How Convenient, the Conservatives and the NDP teamed up in Committee to Trip up the Liberal Leadership Convention.

I hope the Conservatives or the NDP don't plan on holding any policy conferences in the near future were the delegates will be allowed to claim their fees under Elections Canada. Their tag team in committee not to exempt the 5,000 individuals who plan on attending the Liberal Leadership Convention from being in violation of federal law shows their personal contempt for the Liberal Party. Going after the grass roots of a party is the most antidemocratic and cowardly move any government can do, and the fact that the NDP supported it further proves that more interested in making life difficult for the Liberal Party, instead of holding the government of the day to account.

Excuse the Liberal Party for having a process that creates regional equality, and puts the decision making in the hands of the individuals who knock on doors, put up signs and financially contribute to the party. Since the Liberals are under attack from these two other parties, who is to say if they switch to one member one system, these two parties won't buy up memberships to ensure they face their candidate of choice in the next election.

There are two clear solutions to this case.

1. Exempt the Liberal Leadership contest from the new legislation, considering it was officially called before the new parliament started.

2. Have the legislation take effect on January 1, 2007, just like the Liberals did with the Elections Act in 2003.

If neither of these cases occur, I have no option but to declare the government undemocratic and opportunistic.

Elections Canada has confirmed any paranoia that the Liberal Party has felt regarding the Accountability Act. They have stated that delegates will be in violation of federal law if they add their delegate fees to any other contributions they have made during the year. I won't get into the fact that the Liberals allowed the Conservatives to go about their leadership in 2004, by giving them a window in which to declare their race. Liberal delegates will have to sign the names of their children so they don't break the law. We could have over 5,000 Joe Volpe cases. I think each member of the Public Accounts committee that voted against the exemption should all offer to sign on as a donor for a Liberal delegate.

Harper Should be Held Accountable for the Actions of his Caucus.

The immature and vulgar behavior of Pierre Pollivere is a complete reflection on the kind of government that Stephen Harper is running. Harper encouraged this type of behavior as Leader of the Opposition, because it distracted the Liberals during Question Period and made for good news bytes. The problem now is that he is now in power, and the situation has gotten worse, not better. The same Stephen Harper demanded the ministerial resignations of Joe Volpe and Dennis Coderre for declaring their admiration for John Kerry, and called for Carolyn Parish to resign as an M.P. for stomping on a doll of George W. Bush. It looks as though Harper is more concerned with such a behavior as it relates to our southern neighbor, but even worse behavior is permitted within our own borders, let alone our sacred halls of democracy. Why doesn't Harper show some class, and strip Pollivere of his Parliamentary Secretary position? It is truly sad that our democratic system has been reduced to this obscene nature. How we long for a Parliament that shows dignity and respect for the people who elected it.

René Lévesque Would be Rolling Over in His Grave.

The disgusting and immature of actions of Pierre Poilievre, M.P. in the House of Commons and at committee raise the question of House civility and parliamentary etiquette. Parliament has been reduced to a farce, and the current Prime Minister not only condones this shameful behavior, but encourages it. René Lévesque of course is the patron Saint of Quebec separatism, but aside from his political beliefs he is also known as the patron Saint of House Civility. Yes, the same man who was never seen without a cigarette in his mouth, (if someone more inclined with Quebec politics could confirm to me whether or not he actually lit up in the Quebec Assembly, it would be appreciated) as Premier of Quebec announced in the Assembly that the desktop thumping was neanderthalal and juvenile, and a polite applause would be more appropriate way to show appreciation. The concept was endorsed by the opposition, and desk thumping was all but extinct from the Quebec Assembly. Ottawa soon followed suit, as did other provincial legislations. Too bad such a concept seems a world way in Parliament today.

Question, Can the Conservatives Prove they didn't use 10 percenters and Paid Mailings to build a Fundraising Database?

Around this time last year one hot topic in the House of Commons was the notion of paid mailings and franking privileges. John Reynolds stood up in the House and expressed his concern for a franked piece of mail that arrived in his riding from a Liberal M.P. His concern centred around the envelope, stationary and delivery, and how much tax dollars were used regarding it? Although he made some vaild points, the entire issue would question Parliamentary franking and stationary privileges altogether. As it stands, an M.P. can deliver mail to anywhere in the country free of charge. During this time many of us remember receiving in the mail cards from Conservative M.P.s asking if we were opposed to the current Liberal Government, and then if we were, would we please foward our contact information to them. The pieces had a franking label in a very small font. I am wondering if I sent in that card, would I have received another letter from the party asking to donate?

No one is denying the Conservatives ability to fundraise. The old Progressive Conservatives prior to 1993 were very successful fundraisers, even during their lean years. Franking privileges and paid mailings are paid for by taxpayers. Where tax dollars used to fundraise for the Conservatives? Better yet, can the party prove that they were able to build a database by other means?

Canada Truly Goes the Way of the Darkside.

By rejecting Canada's commitments to the Kyoto Accord, the government has issued a death warrant to our future generations. It is truly sad that the Rona Ambrose insists that the inability to meet targets is reason to abandon the entire concept of preventing global warming in Canada. They are all too concerned with the oil companies that contribute to their party, instead of the growing number of children requiring inhalers just to be able to breathe clearly.

Ignoring the impact of global warming shows this government's narrow vision, and the danger that this vision could have on this country.

Bravo to Paul Martin.

Congratulations to Paul Martin for having the courage to exercise his right as a sitting M.P. to save the Kelowna Accord. The fact that Paul Martin is presenting a private member's bill to save the accord is living proof that he believes in what the accord stands for, and did not use it as a pre-election promise, like the Conservatives claim. Even Progressive Conservative Premier, Ralph Klein called the accord "One of the most important things he was ever involved with as Premier of Alberta".

Of course as a private member, the only opportunity for Paul Martin to present this bill will be in a S.O. statement. During this time he will most likely be heckled to death by imature cat calls from the Government benches that the current Prime Minister not only condones, but encourages. True to his form, Paul Martin will ignore these factors, and stand up for what he believes in, assisting our First Nation's population. Has a former Prime Minister ever act in this fashion? The answer is no. This shows that Paul Martin is a true gentleman, willing to compromise on his own pride to protect something dear to his heart. It is a shame that our current government refuses to show such dignity and respect.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis Hasn't Filed Her Campaign Expenses Yet Either. Probe! Probe! Probe!

After checking the Elections Canada website it looks as though Judy Wasylycia-Leis has not filed her campaign expenses yet, including the cost of her press conference during the campaign. I phoned the RMCPs and alerted them of this decrepancy. I then informed them that not only has she not filed, but no NDP candidates have filed as of today in the province of Manitoba. Are they hiding something? They have had four months.

The RCMPs did not hang up the phone right away, and told me "They will look into it". That's right, they are going to "look into it". That means those NDP candidates are all corrupt, because the RCMPs told me they are "taking a look".

Join me for my press conference when I uncover the corruption in the NDP party based purley on innuendo and a possilbe investigation, that I was not told would never occur.

Disclaimer* Dramatization, may not have happened.

Pat Martin Hasn't Filed His Campaign Expenses, I Demand a Probe!

It looks as though Mr. Pat Martin has not filed his election expenses yet, while three defeated candidates in his Winnipeg Centre riding have.

The next thing I will do is once the RCMPs contact me and tell me that they will launch and investigation, I will hold a press conference and say "Look how corrupt Pat Martin is, the RCMP have launched a probe". Mr. Martin is clearly hiding something, otherwise he would have filed by now. He has had four months. I smell the "C" word.

I Have Sinned!!

Could a similar scene occur in the House of Commons when either the Prime Minister or the Minister of Foreign Affairs come clean with their leadership donors.
For those of you to young to remember, Jimmy Swaggart was a major religious right figure in the United States in the 1980's. He preached about the dangers of casual sex and denounced pornography as the devil's tool to seduce. Later on he was caught with a prostitute, completley destroying his creditabilty.


I ask Mr. Harper and Mr. MacKay to come clean with their leadership donor lists before they pass the accountability act, and supposely clean up government.

We are still waiting for Mr. Harper to come clean with his 2002 donors list in his campaign for the Canadian Alliance Leadership. Since he is currently the Prime Minister of Canada, he makes several appointments and awards several contracts. Canadians have the right to know if any of the people on that list have been awarded any of these distinctions.

As for Minister MacKay, he should come clean with whether or not his leadership debt from 2003 has been retired, and how and by who? Of course the Minister is subject to
many important decisions regarding appointments as well. Could some of these names be subject to plush appointments at Foreign Affairs.

Of course these individuals can argue that their actions did not fall under the 2003 Federal Elections Act, proposed by the then Liberal Government. Since their Accountability Act will apparently go further, they should set an example and release all the names of their donors. Of course if they are running a squeeky clean government, they should have nothing to hide.