Duffy? Mac Harb should have taken the spotlight!

scribblet · July 27, 2013

Duffy, Harb, makes no difference to me. Amazing how when some of these folks are handed what is pretty much a money for nothing job and pension for life, it isn't enough for them. Makes you wonder a bit about the standards of those who appointed them.

It has little to do with the standards of whoever appt. them. There was no indication that Duffy, Wallis or Harb would do anything like that. Chretien appt. Harb but I doubt there was anything untoward as he sat as an MP for 15 years.

Keepitsimple · July 28, 2013

Hey, I used to be a pretty big Harper defender....not anymore....he's no better.

I know Smallc.....and people like yourself are the canary in the coal mine. I personally believe that Harpers compass for where Canada should be - at home and in the world - is pretty darn good.......but his makeup of the PMO and the communications strategy and attitude has to change. I think some of the cabinet changes will soften the image and bring a bit more unscripted communication but it needs even more than that. Harper is almost paranoid - but rightly so - about the Leftist media seizing on - in fact searching for - any mis-steps, any words out of context that may come out of the mouth of an MP - and magnifying everything to the level oif a scandal. CBC is the worst - look how they have tried to get as much mileage as they can out of Brent Rathgeber - Garth Turner was another go-to voice for a while. Everything the government does is put in the worst light and keeps them on the defensive. Having said all that, how its being handled now is not working.......and it starts with the PMO - actually it starts with Harper. A calmer, softer approach - more accessible to the media.

The_Squid · July 28, 2013

Harper supporters have convinced themselves that there is a leftwing media conspiracy that is to blame for all of their party and leader's ills.

Never mind a PMO that attempted to bribe a senator.... It was the media's fault for telling us about it! Plus the Liberals were far worse... Lol. Does anyone else see the sheer ridiculousness in this position?

Bryan · July 28, 2013

Hey, I used to be a pretty big Harper defender....not anymore....he's no better.

He's way better. The issue is the bar was set so low, that even an exponential improvement leaves a lot of room for improvement. Harper is by far the best we've had in at least 50 years, but that's not necessarily a positive reflection on him, more so it shows just how bad our leadership choices have been over the years.

Bryan · July 28, 2013

Never mind a PMO that attempted to bribe a senator.

It's very important never to mind that, since there's no evidence that was the case.

Smallc · July 28, 2013

He's way better.

They're arrogant, they're entitled, and they're becoming corrupt. He's no better, and 2015 will be time for a change...in Manitoba's case, that's true provincially as well.

Bryan · July 28, 2013

They're arrogant, they're entitled, and they're becoming corrupt.

There's no credible evidence of any of that.

Smallc · July 28, 2013

There's no credible evidence of any of that.

I suppose not if you're wearing partisan blinders.

Bryan · July 28, 2013

I suppose not if you're wearing partisan blinders.

These are your partisan blinders right here:

They're arrogant, they're entitled, and they're becoming corrupt.

Smallc · July 28, 2013

I just told you that both the NDP and the Conservatives need to go for the same reason...and it's because I'm partisan?

Sandy MacNab · July 29, 2013

Yes, Harper is a Saint...Chretien on the other hand...

Do you know how silly some of you look with your inconsistency?

No, I don't think we look silly and we don't think Harper is a saint. Your hyperbole makes you look dogmatically partisan and in fact pretty silly yourself. We just look at the facts and make wise choices.

Smallc · July 29, 2013

I wonder how much longer I had to support Harper before I stopped being a partisan? His government is becoming as bad as the Liberals that all of you hate so much. I can't support that.

PIK · July 29, 2013

I wonder how much longer I had to support Harper before I stopped being a partisan? His government is becoming as bad as the Liberals that all of you hate so much. I can't support that.

How small c, how are they just as bad as chretien government, go ahead and put up what they have done that is so bad to compare them to chretien. Go at it. I think you read to many headlines.

Smallc · July 29, 2013

These scandals may be small (other than the Duffy one - that's huge no matter if you're willing to admit it or not), but they're constant and they're building. It points to a culture of entitlement and arrogance that forms when a party and a group of people have been in power for two long. Beyond that even, theres the issue of this government becoming very stale. Really, they do nothing...at all. They have no ideas, no direction, no plan, no anything. Canadians like to see their government doing things in a competent way. The Liberals were good at that. That isn't happening now. Because of this, if Canadians are presented with a credible alternative in 2015, Harper is done.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Smallc

PIK · July 29, 2013

These scandals may be small (other than the Duffy one - that's huge no matter if you're willing to admit it or not), but they're constant and they're building. It points to a culture of entitlement and arrogance that forms when a party and a group of people have been in power for two long. Beyond that even, theres the issue of this government becoming very stale. Really, they do nothing...at all. They have no ideas, no direction, no plan, no anything. Canadians like to see their government doing things in a competent way. The Liberals were good at that. That isn't happening now. Because of this, if Canadians are presented with a credible alternative in 2015, Harper is done.

Not even close, your problem is you were to young to understand what went on in the chretien government. Chrertien did not have a world recession to deal with and he still screwed up , look at the subs and where arte our helecopters. And just because they have no grand plan to change the country does not mean they have no vision. They have a great plan and a big part of it is jobs, that is what is imoportant right now.How did the grand plans of multiculturism , biligualism and bring in the metric system work out? Why do you think our bureauracy is so screwed up and can't seem to anything right, to many people hired because of language not to do with the job at hand.

Edited July 29, 2013 by PIK

guyser · July 29, 2013

And just because they have no grand plan to change the country does not mean they have no vision. They have a great plan and a big part of it is jobs, that is what is imoportant right now.

Couldnt find the facepalm smiley.

Chretien = Multicult? Bilingualism? Metric?

"Pass the dutchie from the left hand side....I said pass..."

Not one coherent thought in the whole post.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Guyser2

cybercoma · July 29, 2013

Chrertien did not have a world recession to deal with and he still screwed up

The dotcom crash never happened, eh?

Boges · July 29, 2013

Is Harb still part of the Liberal caucus? You'd think Trudeau 2.0 would have him turfed. If not, that's shameful.

All the Conservative Senators mired in scandal have been forced to sit as independents.

The_Squid · July 29, 2013

Harb isn't in the Liberal caucus anymore either. Nice try at faux outrage...

And Duffy would still be a member in good standing if the PMO hadn't been caught paying him off.

Days before he was caught, Harper praised Duffy for showing "leadership" as if he was a man of good standing and virtue. Then of course, they got caught. Ooops.

Edited July 29, 2013 by The_Squid

Sandy MacNab · July 31, 2013

I wonder how much longer I had to support Harper before I stopped being a partisan? His government is becoming as bad as the Liberals that all of you hate so much. I can't support that.

Sorry, you're way out to lunch on this one. Look at the Chretien government and the number of prosecutions, convictions, and people who received jail sentences among those who supported or were part of that government. Then tell me who among the CPC and its supporters are currently headed in the same direction.

I don't hate the Liberals. I just think they have been so smarmy they haven't earned my respect and certainly not my trust. Frankly, they need to completely remake themselves..and JT hasn't the ability to do it.

Sandy MacNab · July 31, 2013

Harb isn't in the Liberal caucus anymore either. Nice try at faux outrage...

And Duffy would still be a member in good standing if the PMO hadn't been caught paying him off.

Days before he was caught, Harper praised Duffy for showing "leadership" as if he was a man of good standing and virtue. Then of course, they got caught. Ooops.

Do you still claim to be non-partisan? Your rhetoric certainly indicates the opposite.

August1991 · July 31, 2013

I don't think Canadians care much about the party the senator is from,on this topic. IF he did something wrong than he's as wrong as Duffy and the others. The reason for the Tory senators are singled out is all about Harper's "open and accountability" that only is in play, when he has the advantage.

Exactly.

Duffy was a bag man, "hired" to raise money for the Conservative Party. Understandably, he didn't want to have to also pay his own way. When the Senate asked for $90,000, Duffy went to Harper and noted how much money he had raised for the party. Harper "solved" the problem.

Harb? He's just another guy on the make, entitled to his entitlement. The Liberal Party has many: my own "favourites" are Sergio Marchi and Bryce Mackasey.

----

BTW, "Harb" means war in Arabic. I don't know what Mackasey means in Irish.

Not as silly as you look. Chretien was a corrupt arrogant man. The man destroy his own party so he would alway be the top lib PM.

In politics, a leader's character is not always a good signal of skill. Chretien raised CPP/RRQ contributions to 10%, reduced government spending and kept Canada out of Iraq. Mulroney may have loved Gucci shoes but he negotiated free trade with the US, and created/passed the GST. Edited July 31, 2013 by August1991

August1991 · July 31, 2013

Duffy, Harb, makes no difference to me. Amazing how when some of these folks are handed what is pretty much a money for nothing job and pension for life, it isn't enough for them. Makes you wonder a bit about the standards of those who appointed them.

And what about the standards of the people who elected the politicians with this power to appoint?[/sarcasm][/irony]

In fact Wilber, I happen to think that most voters are decent, good people. I object to the way we select our leaders and more pointedly, I reckon that the way we take many collective decisions (a decision that affects everyone) is misguided.

Sadly, my schemes for better collective decisions (other than market prices) are absurd, and impractique.

Edited July 31, 2013 by August1991

Smallc · July 31, 2013

Sorry, you're way out to lunch on this one. Look at the Chretien government and the number of prosecutions, convictions, and people who received jail sentences among those who supported or were part of that government.

That's a pretty wide net you've cast there. How many people actually in the Chretien government went to jail?

The_Squid · July 31, 2013

Do you still claim to be non-partisan? Your rhetoric certainly indicates the opposite.

If the Liberals or NDP were trying to bribe Senators, it would be just as bad... and I would have the same criticisms. You make of that what you will.