremely high income with extremely low income and some in-between. *Most* middleclass live in the burbs, but not all. Owen’s riding is predominantly upper incomes with, if I recall correctly, a reserve & the university attached.
’nuff said?
The most appropriate (because it’s consistent) definition is that of Statistics Canada’s Census Metropolitan Area (CMA). It’s based on the core municipality and the places where a majority of employed people commute to the core municipality (as well as other rules). If you use that (any ridings that include parts of the CMA), you get:
Toronto: 35 Liberal, 6 Conservative, 3 NDP
Montr�al: 26 Bloc, 12 Liberal
Vancouver: 8 Liberal, 6 Conservative, 5 NDP
Ottawa-Gatineau: 6 Conservative, 3 Liberal, 1 NDP, 1 Bloc
Calgary: 11 Conservative
Edmonton: 12 Conservative
Hamilton: 4 Conservative, 3 NDP
Qu�bec: 6 Conservative, 2 Bloc, 1 Independent
Winnipeg: 6 Conservative, 3 NDP, 2 Liberal
I won’t keep going, because there’s such a big jump in size between Canada’s biggest 9 CMA’s and all the rest, but it goes to show that Montr�al was actually the only complete holdout. Also, that the standings for these 9 biggies run 60-57-29-15-1. Sure, the Liberals “win”, but it’s so close that you only see a distinction if you want to see it.
In a lot of ways, this seems to me (grew up on the west coast) as a way to co-opt Vancouver into “the Club”, so it doesn’t look like “the Club” is so exclusive. Let’s face it, many central Canadians (I went to U of T and met many there) really believe that Canada is defined by Montr�al and Toronto and held together by either the 401, Via Rail or the shuttle flights (depending on financial status.) …But if you’re smart enough to get yourself a job at a national newspaper, you don’t want to believe that you’re that blind. Hence, you include Vancouver in your “list”, and declare that “All big cities…”.
Ashley
One of the most significant factors leading to the downfall/corruption/wastefulness of the Libs was the complete lack of media scrutiny towards them.
Once again the scrutiny is closely held to the CPC. The Liberals are shut out of entire regions (much of the West and the praries-including the economic powerhouse of Alta), and are in a complete free fall in what used to be a mainstay of their party – Quebec, and what does the media do? They parse stastisitcs to create a story about where the CPC (you know, the ones that have been steadily increasing their vote to the point where they WON the election) has problems with voters.
Keep it up, MSM. You’re only creating a more efficient, disciplined CPC. Keep treating the Libs as if they’re entitled to power, and hopefully they’ll keep believing it.
Eventually the media will be reporting stories of the CPC having problems with the Toronto voters, between King and Waterfront, and the four blocks North of Gastown in Vancouver.
The election didn’t create an urban/rural divide, it separated the men from the boys. While Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal would have preferred the infantile leadership of Paul Martin and his Liberals , the rest of the country decided to put an adult into office.
While they may have won 103 seats in Canada�s 39th federal election, this was the third worst showing for the Liberal Party since Confederation in terms of the percentage of the popular vote they received. The only elections in which they faired worse were 1867 and 1984.
Also if you look at the vote totals on Elections Canada, you find that Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal together cast 1,62M votes for the Liberals versus 1,58M for the CPC. So the CBC alleged urban/rural thing is based on a difference of 40,000 votes or 1.25% of the total votes cast in these three cities for the two parties. Liberals got 50.6% versus 49.4 for the CPC of the votes cast for these two parties in Vancouver, Trawna and Montreal combined, a statistical tie I am afraid.
It could easily have gone the other way if so many folks in these places hadn’t bought into former PMPM’s histrionic last-minute scare-mongering i.e. “Stop Harper or the Canada you know will be destroyed in hot liquid magma as all the world’s volcanoes erupt simultaneously and a meteor shower rains down upon you”
Hlyrad- “Does it suprise anyone that the major readership of the “National” media concentrates on urban areas where information is easily disseminated?”
Most Canadians haven’t seen that much of their own country, its simply too big. So its not suprising that populations of people who live two thousand kilometers apart don’t understand each other.
The United Kingdom contains a lot of different cultural groups. But its also got the virtue of being much smaller. This facilitates a lot of mingling so they all pretty much understand each other even if they don’t all get along.
So you might want to cut people who live two days drive away who are ignorant of your mindset some slack. There might be a lot of things you don’t know about them either.
The obsessive/compulsive obsessions of the haute denizens of the elite/cliques (Urban)here; meanwhile, the demi-monde (Rural) eke out their existence submerged in fresh air, fresh water, fresh bread with exorbitant taxation transferred to the Urbanites.
Money/Taxation is the real disparity;
send your profit to the Urbanites; they will build a better museum/gallery/arena/pools/foot bridge/library/latte house, & etc., for the Ruralites to visit next summer $$$$$.
Compare/contrast Rural/Urban world-views:
The Fat Girl�s Guide to Life poses as a brave book, but in fact it is lily-livered, shying away from words such as �glutton� and �greed�… more�
Clitoral satisfaction for every woman on the planet, by all means. But no, Shere Hite, this will not give us world peace… more�
http://www.artsandlettersdaily.com/
Jim: I’m gay. I don’t live in Toronto, but I did go there in my official Conservative party t-shirt which I’d had secondarily silk screened:
Homos for Harper. I gave my televised political commentary on _The Hour_ with George Stroumboulopoulos wearing that shirt.
Gay people do not vote as a block. But let me tell you, some NDP supporters are very intolerant of a homosexual that supports the Conservatives.
Another key point to remember is that CTV, CBC, and Global have no meaningful presence in the 3 major cities. Though very difficult to obtain, Neilsen ratings for those MSM media outlets in the Vancouver/Toronto/Montreal hinterland hint that the viewing habits of it’s citizenry flock to American shows and American TV channels on cable.
Canadian MSM TV presence is almost non-existant.
Ergo… CTV/CBC/Global must be considered “hick TV from the sticks”.
Meanwhile, the most-portem has been done, thanks to eaves-dropper?: results here: Hans-off Willy Graham gets the nod as Interim leader. (Memo to self: resist sarcasm in future; show respect). >>>
� The following week, the new caucus will assemble and choose an interim leader. The early favourite still remains Bill Graham.”
via bourque
http://www.tdhstrategies.com/home.html
How many Torontonians, Montrealers or Vancouverites does it take to change a lightbulb?
One. They just hold it up and let the world revolve around them…….no wonder they sit in the dark.
I blogged twice on the promotion of an urban rural divide.
here
and
here.
I included tats on many other cities. Urban sprawl maps. There is no urban/rural divide. There is an urban /urban divide if anything. At minimum an urban vs suburban/rural situation.
The big city britches are just too big. (BTW, I was one of those Torontonians for 25 years. I also thought, like all my friends, that the city was the cat’s meow. It didn’t take long after I left to realize how great other parts of Canada are.
Ah, the old cliche: “rise to meet the challenge”.>
The coming Urban Crisis: If Terror Succeeds (WoT from an architect’s perspective)
Posted by Deepkimche
On 01/28/2006 5:27:02 AM PST � 3 replies � 94+ views
Dream Home Design ^ | Spring 2003 | John Henry
What kind of America will unfold if terrorist acts continue unabated here and abroad? Media reporting and government warnings indicate that terrorist use of explosives and biological weapons are a 100% inevitability now and for some time to come. In response to this continued threat what changes might we expect in our lives: how will the citizens of this country live, work, play, travel, shop and worship in the troubled times to come? A new generation will live in fear. As a result, a new economy and all aspects of human life, including architecture, must rise to meet the challenge…
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1566760/posts
I concur with most of Gunter’s points but he fails to address the reason why the urban core is so resistantly left. The answer is obvious at least in TO, Vancouver and Halifax…they are overly susceptable to irrational fear mongering. The irrationality comes from conditioning provided by the media of those urban centers churning out a daily dose of mind-dulling lockstep partisan gruel which disinforms, narrows their optics and is intolerant of alternate viewpoints or balance. Essentially they are prisoners of co-opted editorial monopolies….but a growing number are learning to think outside the box. The suburbs joined the rest of Canada in democratic reform this time….maybe they have a higher internet access rate.
The great thing is that conditioned ignorace is curable.
On the other hand, all Canadians are liberal and hedonistic
Steve: heard about this on talk radio last night.
The host had never heard of this “Washington Fixture” or the obscure think tank he runs.
This is clearly an attempt by PRAVDA to keep up the war on Harper (WOH). Unfortunately I don’t think the moonbats there are clever enough to stop or to realize that they are going to be outed every time through the blogs.
vancouver , montreal , and the center of the universe , toronto all have large immigrant populations . how many of them voted liberal because they felt a misbegotten sense of loyalty to the liberal party ? how many of them voted out of fear that ” harper is scary ” ?
canada wasn’t built on fear but fear may be what destroys it in the end
Instead of “Urban/Rural” split, how about we call it the “Starbucks/John Deere”
(BTW I have a JD 6420!)
What I think everyone is still missing is the fact only 65% (I believe) came out to vote.
That leaves at least 30% of the population doesn’t give a care. Add those to the Liberal count and you get 65% of this country voted Liberal.
Rational: to allow evil to gain the upper hand, good men must do nothing. To refrain from voting is giving your vote to the bad guys, unless of course you are dolted enough to vote Liberal to start with…
cheers
tom
oltx – probably better call it the latte/20W50 crowd as some might get their noses bent out of sharp due to trademarks.
btw – I drove a MF combine 10 years ago visiting a friends farm 😉
And another thing,
Urban existence is but 72 hours away from anarchy. Virtually everything urban dwellers depend on for survival is transported to them via 18-wheelers and produced by others (often rural JD types).
Let the 18-wheelers stop rolling for 72 hours and you would have even the staunchest Starbuckers breaking into the supermarket.
With the way oil prices are going, this may not be so far-fetched.
The future conflicts are going to be about oil and water.
shape shape shape
dang spelink checkor
Oil and water, yep. Interesting doomsday article on our oil prices…
http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/27/news/international/pluggedin_fortune/index.htm?cnn=yes
WL Mckenzie- I don’t agree with your perspective on fear motivating left wing voters. There’s plenty of lefties who are as optimistic as heck (including me) and righties who are perpetually claiming that the end is nigh.
I think its safe to say what determines a person’s political preferences is a bit more complicated than that. Its pretty easy to put it all done to some simple character flaw of people on the “other” side but all you wind up doing is hindering your understanding.
I’ve been on both sides of the political fence. I supported Reform in my early twenties (ironicaly while I was living in Toronto) but have swung to the left since then (starting ironicaly while I was living in Alberta).
If you want to swing the other side the best way is to simply engage them in intelligent, good natured conversation about politics.
Jose: intelligent question then –
What made you vote or swing to the left of a legally proven criminal political party?
Tomax- I am a leftie but that doesn’t automaticaly mean I vote Liberal. So I’m not going to defend their behaviour. I didn’t vote in this last election. My next vote is up for grabs. The conservatives could even get it if they a) go socially progressive (pro choice at a minimum) b) demonstrate good stewardship of the economy and c) develop an intelligent energy/enviromental policy.
Of these three I only see b as a possibility so I’m not holding my breath for the conservatives. Instead I’m hoping the Liberals clean up their act.
Rural / Urban Muth
We’ve been hearing it since the election, the dreaded rural/urban split, and how the conservatives just don’t donnect with anyone who lives in Canadas cities. Well, the BPoC has a news flash for you, there are more cities in Canada than just Toronto,…
Jose-
Risking me being called a troll, here’s 199 reasons nwy NOT to vote Liberal…
Just in case ya forgot eh…
1. Cancelling the Sea King replacement
2. Sponsorship scandal
3. Gun Registry
4. HRDC boondoggle
5. Problems with Transition Job Funds program
6. Tainted blood
7. Radwanski Spending Affair
8. Pearson Airport
9. GST Flip Flop
10. Airbus Investigation
11. Voting against Red Book promise of independent Ethics Commissioner
12. Irving fishing lodge stays/travel on Irving jets for cabinet ministers
13. Martin traveling on private corporate jets as Finance Minister
14. Don Boudria�s stay at Boulay owned chalet
15. Denis Coderre staying with Boulay
16. Alfonso Gagliano being appointed Ambassador to Denmark
17. Shawinigate
18. Claude Gauthier (PM�s friend)�s Transelec getting CIDA grant that was questioned by the Auditor General and even CIDA.
19. Liberal fundraiser Pierre Corbeil charged with fraud by RCMP after he approached several Quebec companies seeking federal job training grants and asking for payments to Liberal Party, having gotten the names from senior Quebec Liberal Minister, Marcel Mass�.
20. Michel Dupuy, Heritage Minister, lobbying the CRTC.
21. Tom Wappel refusing to help blind veteran
22. Gagliano�s son benefiting from contracts from his father�s department
23. Gagliano�s former speechwriter, Mich�le Tremblay was on a $5,000 a month retainer with the Canada Lands Company to provide speeches for the Minister. Former President John Grant let her go saying �we got nothing in return.� Grant claimed that all Crown Corporations reporting to Mr. Gagliano were told to put Ms. Tremblay on a monthly retainer.
24. Iltis replacement
25. Purchase of new Challenger jets for the Prime Minister and cabinet
26. NATO Flying Training program contract
27. Liberal friends appointed as IRB judges being investigated by RCMP
28. Hedy Fry�s imaginary burning crosses
29. Maria Minna�s improper municipal vote
30. Minna giving contracts to two former campaign staffers for public relations work for a conference that had already been held
31. Lawrence MacAulay and contracts directed to Holland College
32. Lawrence MacAulay and Tim Banks
33. Lawrence MacAulay hired his official agent, Everett Roche, for $70K, but Roche never did any work for it. (Oct 2002)
34. Art Eggleton and contracts to his ex-girlfriend
35. Copps� aide Boyer�s spending habits
36. Collenette resigns for breach of ethical guidelines involving a letter he wrote to the Immigration and Refugee Board
37. APEC Inquiry
38. Andy Scott’s 1998 resignation that came eight weeks too late, after a media circus wore him down for indiscreetly shooting his mouth off on an airplane.
39. Anti-American comments by Liberal MPs, officials, and the former Minister of Natural Resources.
40. Rock and the Apotex/Cipro affair
41. Rock giving Health Canada contract to car cleaning company.
42. Manley lobbying CIBC on behalf of Rod Bryden
43. Manley�s fundraiser suggesting donors to his leadership write it off as a business expense.
44. Manley using his pre-budget consultations as Minister of Finance to solicit support for his leadership bid.
45. Coderre�s relationship with Group Everest
46. Martin�s fundraiser/employee of Finance Jim Palmer
47. Martin�s �blind trust� and his relationship with CSL.
48. Gerry Byrne requesting fundraising money be sent to his home address, with no records kept.
49. Gerry Byrne pouring bulk of ACOA money into his own riding.
50. Virginia Fontaine Addictions Foundation
51. Prime Minister�s former assistant, Denise Tremblay�s huge travel expenses on Veterans Review and Appeal Board as Minister pleaded poverty to veterans� widows.
52. Chr�tien appointing Hon. Roger Simmons (former Trudeau minister convicted of income tax evasion) as Consul-General in Seattle
53. Chr�tien trying to bring hit-and-run driver Carignan back into caucus.
54. The RCMP is investigating possible fraud and bribery within Industry Canada, involving possible “overpayments” to recipients of federal business grants. The probe centres on the National Research Council, which hands out federal grants to small- and medium-sized businesses.
55. More than half a dozen bureaucrats have been “removed” from their jobs at a Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) in Toronto following a police investigation into projects funded under one of the department’s grants and contributions programs
56. Revenue Minister Elinor Caplan called in the RCMP and ordered a sweeping security review after four tax department computers were stolen containing confidential personal information on more than 120,000 Canadians.
57. More than $7 billion stashed in Foundations by Finance Minister Paul Martin with little or no accountability
58. Dhaliwal overseing Richmond-airport-Vancouver transit line while being owner of the airport limousine service
59. Tom Rosser, former Dhaliwal advisor lobbying Natural Resources department and minister on environmental issues only months after leaving government.
60. $5.3 million GG northern travel
61. GG budget doubles in 5 years
62. Robert Thibault giving a grant as ACOA minister to a wharf and boatyard where his brother-in-law has a monopoly.
63. Royal LePage contract, which the government was forced to cancel in the wake of serious concerns being raised.
64. Shutting down the Somalia Inquiry
65. Home heating rebate, which was sent to prisoners and deceased.
66. Martin firing Bernard Dussault, Chief Actuary of CPP
67. Ethel Blondin-Andrew buys fur coat on government credit card
68. Chr�tien�s imaginary homeless friend.
69. Liberal MP Rick Laliberte�s extensive travel budget
70. Liberal Senator Thompson living in Mexico
71. Vendetta against former BDC President Fran�ois Beaudoin
72. The flag give-away � which estimates suggest might now have cost $45 million instead of the promised $6 million, and reportedly involved fake invoices.
73. Gagliano�s two week trip, at taxpayers� expense, for a two day event with the head of the Royal Canadian Mint and Maurizio Caruso.
74. Secretary of State for multiculturalism and status of women Sheila Finestone using government car (which junior ministers are only allowed to use for government business) to drive home to Montreal, which even Sheila Copps criticized. (Ottawa Citizen, May 22, 1994)
75. Liberal MP Jag Bhaduria�s hate mail to his former employers, wishing that they had been shot by killer Marc Lepine
76. Liberal MP Jag Bhaduria making false claims about his academic qualifications.
77. Paul Martin and Maria Minna attending fundraising dinner for group linked to Tamil Tigers in May 2000 (National Post, Sept. 8th, 2001).
78. David Anderson, as National Revenue Minister, suing the government for lost wages after being removed as IRB appointee by Conservative government seeking $454,000 from a deficit-ravaged federal treasury. (Vancouver Sun, July 24, 2004). Anderson eventually agreed to drop the suit.
79. David Anderson suggesting that the BC doesn�t need extra House of Commons seats, because they wouldn’t be worth much given the poor quality of most West Coast MPs. (Vancouver Sun, July 24, 2004)
80. A consultant on an executive interchange program persuaded Natural Resources to undertake a $700-million reorganization of its research facilities for which no business case had been made. The program was fast-tracked because he had developed a social relationship with the deputy minister. He was eventually charged with diverting $525,000 to a numbered company he controlled. (Globe and Mail, May 30, 2005)
And the list continues under Prime Minister Martin:
81. Raid on reporter Juliet O�Neill�s home by RCMP
82. Permanent Resident Cards
83. Judy Sgro going on vacation as cards became mandatory and landed immigrants were left stranded
84. Minister Frulla�s renovations
85. Pay raises for chiefs-of-staff in ministers offices, while spending is frozen for public service.
86. The government�s changing numbers on how much money has gone to CSL
87. Lobbyists in Paul Martin�s transition team being allowed to return to lobbying immediately, after being involved in process of picking new cabinet and senior staff.
88. Minister Comuzzi�s anti-Quebec comments
89. Martin government using closure after only six days in the House of Commons, followed by using time allocation in the Senate.
90. Problems with DND�s contracts with Compaq Computers that may have cost taxpayers up to $159 million for work not performed.
91. Martin using government jets to tour the country campaigning before election, spending up to $1 million for air travel alone.
92. Martin�s relationship with Earnscliffe
93. Questionable contracts to Earnscliffe
94. The appointment of former Liberal MLA Howard Sapers as the Correctional Investigator of Canada
95. Pierre Pettigrew�s flip flopping on health care
96. David Dingwall�s expenses as head of Royal Canadian Mint
97. Liberals planning to give David Dingwall a severance package after he resigned
98. The secret National Unity Fund reserve
99. Calling an early election after earlier promising first to get to the bottom of the sponsorship scandal
100. Martin suggesting changes to legislation and introducing bill that benefited CSL, despite concerns from his own Deputy Minister that he was in a conflict-of-interest (Ottawa Citizen, May 26, 2004)
101. $99 million Public Works contract that went to company overseen by Liberal fundraiser and future Senator Paul Massicotte (Montreal Gazette, June 26, 2004)
102. Parliamentary Secretary Dan McTeague�s 3-person, $224 trip to a Pizzeria
103. Immigration Minister Judy Sgro�s staff being allowed to stay on �extended travel� benefits, letting them bill taxpayers� for thousands of dollars in hotel rooms and meals, because they didn�t want to move from Toronto to Ottawa until after the election.
104. Correctional Service of Canada Commissioner Lucie McClung�s travel expenses
105. Contracting irregularities on more than two dozen projects at DND worth tens of millions of dollars, showing over-billing, profit excesses, unauthorized additional work, lack of accounting records, spiralling cost overruns, etc. (Globe and Mail, July 14, 2004).
106. ACOA Minister Joe McGuire canceling ACOA loan and grant to ABL Industries Inc. because it would compete with company in his riding. (Fredericton Daily Gleaner, July 17, 2004).
107. Andy Mitchell�s chief of staff�s $22,000 in expenses to commute to Ottawa (Toronto Star, August 2, 2004).
108. Andr� Ouellet�s travel and hospitality expenses at Canada Post.
109. Government delaying release of audit on Ouellet until after the election (Globe and Mail, July 31, 2004).
110. Martin�s principle secretary Francis Fox�s sister getting untendered contracts (The Province, July 27, 2004).
111. Continuing problems in advertising files at Public Works (Ottawa Sun, July 26, 2004).
112. A Liberal Party of Canada fundraising letter signed by Paul Martin, asking potential contributors to offer $7,000, $7,100 or $7,200 in contributions � far in excess of donation limits passed by the very same Liberal government
113. Liberal Senator Raymond Lavigne violating municipal bylaws. Municipality pursuing legal action against him. (Ottawa Citizen, August 19, 2004).
114. Spa Days for inmates approved by the Correctional Service of Canada, which on Aug. 21 invited inmates at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, Ont., to dabble with manicures, pedicures and aromatherapy, not to mention cups of tea served in fine china, all accompanied by a harp serenade. (National Post, September 9, 2004).
115. Five employees in the ”overwhelmed” immigration section of Canada’s embassy in Iran have been fired over the past year after they each were caught breaching federal ethics rules (National Post, September 13, 2004).
116. Questionable contracts and spending from the Canada Investment and Savings group set up by Martin in 1996 (Globe and Mail, September 13, 2004)
117. Questionable contracting practices at Canada Information Office (The Hill Times, September 13, 2004).
118. A top Canadian diplomat based in China has resigned amid reports he is being investigated for allegedly taking bribes to help Chinese nationals enter Canada illegally. (Vancouver Sun, September 22, 2004).
119. Abuse of government credit cards by staff at Fisheries Department (CP Wire, September 24, 2004).
120. Canada�s questionable hiring of the niece of Syria’s foreign affairs minister to work at the embassy in Damascus (Globe and Mail, October 5, 2004)
121. H�l�ne Scherrer using Challenger to fly to Banff during election to give partisan speech
122. Abuse of Challengers by Paul Martin and various ministers (eg. Andy Mitchell, Claudette Bradshaw)
123. Abuse of Challenger jets for political business instead of government business (Le Devoir, October 4, 2005)
124. Paul Martin taking Challenger jets to Liberal fundraisers
125. Challenger food bill of $508 per flight
126. Expenses during election filed by aide to Ralph Goodale
127. Questionable expenses during election filed by aides to Judy Sgro
128. Ongoing problems and safety concerns with the submarine program
129. Various federal departments reported in excess of $1.1 million in theft of computers in 2003, but the information is potentially more valuable than the hardware (Vancouver Sun, October 14, 2004).
130. According to the latest public-accounts-of-Canada reports for the period March 2004 and March 2005, over 700 laptops, desktops and central processing units went missing from 35 federal government agencies — worth $6 million. (The Province, October 19, 2005)
131. Federal government has lost track of $587 million a year in EI overpayments and underpayments at the Department of Human Resources. (Ottawa Citizen, October 12, 2004). However, the government defends itself by stating that in fact it has only lost track of $25 million a year and collects the other overpayments. (Ottawa Citizen, October 13, 2004)
132. $133,000 grant to a Toronto film company that used classified ads to search for the “perfect” penis. (National Post, October 14, 2004).
133. Man convicted of fraud against government hired to teach ethics course to public servants (National Post, October 20, 2004).
134. Public Works selling confiscated grow-op equipment to drug traffickers. (National Post, October 21, 2004).
135. Pressure by Liberal MPs and ministers on ACOA to make funding decisions based on politics (New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, October 25, 2004).
136. Paul Martin�s Director of Communications Scott Reid insulting Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador (Toronto Star, October 28, 2004)
137. The Martin government spent $127,223 on a poll last February testing ways to diffuse negative reaction to the bombshell auditor-general’s report — which included the finding the Liberals ignored their own rules prohibiting the use of tax dollars on partisan polls (Vancouver Sun, November 8, 2004).
138. Judy Sgro�s campaign volunteer (a stripper) getting ministerial permit
139. Sgro�s senior policy advisor going to strip club to meet with owner to discuss bringing more strippers into Canada. (National Post, November 25, 2004). Subsequent revelations indicate that he went to at least one other strip club to conduct similar meetings (Toronto Sun, December 7, 2004)
140. Sgro giving out details of private immigration files, violating Privacy Act
141. Allegations that Sgro broke the elections law in failing to properly identify the source of a campaign contribution. (Toronto Star, December 8, 2004).
142. Revelations that the program to bring in foreign exotic dancers was created under pressure from organized crime (National Post, December 18, 2004)
143. Irwin Cotler appointing his former chief-of-staff to federal court (National Post, November 23, 2004).
144. Heritage Minister Liza Frulla giving grant to magazine that put her on the cover and made her honourary president (Ottawa Citizen, November 25, 2004)
145. Despite promising an end to cronyism and patronage, Martin appointing Liberal MP John Harvard as Lt-Governor of Manitoba, in order to get him to step aside for �star� candidate Glen Murray.
146. Despite promising an end to cronyism and patronage, Martin appointing Liberal MP Yvon Charbonneau to UNESCO, in order to get him to step aside for Martin crony Pablo Rodriguez.
147. Despite promising an end to cronyism and patronage, Martin appointing former Liberal MP Karen Kraft-Sloan as Ambassador for the Environment. (Department of Foreign Affairs Press Release, February 16, 2005).
148. Despite promising an end to cronyism and patronage, Martin appointing defeated Liberal candidate Dave Haggard as the chair of a newly created Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship. (OIC 2005-0001)
149. Despite promising an end to cronyism and patronage, Martin appointed his friend Dennis Dawson to the Senate
150. Despite promising an end to cronyism and patronage, Martin appointed his former Principal Secretary Francis Fox to the Senate
151. Despite promising an end to cronyism and patronage, Martin appointed disgraced former cabinet minister Art Eggleton to the Senate
152. Martin and his wife complaining about having to live in 24 Sussex (Edmonton Journal, November 17, 2004)
153. Millennium Bureau spending done with same lack of controls and oversight of sponsorship program
154. The RCMP has charged a senior Immigration Canada manager and four accomplices in an alleged bribes-for-status scheme in which Arab immigrants paid up to $25,000 to have their claims fast-tracked and approved (National Post, December 17, 2004)
155. Making widows of RCMP officers killed in the line of duty pay for their husbands� funerals (Under pressure from the Conservative Party, the government reversed this policy)
156. Martin patronage-appointee Jim Walsh breaking ethics guidelines and attending Liberal Christmas Party (St. John�s Telegram, January 20, 2005).
157. Port authority losing more than $60,000 in public funds on the stock market. When Central Cape Breton Community Ventures took over the port in Iona in 2000, the private agency deposited only $5,000 of the $245,000 it received from Transport Canada into a designated bank account. The federal funding was meant to cover the port’s maintenance, insurance and professional services costs (Chronicle-Herald, January 31, 2005).
158. Canadian flag lapel pins being made in China. Only under pressure, Scott Brison flip flops and agrees to have them made in Canada again.
159. Questionable dealings around the privatization of the Digby Wharf, which even Liberal MP Robert Thibault wants the RCMP to investigate (Chronicle-Herald, February 10, 2005).
160. Adrienne Clarkson spending $17,500 to evaluate cleaning at Rideau Hall (Ottawa Sun, February 19, 2005)
161. Martin patronage appointee Glen Murray breaking ethics guidelines and attending Liberal Convention as delegate
162. Martin ignoring parliamentary committee and appointing Glen Murray as chair of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
163. Marlene Jennings, the Parliamentary Secretary for Canada-U.S. relations, making anti-American remarks
164. Government knowing about details of torture and murder of Zahra Kazemi back in November and still sending ambassador back to Iran
165. Government knowing about details of torture and murder of Zahra Kazemi back in November but doing nothing
166. Tens of thousands of dollars were spent on questionable acquisitions at CFB Borden (Ottawa Sun, April 18, 2005).
167. Joe Volpe keeping stripper visa program operating, despite having promised to shut it down (CTV.ca, March 5, 2005)
168. Jean Lapierre acting as lobbyist without registering
169. Joe Volpe trying to intimidating Sikh community
170. In the spring of 2003, the RCMP investigated allegations that Liberal MP Gurbax Malhi had requested favours and financial support for Paul Martin’s 2003 leadership campaign in exchange for helping Indian nationals get these temporary resident permits (Globe and Mail, March 10, 2005).
171. Liberals spending $443,237 to change the name Passport Office to Passport Canada (Montreal Gazette, April 21, 2005).
172. Ken Dryden�s chief of staff charged with careless driving (Ottawa Citizen, March 22, 2005)
173. Liberals trying to buy off Conservative MPs with offers of patronage positions
174. Liberals handling of the submarine program
175. Public Service Integrity Officer�s travel expenses (Ottawa Sun, May 4, 2005)
176. Liberal Senator Michel Biron going to hearing to support killer Karla Homolka (CTV News, June 9, 2005)
177. Public Works contract watchdog Consulting and Audit Canada violating contracting rules (Toronto Star, July 4, 2005)
178. Technology Partnerships Canada rules being violated to pay lobbyists (Globe and Mail, June 24, 2005)
179. Former Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Robert Nault is working as a paid lobbyist for Nelson House First Nation in what some allege is an apparent violation of a federal code of conduct. Among the federal departments Nault is lobbying is the Indian and Northern Affairs department he headed until December 2003, according to a lobbying report Nault filed with the federal government. Nault registered as a lobbyist for Nelson House, now known as Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, on July 18, 2005 — one year and seven months after leaving his cabinet post. Under the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders, Nault is barred from working for any entity with which his department had “direct and significant official dealings” for two years after leaving office. He is also barred for two years from lobbying his former department or any of his former cabinet colleagues (Winnipeg Free Press, September 14, 2005)
180. According to documents obtained by the Globe and Mail, Pierre Pettigrew billed Canadian taxpayers for $10,000 for trips for his driver in 2001 and 2002. Pettigrew took his driver to South America and Europe, even though the driver didn�t do any driving on the trips. (Globe and Mail, September 14, 2005)
181. Joe Volpe�s questionable hospitality expenses (Globe and Mail, September 21, 2005)
182. According to media reports, Industry Canada has frozen federal financing for research projects by an Ontario biotechnology firm pending the outcome of an investigation into the company’s agreement to pay $350,000 in lobbying �success� fees to former Liberal cabinet minister David Dingwall. Such contingency fee payments violate Technology Partnership Canada rules. (Globe and Mail, September 23, 2005)
183. Expenses of chairman of the Royal Canadian Mint Emmanuel Triassi, who also approved David Dingwall�s expenses (Globe and Mail, October 4, 2005)
184. Last week, Public Works was also silent on details of another case involving forensic accounting. Government accounts published on Thursday showed a department employee had embezzled $3.45 million from Public Works office in Koblenz, Germany. Even though the employee was convicted and jailed in Germany, Public Works will not name him or give any details of the crime (Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2005)
185. The federal government inadvertently revealed yesterday that it is conducting a large-scale forensic accounting probe into “possibly criminal matters” when it published details of a contract intended for a Quebec accounting firm. The notice awarding a $2-million contract for forensic accounting services was published on the government’s tendering website, MERX. It gave notice that Consulting and Audit Canada was planning to award the sole-source contract to Leclerc Juricomptable, a Quebec City firm specializing in forensic work and litigation support. The contract award notice said the work had to be sole-sourced to Leclerc because it is “not in the public interest to jeopardize the current investment in the investigation or to significantly increase the risk to a successful completion of the investigation into possibly criminal matters.” A spokesman for the Department of PublicWorks and Government Services said yesterday that the notice was published “prematurely” and would be withdrawn last night. He could not say, however, what is under investigation, but said the contract was not tied to another scandal that has kept Quebec forensic accountants busy over the past years. “It’s not related to sponsorship or Gomery, that I can tell you,” said spokesman Pierre Teotonio (Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2005). It was subsequently revealed that the department involved was CIDA (CP Wire, October 4, 2005)
186. Questions about campaign funds from Raymond Chan�s campaign going to his companies (Vancouver Sun, October 7, 2005)
187. Questions about a possible conflict-of-interest between Chan�s activities as minister on behalf of possible business associates (Vancouver Sun, October 7, 2005)
188. Questions about the report that Chan filed with the Ethics Commissioner (Vancouver Sun, October 7, 2005)
189. Government giving out contract that specifies no paper trail to be left in government offices (Vancouver Province, October 11, 2005)
190. Questionable travel expenses at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (CP, October 16, 2005)
191. Two employees at DFO fired for making fraudulent travel claims (CP, The Province, October 18, 2005).
192. Lobbyist registrar Michael Nelson has launched investigations of four people for eight possible breaches of the ethics guidelines for lobbyists, the first such investigations ever launched under the code. (Globe and Mail, October 18, 2005)
193. According to media reports, the federal government has terminated two contracts with a consulting firm that used to be run by Liberal MP David Smith and now run by his wife, following a forensic audit of the contracting practices at a federal agency (Globe and Mail, October 19, 2005)
194. ATI requests by prisoners for information on prison system and guards, when information is actually disclosed
195. Liberal candidate Richard Mahoney lobbying for satellite radio company for a month before registering (Ottawa Citizen, October 19, 2005)
196. Delays and ballooning costs mean a giant software project at National Defence will eclipse its original budget and won’t meet its goals until 2011 — if at all. An internal audit obtained by Canadian Press raises red flags about a new system designed to streamline computer tracking of military inventory and purchases. MASIS — or Materiel Acquisition Support Information System — started in 1997 as a $147-million undertaking. What began as a focused effort to cover a single equipment category in each of the navy, army and air force soon mushroomed. By 2003, Defence officials estimated MASIS would be in place by 2006 at a cost of $325 million, more than twice its forecast budget. A full introduction of the complex software has now been extended to 2011. The heavily censored May 2005 internal audit, released under the Access to Information Act, catalogues a litany of “revised planned milestones.” “The prime contract has been amended six times, each time increasing amounts for professional service fees,” it says. (CP, The Record, October 24, 2005)
197. Hospitality and travel expenses of executives at CMHC (Journal de Montr�al, October 24, 2005)
198. Questions about Squamish land deal lease (The Province, October 26, 2005)
199. Liberals handling of tainted water at Kashechewan First Nation
200. Something else, but I forgot.
nwy = why…sheesh
Dang keys keep movin’ around on my khyebaord
dar szei? dem kays r movink arunk…
Is it 5pm yet? Medication time…
Jose;
Always nice to hear from a Leftie who actually thinks on their own and not spout party line. I may not agree on some of the ideas you have but can appreciate your viewpoint when it is logically discussed. I even agree on some things.
Back on your comments about diversity in regions of Canada, I agree 100%. Serving all over the place in the military, I noticed the myopic views of some (but not all) people. Being stationed in New Brunswick early on in my career, my wife and I were amazed that the locals described going out west as visiting a cousin in Toronta for a while then returning to Atlantic Canada to get a job, family, pogie and retire. Similarily in Moose Juice, heading east involved Toronta and/or Montreal. People in BC just didn’t believe there was life east of the rockies.
Similarities also exist south of the border so it is not a Canadian thing. These countries are just too damn big to have just one or two points of view/values/culture or whatever.
The same goes for the rural/urban split that the MSM is so quick to label. After all, the actual votes cast paint a different picture. But hey, then they wouldn’t have anything to “analize”
Tomax.
is that all??
thats enough fodder to keep CTassV and CBCPravda’s investigative journalists going till the next election unless Harper has another asthma attack or shakes hands with his kids again.
Cal2, well that’s not originally mine, forgot where i found those, but I could go back to Diefenbaker and the Avro Arrow…but that was PC stuff.
Tomax:
RIGHT ON!