On Friday, we learned that the RCMP will not be laying charges against Nigel Wright for writing a cheque to Mike Duffy in the amount of some $90,000 and change. The CPC, and the PMO, seem to think that this is some kind of exoneration. Nothing could be further from
Continue readingTag: Senate Expenses
The Cracked Crystal Ball II: Stealing Democracy Part X: How Far Does The Rot Go?
There is no doubt any more that Bill C-23 is deliberately designed to enable the CPC (or other political parties) to engage in the kind of electoral fraud that the CPC has attempted, and been caught out at repeatedly in the past. Worse, it goes so far as to politicize
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Senate Expenses Mess Continues
So, a bunch more Conservative Senators have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. In one case, Senator Scott Tannas of Alberta billed $12,000 to taxpayers to fly himself and his wife in executive class to Ottawa for a two-day trip. Another senator, from Toronto, was one of
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Deflect, Spin, Misdirect: Preston Manning and the PMO
Apparently, Preston Manning must have received new orders from the PMO. In yesterday’s Globe and Mail, we found Mr. Manning opining on the supposed issue of ethics in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. The upshot of Manning’s arguments is that the whole Duffy affair wouldn’t have happened if the Parliamentary Press
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: If Nigel Wright is a "Hero" …
According to Christie Blatchford, Canadians apparently should revere Nigel Wright and his actions in the Senate Expenses mess. I don’t believe that Mr. Wright was acting in a knowingly criminal manner – I have always thought that he believed firmly that he was acting within the bounds of his job
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: How Shocking …
So, apparently the PMO has “found” a bunch of e-mails that they previous claimed had been deleted. The emails of Stephen Harper’s former legal advisor were not deleted when he left the Prime Minister’s Office, according to a letter sent from the Privy Council Office (PCO) to the RCMP. Benjamin
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: I’m No Expert On Aboriginal Issues …
But I’m pretty sure that the Harper Government(tm) isn’t doing it right. Carolyn Bennett has an excellent article on Huffington Post today on the subject in light of the most recent bunch of documents to be released from the RCMP’s investigation into the Senate mess: We now know the
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: As Predicted
Mike Duffy is releasing the next bits of information linking this whole steaming mess back to Harper’s doorstep (or his desk). Senator Mike Duffy’s lawyer has begun turning over hundreds of emails to the RCMP following a request by the Mounties last Friday to hand over documentation that may prove
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: That Was A Tactical Error
Last night, Canada’s Senate voted to suspend three of its members. Senators were allowed to vote separately with these results: On the motion to suspend Brazeau without pay, 50 yeas, 29 nays, 13 abstentions. On the motion to suspend Duffy without pay, 52 yeas, 28 nays, 11 abstentions. On the
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Harper: "I’m Not Responsible"
Stephen “I’m All About Everybody Else’s Accountability” Harper is trying to deflect responsibility for the actions of his PMO staff in the Senate Scandal. “The Senate should do the right thing now and suspend those senators without pay!” Harper told a crowd of 3,000, according to estimates from Conservative party
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Why Harper Will Never Reform The Senate
Protestations aside, Harper will never reform Canada’s Senate. Harper’s 45-minute remarks included only a brief reference to the main political headache that has shaken his party since May, the Senate expense scandal. He did not acknowledge the coverup allegation that has kept the controversy in the headlines. The party leader
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Harper’s Eyes Wide Shut Moment
As the Senate Expenses Scandal unfolds, Canadians are seeing the consequences of the culture that Harper has fostered in the CPC in his drive to gain power. When Harper set his sights on power, specifically on making the CPC “Canada’s Natural Governing Party” for the coming decades, he decided
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: There Is No Honour Among Thieves
Make no mistake about it, I have little sympathy for Mike Duffy. When I caught wind of his political aspirations several years before he became a Senator, he ceased to be among the journalists that I had much respect for. That said, Duffy’s last couple of speeches in the
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Duffy’s Testimony Before Canada’s Senate
Full Text Read it. It’s a bombshell that very clearly ties Harper into this whole scheme. It doesn’t make any of the parties involved look good – in fact in many respects it makes Duffy look pretty low too – which is part of the reason I suspect that he
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: More On Duffy and Conservative Corruption
I must admit that while I really don’t much like Mike Duffy and the seemingly endless stream of evidence of corruption with him at the root of it is fatiguing to read about all the time, it is still an important issue. I am not going to argue about Senate
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Rot Starts At The Top
Regular readers of this space will know that I am no fan of Prime Minister Harper. Yesterday’s revelation that a “boot camp” for new Conservative Senators explicitly told the new Senators that partisan travel was a legitimate expense makes me downright furious. Three former Conservative senators at the heart of
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Legitimacy Of Harper’s Senate Appointees
With the latest set of revelations in the ongoing Senate Scandal, we find out that Senator Wallin spends the majority of her time living in Toronto. Frankly, I don’t much care where Ms. Wallin lives. That is largely her business – except for that part of her life where she
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: On The Ongoing Senate Scandal
As the summer wears on, more keeps dribbling out about the misdeeds of various Senators. Whether we are talking about Wallin, Duffy or Brazeau the outrage that we direct towards these senators for their individual misdeeds should be directed in equal measure towards the man currently residing at 24 Sussex Dr.
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