Monday, August 24, 2015

Under His Thumb?

                                                   http://www.banklawyersblog.com/.

Given evidence which emerged last week at the Duffy trial, the NDP's Charlie Angus has written to RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson, asking why Nigel Wright was not charged with offering a bribe. Could it be that the Commissioner is under Mr. Harper's thumb? Given the record, Michael Harris writes, it's beginning to look like the entire force may be acting as Mr. Harper's private security detail:

The hallmark of the Harper era has been an attempt by the government to take ownership of all federal human assets in a degrading and political way. Civil servants have been used as props in fake TV news items. The justice department has drafted a string of unconstitutional legislation reflecting the CPC’s ideological agenda. Federal scientists have been muzzled like unruly dogs.

But one of the most disturbing elements of this tyrannical capture of every aspect of the machinery of government is the increasingly partisan behaviour of the RCMP. The Force has been used against

Harper’s political enemies, often without a shred of real misconduct on the table.
Helena Guergis was harassed for three months by a seven-member team of Mounties who found absolutely no truth to the criminal (and defamatory) allegations laid out in a letter written for the PM by Novak to the Commissioner of the RCMP.

The Force has never explained why that investigation got off the ground when all of the allegations were not only spurious but originated with highly dubious sources. In fact, Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson directly called the source of the allegations against Guergis and decided on the spot there was no grounds for an investigation.

Bill Casey, the former Conservative MP and now Liberal candidate was thrown out of caucus because he would not agree to changes in the Atlantic Accord made unilaterally by the Harper government. Casey wasn’t just being grumpy. He had consulted with officials in the department of justice and they provided him with written opinions that the agreement had in fact been altered.

In a personal meeting with Casey, Harper dismissed the legal opinions with the view that the words meant what he, the PM, said they meant. Either Casey voted for the budget or he was out. When Casey chose to run as an Independent, he was faced with an RCMP investigation alleging that he had stolen funds from his former Electoral District Association.

As with Guergis, it was an entirely baseless accusation. But neither the government nor the RCMP showed the slightest remorse, even though Casey the victorious Independent MP raised the matter in the House of Commons and demanded an apology. He is still waiting for it.

And, recently, we discovered that the Mounties had shredded documents from the gun registry, even though the Information Commissioner was conducting an active investigation which required access to those documents. The government's most recent omnibus budget bill contained a clause absolving the Mounties from any illegal activity.

If the national police force is the servant of the prime minister and not the servant of the people, we are in deep, deep trouble.

16 comments:

Rural said...

As has been said before Owen, it all shows a very scary parallel to the early days of another dictatorial regime in the 40s which 'did not end well' for anyone......

Anonymous said...

Are we ignoring the G20 use of police under Harper? They were Toronto police under the supervision of the RCMP.

Owen Gray said...

It's a well established pattern, Rural. We should be smart enough to recognize it.

Owen Gray said...

Yet another example of more of the same, Anon.

Dana said...

And now, with C-51, they have at their disposal powers that rival those once wielded by East Germany's STASI.

Any new government should immediately dump Paulson and initiate a complete top to bottom reorganization of the force.

They should no longer be part of the armed forces for sure.

In the US there is a law called Posse Comitatus which limits the ability of the federal government to deploy the armed forces as law enforcement.

In Canada we are policed by what amounts to a fourth branch of the armed forces and now their powers have very few constraints.





Owen Gray said...

Harper tries to cover all his weak spots, Dana. And, like a true paranoid, he tries to cover all of them.

Kim said...

In BC the RCMP have interfered in three elections, if not more. Investigating and raiding Glen Clark, Mike Harcourt and failing to investigate Gordon Campbell after the infamous raid on the BC Legislature. They found two minor scapegoats and failed to investigate those who gave the orders. This is not new, but it is very serious. Now, Wright is not charged with bribery, but Duffy is?

Owen Gray said...

It would appear that the RCMP has chosen to investigate those it deems enemies of the state, Kim.

Mogs Moglio said...

Same smell different story BC rail sale gets investigated for 'bribery etc' Gordon Campbell [heavily involved in the scandal] he resigns over the HST scandal but gets rewarded with a cushy job appointed by Harper. Since 2011, he has been the Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and since 2014 has also been Canada’s Representative to the Ismaili Imamat. No punishment for Gord. Christy Clark was investigated by the RCMP for being the go-between between CN Rail and the Campbell government [also heavily involved] is not elected but gets handed the reins to the Campbell Government when he resigns [nice reward]. Is never punished either. Basi and Virk become the fall guys they could not have acted alone without direction from above. Same with Michael Sona he is just the fall guy. Christie's first election she looses bye-bye right? Wrong she pulls a stunt where she holds a run-off election in the Westside-Kelowna riding she never had a home there she lived in Vancouver-Point Grey where she lost. The fellow that won in a landslide Ben Stewart was bumped [his wife was extremely upset she told the press] so Clark could win in a predominantly Liberal riding. Ben got a cushy job and has been appointed to a $150,000-a-year job as B.C.’s new investment and trade commissioner to Asia appointed by Clark.

Fast forward to present Harper claims Novak knew nothing Perrin's memory says that Novak was in on the deal. Harper wants Duffy to be the 'fall guy' this time around. Poor Mr. harper looks like the Duff ain't going down without a fight that will smear the PMO and Harper bringing the whole mess home to roost. We are being had by all governments of every level in Canada we are looked upon as 'The Feeding Trough' to be bled dry for personal agenda's. When will the die-hard federal Cons and BC Lie-berals wake up and smell the coffee? Look at Canada's largest city Toronto taken over by a gang of crooks the Ford fiasco. Allison Redford of Alberta con fame? I could go on and on. Steven Joe Harper books have been dedicated to his criminal ties and wrongdoings on the foul side of the law. What is wrong with this picture when the RCMP aids and abets all these criminal politicians who do what they want and to hell with Canadian Law The Constitutions The Bill of rights and The Charter of rights and Freedoms...

We live in the west's most vile and corrupt dictatorship wake up now Canadians...

Unknown said...

Every dictator needs to have the military and police force (soon to be secret police) under his thumb. My guess is that the extent and level of corruption under Harper is so severe that it will take years to change it, if we even have that chance. With the groundwork that Harper and his CONs have laid, we are a heart beat away from him having full control and it was not that hard to do. I have ordered the Book, Canada after Harper, I am not looking forward to reading it!

Owen Gray said...

There are lots of folks who predict it will be hard to reverse the changes Harper has made, Pam. I hope they're wrong. In the end, it will be all about political will as opposed to Harper's will.

Owen Gray said...

They have done a good job of rigging the system, Mogs.

Hugh said...

"The extravagance of this operation is redolent of a make-work project by the Mounties and the federal justice department to bolster the rhetoric of the prime minister."


http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Mulgrew+Bomb+plot+couple+needed+addiction+counselling+terror+prosecution/10875320/story.html

Scotian said...

"There are lots of folks who predict it will be hard to reverse the changes Harper has made, Pam. I hope they're wrong. In the end, it will be all about political will as opposed to Harper's will." Owen Gray

Being one of them Owen I hope I am too, but then I hoped I was wrong about everything I saw and predicted about Harper for over a decade too, and alas that turned out to not only be true but if anything understated. I would LOVE to be proven wrong, but just as the last decade showed I was not about both Harper and the game Layton was playing which enabled him so much despite he being the worst thing to ever happen for progressive values, policies, and governance EVER, I fear I am not on this one either. I don't want to be Cassandra, I don't like being Cassandra, but that has been too often who I've been when it comes to these issues.

Owen Gray said...

This election puts power back in our hands, Scotian. If we foolishly squander the opportunity to fix things, then we -- as a nation -- have only ourselves to blame.

Owen Gray said...

Absolutely true, Hugh.