There was a time when people could count on certain things in life.

Like Monday coming after Sunday. And the Harper Conservatives railing against judges who delivered legal judgments they disagreed with.

That’s all changed with the “lucky break” former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer got in Ontario Court earlier this week.

Budgets are about choices. But the one delivered by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty yesterday chose to give billions in corporate tax giveaways to profitable banks and oil companies while ignoring the priorities of pensioners, the jobless and hardworking Canadians.

Here’s what they are saying:

“In the end all CARP members got from this budget are some nice words and the promise of more consultation.” – Susan Eng, Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP), March 4, 2010

The Harper Conservatives have a message for all those Canadians hoping for a change in the government’s recent arrogant and autocratic behavior: get ready for more.

The latest example of running rough shod over democracy comes courtesy of Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon who announced yesterday—at 10:46pm no less— that Gérard Latulippe will be the next president of the troubled Rights and Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development).

In a recent speech in Calgary, former Conservative cabinet minister Maxime Bernier put his ideology ahead of economic common sense. In doing so, he also exposed sharp divisions in Conservative ranks on whether to help the 1.6 million Canadians left jobless by the recession.

By silencing grassroots Conservatives who are dissatisfied with MP Rob Anders, Stephen Harper has embraced the old politics he said he would fix.

Over the weekend, Harper’s Conservative Party took the unprecedented step of assuming control of the riding association in Calgary West to silence rank-and-file Conservatives who want to remove Anders as their party’s candidate.

Coming on the heels of the undemocratic shuttering of Parliament, Harper is under fire for agreeing to muzzle members of his own party:

From the curling rink to the athletes’ village, Ignatieff and the Liberal team will be abandoning their post on Parliament Hill to make the scene at Olympic venues:

“Leader Michael Ignatieff will use the special pass put at his disposal to be present for about three days at the start of the Games and again toward the end. But he will ‘not be running after the cameras,’ a party official said.” – Globe and Mail, 5 February 2009

Today in Ottawa, the Ignatieff Liberals are meeting with experts to talk about white collar crime.

And while New Democrats support tougher rules to protect investors, pensioners and business owners from corporate fraud, it’s difficult to ignore the efforts Liberals have made to put white collar crime in the public spotlight in recent years.

Indeed, with all the work they have done with fraud and embezzlement of late, it’s hard to imagine why Liberals didn’t invite these individuals to participate in today’s roundtable:

Yesterday, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff promised that a Liberal government would create a national child care program:

“I'm aware of the hole this government has dropped us in. But one [thing] that I will not drop under any circumstance is an investment in our kids because I’m absolutely convinced that this [child care] is the game changer that makes us more equal, more fair and more just and gives every kid an equal start.” – Michael Ignatieff, CBC News, 1 February 2009

With 1.6 million Canadians still out of work, Stephen Harper has decided that Members of Parliament shouldn’t work either.

While it’s clear that Conservatives don’t think MPs should be doing their jobs in Ottawa, they still can’t explain why. Since Harper’s announcement in December, Conservatives have offered dozens of dubious excuses for shutting down the House of Commons for the next five weeks, none more convincing than the next.

As a public service, New Democrats offer the Harper Conservatives’ excuse of the day for padlocking parliament.

With 1.6 million Canadians still out of work, Stephen Harper has decided that Members of Parliament shouldn’t work either.

While it’s clear that Conservatives don’t think MPs should be doing their jobs in Ottawa, what they still haven’t explained is why. Since Harper’s announcement in December, Conservatives have offered over half a dozen outlandish excuses for shutting down the House of Commons for the next five weeks.

As a public service, New Democrats offer Stephen Harper’s excuse of the day for padlocking parliament.

With 1.6 million Canadians still out of work, Stephen Harper has decided that Members of Parliament shouldn’t work either.

While it’s clear that Conservatives don’t think MPs should be doing their jobs in Ottawa, what they still haven’t explained is why. Since Harper’s announcement in December, Conservatives have offered over half a dozen outlandish reasons for shutting down the House of Commons for the next five weeks.

As a public service, New Democrats offer Stephen Harper’s excuse of the day for padlocking parliament.

Reality Check: Ignatieff Liberals show more signs of concern

Media invited to the Liberal caucus meeting today were greeted by Michael Ignatieff waving a gigantic sign warning them that “Liberals are Working”.

The caution sign is appropriate. For jobs, the economy, or for the environment, Canadians haven’t been used to seeing Liberal MPs working at all.

The Harper Conservatives, who said they were going to put accountability above all else, is finding itself isolated in hiding behind redacted documents and stalling at boycotting parliamentary committees. A wide array of commentators and columnists from across the spectrum are saying the time for cover-up is over.

A Globe and Mail story today reveals evidence that detainees transferred from Canadian custody were abused by Afghan authorities: “Sworn testimony by senior Canadian officers and rare uncensored documentary evidence contradict Defence Minister Peter MacKay's repeated assertions that no proof exists of even a single case of a Canadian-transferred detainee abused by Afghan security forces.”

For the record, here are statements by Ministers who should have been aware of this report, all quotes from Hansard:

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff announced that his party’s vote to support the Conservatives’ HST framework would be whipped. Unfortunately for him, many in his caucus don’t seem to care.

What he said:

“We were trying to get the vote in before QP so some of our MPs were still in the lobby, but you’ll see in subsequent votes that the caucus is united.” Michael Ignatieff, in the House of Commons Foyer, 3 December 2009

What they said:

At the same time as they are forcing an agenda of higher taxes on BC and Ontario families, today in Question Period, the Harper Conservatives dared to once more suggest that their party has a better record on regressive sales taxes than New Democrats. It’s not the case.

In the interest of cutting through the spin, let’s have a closer look at both the New Democrat and Conservative records on sales taxes, shall we?

1990: The Goods and Services Tax

What the Conservatives did: The Mulroney Conservatives passed the GST in the House of Commons by a vote of 144 to 114.

When David Mulroney appears at the Special Committee on Afghanistan later today, New Democrat MPs will want to know “when did he first raise the issues of possible torture of Afghan detainees with Prime Minister Harper?”

As the former head of the Afghanistan Taskforce, Mr. Mulroney was in a position to receive field reports from Afghanistan - including those of diplomat Richard Colvin. He was also, documents show, a contributor to briefings the Privy Council Office provided to the Prime Minister on the sensitive subject of the treatment of detainees.

Ever since career diplomat Richard Colvin came forward with testimony of possible Canadian complicity in the torture of detainees in Afghanistan, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay has shown himself to be consistent only in his inconsistencies.

Richard Colvin who?

"The first time I heard Mr. Colvin's name was in regard to the Military Police Complaints Commission." (National Post, October 16, 2009)

Oh, that Richard Colvin:

Today in Quebec City, Michael Ignatieff is scheduled to announce the Liberal Party’s latest position on climate change. This should sound familiar. In the past seven years – in and out of government – Liberals have announced five different climate change plans:

2002: “Climate Change Plan for Canada”
2005: “Project Green - Moving Forward on Climate Change: A Plan for Honouring Our Kyoto Commitment”
2006: “Toward a Sustainable Society,” Environment and Sustainable Development Taskforce Report, Liberal Renewal Commission

Yesterday in scrums, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff attempted to dismiss charges of hypocrisy against him, by challenging reporters to examine his well known statements about the appropriate use of torture:

"I did twenty minutes [sic] of journalism on protecting human rights, I have no explanations to make here, I have always been against torture. If you would take the trouble to read what I have said, you will see that it's a terrible accusation." – Michael Ignatieff, CTV News Channel, 23 November 2009

Okay. Let’s take him up on that:

ON WHEN TORTURE ISN’T EVIL

With discord growing among Canadians against their aggressive plan to push higher sales taxes on BC and Ontario families, Conservative ranks are beginning to show signs of division over Stephen Harper’s HST scheme.

Conservatives are still stinging from the decisive New Democrat win in the British Columbia by-election last Monday that some called a referendum on Harper’s HST plan for that province.

With only days until voters make their choice in the New Westminster-Coquitlam by-election, Stephen Harper is trying to hide his candidate’s comments in favour of private health care.

Speaking on local radio, Diana Dilworth expressed her willingness to allow more private medical care as an option for health reform:

“There’s a lot of different things that we could consider. And certainly private medical care is one of those options.” – Conservative candidate Diana Dilworth, CKNW’s “The Christy Clark Show,” 26 October 2009

Canadians know that it was the Liberals who signed the deal to provide H1N1 vaccine with a subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline in 2001 – the very same year that subsidiary donated $50,000 to the Liberal Party.

What they don’t yet know is Stephen Harper’s personal connection to GSK’s lobbyist and what role that relationship has with the long line-ups Canadians are facing for vaccine.

Meet Ken Boessenkool:

Measured by his own words, Stephen Harper isn’t doing any better than Liberal governments at bringing improved ethics and accountability to government.

Four years ago this week, in a landmark speech on the scathing inquiry into the Liberals’ sponsorship scandal, Harper promised change:

“Creating a different way of doing government must begin by electing a different government. The time has passed for weak reforms, promises, excuses, crocodile tears. It’s time to change governments.”

– “Accountability” Speech, 4 November 2005

Today Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff tabled a private members bill like none other.

As the Liberals’ release says:

“Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff today tabled a private member’s bill that calls on the Harper government to repeal the flawed pay equity measures included in the 2009 budget implementation act.” – Liberal Party press release, 29 October 2009

That’s right, Ignatieff’s bill calls on Stephen Harper to un-do regressive provisions of a budget Ignatieff and his party just helped to pass.