Pure as the Driven Snow... Yellow Snow that is.

[hiti]

OTTAWA — Patronage is in the eye of the beholder.

One party's merit-based, qualified appointee, is another party's crony.

Not surprisingly, the Conservative government is now coming under criticism from the Liberals for nearly 20 recent appointments.

The party that brought in the Federal Accountability Act is now being accused of playing old-school politics and rewarding their friends after just eight months in power.

"This government is clearly practicing a double standard," Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale told reporters after question period last week.

Last November, when the Tories announced they would introduce the Accountability Act, their press released promised to end patronage.

"The Liberals have repeatedly appointed insiders, in some cases completely unqualified, to important public offices," the Tories said. "Liberal insiders, candidates and MPs have received appointments as heads of Crown corporations, board members, and ambassadors.

"A new government is needed to make sure that important public appointments are filled on the basis of merit and not simply as favours to friends and political supporters."

However, the Conservatives appear to be making appointments to a number of their supporters after just eight months in office.

http://www.politicswatch.com/patronage-oct11-2006.htm

Anyone ever tell Steve that yellow snow is not good?

[jdobbin]

Anyone ever tell Steve that yellow snow is not good?

Let's not forget the new Canadian Wheat Board president.

[MightyAC]

I don't have a real problem with the appointments, I just expect it. What bothers me is the two faced Tory politics. They try to market themselves as a Canada's "New", accountable and honest government yet they are the same old shit. I fell for it... I really believed that Harper would go after a majority by actually cleaning up Ottawa. Instead it was a smoke screen, a myth that has been busted in less than a year. Delivering the status quo is a far bigger slap in the face when the corner stone of Harper's campaign was accountability.

[Ricki Bobbi]

No wonder you cut off the article.

Those appointments are far from the level of stench and corruption seen by the Liberals.

Go ahead. Make the next election about ethics and accountability in Government. The Conservative appointments are all qualified people who are actually doing work that needs to be done and getting paid for it.

That you could even post this article shows that the Liberals still really have no clue ... Good on you.

[Technocrat]

Those appointments are far from the level of stench and corruption seen by the Liberals.

Go ahead. Make the next election about ethics and accountability in Government. The Conservative appointments are all qualified people who are actually doing work that needs to be done and getting paid for it.

Yeah like Rona is a shining example of competency in government Harper even introduced a motion stating that 'Quebecois are a nation' when asked who the Quebecois are, he couldn't answer. Nice and competent huh?

Take the BS that the CPC has been up to in the last year. Then multiply that by 12 years and I bet you would get about the same level of unethical behavior by the CPC, as the Liberals over their 12 year tenure in government.

N = numbers of years in office

BS= unethical Bullshit that a governing party gets up to

CPC= Canadian Party of Canada

Libs= Liberal Party of Canada

The equation of political unethical behavior

(CPC+BS)*N = (Lib+BS)*N

Power corrupts, no if ands or buts.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Yeah like Rona is a shining example of competency in government Harper even introduced a motion stating that 'Quebecois are a nation' when asked who the Quebecois are, he couldn't answer. Nice and competent huh?

Even if your view of competence were correct it is still a different issue from lack of ethics.

You really don't get the issues the Liberals have with ethics.

Again, make the central issue of the election ethics in Government. That would be a winning strategy.

[Technocrat]

Yeah like Rona is a shining example of competency in government Harper even introduced a motion stating that 'Quebecois are a nation' when asked who the Quebecois are, he couldn't answer. Nice and competent huh?

Even if your view of competence were correct it is still a different issue from lack of ethics.

You really don't get the issues the Liberals have with ethics.

Again, make the central issue of the election ethics in Government. That would be a winning strategy.

No I was commenting on your assertion that the CPC is competent. I disagree.

I was NOT confusing ethics and competence. The cannot claim to be both ethical and incompetent as they have demonstrated otherwise.

I was perhaps not entirely clear in my post that was adressing two different issues. My apologies.

[Ricki Bobbi]

The cannot claim to be both ethical and incompetent as they have demonstrated otherwise.

I was perhaps not entirely clear in my post that was adressing two different issues. My apologies.

This part of the post is a little unclear.

Are you saying one minister with far from stellar results and an answer from the the Prime Minister that is far from clear on a very complex issue is demonstrable proof of incompetence?

By that standard, have we ever had a competent Government?

[Technocrat]

I am saying that umbrose is incompetent.

I am also saying that Harper is also incompetent. I used the example of introducing a motion regarding the Quebecois(harper does not know who they are) as a nation within canada. Its like saying assmonkeys are a nation within canada. When you are asked what exactly constitutes an assmonkey and you can't answer, I deem you incompetent.

I am also stating that the CPC is just as capable of being corrupt as anyone else in a position of power. Hence the equation. If the CPC was in power for 12 years they would prove to be just as corrupt as they claimed the Libs are.

[White Doors]

I am saying that umbrose is incompetent.

I am also saying that Harper is also incompetent. I used the example of introducing a motion regarding the Quebecois(harper does not know who they are) as a nation within canada. Its like saying assmonkeys are a nation within canada. When you are asked what exactly constitutes an assmonkey and you can't answer, I deem you incompetent.

I am also stating that the CPC is just as capable of being corrupt as anyone else in a position of power. Hence the equation. If the CPC was in power for 12 years they would prove to be just as corrupt as they claimed the Libs are.

he merely said it was up to the individual to decide if they were quebecois.

ie: they are not a race. There, I dumbed it down for ya.

[August1991]

The article in the OP dates from 11 October 2006... Why is this suddenly news now?

It lists 10 names (including that patronage shocker - Michael Fortier) and then mentions 10 other unnamed people.

How many people have the Tories appointed since forming a government? Only 20?

If this is the best the Liberals can do, they should drop the whole thing because it just reminds everyone of their own sorry record. From H.E. Alphonso Gagliano, Ambassador to Denmark, through to our guy at the Mint, David "I'm entitled to my entitlements" Dingwall.

[Ricki Bobbi]

I am also stating that the CPC is just as capable of being corrupt as anyone else in a position of power. Hence the equation. If the CPC was in power for 12 years they would prove to be just as corrupt as they claimed the Libs are.

So the only answer is to let the serve another years and judge them from there actins, not their "capabilites" as you see them...

[hiti]

No wonder you cut off the article.

Those appointments are far from the level of stench and corruption seen by the Liberals.

Go ahead. Make the next election about ethics and accountability in Government. The Conservative appointments are all qualified people who are actually doing work that needs to be done and getting paid for it.

That you could even post this article shows that the Liberals still really have no clue ... Good on you.

So you are implying that any Liberal appointments were unqualified? And just cause it is Conservative appointees, they are qualified without question?

What kind of argument is that? Where is the accountability with this statement? What are the ethics that label qualifications based upon political preference or party affiliate?

The Con mantra of stench and corruption by Liberals is not working anymore. Voters have had the time to digest the happenings since Gomery and they know the truth..... the perps have been sued to return the funds they took and have received their punishment from the courts, including the leader, Tory Chuck Guite.

It never was "Liberals" or the "Liberal Party."

Won't matter how loud, how often cons scream stench, slime, corruption, the facts and the truth will never change. Time to move on or conservatives will continue to appear clue-less and out of touch with Canadians.

[Ricki Bobbi]

So you are implying that any Liberal appointments were unqualified? And just cause it is Conservative appointees, they are qualified without question?

What kind of argument is that? Where is the accountability with this statement? What are the ethics that label qualifications based upon political preference or party affiliate?

Not implying that at all. What I am saying is the Conservatives are committed to making qualified appointments. Just as the Liberals did on occasion. Let's look at a few of the appointments mentioned in the article.

Harvie Andre - Former cabinet minister with vast experience in academia and business. More than qualfied to be a land claims negotiator.

Jim Gouk - Former official critic of the Minister of Transportation representing the Official Opposition. Good experience for serving on NAV Canada.

Kerry-Lynne Findlay - Named to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Appointments historically given to distinguished lawyers. Past President of the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch), Chair of the National Woman Layers Forum, Chair of the Vancouver City Planning Commission. Sounds qualified to me....

Any other questions about the qualifications of these appointees?

[Argus]

I don't have a real problem with the appointments, I just expect it. What bothers me is the two faced Tory politics. They try to market themselves as a Canada's "New", accountable and honest government yet they are the same old shit.

Just who do you expect to be appointed to these positions? Anoymous farmers from Asshat Saskatchewan? Any party in power is going to choose mainly from those they know. I don't have a problem with that for these kinds of positions - provided the job needs doing, and the person appointed is capable, competent and works at it. The cost to the taxpayers in that respect is nil.

I do have a problem when jobs or positions are made up, or when people are appointed to important and highly paid positions for which they have no evident credentials or abilities. As in when you name a criminal like former Liberal cabinet minister Gagliano as ambassador, or an incompetent fool like former Liberal cabinet minister Paul Cosgrove to the judiciary, or when you make up a job, like former Liberal Speaker of the House Gilbert Parent, forced to resign over sexual harrassment charges, named Ambassador to the Environment.

The first is patronage, the second is corruption.

[margrace]

Well I am interested in their performanc. When the Tories were in power in Ontario they leased out the 407. Eves said there was a clause in it saying that levies could only be raised 2% a year but evedently there was a small * beside that statement.

They could be raised if the traffic increased over a certain percent. Fees have gone up 200% since then. The reason increase in use, the way it is figured, information not for public view. It is done by the leasing companies who have the lease until 2099 evidently and the new minister of finance was part of that goverment that signed that agreement. Also written into that agreement was that any private citizen who did not pay his dues owing would have his license taken away, this is managed by the leasing companies.

I think Harpers goverment is a Buyer Beware item

[Ricki Bobbi]

Just who do you expect to be appointed to these positions? Anoymous farmers from Asshat Saskatchewan? Any party in power is going to choose mainly from those they know. I don't have a problem with that for these kinds of positions - provided the job needs doing, and the person appointed is capable, competent and works at it. The cost to the taxpayers in that respect is nil.

This represents the biggest problem with the Liberals. They have spent ZERO time representing us. Their only claim now is that the Conservatives aren't "pure as the driven snow". Doesn't matter if they are 99 times more honest than the Liberals. Why aren't they 100%?