Two Tory scandals that aren't going away

There are many reasons why, pronouncements to the contrary, Stephen Harper is likely eager to have Canadians trek to the polls this fall. Beyond the obvious motivations, there are also two lingering scandals that’d he’d rather not have erupt before the campaign.

*The first is a real ticking time bomb, and it’s the Conservative election advertising “in-and-out” scandal. It may have slipped out of the headlines but this situation is still developing, and is far from over.

Conservative uber strategist Tom Flanaghan, who is to Harper as Karl Rove is to Bush, is flogging a book and so has been all over the media, saying lots of interesting things. Today, he talked about the alleged ad laundering scheme:

Tom Flanagan says it was only a shortage of money in 2004 that kept the Tories from employing the "in-and-out" money transactions that were used by the party in the 2006 election and are now under investigation by the federal elections commissioner.

He adds:

"It looked to me as if this is in conformity with legislation, but I don't claim to be an expert on it."

No, Tom, you’re not an expert. You know who are experts on election legislation? Elections Canada. The guys your party have taken to court for refusing to sign-off on your little scheme.

This line from the same article was also of note:

Three of the candidates have told the Citizen they believed the payments to the party were for national advertising, and one former candidate has said his campaign was compelled by party headquarters to join in.

So, while Conservative apologists continue to maintain these ads were local and all is above board, three of the candidates have admitted the obvious: these were national ads. Which blows the Conservative defence right out of the water. The fact national campaign was pressuring ridings to participate in this scheme is also troubling.

Speaking of candidates, the LPC has released a list of the 66 Conservative candidates they allege were potentially involved in the ad scheme. There are 17 elected MPs on the list (and five cabinet members), namely:

Dick Harris, Ron Cannan, Jim Abbott, Stockwell Day, Colin Mayes, Jay Hill, David Anderson, Patricia Davidson, Maxime Bernier, Sylvie Boucher, Daniel Petit, Steven Blaney, Jacques Gourde, Luc Harvey, Jose Verner, Christian Paradis and Lawrence Cannon.

Quite a few on the list are from Quebec. Wouldn’t help Harper’s promised Quebec breakthrough to have this scandal explode between now and a spring election, now would it?

*The other lingering issue the Cons have been able to sidestep without Parliament sitting, and would likely be able to keep on the backburner if the throne speech triggers an election, is the suppression of information by DND relating to Afghan detainees.

If you haven’t been following, the government’s mishandling of the Afghan detainee was one of the final nails in the defence minister Gordon O’Connor, now put out of his misery in the revenue portfolio, where he may never be seen again.

Likely looking to save the government, and DND, further embarrassment CDS Gen. Rick Hillier decided all detainee information would henceforth be classified for highly dubious “national security reasons” denying the public’s right to know. Not one Conservative elected official has yet come forward to support or condone what would appear to be a decision outside of Hillier’s purview. O’Connor dodged it until he was put to pasture, I’ve not heard a peep on it from McKay.

I was reminded of this issue again the other day reading this story:

Canada is still unable to account for at least 50 prisoners it captured and handed over to Afghan authorities, keeping alive concerns that some detainees could have been subject to torture.

This issue isn’t going away. The Liberals were out on front on this when it broke, and the NDP threatened to recall the defence committee over it, although they didn’t follow through on that threat.

If parliament were to resume this fall however and not be quickly dissolved for an election, I have no doubt the freedom of information issue will be the subject of heated hearings by the defence committee, which would no doubt call Hillier, O’Connor, Ward Elcock (since shuffled out of DND) to get an explanation into this mess, and figure-out just whom was running the show at DND. It would be an unhealthy media spectacle to say the least.

Two reasons why, no matter what he says in public, Harper may more than be happier to go to the polls this fall.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Harper endangering lives: 'analyst'

I don't believe that, but that's the impression one analyst leaves. In a CanWest piece looking back at Gordon O'Connor’s legacy in DND, two defence analysts try to put forward the view that, while he was a poor communicator, O’Connor was still a helluva minister.

I could take the time to pick that apart, but O'Connor is gone so no need to dwell on the past. I did, however, want to highlight this ridiculous comment from Brian Reid, executive director of The Ruxted Group, a Canadian military think-tank:

"He should not have been moved. We are in the midst of a counter-insurgency war. Lives are on the line. O'Connor had a grip on the department. Now you need to bring someone else up to speed, and no matter how smart that person is, there's a lot of learning required."

Indeed, how dare Harper move O’Connor when there’ s a war on? Lives are on the line! Follow that statement to his logical conclusion and he seems to be saying by moving O’Connor now, Harper is endangering lives. Indeed, changing governments until the troops come home is probably a bad idea, so let's cancel the next election too.

That's just crazy. I think the Army will be able to soldier on through this difficult transition period.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

What do Peter McKay and Stephane Dion have in common?

Neither have never served in the Armed Forces, and Stephen Harper won't listen to either of them on defence matters:

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Minister of National Defence is a veteran of the Canadian Forces. He has served this country courageously in uniform for 32 years. When the Leader of the Opposition is able to stand in uniform and serve his country, then I will care about his opinion of the performance of the Minister of National Defence.

You see, in Steve’s world only those that have served in the armed forces are qualified to comment on Canada’s military policies. Unless you’re the Prime Minister of course, in which case it’s no experience necessary.

So anyway, sorry Peter, but you’re not a veteran so Stephen doesn’t care what you have to say in your new job (ed. and he cares what his other ministers have to say?). At least this means more time to walk the dog. He misses you.

*I was an Air Cadet so I'm allowed to comment, but only superficially, and Harper will only pretend to care.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Whatever happened to the NDP's 10-day ultimatum?

Yes, bear with me, it's back to the O’Connor/Hillier detainee document classification scandal. Remember that? If you don't the government’s strategy of silence and stonewalling has worked. Such is how it goes when the HoC isn’t in session and the media have short attention-spans.

Anyway, you may remember that back a few weeks ago, after the Liberals had been pushing this issue for a week, NDP defence critic Dawn Black made a media splash by issuing a news release that promised unless O’Connor explained himself within 10 days…

…Black will make a formal request under Standing Order 106 (4) for the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence to convene and discuss this matter on 48 hours notice and to call such witnesses as it wishes including O'Connor, the Deputy Minister, the Chief of Defence Staff and all relevant officials involved in this decision.

That release was issued July 17^th. That’s 20 calendar days ago. Or 14 working days with the civic holiday factored in. Still, not a peep from O’Connor, let alone a formal letter of explanation. Their strategy is clear: keep quiet and hope it goes away.

And also not a peep from the NDP about the passing of the deadline, or Black making a formal request to call back the defence committee. I trust that will soon be forthcoming, and that the ultimatum wasn’t just intended to garner some quick and easy media headlines? Or maybe they just forgot to issue a release.

I’m disappointed this issue seems to have fallen off the Liberals’ radar too. It’s unfortunate, given that Denis Coderre was out in front of this a week before the NDP caught-on. If the NDP isn’t going to follow through on its threat perhaps the Liberals should. Because we can’t let this one go unchallenged.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

O'Connor's 10 days are up today

On July 17, the NDP joined the Liberals in drawing attention to the latest concerning actions at DND, namely General Rick Hillier’s clamping-down on previously available information on captured Afghan detainees and Minister Gordon O’Connor’s (continued) refusal to publicly explain why national security is being used as an excuse to save potential political embarrassment.

In her release, NDP defence critic Dawn Black gave O’Connor 10 working days to respond, or:

…Black will make a formal request under Standing Order 106 (4) for the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence to convene and discuss this matter on 48 hours notice and to call such witnesses as it wishes including O'Connor, the Deputy Minister, the Chief of Defence Staff and all relevant officials involved in this decision.

By my calendar, today is the 10^th working day, so that means O’Connor has until the end of the day to get back to Black, and Canadians, or Black will need to make good on her threat. And with the Cons having called back committees last week they have no right to complain about summer committee hearings.

We’re waiting Gordon…

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

I guess he's not a politician after all

Or at least, not a Conservative one. Good thing Rick Hillier is only the defacto minister or he’d be kicked out of Deceivin’ Steven’s cabinet for crossing the big guy like this.

Hillier though has come out and called the titular defence minister, Gordon O’Connor’s, plan to create 14 army reserve units in cities across the country militarily unnecessary. While Hillier doesn’t come out and say it, it’s clear what O’Connor and Harper are doing here, and that’s using defence spending to buy votes in selected regions across the country.

"We're not in the business of creating new reserve units," Chief of Defence Staff General Rick Hillier told the CBC. "We have sufficient units. ... We don't need new units."

O’Connor has been on quite the spending spree lately, dropping many hundreds of millions in military spending from coast to coast, although mainly in Quebec, where CPC fortunes have plummeted of late.

Alas, he still hasn’t found time to comment on the withholding from the public of previously available information in Afghan detainees Hillier. Any day now, I’m sure.

Stand on guard for thee

In the Globe article they included a list of military-related Con election promises, and their status in being kept. I found this one amusing. First, the promise:

An Arctic National Sensor System, including underwater surveillance technologies.

Alrighty, sounds interesting. Sort of like a SOSUS for the North I guess. And it’s status in being kept:

Mr. Harper is planning a northern tour this summer as part of an Arctic sovereignty campaign.

Umm. So is Harper like going to stand in an ice flow and look for intruders or something? Is he like a one-man sensor system or something? Me no follow.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

On talking points

Speaking on the war in Afghanistan, as part of the Conservative government’s new softer, not at all related to polling, line on the issue, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor was quoted today as saying:

Speaking on CTV's Question Period, he said the training of Afghan soldiers over the next four or five months will allow Canadians to take on a reserve role some time near the end of the Vandoos' tour, which concludes next February.“We're hoping that by the end of this rotation ... the so-called Vandoos rotation, we'll have about 3,000 Afghan Army operating in the Kandahar province,” he said.

“And as we train more and more of the Afghan army to carry out their own operations, we will continue to withdraw. With more emphasis on training … at some stage [we'll] basically be in reserve.”

Certainly all sounds hopeful, and I hope it’s true. But you know, if you close your eyes and replace Afghanistan with Iraq, that kind of sounds like Donald Rumsfeld talking. Because that’s the exact same line parroted by Rumsfeld with regularity, when he still had a job (and Gordo's days are numbered, the paralells are spooky).

Hopefully it works-out better for O’Connor than it did for Rummy. I at least like it better than “cut and run” and “against the war, against the troops” which were recycled Bush/Rumsfeld talking points that Harper and O’Connor were parroting last year.

After writing most of this post I came across this Liberal news release; I’m glad to see Liberal defence critic Denis Codere is on the same page:

Mr. Coderre also compared the Minister's remarks yesterday with those made two years ago by U.S. President George Bush. In August 2005, facing pressure for his policies in Iraq, the President said "We're also training Iraqis. Our troops will come home as soon as possible. 'As soon as possible' means when those Iraqis are prepared to fight. As Iraq stands up, our coalition will stand down."

"Again we see the Conservatives borrowing from the Bush playbook," said Mr. Coderre. "Canadians deserve better than this. If the goal of the Afghan army's sufficiency comes up empty in 6 months, will further rotations of Canadian troops also be emphasizing training instead of combat? The Minister must end the politically driven double-speak and present a clear and practical strategy for Canada's mission in Afghanistan."

More importantly

On another note, so I see O’Connor was on Question Period this weekend. It’s a shame those muckraking journalist hosts, Jane Taber and Craig Oliver, didn’t see fit to question Gordo on how his department’s decision to stop releasing previously available information, such as the number of detainees captured by Canadian soldiers, meshes with the CPC’s while accountability thing, not to mention hiding behind the troops to save political embarrassment by shouting national security.

I know some unnamed veteran citizens that would be interested in his answer.

Still waiting for an elected Conservative official to defend the decision…

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

NDP joins Liberal opposition to Hillier/O'Connor detainee cover-up

I was glad to see today that the NDP has joined the Liberals in speaking out against the Hillier detainee document clamp-down, and is calling for swift and immediate action. Following two releases from Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre over the past week, the NDP weighed-in with a release of their own on the topic yesterday.

The issue, of course, is the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Rick Hillier, issuing orders to not disclose previously available information on the number of Afghan detainees by Canadian soldiers, hiding behind national security, with the minister, Gordon O’Connor, hiding behind Hillier and refusing (or not being allowed to) defend the decision in public.

The first Liberal release was issued a week ago, and rightly called on the Information Commissioner to investigate the matter, filing a formal request with the commissioner and O’Connor:

“There is no doubt that it is in the public interest for the Information Commissioner to conduct this investigation. Canadians are asking questions about our mission in Afghanistan, and the only way to have an informed debate on the issue, is for all the facts to be laid out,” said Mr. Coderre.

“I have written to the Information Commissioner to request a formal investigation, and I have written to Minister O’Connor, asking him to take responsibility for what is happening in his department, and to reverse this politically motivated decision,” said Mr. Coderre.

The Liberals issued a second release on the matter yesterday, with O’Connor not having yet had the fortitude to address the mater publicly. The second release renewed the request for an investigation by the Information Commissioner, and called for O’Connor’s resignation:

"Enough is enough. The Minister has been the source of misinformation and confusion for too long. To avoid further exposure of his complete incompetence, he has been choking off access to legitimate requests about Canada's role in Afghanistan. He knows this is unacceptable and its time for him to go," said Mr. Coderre.

"Whether it's the cover up of the Department of Foreign Affairs report on torture in Afghanistan, or it's a blanket order to ignore the Access to Information Act, this runs against every accountability and transparency promise made by the Prime Minister in the last election campaign. Minister O'Connor can no longer hide behind his generals and his civil servants to keep Canadians in the dark about Canada's involvement in Afghanistan."

Following Coderre’s work on the issue over the past week, NDP defence critic Dawn Black released her own statement yesterday threatening to attempt to reconvene the HoC Defence committee and summon Hillier and O’Connor if O’Connor doesn’t explain himself:

“…these reports [of interference by the CDS] are concerning and I request that you advise me and relevant Parliamentarians as soon as possible as to the role the Chief of Defence Staff played in these decisions. If the reports are accurate, this would represent a major step backwards in accountability on the part of the Conservative Government, as well as a possible violation of the Access to Information Act and will have undermined the concept of civilian control over the military.”

I’m glad to see the NDP joining the Liberals in recognizing the importance of this issue and calling for action. Hopefully the BQ will come on board too and the opposition can be united here. This flagrant subjacation of Canada’s information and access laws for political ends cannot be allowed to stand, and whatever happens O’Connor has got to go.

Still hiding

And speaking of O’Connor, he still hasn’t summoned the courage to face the public on this, even through a spokesperson:

A spokeswoman for Mr. O'Connor could not confirm whether the minister had received the letter as of yesterday afternoon, but said all such requests are answered in a timely manner.

Conservative accountability: hiding behind unelected buracrats.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Is O'Connor muzzled, or just scared?

Sorry if it seems like I'm harping on this, but I think it's an important story that isn't getting the attention it deserves. Another day, and still no comment from defence minister (for now) Gordon O'Connor on the withholding from the public of previously available information in Afghan detainees ordered by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Rick Hillier.

As far as I can tell O’Connor has yet to comment on the decision, supposedly based on national security considerations, to withhold even the number of detainees captured by Canadian soldiers and turned over to Afghan authorities. Indeed, I don’t think any elected Conservative official has commented. Accountability indeed, Mr. Harper. Will the CPC hide behind bureaucrats all summer?

The decision to reverse course and stop releasing detainee information, which had previously served to deeply embarrass Deceivin’ Steven’s government and expose O’Connor’s incompetence, was announced by Hillier’s office. In a follow-up story, O’Connor’s office refused comment.

Today, DND trotted out another unelected official, deputy minister Ward Elcock, to defend the unprecedented decision which makes a mockery of Canada’s freedom of information and access laws.

“This is being done for one reason and one reason alone: to ensure there is no inadvertent release of information that could assist the enemy and put Canadian, allied or Afghan lives at greater risk,” the statement says.

Bullshit. I don’t want to put lives at risk; sensitive information on methods, procedures, strategy and so forth should be kept classified. But that information wasn’t released previously anyway. That’s a bait and switch.

Such simple information as the number of detainees captured is not in any way a security risk. That’s a laughable assertion. The national security excuse is a smokescreen. This is about politics, and the Conservatives should be ashamed to be hiding behind our troops and crying national security to avoid political embarrassment.

And O’Connor should be ashamed as well for hiding behind General Hillier, and now Ward Elcock, instead of stepping-up as an elected, accountable MP and Minister of National Defence and attempting to explain this policy to the Canadian people.

If you’re not muzzled, Gordon, step up and be accountable. And if Harper does have you muzzled (that’s my guess) just do the right thing and resign, because obviously you’re not able to do the job.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

A Gordon O'Connor sighting

I was just about ready to release the hounds in the hunt for Gordon O’Connor, rumored to be Canada’s minister of national defence, but he has turned up.

It seemed like he had gone to ground after General Rick Hillier decided to brush aside disclosure laws and the public’s right to know by refusing to release any information on Afghan detainees captured by Canadian soldiers, deeming even the number to be a national security issue.

The office of General Rick Hillier, Canada's top soldier, has halted the release of any documents relating to detainees captured in Afghanistan under the federal Access to Information Act, claiming that disclosure of any such information could endanger Canadian troops.

Noticeably absent from the news of the ridiculous decision, that seemed to have a lot more to do with saving Decievin’ Steven political embarrassment then national security, was any comment at all from Hillier’s boss, Minister O’Connor. A follow-up story the next day also had no comment from O’Connor’s office.

A spokesman for Mr. O'Connor had no immediate comment on the controversy.

But while his days in the job may be numbered, it appears O’Connor is still around. He was in my old stomping grounds in B.C. last week, politicking on an air force base (CFB Comox) and using the military as a backdrop for taking partisan shots at the Liberals (the riding went NDP in 2006 and the Cons want it back):

The federal government will spend $121 million on new construction -- including new living quarters and health-care facilities -- at 19 Wing Comox over the next 10 years.

Minister of National Defence Gordon O'Connor made the announcement at the base yesterday, saying the new spending would make up for the previous government's "years of neglect."

"I am here to demonstrate, once again, this government's support for our military -- and specifically for the brave men and women of our air force," O'Connor told a group of 19 Wing officers. "The future of this base is secure into the future as long as you can imagine."

I’m glad for the funding (wonder how much of it is old money and how much is new?) but the years of neglect line is simply a lie. Having lived down the road from CFB Comox for years, construction and investment on the base has been steady and consistent over the years. There is still work to be done for sure, but neglect is inaccurate. And the base’s future has always been secure; it’s the search and rescue hub for the West Coast. It’s not going anywhere.

Unfortunately, it seems none of the local media present at the O’Connor campaign stop asked the minister if he agreed with Hillier’s decision to withhold information on Afghan detainees, or how in the heck the number of detainees captured could possible be a national security concern.

Will Gordon be able to avoid the national media, and embarrassing questions, until Harper fires him later this summer? Time will tell.

In other news, Hillier says he’s not a politician. I guess he just plays one on TV.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Does O'Connor still have a job or what?

Like Rick Mercer, I've always liked our Chief of Defence Staff, General Rick Hiller. We've had our disagreements to be sure, but I like that he’s plain spoken and tough and stands-up for the troops. That’s what a good general should do.

And Hillier is a good general. But what he’s not is a politician. He’s our top soldier, and as such he shouldn’t be crossing into the political arena. He’s done it before, and these actions seem to be to be outside his purview as well:

The office of General Rick Hillier, Canada's top soldier, has halted the release of any documents relating to detainees captured in Afghanistan under the federal Access to Information Act, claiming that disclosure of any such information could endanger Canadian troops.

You’ll recall it was lies, obfuscations and confusion by DND and the Harper government on detainee disclosures that led to a lot of heartache for Deceivin’ Steven in the last parliament and probably ensured Hillier’s boss, defence minister Gordon O’Connor, won’t have the job all that much longer.

Never, however during the detainee disclosure gong show was security mentioned as a concern around revealing the information. But now…

In another e-mail on the same day, Lt.-Col. Clarke suggested it had been a mistake for DND to release information about detainees earlier and that the department was rethinking its disclosure policy.

So, they should never released it in the first place, they say. Security reasons, you see without explaining, as if that’s supposed to just end it. But Hillier has gone even further:

Even disclosure of the number of detainees captured by Canadian soldiers is now considered off limits, after the intervention of Gen. Hillier.

Is he serious with this? Even the number of detainees captured is now secret for security reasons? That stretches the plausibility of the security argument from weak to pathetic. It’s utterly ridiculous.

And why is this Hillier’s call in the first place? Guess what name doesn’t come-up one in this article? That’s right, there’s no mention of Gordon O’Connor. He’s still the Minister of National Defence right? Or did I miss a memo?

Assuming he is, this should be his call. Because he is the one that is elected and is (in theory) accountable to the people, and to the House of Commons.

And both O’Connor and Hillier and O’Connor should be called before the HoC Defence Committee to justify this trampling of the people’s right to know, and explain how knowing the number of detainees captured by Canadian soldiers could possibly be a security risk.

Because it seems to me, based on the last time they released this information, that the only security threat posed is to the security of Harper’s government.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Gordon says hells no, he won’t go

Which means of course that Gordon O’Connor’s days as Deceivin’ Steven’s minister of defence are numbered (a shuffle is rumoured to be imminent). And while as a Liberal I’m tempted to say keep him in there, as a Canadian I’d rather see someone competent in the rather important portfolio.

So, rather than re-cap the incompetent boobery of O’Connor in the defence portfolio, except to say I told you so, let’s turn instead to the matter of who replaces O’Connor at DND as Rick Hiller’s 2iC boss.

The Globe today has the official speculation:

Two senior cabinet members, Industry Minister Maxime Bernier and Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, have been touted as the most likely successors to Mr. O'Connor at Defence.

Mr. Bernier's name has been cited by Conservatives who believe a Quebec minister would make the best spokesman for the mission when the Quebec-based Royal 22nd Regiment deploys to Kandahar.

Mr. Day, meanwhile, is seen by many Tories as a surprise success because he has avoided major public pitfalls in a portfolio plagued with tricky issues and bad news, including a spate of RCMP controversies.

My eyes bulged a bit at seeing Stock’s name on the list. I’d just assume keep Day away from anything to do with guns myself. Granted, he hasn’t made a total ass of himself in his current portfolio. But then again, given the job performance of some of his cabinet colleagues, as long as he didn’t start flinging around his own droppings he’d look good by comparison. He hasn’t exactly excelled either though.

Then there’s Maxime Bernier. What is there you can say about Bernier? Well, he’s not Michael Fortier, so that’s a positive. He’s been low profile, hasn’t garnered much attention that I can recall. He did fight Fortier on the pork-barreling regional plums related to the Boeing contract; I give him points for that.

Why would Bernier want the job though? With the Vandoos on their way to Afghanistan a mission already unpopular in Quebec is going to become even more unpopular there. Why would you want to tar an as yet unblemished Quebec minister with this one? He would become the focal point for all the anger with the mission in the province, and he needs to not only get re-elected there, but have some coattails too.

So, who would I give the job to? Since I’m guessing I have to pick from the CPC caucus that’s though. Unless I can dangle the job to a floor crosser? Nah. Hmm, that’s tough then.

I’ve always felt young James Moore was deserving of a cabinet seat, but he should start smaller. While he hasn’t wowed in agriculture, Chuck Strahl is a decent, competent guy and is at least somewhat familiar with defence issues (the closed CFB Chilliwack was in his riding). Jim Prentice is another good performer but you probably want to keep him where he is right now, in Indian Affairs. Maybe it’s time to give Monte Solberg a bigger platform to sink or swim on; he’s been invisible in human resources.

I think Strahl would be an interesting choice though.

P.S. Might be a good time to name a new Liberal defence critic too. Just sayin'.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Belief stretcher of the day

This quote is actually from a piece in the Star yesterday, about the dismal performance of Con defence minister Gordon O'Connor, and how his cabinet days may well be numbered. However, it's ridiculous enough to share still.

The quote is from retired Army general Lewis MacKenzie, whom the paper forgets to mention is also a prominent Conservative supporter and a failed candidate for the party. Said MacKenzie on the O'Connor train wreck:

"I would imagine that the Prime Minister – and this is just speculation – is pretty happy with the performance of his defence minister," he said.

Say what you will about Decivin’ Steven there Lew, and lord knows I’ve said plenty, but he’s no dummy. He may well continue to resist calls to dump O’Connor but that will be because of politics and stubbornness and nothing else.

I’m quite certain that Harper is most definitely NOT happy with the performance of his defence minister. How on earth could he be? I won’t catalogue the long laundry list of O’Connor screwups, but suffice to say his bungling has created many a headache for Decivin’ Steven.

Lew, Lew. How can someone even deliver such a line without giggling?

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Agreeing with people

A busy day at work today left no time for blogging, and I've a busy night of hockey ahead of me tonight as well (go Canucks!) so let me be lazy and point to some posts by other bloggers today that I agree with.

*Firstly, I agree wholeheartedly with Ed Hollett. Stephane, Denis Coderre needs a new job and the Liberal party needs a new defence critic.

First, there was Coderre's embarrassing verbal jousting with Gen. Rick Hillier. Now, Denis is floating the idea of building a Canadian Forces base in New Brunswick solely for native soldiers. I mean, what the heck is that about? Did he run this past anyone before flapping his mouth? What would this achieve? Does he know anything about the military?

With all that is going on in the world we need a competent defence critic. It pains me to say it, but Coderre is succeeding in making Gordon O'Connor look good.

*Secondly, I agree with Glyn Evans. Conservatives, if you want to abolish the gun registry, then abolish it. And if you can't get the votes to do that, accept the will of the majority and keep it in place and effective, and heck, maybe even enhance its effectiveness.

But playing games by further extending the registration deadline is a slap in the face to the police that use it daily because you're making registry less effective, it's a slap in the face to taxpayers because you're spending more money on a program you're purposely making useless, and it's a slap in the face to democracy because you're circumventing the will of the majority of MPs that want the registry in place and effective.

Put-up or shut-up.

*Thirdly, I agree with Dan Arnold. Belinda Stronach will be missed by Blogging Tories the most. I've always defended Stronach because I've felt the attacks on her were (not unfair, that word is verboten, let's say...undeserved) but her most lasting contribution to public life has been providing oodles of blogging material. I wish her well, and hope she'll stay active pushing the issues she was passionate about, such as one member one vote and encouraging more women to enter political life.

And speaking of blogging material, I look forward to seeing how all those Conservative commenters that have always derided Stronach as useless will now spin her departure as a mortal loss and blow to the Liberal Party.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers