Can Everyone Agree This Guy Needs To Get Fired?

[SirRiff]

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/02/27/canad...er_bedard040227

basically, the former head the crown corperation via rail, who was recently suspended due to his involvement with the sponsorship scandal, attacking a former employee (who is also an olympic gold meddle winner) after she claims she inquired about obvious overbilling she saw in regards to federal sponsorship. he attacked her because she was a single mother, and said she was pitiful.

how the hell do these people get into such power with such low levels of judgement and morality???? no wonder we get screwed time and time again.

  MONTREAL - The head of Via Rail apologized Friday for the language he used when attacking an ex-employee who said she lost her job because of the federal sponsorship scandal.

Via chair Jean Pelletier issued his statement as opposition MPs said they might call the former worker, Olympic gold medallist Myriam Bedard, as a witness in their investigation of misspent millions.

    * BACKGROUND: Federal sponsorship scandal

Bedard says that she lost her marketing job at Via in January 2002 after asking too many questions about questionable invoices for advertising work. She told reporters that she wrote Prime Minister Paul Martin a letter earlier this month when she saw him on TV urging Canadians to come forward with whatever information they have about the scandal.

This week Pelletier dismissed Bedard's allegations, calling her a "pitiful" single woman who wants to take advantage of the publicity surrounding the sponsorship program probe.

"I don't want to be mean, but this is a poor woman in a pitiful state, a woman with no husband that I know of. She's feeling the pressure of being a single mother with financial responsibilities," Pelletier told La Presse. "Basically, I find it pitiful.".........

[Goldie]

When you have no screening process for these appointees this is bound to happen.

Remember the privacy commissioner, Radwanski and the total contempt he had for the working slugs.

The total contempt for tax payers dollars by this government.

Time to reduce this party to naught for 10 years or so.

[August1991]

Fire Pelletier and you fire the Liberal Party. His resume is here: Pelletier bio

He was Mayor of Quebec City for 12 years (77-89) and played well the divide between federalists/separatists (always a problem for municipal politicians). He was Chretien's CoS while still in opposition. I don't believe Pelletier (nor Ouellet, for another example) will accept to wreck his reputation to save the Liberal Party.

Now, why is Pelletier behaving this way? Is he losing it under the pressure of the past few days? Or is It simple arrogance, as was the case apparently with Radwanski. (Radwanski, another typical Liberal. Toronto Star editor, Trudeau hagiographer.)

How is it that many people still believe the Liberals are competent public managers who defend us against the incompetent, amateur Reform whackos?

This blind public support encourages these guys to believe they are invincible. If they don't get tossed out in the next election, they will truly believe that they can get away with anything.

[SirRiff]

The total contempt for tax payers dollars by this government.

Time to reduce this party to naught for 10 years or so.

i would agree if i actually thought political philosophy was related to care of tax payer dollars. do you actually think if another party got as big as teh Libs federally that they wouldnt become as bloated as corrupt? i think its a fair bet ANYBODY that is hungry enough to get in these positions will get into the system that needs to payoff friends and make shady deals in order to stay in power. i think its more a byproduct of capitalist democracy then liberal or conservative.

hell if it was just libs who were corrupt, i'm sure out fellow canadians would vote in better people.

everyone is corrupt

[Goldie]

Well that may very well be the case. This is why I tended more towards the social conservatives of the west, not just because I live in the west, but because I trust them the most.

I'm in no way a social conservative, in fact, socially I lay with the NDP...............mostly.

The Conservatives and Reform and Alliance have not had a Lawyer or CEO as leader, the least trusted and least socially conscious respectively.

I suppose what I'm saying is pretty simple. Who would you trust the most to mind your wallet and your well being; Your lawyer, The CEO of your company, Or that guy in your office that reads the Bible on his coffee break and is rather a dullard?

[Galahad]

How is it that many people still believe the Liberals are competent public managers who defend us against the incompetent, amateur Reform whackos?

This blind public support encourages these guys to believe they are invincible. If they don't get tossed out in the next election, they will truly believe that they can get away with anything.

The Canadian public were ready to toss them out in 2000 but the amateur Reform whackos promptly tossed out the man responsible for this turnaround in favor of the Yahoo on the Seadoo.

The Canadian public said ... NO THANKS!

With another imbecile looming on the horizon, Firewall Harper, the only reason that I can think of why any thinking Canadian would vote CPC this time around is if they picture a minority government and a brisk new election with the real McCoy at the helm of the CPCs ...i.e. King Ralph or Comon Sense Harris, all the while holding onto the dream of a Preston Manning resurrection.

Dreams DO come true, sometimes.

[August1991]

To Galahad: Opposition parties rarely win elections. Governments usually lose them. The whole point of democracy, as far as I can figure, is that it offers a peaceful way to throw the buggers out.

Chretien was an extremely underrated guy in my opinion. That was part of the secret to his success. Other parts? He was a 'big picture' Ronald Reagan manager. He stone-walled. He always cleared his desk at the end of the day. He liked crowds.

Seadoo didn't lose in 2000, I figure Canadians didn't really want to toss Chretien out. Martin though is a different story. Proof? Admit it. If Chretien had stayed on, the Liberals wouldn't be in this mess.

i.e. King Ralph or Common Sense Harris, all the while holding onto the dream of a Preston Manning resurrection.

Absolute non-starters. None of these three would get a seat in Quebec. And since everyone would know this, that would mean losing another 50 or seats in Ontario. End of PM aspirations. Klein and Harris know this, I suspect.

[Galahad]

Absolute non-starters. None of these three would get a seat in Quebec. And since everyone would know this, that would mean losing another 50 or seats in Ontario. End of PM aspirations. Klein and Harris know this, I suspect.

Please tell me, what is it that Klein, Harris and Manning don't have that Harper does have that will give Mr. Martin's Liberals a run for their money?

I'm all ears!

[August1991]

Honest? I wasn't thinking of Harper.

Manning, Klein, Harris were the three I thought of. Of the three, Manning had the guts to attempt it. I think the other two knew otherwise.

I don't think Harper has anything special. Rather, I suspect Martin is going to defeat the Liberals. When this happens, Harper will be the Tory leader and he'll get to be PM. Chance. (True, maybe I'm wrong.)

Oppositions don't win, governments defeat themselves. At most, an opposition can encourage a government to defeat itself.

I understand the idea of offering a credible alternative, as I understand the idea that people are deluded. But that's all CBC speak to my ear. Consider the left view of Bush Jr. - offer an electable alternative (Kerry) and/or wake the masses up!

If Bush Jr. loses, it will be because many Americans think, well, he's not a good leader.

[August1991]

To my dear Sir Riff:

ANYBODY that is hungry enough to get in these positions will get into the system that needs to payoff friends and make shady deals in order to stay in power. i think its more a byproduct of capitalist democracy then liberal or conservative.

If there is a prize, people will compete to win the prize. Capitalism is the wonderful human attempt to turn this competitive race into a productive form of cooperation. How? It involves math - prices or numbers if you will.

Bad at math? I'll keep this simple: You win if you offer the best price. Race to the bottom? Imagine!

[Galahad]

Oppositions  don't win, governments defeat themselves.  At most, an opposition can encourage a government to defeat itself.

I understand the idea of offering a credible alternative, as I understand the idea that people are deluded.  But that's all CBC speak to my ear.  Consider the left  view of Bush Jr.  - offer an electable alternative (Kerry) and/or wake the masses up!

If Bush Jr. loses, it will be because many Americans think, well, he's not a good leader.

Your idea of governments losing an election works with the Bush scenario...as he is actually DOING something that people either agree or disagree with.

So if he goes down to defeat ( which he won't) it will be on his own merit.

However...we're talking Canada here. Chretien didn't actually ever DO anything, and so he kept getting elected. We like our leaders to sit on fences like we do. We're proud that we take no stance. We think it makes us world citizens.

Now Martin is trying to DO something. It's a new concept for Canadians. and we'll just have to see how Canadians swallow this entire American- style "take action" thing.

The action he is taking is positive, so if he suffers defeat it won't be because we diasagree with him ( no one will admit to enjoying the civil servants robbing us blind), it'll be because he scared the pants off of us taking all this action.

As for Kerry...in the US there are lots of folks who, if you stamped the side of a dead pig with the word Democrat, they'd vote for it. Kerry offers zilch. He's switched positions on every issue...but that won't stop a lot of folks from voting for him. These guys should live in Canada.

I therefore suggest a mass migration North/South ( sort of like the partition of India & Pakistan) with everyone finding their rightful place. Barbara Streisand & her ilk can take over Toronto & the Albertans can hunker down in New Hampshire ( live free or die!).Quebecers can bop on down to the Bayou & add crawfish to their poutine diet.

Me... I'm off to Hawaii.

[August1991]

I am not certain that it's his desire to be active that makes Martin different. (We've had activist, popular PMs before.)

But somehow he has handled this whole scandal badly. The result is that his government may well be defeated. And to win, the opposition merely has to show up.

I realise this is a simplistic, extreme view but it's not far from the truth

[Galahad]

I realise this is a simplistic, extreme view but it's not far from the truth

Simplistic? Yes. Extreme? No.

Mainstream as dictated by the media.

[August1991]

Mainstream as dictated by the media.

That is the condescending argument of the American left. Ordinary people are being manipulated.

I form my opinions the same way I suspect you do: using the brain God gave me.

Paul Martin seemed to be good as a Finance Minister. Now that he's PM, there's something wrong with the picture. It's not that he's an activist, we've had that before. (Trudeau and Mulroney were both activists.)

Rather, it's the way Martin chose to handle this scandal. (I think his advisors have been reigning him of late.)

From a cynical Liberal viewpoint, the Liberals wouldn't be in this mess if Chretien were still PM. So, is Martin a non-Liberal?

[Galahad]

That is the condescending argument of the American left. Ordinary people are being manipulated.

I form my opinions the same way I suspect you do: using the brain God gave me.

From a cynical Liberal viewpoint, the Liberals wouldn't be in this mess if Chretien were still PM. So, is Martin a non-Liberal?

Well I didn't mean to sound condescending but it was YOU who used the word "extreme" for a view that is being touted in every Canadian newspaper. What could I say?

Robert Mugabe wouldn't be in trouble with a little government graft either...this is a GOOD thing?

[August1991]

I meant "extreme" in the sense that my argument implied the sole reason governments lose power is because they defeat themselves. In Canada, that seems often to be the case.

[i have always felt that Americans vote with their wallets. If life is good, the outgoing party gets re-elected. In the US, the correlation of GDP growth, unemployment, inflation to incumbent party votes is high.]

Mugabe does not face election. Chretien did three times, and wanted to face a fourth (which I suspect he would have won - and believe me, I am no Chretien apologist).

[Are you really comparing Mugabe and Chretien?]

[Galahad]

I form my opinions the same way I suspect you do: using the brain God gave me.

THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO, MAN!

I would MUCH prefer God having given me a Rolls-Royce quality brain as he gave to Aristotle, Plato, Wilde, Sartre et al. instead of a Volkswagon type one.

God wasn't a fair man, was he?

[Galahad]

[i have always felt that Americans vote with their wallets. If life is good, the outgoing party gets re-elected. In the US, the correlation of GDP growth, unemployment, inflation to incumbent party votes is high.]

Mugabe does not face election. Chretien did three times, and wanted to face a fourth (which I suspect he would have won - and believe me, I am no Chretien apologist).

[Are you really comparing Mugabe and Chretien?]

Well I wish that Canadians would vote with their wallets also ...for once. The decline of Canada over the last few decades is shocking.

With respect to covering up government excesses, what is the difference between Chretien & Mugabe? Distributing contracts to friends? Sending the country down the tubes?

Just because he's not sending out goons to kill people doesn't mean that he doesn't have a bit of Mugabe in him. Mugabe is not such a strange creature...it's only the part of the world that many leaders are born into that either stops or allows this type of personality to flourish.

I've watched Chretien's moral compass over the years ...he's a lot closer to Mugabe than to Mother Theresa.

[The Baron of Banality]

I've watched Chretien's moral compass over the years ...he's a lot closer to Mugabe than to Mother Theresa.

- THOSE OF US familiar with your disruptive, deranged, dishonest, dispicable and disgusting conduct on discussion boards during the past several years find it truly hilarious for you to pass judgement on ANYONE'S "moral compass'.

[Galahad]

Rather, it's the way Martin chose to handle this scandal.

The Liberals wouldn't be in this mess if Chretien were still PM.

Jim McNulty of The Province (a Vancouver newspaper) did me a favor and put your comment to Mr. Martin.

Said Jim:

"Some pundits and Liberal critics, i.e. Mr. August1991, say you should have dummied up like Jean Chretien, rather than talk about the scandal."

Paul replied:

"You can't change the way things work if you try to bottle everything up and hide it. The only way to get people onside is to level with them."

What do you have to say to that? (I'll try to get Jim to put your reply to Mr. Martin again, I promise).

[Galahad]

I've watched Chretien's moral compass over the years ...he's a lot closer to Mugabe than to Mother Theresa.

- THOSE OF US familiar with your disruptive, deranged, dishonest, dispicable and disgusting conduct on discussion boards during the past several years find it truly hilarious for you to pass judgement on ANYONE'S "moral compass'.

Watch it Unka.

Our school monitor Greg gets pretty hissy when you get personal here.

I think you're about to get a demerit & have to sit in the corner for awhile.

[The Baron of Banality]

Jim McNulty of The Province (a Vancouver newspaper) did me a favor and put your comment to Mr. Martin.

Said Jim:

"Some pundits and Liberal critics, i.e. Mr. August1991, say you should have dummied up like Jean Chretien, rather than talk about the scandal."

Paul replied:

"You can't change the way things work if you try to bottle everything up and hide it. The only way to get people onside is to level with them."

What do you have to say to that? (I'll try to get Jim to put your reply to Mr. Martin again, I promise).

- HEY, NUTTER ... Did you talk with Jim McNulty THROUGH your TV set the same as you used to claim you ''talked'' with Barbara Yaffe and Don Martin? Or perhaps you talk with McNulty THROUGH the pages of your newspaper as you claimed to talk with several other political columnists. Do you still edit the columns of the New York Times' Mark Steyn and advise him what to write? How about that french poet who has been dead some 250 years whom you claim telephones you regularly?

GO AWAY, NUT CASE RUDYARD.

[Galahad]

Jim McNulty of The Province (a Vancouver newspaper)  did me a favor and put your comment to Mr. Martin.

Said Jim:

"Some pundits and Liberal critics, i.e. Mr. August1991, say you should have dummied up like Jean Chretien, rather than talk about the scandal."

Paul replied:

"You can't change the way things work if you try to bottle everything up and hide it. The only way to get people onside is to level with them."

What do you have to say to that? (I'll try to get Jim to put your reply to Mr. Martin again, I promise).

- HEY, NUTTER ... Did you talk with Jim McNulty THROUGH your TV set the same as you used to claim you ''talked'' with Barbara Yaffe and Don Martin? Or perhaps you talk with McNulty THROUGH the pages of your newspaper as you claimed to talk with several other political columnists. Do you still edit the columns of the New York Times' Mark Steyn and advise him what to write? How about that french poet who has been dead some 250 years whom you claim telephones you regularly?

GO AWAY, NUT CASE RUDYARD.

Oh oh.

Now I think you're going to have to write "I will not call other boys names" 100 times after school.

[The Baron of Banality]

Watch it Unka.

Our school monitor Greg gets pretty hissy when you get personal here.

I think you're about to get a demerit & have to sit in the corner for awhile.

- RUDYARD THE INSANE ... IF you can lie all the time without getting banned, I fail to see why I should be banned for telling the truth.

- However, I don't much care because there are not enough posters here to make it a very interesting forum and, frankly, I am not very keen at being on the same forum as a a nutter like you. All of us who have seen your insanity close up on other forums feel this way, which is but one of the reasons you are banned on every other forum that you have ever visited.

- Since this is your forum of last resort, I suggest you watch your congenital prevaricating. Speaking of prevaricating, didn't you say yesterday that you were off to Hawaii? God speed - and the sooner the better.

[Goldie]

My hope is that Greg will ban both of you. This is not your personal insult forum run by Jerry Springer.