The Harper Conservatives had another rough week.
It started off with three major stories breaking last weekend showing Conservative incompetence and snowballed downhill from there.
MONDAY:
Headline: Spy agency warns of espionage risk with foreign takeovers, Toronto Star, Sept 21
- Headline: U.S. officials accuse Tories of leaking Omar Khadr documents. Toronto Star, Sept 21
- CTV’s W5 exposes the major flaws in the Conservative F35 campaign. Highlights include the Minister of National Defence running from their cameras
- The now infamous ‘sharing photocopiers MOU’ and Embassies with the British was officially the most over-hyped non-announcement since the release of Stephen Harper’s hockey book
TUESDAY:
Tony Clement set a new standard for lowering expectations on open government when he said:
“More than 90% of the requests are processed within the government's 120 day standard” - Hansard
The problem: Tony Clement was wrong – the law says 30 days. Clement’s new standard is four times what the law allows.
WEDNESDAY:
More than half of the Conservative Caucus, including the Minister for the Status of Women, voted in favour of a motion to re-open the abortion issue. Brian Jean responded by telling a local radio station:
There's no legislation regarding this issue at all; we're at exactly the same place as North Korea, China and Vietnam
– Mix 103.7, http://www.mix1037fm.com/content/view/5929/60
Also, Conservatives invited representatives from the Canadian Immigration Report as witnesses to Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. Aside from videos from known white supremacist Paul Fromm and others the website includes this quote:
“This hate on for National Socialism is completely misguided … there is nothing inherently wrong with it at all.”
Without a hint of irony, Jason Kenney penned an Op-Ed in The Guardian the very next day claiming:
“Canada is the only major western democracy without a xenophobic or anti-immigration political movement”
THURSDAY:
Former Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jim Prentice attacked Stephen Harper’s Conservatives for their mismanagement of consultations on pipelines.
“We are new to the global energy game and, frankly, we aren’t yet playing that game with much skill, foresight or cohesiveness... Despite our natural advantages, we have failed to occupy the strategic high ground.” – The Globe and Mail
“The obligation to consult with and accommodate first nations ... these are responsibilities of the federal government,” – The Globe and Mail
FRIDAY:
CFIA held a press conference regarding the ongoing and growing E Coli-contaminated beef recall. To date, the Minister of Agriculture continues to mishandle the issue and refuses to explain the month-long delay on taking action or take responsibility for the cuts Conservatives made to CFIA.
These examples only reinforce Canadians' impression that this is a tired Conservative government plagued by scandals, ethical lapses and mismanagement.
