Harper to be investigated by ethics commissioner

[wellandboy]

Harper also admitted he tried to replace Shapiro immediately after he was elected. Why is that not a big surprise. And you all thought Martin was arrogant?

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...0309?hub=Canada

Anyone with the slightest insight into Ottawa knew Shapiro was dead meat on election night. The only reason he hasn't already resigned is he wants to milk us for a fat severence package just like all Liberals. The posturing by the opposition is pathetic. With the exception of the Liberals, they didn't like him either.

His removal will be among the first acts of the new parliament. And rightly so.

So Liberal appointees bad; Con appointees good. Aah, good ole partisan politics at work.

Shapiro was a bad appointment period. He needs to removed with cause April 3.

I should add that Harper should talk to the turd, respecting the office not the man.

[yorkman]

Absolutely mind-boggling!

He's the ethics commissioner, approved by Parliament.

The PM should - if he weren't so stubborn; arrogant; vindictive; and petulant - cooperate with the Commissioner and we wouldn't have a story and the Commissioner would probably find there was not an issue. After all Harper campaigned on the basis of ethics in government. He didn't say he would only do government differently and democratically and ethically when he had to deal with Conservative appointees and other Conservatives clammering to get their snouts into the public trough. Things seem to be worse than ever in Ottawa. And he's only been PM for a month. Yikes! And to think I was feeling good about the election results in the few weeks immediately after the election.

Guess you have to be a true Alliance Conservative to condone what's been going on. At least we cannot blame this type of behaviour on Liberals anymore. They certainly didn't have a lock on this type of behaviour which Conservative denouced prior to the election. Talk about hypocrisy. It's breathtaking.

[Argus]

Absolutely mind-boggling!

He's the ethics commissioner, approved by Parliament.

I'm sorry, do you imagine that means something, somehow? "Mind boggling! He's the minister of public works! How can you suggest he'd engage in racketeering!? Mind boggling, he's the speaker of the house! How can you suggest he's a sleazy sexual harrasser? Mind boggling! She's the minister of immigration! How can you suggest she'd bring strippers into Canada as a favour! Mind boggling! Mind boggling! He's the prime minister! How could you suggest he'd use his office to funnel public money into the pockets of his business partners!?"

I would expect your mind must boggle quite a lot.

The PM should - if he weren't so stubborn; arrogant; vindictive; and petulant - cooperate with the Commissioner and we wouldn't have a story and the Commissioner would probably find there was not an issue.

Oh I don't think anyone, including the mps who made the complaint, actually think there was anything in the slightest illegal or even questioniable about the appointment. It's just a way of getting cheap headlines which say "Prime Minister investigated by Ethics Councillor!"

I think Harper's problem is he's not playing the Ottawa game. That game says that even if you're dealing with sleazy, lying, two-faced crooks you smile to the camera and tell them how much you respect them and then act pensive when you sigh and speak about there being doubts about their behaviour. Off camera, of course, you stick a knife in their ribs, and pretend someone else did it. Harper is being foolishly honest and taking the position that since the Ethics Counsellor is Paul Martin's poodle, who he intends to fire at the first opportunity, and will almost certainly not be honest in his investigation anyway, it makes no sense to cooperate with him.

After all Harper campaigned on the basis of ethics in government.

Exactly, which is why he has contempt for Shapiro. All honest men who care about ethics feel the same contempt for Shapiro.

Guess you have to be a true Alliance Conservative to condone what's been going on.

What type of behaviour? Not cooperating with biased political appointees?

At least we cannot blame this type of behaviour on Liberals anymore.

Well, we can blame it on Shapiro, who is unquestionably a Liberal.

They certainly didn't have a lock on this type of behaviour which Conservative denouced prior to the election. Talk about hypocrisy. It's breathtaking.

Well, yes, breathtaking hypocrisy. I agree. This complaint reeks of it.

[Vancouver King]

Yorkman:

Guess you have to be a true Alliance Conservative to condone what's been going on. At least we cannot blame this type of behaviour on Liberals anymore. They certainly didn't have a lock on this type of behaviour which Conservative denouced prior to the election. Talk about hypocrisy. It's breathtaking.

-------------------

In a single pique of personal animosity to Shapiro, Harper has squandered untold political capital earned at the expense of unethical Liberals. The commissioner does not exist at the pleasure of the prime minister, Shapiro reports to parliament, not the PMO. On the street the controversy boils down to simple, cynical conclusions on the prime ministers refusal to cooperate with the office of the ethics commissioner and the emptiness of CPC promises of accountability. The Emerson affair, far from being a foot note of spent news, threatens to define Harper's new govt.

[newbie]

Clarification that reports and findings of the Ethics Commissioner are final and may not be overturned by the Prime Minister; is part of Harper's new Accountability Act. Speaking of hyprocrisy....

http://www.conservative.ca/EN/1091/40485

[geoffrey]

It's a non-issue. I wouldn't recognize the office either. The fact he's launching an investigation into Harper and didn't lift a finger against the Liberals for doing the same damned thing how many times, is just proof the guy has no ability in the role.

Fire him immediately. What a useless waste of our money.

[Argus]

Clarification that reports and findings of the Ethics Commissioner are final and may not be overturned by the Prime Minister; is part of Harper's new Accountability Act. Speaking of hyprocrisy....

http://www.conservative.ca/EN/1091/40485

Once they have a real Ethics Commisioiner. They don't, at present.

[scribblet]

Absolutely mind-boggling!

He's the ethics commissioner, approved by Parliament.

The PM should - if he weren't so stubborn; arrogant; vindictive; and petulant - cooperate with the Commissioner and we wouldn't have a story and the Commissioner would probably find there was not an issue.

Oh I don't think anyone, including the mps who made the complaint, actually think there was anything in the slightest illegal or even questioniable about the appointment. It's just a way of getting cheap headlines which say "Prime Minister investigated by Ethics Councillor!"

I think Harper's problem is he's not playing the Ottawa game. That game says that even if you're dealing with sleazy, lying, two-faced crooks you smile to the camera and tell them how much you respect them and then act pensive when you sigh and speak about there being doubts about their behaviour. Off camera, of course, you stick a knife in their ribs, and pretend someone else did it. Harper is being foolishly honest and taking the position that since the Ethics Counsellor is Paul Martin's poodle, who he intends to fire at the first opportunity, and will almost certainly not be honest in his investigation anyway, it makes no sense to cooperate with him.

After all Harper campaigned on the basis of ethics in government.

Well, yes, breathtaking hypocrisy. I agree. This complaint reeks of it.

Still chuckling at I " would expect your mind must boggle quite a lot." you just made my day.

Shapiro's made a real gaffe here, because it shows partisianship by his unwillingness to invesigate Liberal shenanigans. Harper campaigned on strengthening the role of the ethics commissioner in some specific ways. He has already abolished his own power to overrule the commissioner's findings. But giving more powers to a commissioner who does not seem to understand his job will not help. We need good rules, and we need capable people to enforce them.

In politics, perception is everything Harper should have learned that when he had to fight an image created in Liberal war rooms.

Guess the perception of wrongdoing is threatening Scot Brison, now, you know how couldn't recall the e-mail exchange, then owned up to them, but said they were irrelevant because he was not privy to insider information.

[yorkman]

So argus, if all you say is true why doesn't Harper simply cooperate and get it over with. He has nothing to worry about. He made his political decision and he is entitled to that. He is the one who is keeping this story in the headlines by not cooperating - even though he tells us he has the highest of ethical standards. And if they want to investigate Belinda, go for it. And Keith Martin and Scott Brison and, and. I don't agree with floor crossing. Mr. Harper has to get used to the heat. It's not easy being PM and the government as the whirling dirvish Peter MacKay has learned. No matter which party is doing the tempting or the crossing, the whole process stinks and lacks any semblance of integrity. And that applies to Harper as much as anyone else.