Readers of the Northern
Plains Drifter will know that I do not have many good things to say
about Canada’s Conservative Government. Indeed, I rarely even have a good
thought about conservatives in general, except that sometimes they leave the
room.
So it may come as a surprise to read that I am about to make
a case in support of Stephen Harper’s talents as not just a shrewd political
tactician, but as a Leader Extraordinaire!!
Before you gag, read on!
Why would I think that in only seven years the man who has
single-handedly ruined Canada’s international reputation on so many major issues
is an extremely talented Prime Minister? Why would I write about the abilities of the one person who has done more to implement the neoliberal agenda into Canada's body politic than anyone else? For one simple reason: his cabinet has
got to be far and away the weakest group of ministers this country has ever had
the misfortune to experience!
Okay, I am not going to highlight BEV ODA, she of the sordid 16-dollar
glass of OJ saga. Oda was worse than useless but fortunately Canadians have seen the
last of her. (Or at least I hope we have - we must NOT let Harper give Ms. Oda a plum Senate
position!! It is bad enough with Harper’s latest batch of appointed senators:
Brazeau, Wallin and that Duffy guy.) I will also not focus on that extremely
incompetent Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, JOHN DUNCAN. He took
himself out of cabinet as the Idle No More movement made his life uncomfortable
earlier this year. And let's also forget about former Intergovernmental Affairs Minister, PETER PENASHUE, the guy who clearly cheated to win the Labrador riding in 2011. (Penashue accepted $48,000 in illegal corporate donations, overspending by $40,000 ... and managed to win by only a handful of votes. The fact he is already campaigning for a by-election not yet called speaks volumes about his character, and Harper's.)
Because of time and space constraints, let’s take a look at
only a dozen of Harper’s fellow cabinet minions, er ... ministers.
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Let’s begin with the Minister of National Defense, PETER MACKAY. This is the fellow who once suggested that the grand old blowhard himself, Don
Cherry, run for the Conservatives. But worse, much worse in fact, this is
the guy who told Canadians just before the last federal election in May 2011
that this set of stealth jets, the F-35s, were going to cost a cool $14 Billion
when he had a figure of $25 Billion!! (Sure, the figure is now pegged at $45
Billion, forcing the Cons to finally scrap the deal, but why did MacKay think
it was fine to lie to Canadians? Did he think the public would not find out? Or did he think we would not really care? (He could be right as many do not follow politics enough.) It is also noteworthy that MacKay's F-35 photo op cost taxpayers $47,000!
What about the Minister of Small Business and Tourism, MAXIM
BERNIER? It wasn’t enough that this guy was bringing his girlfriend, an
ex-Hell’s Angel "babe", to Ottawa social functions. Bernier was leaving
secret classified government documents laying around her apartment and at airports. Top secret, indeed!
Now let’s move it over to BIG VIC TOEWS, the Minister of
Public Safety. This is the same guy who once told Canadians that if they did
not want people such as him reading our e-mails, then we must be supporters of
child pornographers! After all, Big Vic wanted us to know that he was a devout
and pious man, that we were in good hands with him reading our e-mail. Of
course, we soon found out that the wife of our Minister of Public Works had
left him because the Vicster had been having repeated sex with the teenaged
baby-sitter of their three young children. (This occurred over a 3-year period,
and Minister Toews was three times the babysitter’s age. No matter - she had reached the age of consent. Whew!) A friend predicts that this is going to increase the number of votes he gets next election, but I think that rural Manitobans cannot support this Toews guy much longer. I certainly hope so!
Toews and the Minister of Natural Resources, JOE OLIVER, and
with the help of the Minister of the Environment, former TV anchorman PETE KENT, had the gall to work out a strategy that marginalizes environmental groups
and concerned citizens. First, they were labeled “radicals”, then as “agents
of foreign socialist billionaires”, and finally as “eco-terrorists.” (Take a
look for yourself: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawas-new-anti-terrorism-strategy-lists-eco-extremists-as-threats/article2334975/?service=mobile)
Once the groups were sufficiently handcuffed, the Con government went ahead and
pushed through massive 425-page pro-corporate budget bills that also gutted environmental
assessment!
Moving along, I think Canadians should be very concerned
that Harper continues to utIlize a would-be comedian, GERRY RITZ, to sit in as
Canada’s Agriculture Minister. Ritz is the guy who tried to make some lame
jokes out of the 20 deaths caused by a listeriosis outbreak at a meat packing plant back in 2008. (For more on what this Ritz guy has done for Canadians, see http://northernplainsdrifter.blogspot.ca/2012/10/a-new-post-on-northern-plains-drifter.html.)
This past summer we again had to endure this Ritz guy in his
role as Agriculture Minister when he worked overtime to protect the virulently anti-union XL Foods during an E.coli outbreak at their Alberta plant. Calling Ritz incompetent may rank as the understatement of the year. (See http://northernplainsdrifter.blogspot.ca/2012/10/xl-foods-poster-child-for-all-that-ails.html.)
As I have mentioned before, Ritz has done more to promote the tofu industry
than any west coast vegan lover could ever hope to do!
What about this guy? Do I need to remind you that in
2010 Canada’s Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for
Northern Ontario, TONY CLEMENT, took $50 Million of our tax dollars to spruce
up his riding with gazebos and sidewalk upgrades? Why? Apparently it was because the G8 was taking
place an hour away! It is quite ironic that Clemens is also the President of
our National Treasury Board. That’s $50 million of our tax dollars he took!! (Clemens' egregious behaviour was so outlandish that I want you to see for yourself: http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/06/‘rules-were-broken’-over-g8g20-summit-spending-auditor-general/.)
CHRISTIAN PARADIS, the Minister of Industry, used to be the
Minister of Public Works. While in that position, he had well-entrenched ties
to Quebec’s corrupt construction industry officials, as well as the Montreal
mafia. He was even the guest of honour at their banquets. (See http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2012/07/15/public-works-minister-ethics.html
and http://pushedleft.blogspot.ca/2010/10/harper-government-may-have-ties-to.html)
(This blog post is getting long, so I will speed up
describing the caliber of the rest of Harper’s Dirty Dozen, a select group of Cabinet Minions.)
DIANE FINLEY, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills
Development, demonized the unemployed by stating that some Employment Insurance
recipients were cheating Canada out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Of
course, neither Finley nor the CON government have focused on rooting out the
Tens of Billions of dollars in unpaid taxes each year by Canadian mega-corporations. Yes, that is over $20 Billion a year that large corporations refuse to pay!
And ex-cop JULIAN FANTINO, Canada's Minister of International
Cooperation, incurred the wrath of the U.S. State Department and the United
Nations when he declared that Canada should freeze payments to Haiti. (Yep, blowhard Don Cherry blew hard in support of Fantino's move: "It's not rocket surgery," said Cherry.) Why did Fantino want to stop helping the Haitians? Apparently, he was incensed at the amount of
garbage he saw strewn about Haitian streets, and claimed it was out of concern for the taxpayer. (If Fantino really was concerned about needless spending, he should have stopped his buddy Clemens from building the gazebo!) Now we see Fantino in hot water yet again because he is using the taxpayer funded CIDA website to attack the opposition. The guy is clearly incompetent to be our Minister of International Cooperation.
Then there is RONA AMBROSE, the Minister for the Status of
Women, who recently voted for Motion 312, a bill designed to re-open the
abortion debate in Canada.
What about the Minister of Labour, LISA RAITT? This
virulently anti-union Labour Minister seems so over-the-top trigger happy to
order striking workers back to work that she often announces her lust for this
strategy before the union and management have had any time to negotiate.
Do these Con Ministers even look at the title of their portfolios??
Clearly, Minister Ratt is Anti-Labour in the same way that Minister Ambrose is Anti-Women. This is the same way that Minister Kent is Anti-Environment as he pushes harder and harder for unregulated Tar Sands expansion. It is also very similar to Human Resources Minister Diane Finley being Anti-Human Resources. And Fantino is clearly not into Cooperating on the international stage.
Clearly, Minister Ratt is Anti-Labour in the same way that Minister Ambrose is Anti-Women. This is the same way that Minister Kent is Anti-Environment as he pushes harder and harder for unregulated Tar Sands expansion. It is also very similar to Human Resources Minister Diane Finley being Anti-Human Resources. And Fantino is clearly not into Cooperating on the international stage.
Oh, let’s make it a baker’s dozen of Con Cabinet Minions!
Check out the scientific beliefs of our Minister of Science, GARY GOODYEAR! See
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2009/03/18/tech-090318-gary-goodyear-evolution-scientists.html
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Harper obviously has a problem judging character. I have
already mentioned his senate appointees like Brazeau, Wallin and that Duffy guy.
But Harper’s recent political advisor was none other than a fraudster named Bruce
Carson, who has since been charged with influence-peddling on behalf of his 22-year
old girlfriend. (Carson is pushing 70.) Moreover, Harper’s long-time advisor
and political mentor is none other than Tom Flanagan, some guy from Chicago who
called out to the world his desire to have someone assassinate (!) Julius
Assange for Wikileaks, but to go easy on men who look at child
pornography. These are the kinds of
people Harper chooses as his advisors.
Harper clearly does have trouble judging character. But I believe the reason he has so many incompetent cabinet ministers is because there really is not very much talent in the 165-member Conservative caucus.
Harper clearly does have trouble judging character. But I believe the reason he has so many incompetent cabinet ministers is because there really is not very much talent in the 165-member Conservative caucus.
To be fair to this Conservative juggernaut, Harper does seem to have
three high rollers in his cabinet. Although I have extreme trouble accepting
Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird as Canada's representative at the UN and on other international stages, he seems to be able to handle the big time. (That said, even Baird can be humiliated. See http://pejnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9056%3Aminister-john-baird-embarrassed-in-amman-jordan-by-questions-related-to-canadian-domestic-and-international-policy&catid=74%3Aijustice-news&Itemid=216.)
And although I feel that all of us will one day pay dearly for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s economic policies, Harper can trust the guy to do his bidding without any embarrassment. The same goes for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. But Harper only has these three to help him out. I contend that the other 33 cabinet ministers are so weak that taken collectively, they comprise the weakest cabinet in Canadian history!
And although I feel that all of us will one day pay dearly for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s economic policies, Harper can trust the guy to do his bidding without any embarrassment. The same goes for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. But Harper only has these three to help him out. I contend that the other 33 cabinet ministers are so weak that taken collectively, they comprise the weakest cabinet in Canadian history!
Stephen Harper has been the Prime Minister of Canada for
over seven years now, with a guarantee of two more years. With a split in the progressive vote, he might even get
another majority government which would keep him at 24 Sussex for at least 13
years!
Harper is pushing the corporate conservative agenda onto Canadian society and our
democratic traditions. And he is doing this as the leader of a mostly inept group
of suburban ex-cops, salesmen and saleswomen … with the odd country yahoo thrown in the mix! No mean feat that. This is why I think he is an extraordinarily brilliant leader.
In fact, Stephen Harper may even be the most skillful Prime Minister Canada has ever had! Sad, but very possibly true. But maybe I do not know enough about the Conservative Party of Canada. Perhaps Stephen Harper is nothing more than a political Svengali. One thing is for certain: most of his cabinet ministers behave as though they are his minions.
In fact, Stephen Harper may even be the most skillful Prime Minister Canada has ever had! Sad, but very possibly true. But maybe I do not know enough about the Conservative Party of Canada. Perhaps Stephen Harper is nothing more than a political Svengali. One thing is for certain: most of his cabinet ministers behave as though they are his minions.
Nice idea (and all too rare) to spread the blame for the Cons among Harper's cabinet rather than simply demonizing Harper himself. However, I have difficulty seeing Jason Kenney as a "strong" minister given his policy to kick out Romanies to Hungary where fascists beat and kill them on the pretext that the place is to be safe. Kenney is a bully, not a strong minister!
ReplyDeleteOh, I could not agree with you more about Kenney's racist policies toward the Roma people. I feel also shame when I think of Baird representing Canada and his position toward Palestinian issues. And to be honest, I feel quite similar about Flaherty's classist and pro-corporate neoliberal policies.
DeleteI suppose I am saying that these three - Baird, Kenney and Flaherty - are real cabinet ministers while the rest of them appear to be nothing but cabinet MINIONS. I want to make my position clear - I do not want ANY of them in cabinet, regardless of their competence levels. They are corporate (!) conservatives, and I believe that particular brand of conservatism to be antithetical to civil society.
I only meant to suggest that these three are competent enough to not embarrass Harper and conservatives across the land because they are arrogant enough, dare I say they are bright enough, maybe it is just they are slick enough, to enact policies all progressive Canadians disagree with.
My point is that these three ministers do not bring embarrassment to the Conservative cause, like say, Vic Toews did when he said that we must support his surveillance bill of our e-mails OR we must agree with child pornography.
I mean, seriously.
I wonder if it's your deliberate intention to preach to the progressive choir or whether it's your intention to win over those who may feel some untoward benevolence towards conservatives and perhaps just need things spelled out more clearly and forcefully so they can see what is really going on in order to take some smart and clear-headed political action against the status quo.
ReplyDeleteWhat evokes this wonder is your opening comment about the paucity of good thoughts about conservatives, except that they sometimes leave the room. Perhaps this is not the strongest diplomatic tactic if you are trying to win friends and influence people from the "other side"; however, if the intention of this blog is to vent to likeminded people, I desist.
You make a very good point. Perhaps I should not have said that I appreciate conservatives the most when they leave the room (although it really is how I feel about 97% of them). I suppose I see most as ideologues.
ReplyDeleteMy blog is really to try to get those mostly apolitical people to see that corporate conservatism is bad for civil society, even worse than bad. The Harper Cons seem to be able to stay between 33% to 39% of decided voters. If we can get more Canadians to vote, perhaps we can send ALL Con MPs out of the room known as the House of Commons.
Wouldn't that be nice!
I know I said that Jason Kenney does not embarrass the conservative movement in Canada very much (although it is certainly embarrassing to me to have this guy as our Immigration Minister). But now that we have learned that RBC has replaced a significant number of its Canadian workers with people in India so that they can add to their $6 Billion profit margin, maybe Kenney is going to be in the hot seat!
ReplyDeleteThe guy should be, that's for sure.
(By the way, I may need an update on the $6 Billion profit margin for RBC this past year. Is it more than that disgusting figure?)
The whole (200 000 person per annum!) "temporary" foreign workers scheme is an scourge on Canadian society. It's obvious that if we had a living wage in this country, this "need" for foreign workers (and the ability to take advantage of them) would miraculously evaporate.
ReplyDeleteI like the concept of a living wage for workers, in Canada and elsewhere. Unfortunately, such a concept goes against the grain of corporate conservatives like our current federal government.
DeleteIt really is all about ideology, isn't it.
I find it interesting that the Nordic countries of Europe firmly support the living wage concept, and these countries are also at the top of the "happiness" index on repeated international studies.
Yet, if you ask a typical Canadian or American about the Scandinavian form of social democracy, they will say something to the effect of how high the taxes are in those countries, as if by saying this they dismiss any connection to living wages, civil society, and the overall happiness of individuals.
Hegemony sure is a powerful thing!
Watch "At Issue" on the muzzling of MPs: http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/indepthanalysis/atissue/story/2013/03/28/thenational-atissue-032813.html
ReplyDeleteThank you for this suggestion! I will try to watch this.
DeleteYes, Mr. Harper has been muzzling his backbenchers as well as most of the cabinet ministers. And as has been well documented, he is muzzling the scientific community, as well. And as I mentioned in my blog post above, he and his people have done their best to marginalize and silence any and all citizens concerned with the degradation of our environment.
It is all very (!) undemocratic. I am very much concerned about these anti-democratic initiatives implemented by the Harper regime.