As Martin writes: "The issue, we recall, turns on whether Canadian officials knowingly handed over prisoners for torture by Afghan authorities, a potential violation of the Geneva Conventions. Mr. Harper’s government steadfastly refused to provide documents on the matter, but were ordered to do so a year ago by Speaker Peter Milliken. A special committee was then appointed to make sure any released materials wouldn’t compromise national security."
This committee is nearly ready to do a document dump. The Bloc Quebecois, before the government fell in the House of Commons, forced a resolution requiring the special committee to come back with information for public consumption by April 15. In addition, the Military Police Complaints Commission is preparing a report on the matter. Both processes are moving along, and it is possible both releases could take place before voting day on May 2.
Unsurprisingly, the Tories will do just about anything to prevent this information from seeing the light of day. They have gone to court to limit the scope of the Commission report, and Liberals suspect the Tories will file a motion in court to delay release of documents from the parliamentary committee. If successful, they will have neutered the issue that, I feel, is the one that will finally set the Tories firmly on defence on their bread-and-butter issue - accountability. This government has become skilled at not being accountable while preaching it at every stop. If you're a criminal, you need to face the music. If you're in a political party, raise your own money and stop looking for a public subsidy.
But if you're the government, shouldn't you answer to Parliament? Shouldn't you listen to the opinions of the parliamentary officers you appointed to monitor federal budgets, the lobbyists on Parliament Hill, integrity in the House, and to audit federal financial statements? The list of actions over the past five years by members of the government against a myriad of officials to obscure the truth, distort facts, mislead the public, keep Parliament in the dark, cover up misdeeds and hypocritically reward friends is breathtaking.
Only the Afghan detainee issue, which also brings up the second prorogation of Parliament (the one that led to open public protests against Harper's anti-democratic behaviour) has the potential to stick Tory feet firmly in the cynical fire they've stoked for five years. If either of these public airings of dirty laundry take place (especially if it happens before the English debate), I would hope that Canadians would finally sit up and pay attention to the abuses of this government.
After all, this is the government that originally pledged to be different than the Liberals back in the 2005-06 campaign. Why have you not held them to their word, Canada? And because we collectively haven't done it, what does that say about us? Why do Conservatives get a free pass on violating the Geneva Conventions and then covering it up for years, while the Liberals paid for the sponsorship scandal?
I don't vote Grit or Tory as a rule, so I'm no fan of the Liberals either. But fair is fair, people. The time has come to punish the Tories for treating us like unprincipled naïve fools. I hope my fellow Canadians will finally see the light.
This committee is nearly ready to do a document dump. The Bloc Quebecois, before the government fell in the House of Commons, forced a resolution requiring the special committee to come back with information for public consumption by April 15. In addition, the Military Police Complaints Commission is preparing a report on the matter. Both processes are moving along, and it is possible both releases could take place before voting day on May 2.
Unsurprisingly, the Tories will do just about anything to prevent this information from seeing the light of day. They have gone to court to limit the scope of the Commission report, and Liberals suspect the Tories will file a motion in court to delay release of documents from the parliamentary committee. If successful, they will have neutered the issue that, I feel, is the one that will finally set the Tories firmly on defence on their bread-and-butter issue - accountability. This government has become skilled at not being accountable while preaching it at every stop. If you're a criminal, you need to face the music. If you're in a political party, raise your own money and stop looking for a public subsidy.
But if you're the government, shouldn't you answer to Parliament? Shouldn't you listen to the opinions of the parliamentary officers you appointed to monitor federal budgets, the lobbyists on Parliament Hill, integrity in the House, and to audit federal financial statements? The list of actions over the past five years by members of the government against a myriad of officials to obscure the truth, distort facts, mislead the public, keep Parliament in the dark, cover up misdeeds and hypocritically reward friends is breathtaking.
Only the Afghan detainee issue, which also brings up the second prorogation of Parliament (the one that led to open public protests against Harper's anti-democratic behaviour) has the potential to stick Tory feet firmly in the cynical fire they've stoked for five years. If either of these public airings of dirty laundry take place (especially if it happens before the English debate), I would hope that Canadians would finally sit up and pay attention to the abuses of this government.
After all, this is the government that originally pledged to be different than the Liberals back in the 2005-06 campaign. Why have you not held them to their word, Canada? And because we collectively haven't done it, what does that say about us? Why do Conservatives get a free pass on violating the Geneva Conventions and then covering it up for years, while the Liberals paid for the sponsorship scandal?
I don't vote Grit or Tory as a rule, so I'm no fan of the Liberals either. But fair is fair, people. The time has come to punish the Tories for treating us like unprincipled naïve fools. I hope my fellow Canadians will finally see the light.
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