Lowlight #10: Conservative patronage & fifth anniversary of the Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau appointments

COUNTDOWN OF CONSERVATIVE FAILURES FOR 2013

Stephen Harper’s Conservatives had a very bad year. Plagued by an expense scandal and cover-up reaching right to the top of the prime minister’s office, Conservatives have shown they are a tired and out-of-gas government.

We are condensing a year’s worth of lowlights into a countdown of the top 15 examples of Conservative blunders, scandals and ineptitude.

LOWLIGHT****#****10

CONSERVATIVE PATRONAGE & THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
OF DUFFY, WALLIN AND BRAZEAU APPOINTMENTS

Today marks the fifth anniversary of Stephen Harper’s most notorious Conservative patronage appointments – the dark day in December 2009 when Harper named 18 Senators in a single day!

By the time the last of the gang of 18 retires, on November 11, 2049, Harper’s day of unrestrained patronage could have set Canadian taxpayers back by over $51,000,000!

Many major figures embroiled in today’s Senate expense scandal were named to the Senate that day – including Irving Gerstein, Patrick Brazeau, Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Leo Housakos.

We saw the worst of undemocratic patronage, with the addition of failed candidates Yonah Martin, Fabian Manning, John Wallace and Michael MacDonald.

After promising in 2005 to take action against patronage, if elected, once in power Conservatives did the exact opposite.

If you’re an out-of-work Conservative insider, there’s a cushy board, tribunal, or even Senate seat, out there for you – proving once again that when there are appointments to be made, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives will always put their well-connected friends, first.

Here is this year’s top ten Conservative pork patronage appointments – including 8 more failed candidates and 2 Conservative operatives.

1. Dwayne Provo. Failed Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Candidate in 2006 and 2009, appointed to the Social Security Tribunal
2. Pierre Lafontaine. Failed Conservative candidate in Jeanne-Le Ber in 2011, appointed to the Social Security Tribunal
3. Jean-Philippe Payment. Failed Conservative Candidate in Terrebonne-Blainville in 2011, appointed to the Social Security Tribunal
4. Claude Durand. Failed Conservative candidate in Trois-Rivieres in 2008, appointed to the Social Security Tribunal
5. Alcide Boudreault. Failed Conservative candidate in Chicoutimi-Le Fjord in 2004 and 2006, appointed to the Social Security Tribunal
6. Oudit Rai. Member of the Durham Conservative Riding Association, appointed to the Social Security Tribunal
7. Dominique M Bellemare. Failed Conservative candidate in Beauharnois-Salaberry in 1997, 2008 and 2004, appointed to the Social Security Tribunal
8. Joseph Wamback. Federal Progressive Conservative candidate in York North in 2000, appointed to the Social Security Tribunal
9. David Bromley. Major donor and campaign manager for West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea to Sky Country, appointed director to Ridley Terminals Inc.
10. Bruce Hallsor. Former Canadian Alliance candidate and major donor, appointed to the Prince Rupert Port Authority.

Canadians deserve better.

While other leaders have been missing in action, Tom Mulcair has been showing up to work on behalf of Canadians – holding Stephen Harper accountable and putting forward practical solutions to help families make ends meet.