Beyond The Commons

 Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Everything explained

by Aaron Wherry on Friday, October 16, 2009 6:00pm - 90 Comments

An anonymous Conservative MP helps us understand why his or her side simply had to buy its own giant novelty cheques, and all the money they are saving you in the process.

When we formed govt the crats stopped bringing cheques to announcements & we were FORCED to cough up the $ to buy our own. Specifically, at [a government department I was involved with] the crats used to like to be in the photo ops giving out chqs, as though it was coming from them. They detested Conservatives being photographed handing out chqs, so they stopped bringing the chqs – when they even bothered to show up for announcements. They’ve screwed up dates for announcements so badly (trying to schedule announcements while the House is in session) that we don’t even bother to include them, thereby saving taxpayers thousands of $s in travel claims from the crats.

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  • http://www.intensedebate.com/people/Thwim Thwim

    In equally trustworthy news, a conservative MP who wishes to remain anonymous just reported to me that, as in the budget and approved by the government, the conservatives will be selling the hitherto unnamed assets. The conservative party has offered to take these assets off the government's hands for a tidy sum, but it appears that the government will then have to lease the sold assets back for an amount that works out to approximately double the value over the next three years.

  • http://www.intensedebate.com/people/Thwim Thwim

    In equally trustworthy news, a conservative MP who wishes to remain anonymous just reported to me that, as in the budget and approved by the government, the conservatives will be selling the hitherto unnamed assets. The conservative party has offered to take these assets off the government's hands for a tidy sum, but it appears that the government will then have to lease the sold assets back for an amount that works out to approximately double the sale price over the next three years.

    • William

      I`m trying to relate your little fantasy hypothesis concerning CPC doings and the only slice of recent reality I can come up with that may have inspired you are the recent E-Health shenanigans by the Ontario Liberal Party. McGuinty`s gov`t hired their Liberal friends to high paying positions over-seeing the transfer of health reports from paper to computer. These Liberals then hired Liberal consultants to do the work and these consultants then hired more Liberal consultants sometimes in the same firm.

      The end result—–Ontario E-Health far behind Alberta`s but some really happy and rich Liberals.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Fish_30 Al O'Wishes

    Oh those evil crats! Once again trying to thwart the noble Conservatives, as a part of the grand conspiracy. Why, it would be criminal for them to NOT buy giant novelty cheques with their logos/slogans plastered all over them! If anything, they have not gone far enough, and should be presenting the cheques under giant pictures of Dear Leader, and making the recipient vow undying allegiance to The Conservative Government.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Geiseric Geiseric

    Rumour has it there's a plurality of Canadians that find the prejudice and hatred behind those words appealling.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/Tceh Tceh

      You are quite possibly correct. When the CONs first gained (minority) power in 2006 the strategy was to blame every misstep on the opposition and the legacy created by the Liberals, the 'we are no nearly so bad as the Liberals' strategy.

      That isn't going to sell very well today, almost 4 years later it's time to find another enemy. Next strategy: Blame the evil 'crats' for the CON missteps. And you are right, blaming someone else for your mistakes does have a certain appeal among the CON base who can't face the fact that their great white hope, Steve Harper has not been able to achieve a majority in 3 attempts.

  • http://azmattressoutlet.com mesa mattress

    taylor's a crafty one, isn't he?

  • http://theplaceofbiff.blogspot.com biff

    Query whether there'e a correlation between the Liberals standing in the polls (and devestating showing on particular issues that matter most to Canadians – such as trust on the economy),

    and left leaning Liberal members of the media's focus on…giant novelty cheques.

    • kcm

      Yawn!

  • http://theplaceofbiff.blogspot.com biff

    Personally I think its a direct correlation in both directions: cause and effect.

    Cause, in the sense that this is symptomatic of the "gotcha" faux scandal chasing that many on the left believe can give the Liberals a quick vaunt to power (in place of the tough slogging of party revitalization); and

    Effect, due to the complete lack of substance emanating from the Liberal party, opponents are left to snipe away, chasing whatever the latest headline offering comes their way.

    • kcm

      Yawner!

      • Foreigner

        Yawnest.

  • William

    These big cheques are just photo-ops—no lasting story here—no corruption. The real big story that is going to bring down the Liberal gov`t in Ontario is the millions of dollars that was siphoned to Liberal supporters for phony work that was never done to improve the health system—-watch this story—-people are waiting for health care while Libs all dig in at the trough.

    • kcm

      Snore! ZZzzzz!!

      • William

        The truth hurts little k, but sleep won`t help——-someday you will have to wake up.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/M_A_N M_A_N

      It's almost amazing how many ways you've mis-stated the Auditor General's report on e-health in one paragraph.

      "the millions of dollars that was siphoned to Liberal supporters for phony work that was never done"

      See, you clearly wish that was what happened. Must have fogged your thinking, and reading comprehension.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

      The eHealth thing should bring down the Liberals in Ontario–and I'm a Liberal in Ontario.

      The Ontario political parties and the Federal political parties are two different things (as they are in BC, for example) , but nice try to move the focus away from the issue under discussion. If you think there is no story, if a photo-op is irrelevant, how about we have no more photo-ops on funding announcements at all? Talk to your friends in the Conservative Party and get that passed through, will you?

    • http://www.intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

      The eHealth thing should bring down the Liberals in Ontario–and I'm a Liberal in Ontario.

      The Ontario political parties and the Federal political parties are two different things (as they are in BC, for example), but nice try to move the focus away from the issue under discussion. If you think there is no story, if a photo-op is irrelevant, how about we have no more photo-ops on funding announcements at all? Talk to your friends in the Conservative Party and get that passed through, will you?

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/TwoYen TwoYen

    I'm a former federal crat myself but… since when did a politician go wrong dissing a fat cat crat?

    Based on what I read from the polls over 50 percent of the voters in Ottawa support the CPC right now so I guess even crats are comfortable with the current situ.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis

    On the other hand, they woke up all cranky in Halifax this morning ….

    http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1147994.html

    • kcm

      "In Canada, on the actionplan.gc.ca site, there’s a map with icons showing where projects are located, but if you click on the icons, you get a popup with a charming picture of what’s his name, our prime minister, but no dollar amount.

      There is a link to a video of the same guy singing a Beatles song, but there’s no database of projects available for download."

      Just how pathetic are these guys? By the time they're finished they're going to end up making the old libs look like the sisters of the immaculate conception.
      I really hope there are a lot more regional journalists like this guy who are in a black rage. You don't have to love or support the liberals to get upset over this latest betrayal.

    • knick

      It would be great if somebody (not me, I don't have a clue…) started a website ranking political journalists with links to the best, most balanced, best researched, etc. It would be subjective, but feedback might keep it honest.

      • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis

        Here's one of the lists ( most popular … or visited at least ) covering the US ..

        http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/top-us-politi…

        As noted, a lot of them are sheltered under bigger media umbrellas these days but,
        so far that hasn't noticeably changed the focus or quality.
        For Canada it's still hunter gatherer territory but a lot of blogs have links to others of
        similar interest.

        • knick

          That's really interesting – I had no idea there was such a thing as Technorati. If the news sites would use it too, it would give readers something to measure their stories by and give them an incentive to do better. Guess that would be asking too much tho. . .

      • kcm

        I miss megapundit [ i know it's over at the NP, but i always get side-tracked over there] There are a number of good journalists around who aren't afraid to criticize Harper, like the Halifax guy. I've seen a couple of good articles in the Vancouver Province and the Edmonton journal. These guys just don't get enough exposure back east.

        • knick

          Didn't know about megapundit either – this is turning out to be a very productive thread!
          I've found Frances Russell's column at the Winnipeg Free Press to be informative.
          What annoys me is that it seems that many of the journalists who get face time on tv are more interested in gossip and gotchas than in adding to public understanding of the issues, while those who do the real work are never mentioned. Guess it all comes down to circulation/money.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis
  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis
  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis
    • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

      Do you have your own blog where I can get these fabulous links all in one place?

      "it defeats the purpose of having a functioning Department of Foreign Affairs. Who needs expert advice from dedicated foreign service officers when you have partisan poll-watchers in the Prime Minister’s Office? In addition, if Canada’s allies and friends start to realize that official Ottawa’s foreign policy is mostly electorally driven, they are not likely to take this country seriously in the major councils and corridors of the world."

      I attended a CIGI lecture last week given by Daryl Copeland on diplomacy in Canada, and it is worse than that, according to him. We have gutted the Foreign Affairs budget to the point where, not only is diplomacy not working, it is seriously in danger of collapsing altogether. Add to that the number of, and weakness of, the foreign affairs minister over the last several years, and Canada's allies and friends have already stopped paying us any mind. Which could play into your second story, because without diplomats negotiating on our behalf, giving away the store is the inevitable result.

      • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis

        Sorry, Jenn. No blog. I read a lot and just pass on stuff that I find interesting.
        Probably most other people don't find it interesting. I'm glad you do.

        • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis

          Oh … and totally off topic … but as a way to pass some time on the weekend
          ( if anyone has time to pass ) I'm recommending this site with the work of a
          delightful young lady … originally from Cape Breton and now back in Halifax
          after some travellin' time ….

          http://www.harkavagrant.com/

          Take a browse through the archives. Some great stuff.

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/craigola craigola

            Seconded.

        • Holly Stick

          They are excellent links and should be spread all over the media. That must be the best newspaper in Canada

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis

            No. The CH does ok with its' once-a-week contributors. But it has gone through the
            hack-and-slash along with the rest of the world. And thanks, but 2 of the 3 links were
            also available here …

            http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/

            Along with their usual dross.

        • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

          Just so you know, POGGE (Peace, Order and Good Government, eh?) picked up one of your links this week. So I know I'm not alone.

  • Andre

    Billy Mays in a powder blue shirt: "Look at these cheques! Not only are they 4 times larger but they're also 100% crat free! That's a HUGE SAVING!"

    Meanwhile, in the background, 4 defunct US Navy destroyers sporting the CPC logo pass quietly by.

  • Darrell

    Damn Crats. Deigning to give the impression that stimulus money comes from the Government, and not the Conservative party.

  • Michael

    Does this MP continue to say CRAT because he or she is incapable of spelling BUREAUCRAT?

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