It's interesting to see what's happened to the Party of Moral Outrage. When the Sponsorship Scandal broke, the Conservatives were in high dudgeon. They had a right to be outraged. But their outrage was nothing new. Their predecessors, the Reform Party, were always the Party of High Dudgeon. They railed against Senate patronage, and they vowed to put an end to it by making senators accountable to the electorate.
Since then, Stephen Harper has packed the upper chamber with his own partisans and senate reform has dropped off the radar screen. Now the Globe and Mail reports that:
Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, asked about the propriety of appointing fellow cabinet minister Vic Toews to the bench, said Monday that government ministers should not be ruled out for such appointments.
Mr. Toews is particularly noted for his moral outrage -- whether he is accusing the opposition of being on the side of child pornographers or insisting that Corrections Canada should be more concerned with punishment than rehabilitation.
Given his personal history, he would be wise to follow that old adage about what people who live in glass houses should not do. Unfortunately, Mr. Toews and the party he serves have always been much better at throwing stones than ensuring the integrity of glass houses.
18 comments:
I often recall that now forgotten moment when Harper declared public ally that he was going to bring down Martin's government because they "had lost the moral authority to govern." it now seems that that moment is so steeped in narrative irony that even Mr. Swift would be amazed!
Mr. Swift would surely have mined the Harper government for all its rich irony, Kirby.
He understood yahoos -- political and otherwise -- very well.
Toews doesn't literally live in an actual glass house, so he doesn't think the saying about throwing stones applies to him.
He often wonders about that saying. It sounds like good advice, but he thinks anyone silly enough to live in a glass house in the first place would be too stupid to grasp the obvious.
I think you're right, Frank. These folks aren't given to metaphor. So the lesson is lost on them.
The amount of scandal and apparent corruption within this government's cabinet is so rampant people aren't even shocked when a new ethically questionable action comes to light.
RRRR
So, is that what PMO stands for --- Party of Moral Outrage? And here I was thinking that it stood for Prime Minister of Oil. lol
Talking about moral outrage, I think nothing beats the outrage that Harper had expressed for the gold plated MP pensions. Why, Steve the Reformer was so outraged that, he told us, he would not have been able to look into his wife's eyes had he signed onto it.
And the rest, as they say, is history: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-politics/canadian-taxpayers-federation-erects-billboards-shame-mps-gold-212953879.html
Preston Manning, at least, had the moral fibre and integrity not to quietly sign back onto the public pension.
The Carson saga is an excellent example of how the Harperites ignore the axiom about how one behaves in a glass house, R.O.
They obviously believe that such advice applies to lesser mortals.
Actually, Anon, when I wrote the post I did not make the PMO connection. Thank you for pointing it out. And thanks for the link.
Say what you will about Preston Manning's policies. Still, it seems pretty clear that Manning has more personal integrity than Stephen Harper.
I tried to leave a comment from my new toy, Blackberry Playbook. It did not work. I guess I need more training.
RE: Toews
What was the reason for raising the question? Is the Harper government going to dump him? Are the looking for a financially soft place for him to land? He is definitely not judge material!
"Say what you will about Preston Manning's policies. Still, it seems pretty clear that Manning has more personal integrity than Stephen Harper."
Preston Manning has integrity? How is this even possible? This is the man who tutored the amoral monster that is now Prime Minister.
I'm sorry to hear that your Playbook balked, Philip. Whenever I buy new technology, it takes me a long time to find out how it works. For my kids, however, it's like picking up the phone and making a call.
I've heard that the Conservatives have been preparing a judgeship for Toews for sometime.
He doesn't strike me as the most impartial of judges.
True, Anon. But, remember, when Manning refused to take Harper's advice, Harper took his marbles and went back home to head the National Citizen's Coalition.
And Manning has written that he found it hard to deal with a guy who insisted that he was the smartest guy in the room.
Harper is appointing, two new Conservative judges. I'm wondering if one of Harper's new judges, will throw the election riding disputes, out of court?
Same with the robo-call election fraud cheat. William Corbett of Elections Canada suddenly resigned. Harper has appointed his own boy, Yves Corte, into Corbetts place. Harper is desperate to quash the robo-call investigation. Is he cheating to win again?
Harper tried to lie his way out of knowing, Carson was a many times convicted criminal. Harper said, I don't know why, I didn't know Carson was a criminal. Harper did know and hired Carson anyway. Criminals come in handy for Harper. Just ask Gordon Campbell.
We don't care if, Harper does cheat and lie his way out of his dirt. Over 3/4 of Canadians, say Harper did cheat to win the election.
Harper is what he is, and that isn't much.
All of this is quite in character for Mr. Harper, Anon. At this point, nothing should surprise us.
"And Manning has written that he found it hard to deal with a guy who insisted that he was the smartest guy in the room."
Yet Manning still endorsed this idiot who thought he was the smartest guy in the room. Manning is responsible for supporting a person who would cause the destruction of Canada.
Toews as a judge?????? The guy can barely read what is in the Canadian constitution. He has a bad temper, seens to be given to revenge type attitudes, & likes young women. I don't think that is a good candidate for a judge anywhere in this country. Perhaps they can find him a spot in Afganistan.
Stevie slime, vickie, & John Duncan are a blight on Canada & its international reputation.
John Duncan's latest mean attack has been on the Attawapiskat. Now of course I have no reason to blieve that the PMOl's office wasn't involved in this little game. The day after the Attawapiskat won their court case, regarding the appointment of a third party manager, for their Band, they received a letter from CMHC saying John Duncan had refused to sign off on the request for 30 new homes in Attawapiskat.
The conservatives are now forcing people to once again live in substandard housing in the Artic in the dead of winter. What the conservatives are doing may well contribute to illnes & death of children living in these conditions. These men need to be arrested for child abuse & child endangerment. They had enough money to throw around building things in Iraq & Afghanistan but citizens of Canada will be forced to live in substandard housing in the Artic. I can only conclude they are sending a message to all First Nations People, object to how we treat you & you will never get housing. Perhaps the United Nations would take up the cause of the Attawapiskat.
I have no respect for Manning's politics. I remember when Reform Party signs showed up in my riding that shouted, "No More Prime Ministers from Quebec."
And, yes, Manning rejoiced when Harper became prime minister.
I merely point out that there was a line that Manning would not cross. For Harper, no such line exists.
The Harper government's response to the Attawapiskat tragedy was typical: When faced with a problem, send in an accountant.
Toews sense of justice is all about saving money.
You're right, e.a.f.. He's not a good candidate for a judgeship.
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