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January 9th, 2012

Reality check: Stephen Harper’s love-hate relationship with the Senate

Far from his now infamous quote “I don't plan to appoint senators”, Stephen Harper has, once again, embraced patronage like every Prime Minister of the past. It’s the old Ottawa way. Behold the patronage!

Ghislain Maltais – Former liberal MNA in the Quebec National Assembly, former by-election organizer and key organizer for the Lawrence Cannon campaign.

Jean-Guy Dagenais – 2011 Conservative candidate in Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot.

Norman Doyle – Former Conservative MP

Dr. Asha Seth –Donations to the Conservatives in the riding associations of Tony Clement, Deepak Obhrai and household donations to the Ontario PCs.

In the immortal words of the current Prime Minister "… the Upper House remains a dumping ground for the favoured cronies of the Prime Minister." Stephen Harper, January 15, 2004

That very accurate statement was made almost exactly eight years ago.

But the Prime Minister’s actions today continue the tradition he once criticized. Stephen Harper came to change Ottawa, but instead, Ottawa has changed him and he has decided that sticking his buddies in the Senate is more important than sticking to his principles.