MacKay’s Patronage Appointments

With fresh news of patronage appointments by the Conservatives, Conservative promises of improving accountability look more hollow than ever.

Then ACOA Minister Peter MacKay hired Kevin MacAdam – a former Conservative MLA and Fisheries Minister from PEI – as a political aide in 2006. MacAdam was later handed a patronage appointment as the Director General for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency for Prince Edward Island.

MacAdam’s hiring by ACOA was revoked this summer by the Public Service Commission.

Here are some other recent examples of Conservative patronage:

• Gary Valcour, former riding President for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty now with the Oshawa Harbour Commission.
• This summer Vic Toews appointed several friends and associates to the Parole Board of Canada, including:
• Francois Barron, spouse of 2011 Saint-Bruno-Saint-Hubert Conservative candidate
• Michel Lalonde, Founding member of ADQ, Policy Advisor to Harper from 2004-06 and former Chief of Staff to Jean-Pierre Blackburn
• Marni Larkin, appointed to the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee for Manitoba, Owner of the marketing firm Boom Done Next, which did $9,450 worth of business for Vic Toews’ 2011 election campaign and Manitoba representative on the Conservative Party of Canada National Council

After shutting down the Public Appointments Commission, the Conservatives are celebrating with style.