Posts Tagged by election
Mounties Influenced 2006 Election — Legally
| 4/1/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian News |
RCMP public complaints commissioner Paul Kennedy has found that it is safe to assume that the naming of Liberal Ralph Goodale in a criminal investigation during the 2006 election campaign influenced the outcome of the election in favour of the Conservatives. Goodale had been accused by the NDP of leaking confidential information prior to an income trust announcement that allowed others to profit. He was eventually cleared but long after the election.
The NDP had written to the RCMP wanting a criminal investigation into the rumoured leak. The RCMP replied there was an investigation being launched and then issued a press release a few days later to confirm what had already been made public and naming Goodale. This is not within the usual practise of the Mounties, especially during an election campaign. Breaching the practise was shown to have been a decision specifically made by Giuliano Zaccardelli, then commissioner of the RCMP, who has been subsequently sacked for other misbehaviour.
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Liberals Need to “Show Discipline”?
| 3/29/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
Liberal leader Stephane Dion Thursday declared that Liberals, particularly the Quebec Liberals, need to show discipline. “I’m the leader and I want discipline” is what he is quoted as saying. UMMM Stephane, you are the leader and you NEED to impose discipline, it’s one of the areas you really are lacking.
It will take you setting firm boundaries on what is acceptable and sanctioning those who defy you to start garnering some respect within your party, hell within the rest of the world. You know, that is pretty basic stuff.
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Harper Moves to Reconcile, Tory Blats From the Sidelines
| 3/28/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
In a move by Harper that appears to be a step toward actually forming a working relationship with the province of Ontario, money previously promised was released to the province by Harper. The $709million is to be used to boost public transit, hire more police and help workers in industries hit by the high dollar. The timing and the language used in the move seems to indicate that maybe Flaherty has been, at least for now, reigned in from his pugnacious attacks on the province and its elected government.
In a statement, Harper echoed that new feel-good tone, which contrasted with Flaherty’s claims that McGuinty is overtaxing Ontario into an economic slowdown.
“I want to congratulate Premier McGuinty and his government for developing programs that will use these federal funds to strengthen the Ontario economy, improve public safety, and expand the public transit system,” Harper said. (more…)
Dion May Need to Take a Walk in the Snow
| 3/27/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
Stephane Dion, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, may need to follow in the steps of one of his former leaders and take a long thoughtful walk in the snow to ponder his future in politics.
Harper and his Conservative attack dogs maintain a sustained assault on him to the point that their website looks more like a site for the Liberals when it first loads than one about Harper. It has made me wonder what Harper finds so threatening about Dion that he needs to sustain the attack on him? Apparently this hasn’t occurred to members of the Liberal party, particularly those in Quebec, who are also working up an assault on his leadership.
I have to admit, Dion leaves me scratching my head over his ‘leadership’ more than nodding it in agreement. While I haven’t liked his repeatedly leading the party into avoiding taking any solid stands on issues in order to avoid an election, I have actually understood why he’s doing it. (more…)
What is an Immigration Bill Doing in a Budget Bill?
| 3/25/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
Slipped inside a budget implementation bill is changes to the immigration system which some claim could lead to the Minister of Immigration having unprecedented authority to interfere in the system’s operation without oversight from any other source. It would allow the minister to do things like fast tracking certain applicants or denying others that have already been approved.
Not only is that level of power grabbing being allowed disturbing, but no one has explained why it is appropriate to have it inside a budget implementation bill. Am I to understand that the government of the day can simply stick whatever legislative changes they want to make into any bill and the members of the House have to scramble to find them? What kind of law making is that? (more…)
Flaherty Needs to Shut Up
| 3/24/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
I certainly hope that when the time comes that voters in Flaherty’s riding keep in mind his dumping on Ontario as the federal finance minister. I hope they remember his remarks, made nationally and internationally, that told businesses to stay away from Ontario. I know, in his little partisan mind he thinks he was telling Ontario their only good way to operate. Hate to break it to you Flaherty ol’ boy, just because your buddy Stephen appointed you to the post of finance minister doesn’t make you right.
You may sincerely believe what you espouse, that Ontario needs to lower their corporate tax rates, some economists agree with you although, not all to the extent you claim you are right. You seem to keep forgetting that the people of Ontario rejected you and your colleagues brand of fiscal management in 2003 and again in 2007. Course the rejection in 2007 had more to do with the talking head that beat you for leadership of the provincial Conservatives. Oh right, I almost forgot, your own party didn’t see you as fit to call the shots, so why should the elected government of Ontario? (more…)
Dion Needs to Find a Posture
| 3/12/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
You know, I’ve often been of the opinion that if you don’t really have the courage of your convictions, or for that matter, any convictions — you keep a low profile and keep your mouth shut. That likely came about from my late father often commenting about keeping ones mouth shut rather than opening it and proving yourself the fool.
These days, Dion and some other Liberals are doing a real good job of proving the wisdom of that advice. This behaviour of mouthing to the media and anyone who will listen that the Harper Conservatives are the ‘worse’ government ever for whatever soapbox of the day topic and then either walking out or failing to even show up to defeat them is utter spineless crap.
Ok, the Liberals aren’t ready to fight an election. Fine, believe it or not, Canadians are adult enough to realize that. If the Liberals aren’t able to vote in favour of the government policies and aren’t bothered enough by the government’s actions to bring them down then bloody stand up and say so. (more…)
Obama’s Life Expectancy
| 2/25/2008 | Posted by Patti under American Election |
Yeah, I really did write that title. As I’ve watched with some curiosity as Obama gained steam in his bid to become US President, actually the first black President, the thought has crossed my mind to wonder how long he’d be allowed to live during the quest. Face it, our American neighbours to the south do have a bit of a history in that regard.
It’s a question I have been loath to ask. It has been a generation or two since someone assassinated a prominent political leader in the US. It is possible that attitudes down there have changed and even the hard core revolutionary types can figure ways to fight other than through political murder. After all, Bush managed to get through his two terms without anyone taking a shot at him. (more…)
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