Tory Minister Racks Up $150,000

[jdobbin]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070506/...hidden_expenses

Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn spent almost $150,000 on rental aircraft flying around Quebec last year but didn't declare any of the flights as a travel expense, documents show.

In fact, the majority of the flights on privately hired planes don't show up anywhere in Blackburn's public disclosure of ministerial travel and were only revealed through an Access to Information request by NDP researchers.

NDP MP Pat Martin says it's all part of a "disturbing lack of transparency" in the minority Conservative government.

"We don't mind ministers spending. It's normal," said Martin. "We want to know how much and how."

This is sort of like Harper's make-up artist. It all reveals a lack of transparency.

The Conservatives were hoping to recover some of their lost support in the polls with new accountability legislation. Looks like the last batch of accountability isn't working.

[Figleaf]

Typical tory sleaze. Remember the Minister under Mulphoney who had a private limo drive her thousands of KM throughout France on her vacation?

[wolfd]

Typical tory sleaze. Remember the Minister under Mulphoney who had a private limo drive her thousands of KM throughout France on her vacation?

And then remember the Sponsorship Scandal of the Liberals? At $250 million we're talking REAL money.

[Figleaf]

Typical tory sleaze. Remember the Minister under Mulphoney who had a private limo drive her thousands of KM throughout France on her vacation?

And then remember the Sponsorship Scandal of the Liberals? At $250 million we're talking REAL money.

Heh. If you want to talk REAL money, how much was the AirBus deal worth?

[normanchateau]

Typical tory sleaze. Remember the Minister under Mulphoney who had a private limo drive her thousands of KM throughout France on her vacation?

And then remember the Sponsorship Scandal of the Liberals? At $250 million we're talking REAL money.

In the next election, Harper will actually have to defend his own record of sleaze and incompetence.

[jdobbin]

And then remember the Sponsorship Scandal of the Liberals? At $250 million we're talking REAL money.

So of course this little indiscretion is A-okay.

[normanchateau]

And then remember the Sponsorship Scandal of the Liberals? At $250 million we're talking REAL money.

So of course this little indiscretion is A-okay.

Didn't you know that in 2007 it's appropriate and noble to attack scandals under Jean Chretien's leadership but attacking scandals under the Stephen Harper government is evidence of being partisan?

[jdobbin]

Didn't you know that in 2007 it's appropriate and noble to attack scandals under Jean Chretien's leadership but attacking scandals under the Stephen Harper government is evidence of being partisan?

It will be an interesting day in Parliament on Monday.

[Michael Bluth]

It will be an interesting day in Parliament on Monday.

Indeed.

James Rajotte is introducting a private member's bill.

"An Act to amend the Criminal Code (identification information obtained by fraud or false pretence)."

Interesting stuff indeed.

[jdobbin]

In the next election, Harper will actually have to defend his own record of sleaze and incompetence.

And now he has to deal with three areas of accountability this week.

[Shakeyhands]

It will be an interesting day in Parliament on Monday.

Indeed.

James Rajotte is introducting a private member's bill.

"An Act to amend the Criminal Code (identification information obtained by fraud or false pretence)."

Interesting stuff indeed.

That'll be great! It sure will open up the issues of what was contained in said document obtained by fraud or false pretence!!!

[margrace]

Typical tory sleaze. Remember the Minister under Mulphoney who had a private limo drive her thousands of KM throughout France on her vacation?

And then remember the Sponsorship Scandal of the Liberals? At $250 million we're talking REAL money.

Yes but isn't the point that Harper said his government would be open and public and that this sort of thing would not happen if we elected him. What is past is past, it is the present we live in and judge by.

[normanchateau]

Typical tory sleaze. Remember the Minister under Mulphoney who had a private limo drive her thousands of KM throughout France on her vacation?

And then remember the Sponsorship Scandal of the Liberals? At $250 million we're talking REAL money.

Yes but isn't the point that Harper said his government would be open and public and that this sort of thing would not happen if we elected him.

I wonder how long it will take before Harper supporters rationalize this by saying that ALL governments are corrupt.

[stignasty]

An official from the Prime Minister's Office recently followed a journalist off Parliament Hill, then approached the reporter to challenge a story about the PMO's refusal to disclose how Harper's travelling hairdresser is being paid.

The official told the reporter three times that accountability measures are for crooks, not honest people.

It appears to be a theme in the Harper government.

While stressing the need for clear rules and transparency for others, the cabinet continues to tightly control information, censor documents and only selectively disclose ministerial expenses.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/05/07/...n-expenses.html

[normanchateau]

While stressing the need for clear rules and transparency for others, the cabinet continues to tightly control information, censor documents and only selectively disclose ministerial expenses.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/05/07/...n-expenses.html

Opacity is the new transparency in the New Government of Canada.

[Argus]

Typical tory sleaze. Remember the Minister under Mulphoney who had a private limo drive her thousands of KM throughout France on her vacation?

Sleaze? There isn't even a hint of misapropriation or that the use of the aircraft was inappropriate.

I think I'm seeing a pattern among the vocal Harper-haters. They honestly don't understand what corruption is. They really don't know. When Chretien was in power there was none, so far as they could detect. They still won't admit there was any. They've sort of heard about stories, though of course, they know none of it was true. But they've kind of picked up on the idea that "corruption" whatever it is, is a "bad" thing. And since Harper and his government are the anti-Christ to them, everything they do is "bad", thus "corruption" and "sleaze" become catchall phrases the left use at the slightest provocation.

Breathless reporter: "A source close to this reporter stated that the assistant messenger in the Finance department was undercharged a nickel on his coke and walked away without telling the cashier!"

Braying asses of the Left: "OH my God! The corruption and sleaze! The filth in this government are unbearable!! They're worse than Hitler! The minister needs to resign!"

[normanchateau]

I think I'm seeing a pattern among the vocal Harper-haters.

I wonder if the vocal Harper-lovers are exhibiting any discernable patterns or is their behaviour merely random?

[runningdog]

I don't see much wrong with chartering an aircraft, as Quebec is a large province and flying is the fastest way to get from point a to point b. In the grand scheme of things 15oK isn't that large a figure (neither is the amount spent on PSHs' hairdresser. I need the party to stick with their election promise of being transparent in gov't dealings if I am to consider voting PC again. When you are not transparent, people think you have something to hide.

[jdobbin]

Sleaze? There isn't even a hint of misapropriation or that the use of the aircraft was inappropriate.

Is it so hard to list expenses?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070507/...hidden_expenses

Federal Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn said Monday he can't do his job "by bicycle" but could not explain why his ministerial travel expenses failed to disclose a penny of almost $150,000 worth of charter flights last year.

The Conservatives have made a virtue of their ministerial frugality since taking office, but opposition MPs are now crying foul saying the government is simply hiding such expenses in different books.

Blackburn used the rental planes to tour Quebec as the regional economic development minister for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. But only eight of some 25 flights appeared in his quarterly "proactive disclosure" of expenses last year, and all eight listed air fare as zero.

Those eight flights alone actually cost taxpayers more than $93,000.

[Shakeyhands]

this is my favourite quote so far... look forward guys not back...

Clearly anxious to defend his name, he had not been allowed to respond to opposition queries during daily question period in the House of Commons.

Instead, House leader Peter Van Loan parried the opposition attacks by claiming that Liberal ministers of the past spent far more than their Conservative counterparts.

and what the CPC supporters here forget or are willfully omitting is:

The Conservatives have made a virtue of their ministerial frugality since taking office, but opposition MPs are now crying foul saying the government is simply hiding such expenses in different books.

It just screams "DON'T LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!!!!!!"

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/211380

[Who's Doing What?]

So Van Loan says Liberals of the past have done worse(spent more) than the CPC's of today.

Now why does that sound familiar?

[geoffrey]

Heh. If you want to talk REAL money, how much was the AirBus deal worth?

Didn't cost the Canadian taxpayer anything, we got our planes, we paid a set price. It was a reasonable deal by all means. There was never any investigative decision that charged Mulroney... nor will there ever be. A few Liberals have gone to jail after the findings of Gomery.

Beyond that, the Sponsorship scandal was actual fraudulent redirection of cash to elect Liberals in Quebec. It's far worse than any other Canadian political scandal.

Not that I'd use either to justify the activities of Mr. Blackburn, I think his resignation would be very appropriate, but a Quebec replacement is not evident. Hiding or failing to disclose expenses is simply unacceptable, and the minister needs to be held accountable for his actions (or lack thereof). I don't care if an aide prepares the report, at the end of the day, your responsible for your actions.

This was very irresponsible. As well, I question the use of private aircraft for this Minister, there better be a damned good reason. $150,000 worth? I think he'll be struggling to find reasons there.

[Argus]

So Van Loan says Liberals of the past have done worse(spent more) than the CPC's of today.

Now why does that sound familiar?

Uh, cause it's true?

[August1991]

This was very irresponsible. As well, I question the use of private aircraft for this Minister, there better be a damned good reason. $150,000 worth? I think he'll be struggling to find reasons there.

Everything I know about Jean-Pierre Blackburn is that he's an honest guy.

He has said that the expenses have been charged to other accounts of his department. (That's a common practice and yes, it's to disguise ministerial travel.)

He's been minister for over a year and $500/day strikes me as reasonable for air costs. Does this include the minister alone or anyone else?

This is far from Otto Lang territory or Pettigrew's chauffeur.

More generally though, is the best the opposition can dig up against the Tories?

[Fortunata]

Steve campaigned on honesty and transparency. Get it? .... h o n e s t y & t r a n s p a r e n c y. He also campaigned on MPs having more say and more independence. Is that the way it really is?