This has been by far the best entertaining week in politics since Harper was elected PM - Go Duffster Go!
Bye, bye Stephen Harper, you are finally done!
Stephen Harper may have a mini-election in the offing
Bruce Stewart | August 13, 2013
Opportunity to renew Conservatives exists this fall for Stephen Harper
http://beaconnews.ca/blog/2013/08/stephen-harper-may-have-a-mini-electio...
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Senators on edge as auditor-general prepares to name names in sweeping spending probe
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/10/28/senators-on-edge-as-auditor-gene...
Senators on edge as auditor-general prepares to name names in sweeping spending probe
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/10/28/senators-on-edge-as-auditor-gene...
This is the fun part where the Liberals and more Tories get dragged into this mess.
Thanks the Gods and NDP "saints" that we have no Senators to drag us into the mud.
Mike Duffy will be a wet blanket on Tories’ national convention: Hébert
Mike Duffy’s latest bombshells have killed the last Conservative hope that the mess in the Senate can be mopped up before the weekend’s national party convention.
For taking the prime minister at his word, if he was gullible enough to buy a false story from his own palace guard, what does that say about his management of his own office?
And if PMO staff assumed that it was acceptable to encourage a senator to lie, what does that say about the ethical rules that the prime minister enforces within his own ranks ?
Even before Duffy filled in a few more blanks in what increasingly amounts to an extraordinary tale of deception there were signs of incipient panic in the Conservative war room.
Just a week ago the notion that Harper’s majority in the Senate could fail to deliver the decisive sentence that he had ordered his troops to execute against Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau was considered unthinkable.
But if the Conservative leadership in the Senate had had its ducks lined up behind the suspension motion, it would not have muddied the waters — as House leader Claude Carignan has been doing — by floating offers of more lenient penalties.
And if public opinion were squarely behind the prime minister, Harper would not suddenly be spending time on talk radio, where he has been having trouble keeping his story straight.
In an interview on Monday, Harper claimed that he had fired Wright. Until now he had maintained that his chief of staff had resigned.
It may be a matter of nuances but given how concise Harper’s accounting of his role in the senate scandal has been, one can only wonder how he can trip over so few lines.
On the same day the rift in Conservative ranks expanded, with former environment minister Peter Kent urging senators to resist the call to suspend their colleagues.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty evaded questions about the pros and cons of the suspension, coming out squarely instead in favor of the abolition of the Senate.
Up until now the end game of the frantic manoeuvring of the past two weeks had been to clear the air on the Senate front in time for this week’s Conservative convention. But a self-congratulatory weekend is just not on anymore. Given how quickly things are unravelling on Parliament Hill, that may yet turn out to be the least of Harper’s concerns.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/10/29/mike_duffy_will_be_a_wet_b...
One reporter on CPAC noted that because Duffy was a TV jouirnalist, he knows exactly how and when to drop his bombs for maximum media coverage and disruption. He said he therefore expected another bomb just as the Con convention begins.
Senate scandal: Mike Duffy says Conservatives covered his legal bills
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Senate woes deepened Monday as Sen. Mike Duffy made new charges the Conservative Party paid $13,000 to cover his legal fees.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/10/28/senate_scandal_mike_duffy_...
Canada senator accuses own leadership of cover-up
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ghTkA3-LsXvTiKlsBos2m...
How Stephen Harper gets to the bottom of something
http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/10/28/how-stephen-harper-gets-to-the-bottom...
In court of public opinion, Stephen Harper and senators losing
And yet, when Ipsos asked survey participants if they believed Harper's claim of ignorance, 65% did not and 35% did. Even in Harper-friendly Alberta, 48% don't believe and 52% do.
When Ipsos asked its 1,102 survey respondents if they approved of the way Harper was handling the Senate expenses issue, 67% of respondents said they did not.
Of those who told Ipsos they were inclined to vote Conservative if an election were held today, one in three disapproved of the way Harper was dealing with the scandal.
Ipsos had more bad news for the Conservatives in its poll: When it asked its respondents who they would vote for, just 29% said they'd vote Conservative -- behind the Liberals and NDP who were tied at 31%.
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/28/in-court-of-public-opinion-stephern...
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Not the best of times for our embattled Ptime Minister. He must be enjoyable to be with these days, but what goes around comes around
Full text of Mike Duffy’s statement to the Senate Monday: ‘That’s right, senators, there was not ONE payment on my behalf, but two!’
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/10/29/full-text-of-mike-duffys-stateme...
Senator Mike Duffy's bombshell allegations raise more questions
Duffy says PMO coached him to lie about source of $90,000 cheque
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senator-mike-duffy-s-bombshell-allegatio...
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Szczepanski calls shenanigans on Tories, Trudeau
http://www.brandonsun.com/local/szczepanski-calls-shenanigans-on-tories-...
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Stephen Harper stumbles and Mike Duffy gives us more
http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/10/28/the-sketch-stephen-harper-stumbles-an...
Who is Arthur Hamilton, the Conservative lawyer named by Mike Duffy?
Conservative Party lawyer Arthur Hamilton becoming familiar name to politics watchers
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/who-is-arthur-hamilton-the-conservative-...
Senator Mike Duffy's bombshell allegations raise more questions
Duffy says PMO coached him to lie about source of $90,000 cheque
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senator-mike-duffy-s-bombshell-allegatio...
Canada senator accuses own leadership of cover-up
Is at the centre of a spending scandal
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/usa/canada-senator-accuses-own-leadership...
Stephen Harper's Gift to Canada
As planned, we were getting very bored with democracy. The prime minister woke us up.
http://www.thetyee.ca/Opinion/2013/10/28/Stephen-Harpers-Gift-to-Canada/
In Duffy, the PMO found a man willing to dance and deceive: they deserve one another
Kelly McParland: What the Senator hasn’t done is clear his name or reputation. He’s just laden others with a stain to match his own
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/10/29/kelly-mcparland-duffys-de...
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It sounds like the Duffster has something more in store for Canada's Prime Minister and his merry band of "yes "men like Jason Kenney, etc.
"Amongst many things he was perhaps aluding to more hush money" cheques he received.
Stephen Harper is a good political strategist, and he is not going to go quietly into the nite here, so what's his strategy going to be.
If I were in his shoes maybe I would ensure there is a motion to abolish the Senate paseed at his Con Convention in Calgary this week.
What can Senate promoter Trudeau say, as he wants Mac Harb back in the Senate?
I do think however that the NDP should make the Duffster an honouray member of the Senate at least until they abolish it.
My goodness, I don't think I have ever seen Harper look so bad.
Stop with the lies and cover-up Prime Minister.
Harper confirms party issued second cheque to Duffy, says he was 'misled'
How's the CBC going to deal with what happened in QP today as Trudeau might as well not have been there, eh!
Harper has just been ridiculed by Mulcair. Harper must want to trottle the Duffster.
Is there a clip of that.
II'm sure it's avaialble, doesn't CPAC repeat QP later on today. it was during the first half of QP.
Harper has just been ridiculed by Mulcair. Harper must want to trottle the Duffster.
Is there a clip of that.
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Harper has just been ridiculed by Mulcair. Harper must want to throttle the Duffster.
NDP MP submits new evidence over claim that PM may have misled House
http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/10/ndp-mp...
This Photo Sums Up What Mulcair Thinks Of Harper's Senate Scandal Story
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/10/29/mulcair-laughing-photo-senate-sc...
What I like about that photo is it does two things. The first is it caps off how effective Mulcair has been at seeing through Harper's bullshit, with an underappreciated performance in Question Period. The second is that it gives you an insight into his personality, and gives the average person a little insight into his personality. You don't hear a lot in the mainstream media about Mulcair's sense of humor, but it's something that a lot of people noticed during the leadership race.
So who does Harper think is responsible for the actions of the people in the PMO?
I get the impression listening to our Prime Minister talking is that it is anyone but Stephen Harper.
Strange that!
Part of the job description of a flunkie is to be a willing scape goat if required.
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Senator Mike Duffy's bombshell allegations raise more questions
Duffy says PMO coached him to lie about source of $90,000 cheque
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senator-mike-duffy-s-bombshell-allegatio...
Krop, is that like protecting the King?
Indeed and Nigel was a Bishop but he still got sacrificed.
Kind of like Adrian Dix falling on his sword for Glen Clark.
Senator Mike Duffy's bombshell allegations raise more questions
Duffy says PMO coached him to lie about source of $90,000 cheque
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senator-mike-duffy-s-bombshell-allegatio...
If that is true, that is earth-shattering and the end of Harper.
Walkom feels Harper will survive the senate scandal, but will possibly be in trouble over the sad state of the economy if it continues to flounder. link
http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/news/blog.html?b=fullcomment.nationalpo...
7-9 million dollars fundraising database and the Tories decide to throw it away.
Also interesting is that the NDPs fundraising has increased by 93%.
What's with CBC?
Running basically a 24/7 attack campaign on Harper is clearly crossing the line. i know they are desperate to return their beloved Liberals to power but there is no senblence of fair reporting with them. and I don't how people can stomach that creepy little guy who hosts power and politics, who always seems like he is on some kind of uppers.
I wonder why Harper hasn't fired the lot of them.
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Jan, when you see a partisan talking about that, it's obvious they're not a disinterested party looking for the best government. They've become a shill for their party, and they're blinded by ideology. I promised myself that no matter how much I dislike the other parties, I'll never become an apologist for corruption and bad government. I still have a healthy amount of criticism for some of the NDP governments this country has seen.
What's with CBC?
Running basically a 24/7 attack campaign on Harper is clearly crossing the line. i know they are desperate to return their beloved Liberals to power but there is no senblence of fair reporting with them. and I don't how people can stomach that creepy little guy who hosts power and politics, who always seems like he is on some kind of uppers.
I wonder why Harper hasn't fired the lot of them.
The CBC is really getting unbeleivable. I don't expect them to be pro-NDP; but, I do expect them to be fair. Ridiculous.
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I was in a bit of a rush when I posted, but I wanted to point out that we shouldn't get too self righteous. The issue isn't that Conservatives are on the take and NDP would never be, but rather that the system is a confusing mess with a lot structural graft built into it. Yes we should get rid of the Senate, it is a holdover from a bygone era, but that will not fix the problem. Government advisory boards, crown corporations, and other appointments provide an opportunity for politiicians to reward those close to them. What we need is to take a hard look at the problem from top to bottom and come up with solutions that assure voters that government is there to serve the citizenry.Exactly Pogo. And Adrian paid a big price, and one used against him recently.Kind of like Adrian Dix falling on his sword for Glen Clark.
The party is getting so much traction from this, I'm sure they're planning to unveil some policies to capitalize on it. They'd be fools not to.
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