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July 19th, 2012

NDP challenges Conservatives to finally clean up patronage

OTTAWA – New Democrat Ethics critic Charlie Angus called on the Conservative government to work with the Official Opposition and finally clean up the appointments process once and for all.

“Despite repeated promises to clean up patronage, Conservatives continue to use the appointments process to reward failed candidates and other partisans,” said Angus. “After spending years criticizing Liberals, when elected Conservatives started doing the exact same thing. Nothing has changed.”

The NDP pointed to a troubling pattern of Conservative patronage in recent federal appointments to Agencies, Boards and Commissions. The Immigration Refugee Board, Provincial Judicial Advisory Committees and Quebec Employment Insurance Board have recently seen a slew of Conservative connected appointees.

“At last count, over a quarter of all failed Conservative candidates from the last election have been helped to new jobs by the Conservatives – many with little to no qualifications for their post,” said Angus. “Being a Conservative partisan doesn’t qualify you to make judicial appointments or rule on Employment Insurance.”

New Democrats said they were willing to work with the government to ensure appointments are transparent and based on merit.

“When his first choice to lead the PAC was rejected back in 2006, Stephen Harper pouted and said he needed a majority to fix this problem. Well now he’s got his majority and still refuses act,” said Angus. “But it’s not too late – we are willing to work with the Conservatives, as we did in 2006, to implement an effective Public Appointments Commission.”