Sitting in a hotel room in Sioux Falls, SD. It’s really very warm here – one doesn’t have to go very far south at this time of year to get away from the snow. After weighing the alternatives, i opted to avoid the traffic snarls of Minneapolis and Chicago and took a more western route. Very pleasant drive, light traffic and was able to pick up Rush. I even coaxed the truck up to around 15 mpg, so I’m in a good mood. (It’s a 2100 mile one way drive – do the math)
The hot news story here is the new law criminalizing abortion in the state. Apparently “women are going die” due to the anticipated proliferation of “back street abortions” – (having never been told, apparently, that there are highways leading out of the state.)
Oh well. Opening that debate is not the intention of this post, so let’s not go there.
The ongoing saga of the ports deal is eating up a lot of air time nationally. (Go Halliburton!) The more one finds out about this controversy, the more appropriate Limbaugh’s phrase “drive-by media” becomes when understanding what’s really going on. That, and election year politics.
On to a few links –
Michael Totten sent the following by email;
This time I went to one of the villages formerly occupied by Ansar Al Islam (Al Qaeda in Northern Iraq). Abu Musab al Zarqawi was there, too, and the residents of that village had some interesting things to say that many Westerners have probably never heard.
Read it here
Oh, that liberal media… these little photo stunts are getting to be quite the habit…
Montreal Gazette – “There have been 160 or so floor-crossings in Canadian parliamentary history, several of which have led to cabinet. This is the first to lead to an ethics witch-hunt”.
Now, I’m going to relax with a Killians.
To those how still see no need of our troops being in Afghanistan yet, read the links Kate has provided. After you read this, ask yourself if we should just stay out and let the injustice’s continue until they start to affect us directly, in cushy ole Canada. I guess not!. I think by that time, there would be no chance for our freedoms to win. I think it makes more sense to stop this absurdity in it’s homeland if at all possible.
I sincerely hope that some of you weak kneed wimps how posted below, will read the posts and consider how you would feel if we were oppressed like that and how who could help us said they couldn’t helo out because it was ” just so damned inconvenient ” for them. The world is not the same as it used to be,….. and we can no longer hope that the bad guys will leave if we just ignore them.
Oh yes the reality of the pious Taliban and their convenient Thugocracy disguised as a roadmap to the restoration of the caliphate.
The thing that drives me crazy with the MSM in their slim reportage of these so-called bad guys is their inability to see through their cowardice and nihilism. If we were to empty the jails of the Cripps and the Bloods in North America [throw is some bad bikers] and train them somewhat, arm them and grant them leniency if they wiped out some evil doers, the Taliban and al Quaeda would beg for mercy, if any of them were left to beg. They may be bad guys in a poor destitute places but they could never match the organized crime of the West. For Gods sake, the Albanian Mafia would wipe them out if they were stupid enough to cut off the flow of heroin to Europe. So enough of being scared of the Mohammed Atta wannabe’s. T
Definitely agree. Those taliban would never support a woman’s right to an abortion!
Even if she were raped.
What’s your thoughts on abortion, Kate?
albanian mafia? rants against the main-stream-media? weak-kneed wimps? c’mon guys dont you get tired of airing out the same old greivances with dominant culture? questions: why do we HAVE to go and fight islamic radicalism now in afghanistan and not when it was being fomented 25years ago? oh and the main-stream-media is always getting it wrong, but one report out of the blue breaks through the conspiracy to tell us, shockingly, how bad al queda is? – that story broke about 15years ago.
the real issue here is why someone would be so ignorant as to suggest that there is no harm to women through criminalizing abortions because ‘there are highways leading out of the state’. not everyone’s got that 15mpg truck ready to go 2100miles, you glib fuck.
Media never killed the Dubai deal which shocked Americans…the republicans did. Why when politicians fuck up and try to harm their country, they and their apologists blame the media?
bush is toxic..unless he and cheney can come up with another war before November. Today, as Republicans met with the President to essentially tell him the deal was dead in both the House and Senate, Tony Fabrizio, a Republican pollster on Bush: “He has no political capital. Slowly but surely it’s been unraveling. There’s been a direct correlation between the trajectory of his approval numbers and the — I don’t want to call it disloyalty — the independence on the part of the Republicans in Congress.”
an embrassing defeat
Re the Taliban and muslim terrorists never allowing abortion, even for rape. Why would they, when the basic punishment for a woman over their is to be raped by family members of the person she is supposed to have insulted. And, to prove rape, she has to produce, in court, 5 men who witnessed the act. And these are the types our leftwingers want to run our country because they are so nice and we shouldn’t be fighting them or insulting them. Now, if 5 men witness an act of rape, what kind of men are they, or are they just waiting their turn.
maryT – amazing how leftoid feminists have been able to accommodate this barbarity, isn’t it. Not a peep out of these smarmy amoral hags about the status of women under Islam. Bigger fish to fry like keeping partial birth abortion legal in spite of a repulsed majority here.
***Cut the oxygen from “steve in bc”, “steve d”, and the rest of his troll incarnations(big tooth(?), oops “molarmauler”, real substance with that one – keeping track isn’t worth the effort).
Trolls – your basic skunk at a garden party – can be vanquished when ignored.
Interesting that all these “lefties” can’t even manage to get their points accross without the use of profanity…tells you something doesn’t it? Always consider the source…
Amazing pics from Michael Totten! I just wish some of these pictures of the Kurdish Northern area would make it to the MSM so that people could see that not the whole country of Iraq is in conflict.
Kate – you must be ruffling some feathers in lib-land cause I sure have seen an influx of trolls in your house lately!!!
Great to see Iraq from another viewpoint other than the MSM – I have to say my impression of Iraq has been formed by the MSM – clay huts, people in robes (my fault for not informing myself – I know) – however it is very interesting and informative to have those impressions changed.
Take note trolls – there is another side to EVERYTHING!!!!.
Wee Willy Clinton, the “Vampire”, talks/blubbers about blood while in Edmonton. The vampire/hero of the moonbat left has HepC blood on his hands. Allan Rock, Canadian Liberal ex-minister of Health in Jeancula* Chretien’s government, hides under Clinton’s wings. +
Clinton thanks Canada’s Afghan mission
EDMONTON (CP) – Former U.S. president Bill Clinton thanked Canadians for staying the course in Afghanistan, knowing the price of that commitment is the blood of its soldiers. +
via neale news
BLOOD TRAIL 1999: Documents Evidence Clinton’s Involvement in Tainted Blood
Crime/Corruption Front Page News Keywords: BLOOD TRAIL — CLINTON CUMMINS ARKANSAS CDC FOSTER CANADA HMA KREVER CONNAUGHT CONTINENTAL PHARMA
Source: The Daily Republican
Published: 99/07/01 Author: Amy Williams
Posted on 03/27/2000 11:12:40 PST by Askel5
The Daily Republican
Documents show for the first time Canadians knew about risk
of using Arkansas prison blood supply
purchased from Gov. Bill Clinton in 1981.
AMY WILLIAMS, Staff Writer
Thursday, July 1, 1999 WASHINGTON – The Canadian government has for the first time acknowledged that U.S. prison blood sold to Canada in the early 1980s Arkansas Governor, William Jefferson Clinton directly led to more Canadians being infected with hepatitus C infections.
The BulldogNews.Net at Fresno State University was thefirst U.S. newspaper to break this story on Sunday November 15, 1998. The statement is in a briefing note prepared for Health Minister Allan Rock and obtained by The Daily Republican Newspaper on Wednesday under a freedon of information request. It is on the subject of blood imported into Canada in the early 1980s from an Arkansas prison and made into products that were used by hemophiliacs. +
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a38dfb2a8430a.htm
Jeancula* here:
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/001749.html
Would that be the same CONNAUGHT Laboratories of which Paul Martin Jr. was a Board Member?
It was disgusting how the local media in Edmonton fawned over Clinton yesterday.
I started swearing at 630 CHED in front of my 12 yr old as I listened to guest editorialist when they subbed in for the regular Bob Layton.
This young joker they stuck on went on glowingly about William Jefferson Clinton and referred to Hilary as the ‘next President Clinton’. After the cloyingly sweet platitudes he went on about how his fondest memories were how Bill almost brought peace to the Middle East and had the deal all but signed – until George Bush was elected and all those years of progress were just wiped away. Mid-East peace was sooooo close moaned the media suckbag.
I listened as long as I could, hoping for a sign that he was being tongue-in-cheek or sarcastic but after I gave up hope on that I had to switch it off.
So, about Kate’s last note; when will Emerson get his by-election? Hopefully soon so that business about the hundred grand he owes his constituents can be sorted out.
re. Molar Mauler:
Whatever gets these shlubs on the air I guess. I just see that kind of hot air blowing as a blatant attempt of personality X to do some opportunistic career positioning. And at the same time, it’s not like the programming director wouldn’t’ve made sure he knew exactly what this talking head was gonna say before he ever got on the air.
Hey BLIGMO
“why do we HAVE to go and fight islamic radicalism now in afghanistan and not when it was being fomented 25years ago?”
Simple answer that you won’t “get”.
They (islamic radicals)were not daily announcing ,nor daily trying, to kill us.
Also..
What’s with this “we” stuff.
As in “why do WE have to”
You don’t have to go if you’re scared, stay where you are, no one expects you or any other mentally dificient to get it,… or care,… or actually stand up on the right side of anything.
“WE” know you’re not going anywhere.
We didn’t fight 25 years ago because the left was in charge, and they of course didn’t get it, just like you don’t get it.
Times have changed the lefty media couldn’t spin Sept 11 as another “they’re just a few radicals in the religion of peace”, and Joe Average got it.
Canada and the U.S. now understand that they have been lied to by the media for 25 years +.
That’s why Dan Rather is a now a trout fisherman and no longer a news anchor.
Keep typing, keep shitting in the trough, we’ll keep cleaning up after you and bear your feebleness, truck your ever growing load. It gives us courage and self confidence that we’re on the right track.
If one of you ever were actually to come up with a point well spend the 5 more minutes explaining slowly to you that it’s just more moral relevancy like the point you tried to make here and dismiss you.
It’s people like you who actively argue the enemies side even while we are at WAR, that we will always tolerate, ignore and laugh at ,but tolerate.
You are the crackhead on the corner the drunk in gutter, your life is the one we point at and say “don’t be like that” to our kids and they get it without having to explain.
So keep typing.
We’ll know when you stop typing were to find you.
You also swear inappropriately!
RE; Clinton’s speech in Edmonton – I heard a blurb from it on CHED this morning – the left must be horrified and upset – I am sure that it will be in all the papers and headline the news about the great sin that he committed.
So what was it that will have the left crying foul – he said “GOD BLESS” at the end of the speech. I am sure the MSM will have a field day with this!!!! NOT! Interesting when the shoe is on the other foot?
The funny thing about the 630 CHED goofball worshipping Clinton is my daughter’s reaction fromt he passenger seat beside me.
I was using all of the cuss words I could get away with in front of a 12 yr old and she turns to me and says…
“Dad, you really don’t like Clinton do you?”
“Nope. Not much and this radio guy even less.”
“You do like Bush though dontcha Dad?”
“Yeah I do.”
“Oh good.” (as the worried look leaves her face)
From the mouths of babes.
A repressed memory has been triggered by the the article re tainted blood. I have a hemophliac step-brother and have seen his health go to hell. I followed this story very closely at the time. It reminded me of why I don’t donate to the Red Cross, that and their decision not to ban gays from donating blood because of PC. Also, there were pics of a US soldier, with OBL in his gunsights, waiting for the order to shoot. Clinton didn’t give it. He also refused to take OBL when offered by the Pres of Pakistan, years ago. There were also many articles in tabloids re his womanizing, but the MSM refused to follow up. Why that man is still treated as a great man is beyond me. Guess Americans and the press don’t like to admit they were wrong. How many lives could have been saved if he had taken the proper action, instead of spending time with Monica and the rest. And, some people want his wife to be Pres. I notice that Harper did not change his plans to rush for a photo op with him, or with Paul Mc.
richfisher: “We didn’t fight 25 years ago because the left was in charge.”
Actually Reagan was in power in the US, and Osama was helping to fight the Soviets for the pres so -that’s- why “we” weren’t fighting.
“There have been 160 or so floor-crossings in Canadian parliamentary history, several of which have led to cabinet. This is the first to lead to an ethics witch-hunt.”
1. Funny thing about running on a campaign pledge to bring an unprecedented level of squeaky-clean government and accountability to Ottawa, and to send only elected reps to the Senate — a lot of voters like me were actually stupid enough to believe it was true. Well not next time.
2. Funny thing about how every time someone points out the lying hypocrisy in this new “squeaky-clean” government, the best argument that supporters of Emerson’s floor-crossing opportunism can come up with is “Oh look, a troll.”
Well, better a troll than a blind acolyte.
richfisher: “We didn’t fight 25 years ago because the left was in charge.”
Actually Reagan was in power in the US, and Osama was helping to fight the Soviets for the pres so -that’s- why “we” weren’t fighting.
My apologies for the double post. I received an error message that said I should try my post again in a short while, which I did. I didn’t realize it had already been posted.
TeeOff,
I could easily defend Mr. Harper’s appointment of Mr. Emerson to cabinet using his own words and record. But since that would define me as a blind acolyte I just can’t be bothered.
Why don’t you just watch the stories evolve. It’s sad that something transparent and easily defensible would make you lose your confidence in Mr. Harper so quickly. Maybe it wasn’t there to begin with.
I’m sorry Mr. Harper lost your vote for the next election. Hopefully he can win it back before the nect election.
Ethics Comm./Office is not a Federal Ombudsman.
The official website states/says so. Go there & read the facts.
Reality bites deeply; socialists ignore reality at their peril.
BTW, one of the best methods to use against the socialist dogma/fantasies are cold, haRD, facts; store them up in your memory; push them into the socialist’s fantasies; the fantasies implode. +
When an election is called, the electorate performs the duty of “Federal Ombudsman”. The bubbles from the left/Libs/NDP are airy lead balloons. Ignore the bubbles & they burst without a whimper. +
Office of the Ethics Commissioner
Mandate, Role and Responsibilities
An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Ethics Commissioner and Senate Ethics Officer) and other Acts in consequence (Chapter 7 of the Statutes of Canada, 2004), and the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons determine the parameters of the mandate of the Office of the Ethics Commissioner.
Contrary to some public perception, the Ethics Commissioner is not a federal Ombudsman. +
http://www.parl.gc.ca/oec/en/office_ethics_commissioner/mandate_role_responsibilities/
Yeah, I am getting tired of hearing about Mr. Emerson’s floor crossing.
The only argument the Liberals or the NDP and their supporters have is ‘Mr. Emerson hurt our feelings’.
The ‘hurt your feelings’ thing is something that gets decided every federal election by the people in the riding in question. Last time I looked at least.
From the Montreal Gazette: “Nobody could call the Emerson defection a secret. Very likely, it was a bad political decision. But it was a political one, with a political remedy, not an ethical one.”
I’m not talking about the Ethics inquiry; the political remedy is to have Emerson stand for a by-election and see if his constituency still supports him as a conservative candidate.
That seems fair. The fact is, his constituents elected a Liberal candidate to be their representative.
Meshon
25 years and 2 months ago Carter was the President of the United States.
Twentyfive years ago the left’s policies under Carter were still widely in effect, and still soundly in place.
Reagan won 489 electoral votes to 49 for President Jimmy Carter.
On January 20, 1981, Reagan took office. Only 69 days later he was shot by a would-be assassin, but quickly recovered and returned to duty. His grace and wit during the dangerous incident caused his popularity to soar.
Dealing skillfully with Congress, Reagan obtained legislation to stimulate economic growth, curb inflation, increase employment, and strengthen national defense. He embarked upon a course of cutting taxes and Government expenditures, refusing to deviate from it when the strengthening of defense forces led to a large deficit.
A renewal of national self-confidence by 1984 helped Reagan and Bush win a second term with an unprecedented number of electoral votes. Their victory turned away Democratic challengers Walter F. Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro.
In 1986 Reagan obtained an overhaul of the income tax code, which eliminated many deductions and exempted millions of people with low incomes. At the end of his administration, the Nation was enjoying its longest recorded period of peacetime prosperity without recession or depression.
In foreign policy, Reagan sought to achieve “peace through strength.” During his two terms he increased defense spending 35 percent, but sought to improve relations with the Soviet Union. In dramatic meetings with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, he negotiated a treaty that would eliminate intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Reagan declared war against international terrorism, sending American bombers against Libya after evidence came out that Libya was involved in an attack on American soldiers in a West Berlin nightclub.
By ordering naval escorts in the Persian Gulf, he maintained the free flow of oil during the Iran-Iraq war. In keeping with the Reagan Doctrine, he gave support to anti-Communist insurgencies in Central America, Asia, and Africa.
Overall, the Reagan years saw a restoration of prosperity, and the goal of peace through strength seemed to be within grasp.
“That’s why we weren’t fighting” 25 years ago.
Carter was/is as blind as Slick Willy.
Meshon,
Sure, Emerson should be the first floor-crosser to volunteer for a by-election. Because V-K voters had their feelings hurt more than the people in the ridings of the other 159 floor-crossers and Stephen Harper is the first politician to ever call for more ethics in government.
V-K voters will get their chance in 18-24 months to correct this wrong. Just like Belinda Stronach’s voters did and Scott Brison’s voters did and David Kilgour’s voters did and Keith Martin’s voters did and all the PC voters who saw their party merge with the CA did and… wow my fingers are getting tired…
Send Shapiro a message; impeach, impeach, impeach George Harper; he’s bush league, anyhooo.
summons George Harper/Stephen Bush to the minors or the penalty box.
Aunty-American is confused, again; pass the tequila, Sheila (H/T John Crosbie). +
Mexicans rip Canada to advance in World Baseball Classic +
yahoonews
Richfisher:
Just to continue our exchange from another thread. I commend you for coming to Kate’s aid with Blindignorantmorons, but I’m sure she can take care of herself. I don’t agree with everything (actually very little) that she posts but I try to take things one issue at a time.
My stance on the Afgan conflict is that it is a role we should be playing. I would also like some idea of the overall objectives of the action, what the job is, and when we will be finished.
You didn’t create the “BIM” troll but you sure fed him. Quite frankly, I don’t think you should be threatening people either.
richfisher,
Thank you for taking the time to compose a reasoned and knowledgeable response. I don’t believe that what you have outlined is the whole story (following the doctrine of “peace through strength” also led to the funding and support of Osama and others who would later become known as al-Qaeda), but you give me points to consider. I am aware that I have biases when it comes to my interpretations of the world and so part of the reason I am here is to learn and take part in debate.
MolarMauler, apparently the fingers of richfisher have more stamina than yours : ) What you say is fair; I thought the same of Stronach, although she entered a party who’s political future was uncertain (with a budget vote pending) almost a year after she was elected. I still think Emerson could stand a by-election; just because precedent suggests otherwise doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right.
I still can’t get over Harper’s move with Fortier though, and I think it is that appointment combined with the Emerson issue that makes me more wary of our new PM than anything else.
So far : )
I posted some of this on a previous thread, but it’s appropriate to restate it here so sorry to any who recognize the repetition.
There is no single good reason, other than to mollify the hurt feelings of Liberal voters in Emersons riding, to hold a bye-election. As Prime Minister of a minority government, it would be foolish of Harper to do so.
Don’t mis-understand me, the voters in that riding got a fistful of nothing for their troubles, and it’s not fair, but in a minority senario fairness is not necessarily the big play.
I see a lot of liberals, and non-partisans shouting their outrage, but you have to think longterm, taking the immediate view doesn’t allow you to see the potential permutations of events as they unfold and what their overall effect would be.
Think like a chess player, and you’ll start to see the veil lifting.
So, in the case of Emerson, from a Tory perspective, it is happening now, not 18 to 24 months down the road, when an election would occur. Voters in Canada have pee brains when it comes to remembering anything greater than having happened last week or month. 2 years ago is anceint history in an election, unless you can find someway to drag that history into the current debates. This is what poleaxed Martin in the last election.
I tell you right now, that come the next election, Emersons conversion won’t even come up, except perhaps in his own riding. The rest of the voters, and press, will have completely forgotten it. There is a lot about to happen in politics that will easily overshadow this.
Think about Martins first minority win. He was faced with sponsorship, he himself was very popular, so what did he do, he appointed Gomery to make it look like he really gave a shit about sponsorship, then right after that, counting on his personal appeal, he called an election.
How many of you remember that he didn’t have to, he could be going into an election right about now, with a majority behind him from the time he initially took over, but he miscalculated and ended up shitting the bed.
Chretien was technically right, he shouldn’t have called the inquiry. He should have ignored the scandal, and ruled with a majority until the mandate ran out. He wouldn’t have been as hard pressed to look effective, and he probably could have come into this year looking like a very effective Prime Minister. His first big mistake was calling the first election he was in.
He could of pulled off the last election, but he made the same mistake over and over again, he was too busy trying to look like Mr. Fixit, and he ended up pressing the NDP to hard on Healthcare, and found himself in the middle of a non-confidence vote which placed the timing out of his favor for an election.
The Conservatives did a very good job of letting the press speak for them concerning sponsership, and such, which dragged Gomery back into the spotlite. The income trust scandal was pure icing to allow for all the little shit and big shit scandals the Liberals have had over a 12 year period to show up all at once to be highlighted during an election.
Meanwhile the Liberals did a very good job of not having a plan in the election, and stumbling when it was important not to.
Truthfully, Harper did okay, but Martin and 12 years of history in front of the press won Harper the election.
So, why is the Ethics issue irrelevant in the greater scheme of things?
When compared to the billions lost, stolen, or given away stupidly. The outright disdain, largess, pandering to special interest groups, broken promises, and outright lies to the people of Canada by the Liberal government of the time. Harper can do damn near whatever he wants,up to, but not including murdering babies at a press gathering, and it won’t equal 12 years of corruption and mismanagement.
Too much history in back of, and in front of, the Liberals.
You think he’ll pay for not talking to Shapiro???
Lets take this one step at a time, so you don’t fall behind.
1) Shapiro will never even get his investigation off the ground. Harper will fire him in the next two weeks… MARK MY WORDS ON THIS, the next two weeks.
The ethics commissioner appointed will be someone it’s virtually impossible for any party to call to question on ethics, or morality, or anything, the person will be that squeaky clean and popular. My guess is Gomery.
Why will Harper do this, because the Liberals are fucked, fucked three ways to Sunday, and they can’t afford an election. They have no leader, no money, no prospect for a leader, and the nearest date of a leadership convention will be early 2007.
On top of that, were they stupid enough to pull the plug on Harper before picking a leader, they will die a miserable death in the polls, and hand Stephan a majority before the end of Spring. The Canadian people will not be looking at the Ethics issue, or the Emerson conversion. They will be looking, and the Conservatives will be shouting, at the fact the Liberals caused an unnecessary election, when they didn’t have their own house in order, and the Conservative hadn’t had even a chance to govern, which many in the nation would like to see happen if only to feel Harper out.
They’ll scream, they’ll bitch, they’ll whine to the heavens and beg God to open the gates of hell to punish Harper, and in the end, they will bend over, take it straight up the ass and do whatever he tells them to do. Not only will they do it, they’ll ask Harper to fuck them harder if he wants to.
Do you think Duceppe is going to pull the plug on Harper… not a chance. Harper is shitting gold bricks in Quebec right now, and for Duceppe to fail to support Harper, would only mean an errosion of his own seats there.
The Liberals are practically Leper outcasts in Quebec right now.
He has a blank cheque and there is nothing, NOTHING, that the liberals can do about it, without completely screwing themselves in the process.
2.) If your going to piss people off as a Prime Minister, and if your going to fuck other people over as Prime Minister, you do it early in your term, so that when it finally does come time to go to the polls, the voters don’t remember that you did what you did. Other, more significant moments, for good or bad, will overshadow almost any thing done as a new Government reorganizes Ottawa to suit its needs.
3) Harper has never, NEVER, stated that he would not co-operate with the office of the Ethics Commissioner. He also never said he would not submit to questioning by the Ethics Commissioner, he said he would be loath to cooperate with THIS ethics commissioner… Which is a pretty good indication that this particular Ethics Commissionar won’t be around long enough to interview the Prime Minister.
You people who say he has refused, and the Media and politicians who say he has refused, are completely making this up, and taking his words and his press managers words and twisting them to suit the definition you want, not the reality it might be. We have yet to see if Harper is actually boycotting Shapiro.
4) Harper has been PM for roughly two months, and hasn’t even had a chance to present any legislative reforms to the commons yet, yet you assume he going back on everything he’s said. I would bet good money that when the house sits under the new Government, the Ethics legislation will be first up to bat (That was actually stated in the media today), and the improved legislation for the Ethics Commission will actually turn the office into something useful, instead of a backdoor job like it was under the Liberals.
5) Robert Shapiro was endorsed by all parties because there was no other option anyway. He was appointed by the PMO, and nobody in their right mind was under any illusions that it was a non-partisan appointment. If they’d said no, Martin could have appointed him anyway, or just trundled another Liberal bumboy out for them to endorse. It would amount to the same thing no matter what.
The problem with people commenting here on Harpers betrayel, or lack of ethics, which is the same for all the Liberal crybabies out there, is that your used to being spoonfed daily junk, and you are not objectifying the reality of the situation, in the context a longer view.
Harper will not disappoint anyone, and he’s not here for the pleasure of the Media. Hell, the guy didn’t want the fucking job in the first place… just stay tuned to your misinformed media, I’m completely comfortable that the results Stephen promised will unfold fast and furious once the house is sitting.
NDP pushes for Stronach investigation
OTTAWA (CP) – The NDP is asking ethics commissioner Bernard Shapiro to expand his investigation into parliamentary floor crossing to include Liberal Belinda Stronach. +
Paul Martin, Sr., was an unelected Liberal Cabinet minister for 6 years.
On the topic, Shapiro must investigate the late Paul Martin Sr.’s appointment by Trudeau to the Senate. As Leader of the Senate, Martin, Sr., sat at the Cabinet table from 1968 until 1974, at a post created by Trudeau for Martin Sr.; thusly, Martin, Sr., was an unelected Cabinet minister for 6 years. +
“Trudeau appointed him to the Senate in 1968. He served as Leader of the Government in the Senate until 1974…”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Joseph_James_Martin
Bloc & Martin’s Liberals kept Shapiro on their leash. Shapiro must go & go now. +
Ethics commissioner survives committee vote but may face court challenge
by Romeo St. Martin
[PoliticsWatch Updated 2:00 p.m. June 28, 2005]
OTTAWA � Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro dodged one bullet on Tuesday but may be facing another this week.
The Commons access to information, ethics and privacy committee rejected a motion from NDP Ed Broadbent to express no confidence in Shapiro for the handling of his job as Ethics Commissioner.
Broadbent’s motion had the support of the Conservatives but the Bloc Quebecois and the Liberals voted against the motion.
Bloc MP Mario Laframboise said his party was willing to give Shapiro the benefit of the doubt and expected that Shapiro will get better at the job as he gains experience.
“Did he make some errors because of a lack of political experience?” asked Laframboise. “I think he did.”
Broadbent said he will accept the will of the committee.
“From my own part I just hope that Mr. Shapiro’s decisions are improving over time.”
He said there was hope for that because Shapiro has been acknowledging the mistakes he has made.
Broadbent provided six reasons to the committee for why Shapiro should be dumped, including Shapiro’s failure to clearly state that former immigration minister Judy Sgro was in a conflict of interest for approving immigration permits for the relatives of people she knew were campaign volunteers.
“Without a clear judgement from Mr. Shapiro concerning the severity of such actions, the question is tossed back to the political arena,” said Broadbent.
“It is clear that Ms. Sgro allowed this practice to persist. At this point, in my view, Mr. Shapiro himself should have clearly concluded that she was knowingly in a conflict of interest – not staff putting her there – she was knowingly in a conflict of interest position, that this was unacceptable and that for this reason alone she should not be holding a cabinet position.”
Broadbent said instead Shapiro provided a “convoluted double-negative sentence” about her knowledge of such instances as being “not completely non-existent.”
While Broadbent is dropping his sword for the time being, the public interest group Democracy Watch plans to escalate its campaign.
“Tomorrow we will be initiating our legal action against Shapiro,” said Duff Conacher of Democracy Watch.
Democracy Watch wants Shapiro, who they believe is biased and lacks expertise, to resign or to have an independent review of his actions. Democracy Watch said it would prefer to have a provincial ethics commissioner conduct the review.
The group has 14 documents and sets of actions and statements made by Shapiro they say show his bias against maintaining the highest standard of ethics.
“Shapiro has shown far beyond cause (for dismissal),” he said. “It’s not only incompetence in several areas, but it’s bias against maintaining a reasonable standard of enforcement.” +
http://www.politicswatch.com/shapiro-june28-2005.htm
Shapiro’s actions being reviewed by an independant ethics commision?
Tooooo funny!!!
William, I finally finished reading your essay (which could have used a proof-read I think!). So Stephen Harper didn’t want the job? I’ll just add that to my list of reasons not to trust him. If he doesn’t want to be the PM we should get him out and give the job to someone who actually cares about it.
Thanks for all that typing, sorry you couldn’t make it more coherent.