Tories evade yet another accountability issue

[hiti]

The Tories' evasion of the screening rules

For all their preaching about ethics, the federal Conservatives have let expediency trump accountability in their quest for electoral success. As the Commons committee on citizenship and immigration learned this week, the Tories ignored the normal selection process in appointing their former candidate Raminder Gill as a citizenship judge last October. That arrangement conveniently cleared the way for Liberal-turned-Conservative Wajid Khan to run as the Tory candidate (supplanting Mr. Gill) in his Toronto-area riding in the next election.

It is an abuse of the trust that the Tories promised so fervently to restore during the last election campaign. And it makes a mockery of the normal appointments process, which includes a 15-page initial application form, a three-part written exam with both multiple choice and essays, in-depth reference checks and an intricate process of behavioural interviews. Instead, as Michel Simard, the senior judge who heads the Citizenship Commission, confirmed, the Tories simply issued order-in-council appointments to plunk Mr. Gill and three other candidates on the tribunals last Halloween without screening.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper turned accountability into a campaign centrepiece in January of 2006. As the Conservatives proclaimed, "Canadians' faith in the institutions and practices of government has been eroded" during the Liberal tenure. They vowed to do far better. -end quote

I can still hear the ranting and raving, foaming of the mouth, beating of the chest against "those scandaled Liberals" and how the saintly Tories would be more accountable.

So what have we here? The Accountability Act has given Steve more power to do what he wants without being accountable to Canadians. Steve changes any rules that get in his way of doing what he feel like doing.... in this case, making way for Khan to cross the floor by getting his competition out of the way by giving Gill a judgeship without going through the screening process set up by the Liberals in 2004 where appointments would be on merit and not patronage.

Steve is turning out to be a worse crook than those whom he vilifies.

[jdobbin]

I guess you've seen this article on Tory nominations?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070201/...nders_challenge

Bob Hawkes, who represents nearly a dozen disgruntled party members, said the acclamation of Anders in the Calgary West riding was unfair for a host of different reasons. "Every single decision that I can think of that the party made favoured the incumbent - without exception," Hawkes told the hearing in Alberta Court of Queen's Bench.

That included not allowing a full 30 days for the nomination process, starting on the Friday before a long weekend, not letting all party members know the nomination was ongoing and not trying to look for other candidates.

[Keepitsimple]

I guess you've seen this article on Tory nominations?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070201/...nders_challenge

Bob Hawkes, who represents nearly a dozen disgruntled party members, said the acclamation of Anders in the Calgary West riding was unfair for a host of different reasons. "Every single decision that I can think of that the party made favoured the incumbent - without exception," Hawkes told the hearing in Alberta Court of Queen's Bench.

That included not allowing a full 30 days for the nomination process, starting on the Friday before a long weekend, not letting all party members know the nomination was ongoing and not trying to look for other candidates.

Tempest in a Teapot. Rob Anders has won the riding by a large margin 4 times in a row. "Nearly a Dozen" could have been said more precisely as "eleven" but I guess it doesn't sound as big. These eleven are not MP's - they are riding association party members and while I don't have numbers, I'll bet there are at least 100 members in the riding - perhaps someone has the number.....so it sounds like a little group of stink-makers with a friend for a lawyer.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Tempest in a Teapot. Rob Anders has won the riding by a large margin 4 times in a row. "Nearly a Dozen" could have been said more precisely as "eleven" but I guess it doesn't sound as big. These eleven are not MP's - they are riding association party members and while I don't have numbers, I'll bet there are at least 100 members in the riding - perhaps someone has the number.....so it sounds like a little group of stink-makers with a friend for a lawyer.

11 members. What a freaking joke.

Despite his obvious faults, Rob Anders is a very strong organizer. Eleven party members can get themselves some press but that's about it.

Calgary is so solidly blue the media out here is always looking for some sort of crack in the wall. This is the best they'll be able to find this election.

[Canuck E Stan]

I guess you've seen this article on Tory nominations?

Hey! There's an American plane overhead, it's flying over Toronto. Etobicoke—Lakeshore to be exact.

A guy in a parachute is jumping out!

Why it's Michael Ignatieff.

Welcome to the Liberal nomination process Iggy.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Hey! There's an American plane overhead, it's flying over Toronto. Etobicoke—Lakeshore to be exact.

A guy in a parachute is jumping out!

Why it's Michael Ignatieff.

Welcome to the Liberal nomination process Iggy.

Or Billy Cunningham in Burnaby Douglas. Link

But if he can't get the nomination without the help of big daddy, how can Bill Cunningham win the election for the Liberal party

Ohhh, that's right. He lost the election!

Or John Bethel in Edmonton East, Dave Muti in Calgary Northeast, Ruby Dhalla in Brampton-Springdale. Link

All of these people were appointed as candidates over the objections of *more* than a dozen members in each of their respective ridings.

The Conservatives compare themselves with the Liberals over ethical issues because the contrast is so stark!

[Keepitsimple]

Hey! There's an American plane overhead, it's flying over Toronto. Etobicoke—Lakeshore to be exact.

A guy in a parachute is jumping out!

Why it's Michael Ignatieff.

Welcome to the Liberal nomination process Iggy.

Or Billy Cunningham in Burnaby Douglas. Link

But if he can't get the nomination without the help of big daddy, how can Bill Cunningham win the election for the Liberal party

Ohhh, that's right. He lost the election!

Or John Bethel in Edmonton East, Dave Muti in Calgary Northeast, Ruby Dhalla in Brampton-Springdale. Link

All of these people were appointed as candidates over the objections of *more* than a dozen members in each of their respective ridings.

The Conservatives compare themselves with the Liberals over ethical issues because the contrast is so stark!

Or Wajid Khan in Mississauga....oh no - he's a Conservative.

[Canuck E Stan]

Or Wajid Khan in Mississauga....oh no - he's a Conservative.

Khan didn't need a parachute.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Or Wajid Khan in Mississauga....oh no - he's a Conservative.

Khan didn't need a parachute.

Thanks for proving my point.

Yet again, the Conservatives compare themselves with the Liberals over ethical issues because the contrast is so stark!

[jdobbin]

Hey! There's an American plane overhead, it's flying over Toronto. Etobicoke—Lakeshore to be exact.

A guy in a parachute is jumping out!

Why it's Michael Ignatieff.

Welcome to the Liberal nomination process Iggy.

Good thing the Tory nominating process is so clean then, huh?

[Ricki Bobbi]

Good thing the Tory nominating process is so clean then, huh?

Uh, look at the contrast. *Almost a dozen* people complaining about Rob Anders and hints that there might be issues with Wajid Khan. Against numerous examples of problems with Liberal nominations.

Open your eyes and you'll see how wrong you are on this one.

[Who's Doing What?]

The Conservatives compare themselves with the Liberals over ethical issues because the contrast is so stark!

LMAO

Maybe once upon a time, but they are a two peas in a pod now.

[Who's Doing What?]

Good thing the Tory nominating process is so clean then, huh?

The CPC likes to wait for their MP's to get elected as Liberals first.

[geoffrey]

Anders needs to go, he's a major liability. He's never done anything positive for the party in the public non-conservative eye, and instead regularly comes up with negative words attached to his name.

The CPC should dump him now that they are given the chance.

[hiti]

Hey everyone... this discussion was not about candidates in a riding but about Steve appointing immigration judges without the normal appointments process, which includes a 15-page initial application form, a three-part written exam with both multiple choice and essays, in-depth reference checks and an intricate process of behavioural interviews.

Steve just says.... you're it. It is an abuse of the trust that the Tories promised so fervently to restore during the last election campaign. And it makes a mockery of the normal appointments process.

Steve is a worse crook than those he vilifies.