31 replies to this topic

[stopstaaron]

The last minister whom was found to be in conflict of interest was Lawrence MacAulay in 2002, he was forced to step down

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/cdngovernment/ethics.html
Wilson ruled former solicitor general Lawrence MacAuley breached conflict of interest rules by directing government projects and contracts to friends and family, leading to MacAuley's resignation.

Will Harper do the right thing here and tell him to step down from his post?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/22/pol-paradis-conflict-of-interest-commissioner.html

A Conservative cabinet minister broke federal rules and gave special treatment to former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer, the ethics watchdog said in a report Thursday.

Conflict of interest commissioner Mary Dawson said Christian Paradis broke the rules set out in the Conflict of Interest Act when he told officials at Public Works and Government Services, the department he headed at the time, to talk with Jaffer about his company, Green Power Generation.

"I believe that Mr. Paradis' inclination to help his former caucus colleague, while inappropriate, is easy to understand," Dawson said. "However, ministers are in a position of power and have a special responsibility to ensure that that power is exercised fairly and in a way that is open to all Canadians."

Edited by stopstaaron, 22 March 2012 - 10:31 AM.

[stopstaaron]

@RobertFife: Paradis claims Ethics ruling is an "educational tools to help us understand how conflict of interest rules work." #cdnpoli #ctvnews.ca

rofl.. imagine telling your boss that his/her conflict of interest rules are only meant to educate you on how the law works if you get caught

kind of like how Lacey on Corner Gas claimed the yellow light was just a suggestion to slow down

[Jack Weber]

That is so pathetic it's laughable...

If I go to work drunk off my a$$,can I then claim that the fact that I would be told I cannot show up for work drunk (in the very least!) an "educational experience"?

Edited by Jack Weber, 22 March 2012 - 02:59 PM.

[Topaz]

Nothing is going to happen to Paradis by Harper and we all know it. When you have a PM who has been charged with contempt of Parliament and does really care for Election Canada, the Tories MP know they can do anything and the PM will not come down on them, he hasn't it the past and he won't now. The Tories use the same excuse over and over again....I didn't know.

[RNG]

I am a staunch small c conservative, fanatically so. But Harper is pissing me off so bad.................

[August1991]

The irony here is that Paradis didn't tell department bureaucrats to "talk to" a businessman in the Beauce; he simply suggested that they meet with a Conservative ex-MP (and spouse of an ex-Conservative). As stand-up comedians would say, that's a throw-away line. (How does a minister get rid of people? Tell them to talk to a bureaucrat.)

If the CBC (and other assorted angry anti-Harperites) are trying to bring down The Man with this latest scandal, they are - as 19th century comedians would say - barking up the wrong tree.

21st Century Progressives: always ahead of their times.

Edited by August1991, 22 March 2012 - 08:28 PM.

[stopstaaron]

The irony here is that Paradis didn't tell department bureaucrats to "talk to" a businessman in the Beauce; he simply suggested that they meet with a Conservative ex-MP (and spouse of an ex-Conservative). As stand-up comedians would say, that's a throw-away line. (How does a minister get rid of people? Tell them to talk to a bureaucrat.)

If the CBC (and other assorted angry anti-Harperites) are trying to bring down The Man with this latest scandal, they are - as 19th century comedians would say - barking up the wrong tree.

21st Century Progressives: always ahead of their times.

a conflict of interest is a conflict of interest no matter how small or big

[jacee]

(How does a minister get rid of people? Tell them to talk to a bureaucrat.)

Nice try August ... but you've twisted it backwards:
Paradis (the BOSS) told his bureaucrats (employees) to talk to Jaffer.


... Christian Paradis broke the rules set out in the Conflict of Interest Act when he told officials at Public Works and Government Services, the department he headed at the time, to talk with Jaffer about his company, Green Power Generation.
"Mr. Paradis gave preferential treatment to Mr. Jaffer ...

Not to single you out August, but it's disturbing to me how little respect HarperCons have for laws, rules, standards and ethics, like they're just something to figure out a way around.

With all the blather and frothing at the mouth about 'law and order' ... but only as it applies to others, not to themselves apparently.

Pure hypocrisy.

[August1991]

a conflict of interest is a conflict of interest no matter how small or big

Huh? I see a difference between taking a hostage, and killing the hostage. I also see a difference between stealing a new Cadillac Eldorado and stealing a 1990 Hyundai.

stopstaaron, there is "crime" and then there is "crime".

[stopstaaron]

Huh? I see a difference between taking a hostage, and killing the hostage. I also see a difference between stealing a new Cadillac Eldorado and stealing a 1990 Hyundai.

stopstaaron, there is "crime" and then there is "crime".

your comparisons are too extreme

[August1991]

Not to single you out August, but it's disturbing to me how little respect HarperCons have for laws, rules, standards and ethics, like they're just something to figure out a way around.

With all the blather and frothing at the mouth about 'law and order' ... but only as it applies to others, not to themselves apparently.

Pure hypocrisy.

A minister simply told government bureaucrats to speak to a potential vendor.

What could be more innocent?

---

Jacee, I wonder why you maintain a blind trust in any government of the State - as if an NDP government would be any different.

Edited by August1991, 22 March 2012 - 11:12 PM.

[August1991]

your comparisons are too extreme

Extreme? Our federal criminal code wisely treats different crimes differently.

For example, I agree that our criminal code should be more lenient for "hostage-taking" than "murder". Why? If you were a hostage, the answer is obvious.

Edited by August1991, 22 March 2012 - 11:22 PM.

[waldo]

A minister simply told government bureaucrats to speak to a potential vendor.

What could be more innocent?

specifically with regard to Jaffer: Harper Conservative Minister Paradis contravened section 7 of the Conflict of Interest Act related to preferential treatment and subsection 6(1), which prohibits public office holders from making decisions that would place them in a conflict of interest.

if you move beyond the press release and read from the actual Ethics Commissioner's report, the Jaffer incident is but one of 8 separate and independent/unrelated instances where Paradis or his ministerial staffers engaged in offering preferential treatment for individuals/companies.

what could be more innocent, hey? But really, why have the Act? Why have an Ethics Commissioner, hey August?

[August1991]

what could be more innocent, hey? But really, why have the Act? Why have an Ethics Commissioner, hey August?

Precisely my point.

----

Our vote is the ultimate test of our politicians. But then, we must be informed. For information, I frankly prefer even supposedly independent journalists (MSM) rather than an "Ethics Commissioner".

Pierre Trudeau believed in counterweights - and he attempted to create them through the State. Nowadays, Trudeau is viewed as a naive lightweight - a dilettante.

But Trudeau's idea was not wrong. In this 21st century, the Internet is the ultimate counterweight.

Edited by August1991, 23 March 2012 - 12:19 AM.

[waldo]

Precisely my point.

yes, clearly... it was your entire point! Quite obviously, ethics means diddly squat to you, hey? I'm surprised you didn't follow your standard play and label the Conflict of Interest Act a leftist ploy intended to interfere with legitimate business/corporate interests!