Politics in 2013

[Edward Campbell]

So, step one is complete: Mike Duffy quits Tory caucus citing 'distracting' controversy, says the Globe and Mail's headline writer.

Step two is for Nigel Wright to resign and for Prime Minister Harper - uncharacteristically, to be sure - to shoulder some of the responsibility for picking senators (Brazeau and Duffy (and Wallin?)) who have abused the public trust.

Step three is for the Senate (aided by the RCMP?) to expel Sens Brazeau, Duffy and Harb (and Wallin?) for breach of trust.

 

[dapaterson]

Left out a step: Full disclosure of where Mr Wright got the money.  Was this an attempt to make an end-run around political financing rules?

It stinks to high heaven; just letting people resign without accountability is more damaging to the body politic in the long term.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Left out a step: Full disclosure of where Mr Wright got the money.  Was this an attempt to make an end-run around political financing rules?

It stinks to high heaven; just letting people resign without accountability is more damaging to the body politic in the long term.

I doubt there's any question about the source of the money - he is on leave of absence from his day job: managing director of Onex Corp (which has several billions in assets under management) so I doubt he has any trouble finding $90K under his mattress.

But: it is wrong to give a legislator such a sum ~ it doesn't matter if it is a gift or a loan. It is, simply, wrong. Mr. Wright needs to resign, now. He is doing a grave disservice to Prime Minister Harper.

 

[dapaterson]

The wealthy do not get that way or stay that way by spending their own money.  (See Black, Lord Tubby, convicted crook).

Paying off a Senator's debts is an intensely Political (big P) act.  What did Mr Wright hope to gain?  Or, what did others hope to gain by doing this?


Paris is worth a mass.  And a Senator, apparently, is worth $90 000.

 

[Nemo888]

The most delicious irony is that this all started to get rid of Brazeau. Remember when he was the black eye? To quote Deliotte; "Senator Patrick Brazeau has fully and completely co-operated with Deloitte LLP regarding his residency. All documents have been found to be in order. Deloitte concludes Senator Brazeau meets all 4 Primary Residence Indicators."

So funny that Duffy is the one who is double billing the Conservative Party and the Canadian Government at the same time. But this wasn't enough. He had to shill for corporate interests on the side like the Sun News Network on top of it. http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mike-duffy-tried-to-influence-crtc-decision-on-sun-media-source-1.1285555 Duffy screwed everyone and now the PM has to bail him out to keep him quiet. Deliotte even called Duffy to tell him their finding in advance. If an independent inquiry ever starts things will get even more interesting. Liberal Mac Harb is no saint either or Pamela Wallin for that matter. There is plenty of corruption to go around for everyone. I laugh at how Brazeau is actually one of the more honest Senators.

 

[dapaterson]

I laugh at how Brazeau is actually one of the more honest less dishonest Senators.

FTFY

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Seems the CPC want s to sully Mulcair a bit as well. I suspect this might backfire given the antics of some of the tories


According to Radio-Canada Thomas Mulcair has known about corruption in Quebec politics since 1994, when the Mayor of Laval allegedly offered him “help” in the typical Liberal style: an envelope.

Thomas Mulcair appears to have kept this sordid affair to himself for seventeen years. In 2010, he even denied having ever been offered a bribe. Yet after seventeen years of silence, Mulcair finally spoke up after investigations were already underway in 2011.

As a result, Thomas Mulcair could be called before the Charbonneau Commission to explain his (in)action.

Mulcair kept his firsthand knowledge of corruption from the public for two more years, before choosing to dump it today, when he felt the media would be distracted by other stories.

This presents some difficult questions for Mr. Mulcair:

1.    Why did he protect Gilles Vaillancourt and cover up this alleged criminal activity for 17 years?
2.    Why did it take a public inquiry into the biggest corruption scandal in Canadian history for Thomas Mulcair to finally come clean with Canadians?
3.    Why did Thomas Mulcair lie and say he was never offered any money by Gilles Vaillancourt?
4.    Will he agree to appear if called to testify under oath before the Charbonneau Commission?

 

[Journeyman]

Seems the CPC wants to sully Mulcair a bit as well.

I'd be hesitant to point fingers at the Conservatives on this, but since you have to actually search CBC.ca to find the story....

 

[Nemo888]

The is enough sh!t in the outhouse on the Hill for everyone. You can't vote against corruption.

 

[Remius]

The one comfort I take from this is that Mike Duffy's life has been completely turned upside down.  And it's all his own doing.  His hypocrisy and ego has finally been turned against him.  He's now hiding in PEI (ironically) and is obviously feeling the pressure.  Reputation and legacy is completely destroyed.  I hope this goes as far as it has to.

 

[Old Sweat]

And a lot of this developed because the Senate operated on the honour system, which meant Senators did not have to substantiate claims with receipts and other documentation. What possibly could go wrong with that?

 

[Edward Campbell]

Now CTV News is reporting that Sen Pamela Wallin has resigned from the Conservative caucus.

 

[Remius]

Wow.  This thing is unravelling faster than a kid's gift at Christmas.  Follow the money...

 

[Edward Campbell]

And here, reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the Halifax Chronicle Herald is a another symptom of the Ottawa disease (patronage):

http://thechronicleherald.ca/canada/1130152-crtc-commissioner-patrone-takes-job-at-sun-news#.UZahL8sTwZE.twitter

CRTC commissioner Patrone takes job at Sun News

May 17, 2013

BY PAUL MCLEOD OTTAWA BUREAU

OTTAWA — Former CTV reporter Marc Patrone has moved to Sun News, shortly after finishing a five-year stint as a CRTC commissioner.

The move comes as Sun News is asking the CRTC to grant it “must carry” status, which the network says is vital for its survival.

Patrone was appointed to the CRTC, with a salary between $126,200 and $148,500 per year, by Stephen Harper in 2008.

His appointment was controversial. Opposition parties said Patrone lacked the experience to rule on national telecommunications issues. Patrone was a longtime television reporter in Halifax and was briefly the federal Conservative candidate for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour in 2005.

His five-year term ended March 18. The next month he began as Sun News Network director of news operations for Western Canada.

“Obviously, there is a perception of conflict vis-a-vis our application. We are very cognizant of that,” said Sun News vice-president Kory Teneycke in an interview Friday.

Teneycke said the federal conflict of interest commissioner approved the hiring before it was finalized. He said Patrone will have nothing to do with the regulatory side of Sun News and no involvement with the mandatory carriage application.

“We’ve tried to be holier than the pope in terms of how we approached this,” said Teneycke.

A letter from the office of the conflict of interest commissioner, provided to The Chronicle Herald by Teneycke, signs off on the hiring.

The letter notes that Patrone has had “direct and official significant dealings with Quebecor Media,” but he has had no dealings with the company in the past year. Patrone was not involved in the mandatory carriage application.

Patrone cannot appear before the CRTC during a one-year cooling-off period.

Patrone is based out of Calgary and is in charge of the station’s operations from Winnipeg to Vancouver.

The Quebecor-owned network lost $17 million in 2012, by the company’s own projections. It is appealing to the CRTC to make it mandatory for cable companies to carry Sun News on all basic cable services.

The change would mean an added cost of a few dollars per year to cable subscribers. Sun says if it doesn’t get must-carry status, it will have to shut down.

Hearings on the matter closed in April, after Patrone had left the CRTC.

This week, CTV reported that Sen. Mike Duffy, also a former CTV reporter, tried to influence the CRTC’s decision on Sun News. Citing an unnamed source, CTV reported Duffy reached out to a Conservative insider with connections to the CRTC to push for a ruling in Sun’s favour.

Teneycke said Duffy has no link to the Sun News application and Sun has not contacted the senator about lobbying on its behalf.

Now, this should be taken with a small grain of salt, while the Chronicle Herald does not compete "head to head" with Sun Media, news organizations love to dish the dirt on one another.

There is nothing that says, as far as I know, that CRTC Commissioners have to forsake all gainful employment (and caveat lector, in my "second career" I had a friendly, collegiel relationship with the former Acting Chair of the CRTC and with another serving commissioner, in both cases before they joined the CRTC). They serve, generally, for a five year term; it is adequately paid but it is "public service" and, in at least some cases, the salary is not competitive with the private sector. But: it is influential public service and Marc Patrone has returned to his previous business (he is listed, in his Linkin profile as Director News Operations Western Canada at Sun News Network, so he's not in the regulatory business) and one cannot help but wonder if he was hired on merit or in return for holding favourable views while still in the CRTC. It smacks of patronage: a defeated Conservative candidate is appointed to the CRTC and then, when his tour of duty is finished he joins a Tory friendly broadcast news network.

Patronage is not unique to the Conservatives: the Liberals were, and still are in many respects, masters of it - there are still many long time Liberal loyalists in the upper reaches of the civil service and they still hire Liberal friendly academics and consultants. Do they do it consciously? Is there a "little red book" of reliable people? No, but when they need a consultant or an academic they often turn to people they know, people with whom they have dealt over the years, people like them - people from what John Ibbitson calls the Laurentian elites.*

But the Senate of Canada is the worst example of partisan political patronage in Canada and the solution is simple: elections.

_____
* See The Big Shift

 

[Jed]

And a lot of this developed because the Senate operated on the honour system, which meant Senators did not have to substantiate claims with receipts and other documentation. What possibly could go wrong with that?

Yes, human foibles raise their ugly heads again. We definitely need a triple E senate and to nip some of this patronage issue in the bud. It is my hope though, that the talking heads keep this matter in proper perspective. (I wish the media was in the information business as opposed to the infotainment business)

The problem here is appointed public officials being creative in claiming expenses reimbursement from the public purse. It has gone on since the days of Roman Senators and it is not new.

In my opinion, it is not in the same league as the wholesale corruption that is occurring in Quebec or the Liberal Adscam business a few years back, or the absolute abuse of power occurring in the US ala the IRS strong arm tactics or the Benghazi political posturing that cost soldier's and diplomat's lives and careers.

 

[Edward Campbell]

CBC Radio is reporting that Nigel Wright has resigned.

I cannot find a reference yet.

 

[Old Sweat]

CBC Radio is reporting that Nigel Wright has resigned.

I cannot find a reference yet.

If so, it was both overdue and inevitable despite all his admirable qualities.

Edit to add: See Rex Murphy's comment here on the hidden agenda:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/25692/post-1230559#msg1230559

- mod edit to edit link -

 

[Edward Campbell]

CBC Radio is reporting that Nigel Wright has resigned.

I cannot find a reference yet.

Here is the story, reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from CBC News:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/05/pmo-chief-nigel-wright-quits-post-over-duffy-payback-deal.html

PMO chief Nigel Wright quits post over Duffy payback deal

by Kady O'Malley

Posted: May 19, 2013

Hot off the Sunday morning long weekend presses comes the official statement of resignation from now former PMO chief of staff Nigel Wright:

    "In light of the controversy surrounding my handling of matters involving Senator Duffy, the Prime Minister has accepted my resignation as Chief of Staff. 

    "My actions were intended solely to secure the repayment of funds, which I considered to be in the public interest, and I accept sole responsibility.  I did not advise the Prime Minister of the means by which
    Sen. Duffy's expenses were repaid, either before or after the fact. 

    "I regret the impact of this matter on the Government, our Caucus, and all of my colleagues, for whom I have the highest regard.  I came to Ottawa to do my part in providing good government for Canada,
    and that is all that I ever wanted and worked for in this role."

We're awaiting a second statement from the PM himself. As soon as it arrives, I'll update this post.

UPDATE: As promised, the PM's response to Wright's departure:

    It is with great regret that I have accepted the resignation of Nigel Wright as my Chief of Staff.  I accept that Nigel believed he was acting in the public interest, but I understand the decision he has taken
    to resign.  I want to thank Nigel for his tremendous contribution to our Government over the past two and a half years.

    Our Government's top priority is, and will continue to be, securing jobs and economic growth for Canada.  This is the focus of all our efforts and attention.

 

[Edward Campbell]

If so, it was both overdue and inevitable despite all his admirable qualities.

Indeed!

Now, all that remains is for the PM, when he returns to Ottawa, to make a public mea culpa, which will go against every political instinct he has, and use this scandal to press for an elected Senate - not a Triple E Senate, that would require a Constitutional amendment.

I have, in the past outlined how the PM can, without amending the Constitution, force an elected Senate.

First he writes two letters:

    1. One to each provincial premier and territorial leader saying:

          a. I will not appoint any senator who (in additon to meeting all the other Constitutional requirements) is not elected in conjunction with a provincial general election, and

          b. I will not appoint any elected senator who does not provide, first, a signed letter of resignation effective the date of the next provincial general election; and

    2. One to each senator asking for their resignation effective the date of the nest general election in their province.

Second: he needs to promise to appoint four new senators, as he is allowed to do in §26: two for the Assembly of First Nations, one for the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and one for the Métis National Council (to be elected, in public, by those organizations) to give first nations a permanent, elected voice in Canada's Parliament. (There is a Constitutional wrinkle: each of those four senators must represent "equally the Four Divisions of Canada" which are Western Canada, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. It's a wrinkle, not an insurmountable obstacle.)

Third: he needs to be prepared for a Supreme Court Challenge.

The provincial premiers will howl because an elected Senate will be effective, that's a natural outcome of being elected, and an elected, effective Senate will diminish the premiers' collective power.

Not all, maybe not even many senators will agree to resign - but some will and the others will eventually either: 1)follow suit when they realize they are "second class senators;" or 2) retire, as they must at age 75. We should remember that it took the USA about 20 years (back around 100 years ago) to move from an appointed (by state governors) to an elected Senate.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Edward-

I think that your prescription has a lot of merit. In particular, your idea of appointing senators to represent First Nations also neatly provides a legitimate voice for those communties in a way that is both constitutionally and politically acceptable.

The question is: can and will the PM do it?