Tories opened patronage doors before election: CP
OTTAWA -- The Harper government approved 148 appointments to federal boards and agencies, long used as rewards for supporters of the party in power, as the election neared, The Canadian Press has learned.
Cabinet handed out the posts in three rounds, the first only two days before Parliament recessed for the summer, the second on July 30, at peak holiday time for politicians and political journalists, and the third less than a week before Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the election for Oct. 14.
Wow, it's a scandal! The government appointed some people to boards. "long used as rewards"....ahem, that would be the Liberals that have used it for rewards. Where is the proof that the Conservatives have done that?? Who is this "Canadian Press" guy, he sure gets around, too scared to use your real name mister "Canadian Press"?
Harper, who railed against Liberal patronage in the 2006 election, later failed to deliver on a campaign pledge to put an independent commission in charge of vetting cabinet appointments. He angrily shelved the idea after opposition MPs refused to ratify his nomination of Gwyn Morgan, a Calgary oil baron who is also a friend of the prime minister, as the commission chair.
Right, thanks for reminding all of us how the opposition treated one of Canada's most respected businessmen. No mention that he was willing to do that job for $1. That was not the oppositions best moment, they let their own far left-wing agenda cheat Canada out of an excellent commissioner.
It's difficult to determine exactly how many of the recent appointments went to members of the federal Conservative party or to provincial Progressive Conservative parties.
Mister "Canadian Press" was only able to track down 8 out 148 who had, or might have voted Conservative, which seems to be some sort of crime. So are the Conservatives only allowed to appoint lefties? Are lefties tired of being away from the trough?
It appears that the only good appointment is a Liberal appointment to mister "Canadian Press". Suck it up princess, Liberals are not the government anymore! Thank goodness!
