Friday, November 21, 2014

The Meaning Of Silence

                                             http://markcoakley.wordpress.com/

There has been nary a word from the Conservative Party since Michael Sona's sentencing. What are we to make of that? Michael den Tandt writes:

Keep in mind, key questions that emerged on the very first day the story broke in 2012, courtesy of Postmedia’s Stephen Maher and the Ottawa Citizen’s Glen McGregor, are still outstanding. Does it make any sense at all to think that a 22-year-old planned and executed this scheme, which required access to the party’s Constituent Information Management System (CIMS) database, on his own? And would he have participated had he thought such actions were antithetical to the values of his party and his bosses?

The Conservatives have made no attempt to answer those questions. Harperites don't like to answer questions. After Joe Oliver's budget speech the other day, there were no questions. That's why the speech was given outside the House of Commons, where questions are inevitable. Questions might lead to an attack of humility:

We’re long past the moment when anyone could reasonably expect humility or remorse from this prime minister. “Never apologize, never explain,” appears to be among Stephen Harper’s guiding principles. It’s always worked for him before.

But, really, a little humility is in order:

There’s Dean Del Mastro, the former Peterborough, Ont., MP and parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister convicted of over-spending and filing a false document to cover that up, who is now awaiting sentencing. And there’s the Ol’ Duff, arguably still the greatest single threat to the Conservative legacy, whose 41-day trial is set to begin in early April.

Beyond all that, there’s the miasma of tawdriness that hangs over so much of this Conservative party’s political tool kit; personal attacks on the Parliamentary Budget Officer and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; tactics that, since the in-and-out affair in the 2006 election, have skirted the edge of legality and sometimes crossed over; and an advertising strategy that, though legal, routinely, deliberately quotes Conservative opponents out of context.

For this prime minister, humility is a sign of weakness. Eventually voters will reach a different conclusion.


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nothing to see here, move along.

This is now the Teflon Party.

The mood in the country is not yet fermented enough to 'kick the bums out' though it's easing that way.

The Teflons will find some way to vilify everyone else and may still slip in with a majority but more likely a minority, in which case 'Katie bar the door' because the country will get very ugly as the other 2 parties try to stop Steve from proroguing, declaring marshal law or otherwise shutting things down.

Your opinion here _________

Anonymous-A

Rural said...

That the Harper regime and the CPC did everything in their power to obstruct the inquiry and subsequent court case says it all, Owen. If they cared one jot for our democracy why would they not encourage and cooperate on such things.

Owen Gray said...

The Supreme Court has now come to that conclusion several times, Rural.

These folks claim to be tough on lawbreakers -- except where the law applies to them.

Owen Gray said...

I agree, Anon. Things could get very, very ugly.

Unknown said...

This Owen, eerily reminds me of George Bush Sr's famous statement; "Don't confuse them with the truth"
I knew then we were all in trouble.

Steve seems to be following that right wing Republican model but he is bringing it to extremes never before seen in Canada.

I find him disgusting...

Owen Gray said...

Harper has never been a traditional British Conservative, Mogs. His guiding lights have always resided south of the border.

Unknown said...

True Owen true but why don't Canadians see that?

To busy with their own personal lives I suppose...

Owen Gray said...

Perhaps it's because not enough of us take the obligations of citizenship seriously, Mogs.

zoombats said...

To busy with their own personal lives I suppose...
How about Too busy staying alive? At age sixty, under employed, two daughters in university on the family dime, property taxes, HST... etc. Who has time to be busy with their personal lives?

Owen Gray said...

That narrative, zoombats, is exactly what Stephen Harper is counting on to stay in power.

Unknown said...

Yo Owen so true...

Owen Gray said...

Let's hope that enough voters agree, Mogs.