Reality check: What they’re saying: The Harper Conservative Reality

August has finally arrived. Not only does it mark four and half years of Conservative government, it also brings with it the Harper Conservative summer retreat in Ottawa.

We thought we would take this opportunity, to reflect upon what is being said about their accomplishments.

ON SOLID MANAGEMENT

“Conservatives have appeared entirely obtuse on the matter of the census, refusing to reinstate the mandatory long form even as they're being criticized by all manner of respected number crunchers. Then there's the RCMP, in crisis over the leadership style of Commissioner William Elliott, a civilian boss hand-picked by Harper. Bad publicity over security spending on the G20 summit in Toronto earlier this month also tarred the Conservative brand.” Barbara Yaffe, Vancouver Sun, July 30, 2010

ON ACCOUNTABILITY

“Conservative members wanted to hide testimony showing the government has failed to live up to its environmental protection responsibilities.” Kristen Shane, Hilltimes, 26 July, 2010

ON TACTICAL PROWESS

“Harper used prorogation as a strategic move to gain a majority in the Senate and avoid further opposition criticism over his government's handling of Afghan detainees.” Frances Russell, Winnipeg Free Press, 26 May 2010

ON COMPETENCE

“After the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Environment Canada, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Rights and Democracy and now Statistics Canada, which federal institutions will the Harper government attack next? The current controversy that surrounds the census is typical of the slash-and-burn approach that the Conservatives have taken since they came to power. Not only is their behaviour dictated by a simplistic ideology, but they implement their policies with singular incompetence.” (Translation) AndréPratte, La Presse, 23 July 2010

ON A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

“Bill C-9 enabled all the usual taxing and spending, but it also removed new energy projects from the purview of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and gave the job for assessing them to the National Energy Board. To make that move even while the world’s attention was transfixed by the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico was quite a feat. Harper couldn’t have done it without the Liberal members of his coalition.” Paul Wells, Macleans, 2 July, 2010

ON OPEN GOVERNMENT

“In Stand Up For Canada, the 2006 platform that carried them to power, Stephen Harper's Conservatives promised earnestly to open up the government's files. The Access to Information law would be strengthened, "so that the public interest is put before the secrecy of the government." Gaining office, however, extinguished this fire in the Conservatives' belly. Most of those promises faded away.” Montreal Gazette, 19 April 2010

ON ACCESSIBLE GOVERNMENT

“Despite warnings and recommendations, delays continue to be the Achilles’ heel of the access to information system and have yet to be appropriately addressed across the government... As a result, delays continue to erode requesters’ right to timely access to information. This right is at risk of being totally obliterated because delays threaten to render the entire access regime irrelevant in our current information economy.” Suzanne Legault, Canada's interim information commissioner, Out of Time: 2008–2009 Report Cards Systemic Issues Affecting Access to Information in Canada, 18 April 2010

ON LEADERSHIP

“Anyone even vaguely familiar with the vast literature of management studies will recognize the prime ministerial style: bossy, bullying, cold -- or, in academic jargon, "exploitative-authoritative.” This kind of leader, say the experts, "has low concern for people and uses threats and other fear-based methods to achieve conformity. Communication is almost entirely downward...This points to another element of Harper's leadership style: to serve him you must first master the "sit and stay" command, then faithfully regurgitate any fabrication put before you. Clement and Day do this well, although few can match the manic sycophancy of John Baird or Pierre Poilievre. Susan Riley, Ottawa Citizen, 30 July 2010