"Where else would you go when you have an ax to grind?"

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Like Lee Harvey Oswald, he was acting alone
An update to the story about the Conservatives appointing "local representatives" in ridings that had the temerity to elect opposition members of Parliament.
For those of you who haven't been following this, the chair of the CPC's BC caucus, the appropriately monickered Dick Harris, announced earlier in the month that residents of the riding of Skeena-Bulkley Valley, BC, having made the terrible mistake of returning the NDP's Nathan Cullen to Ottawa, were being given a second chance and that if they really wanted to get anything done by Kanada's Gnu Gummint they should go through their newly ordained representative/liason/go-to person Houston mayor and CPC candidate in the next election, Sharon "Northern Exposure" Stone Smith.
Naturally, some people disapproved of Dick's efforts to make government efficient and business-like. Especially, the elected member of parliament, Nathan Cullen, and apparently the CPC itself, which is backing water like a canoeist who hears the rumble of Niagara Falls around the bend in the river:

"He just kind of did that himself,'' government spokesman Ryan Sparrow said of Harris's move.
"(Smith) is the Conservative candidate in the next election. That's her only official capacity.''


Need we point out that this is not a government that has generally allowed its MPs to just kind do stuff by themselves? If there is one consistent thing about the CPC it has been that it is run from the top with an iron hand. MPs are not supposed to so much as comment on the weather or confirm that they think water is wet without checking with the PMO first. This was not just some backwater MP running his mouth, this was the head of the provincial caucus.

From the press release:


Harris said, “As Chairman of the BC Caucus of Conservative MPs, I am pleased that Sharon has accepted this role, and I know the constituents of Skeena-Bulkley Valley will derive a huge benefit from having direct contact with government, something that they have not had since 2004.
I and other BC Conservative MPs will work closely with Sharon Smith as she represents constituents of her riding to the government members. It will be a bonus for people of Skeena-Bulkley Valley to have direct representation to the government on so many issues,” continued Harris
Harris concluded, “Having an MP from the fourth party in the House just doesn’t cut it when it comes to actually getting things done for the folks in Skeena-Bulkley Valley . Sharon Smith with her direct government contact will ensure that things DO get done. The Terrace water infrastructure, Smithers Airport expansion, and Houston event center’s new “green” system are just a few examples of what can be accomplished when you have a direct link to government.


And it isn't the only time its happened from the looks of things either. There is reason to believe the same has been done in ridings in the Arctic and Vancouver Island North Riding.

If Dick Harris has "just kind of did this himself" I'd like to know what the Prime Minister intends to do about it. If not, when will the Prime Minister apologize for trying to make an end run around democracy?

Update: Alison has found another one, this time a failed candidate in the Sea-to-Sky West Vancouver riding who acts like he was the one who was elected.

Go to blogs on this: A creative revolution, Dawg's Blawg, and most of the Canadian Blogroll.

8 comments:

Alison said...

Now there's a weird coincidence - not only did I just read here that you linked to me today but I mentioned LHO too.
Fools ...differing...

This shit really is beyond the pale, isn't it?
Nothing from CBC yet, she said redundantly...

JJ said...

Why hasn't there been anything from CBC yet! I want this blazing on all media across the country.

dick spoke to the Prince George Citizen, he's either really stupid or really sleazy. Probably both.

Rev.Paperboy said...

cbc radio originally broke the story, didn't they?

http://www.cbc.ca/daybreaknorth/daybreak_again.html

RossK said...

Thanks Rev--

Listening to the two clips from Mr. Harris and Mr. Cullen back-to-back demonstrates the mendacity of the marauding packs of HarperCons.

.

Alison said...

Came back to say I'd no sooner left the above bitch re lack of CBC follow-up on this than I turned on the radio and there was a CBC interview in progress with both Harris and Cullen.
Only caught the very end of Harris but Cullen was very good.
He noted the irony of Harris having made his remarks re alternative Con go-to guys at a media conference to annonunce new airport funding. Cullen said Strahl had advised him back in June that the airport funding was to go ahead but had asked him not to go public with the info yet, to which Cullen gladly complied.

Cullen : Why can't we just act professionally? Obviously the needs of the country come before those of the various political parties.

Heh.

Rev : Working on that grassy knoll/LHO pic you suggested. If it's any good I'll send it to you.

Alison said...

Cullen : Why can't we just act professionally? Obviously the needs of the country come before those of the various political parties.

should read :
Cullen said "Why can't..."

Rev.Paperboy said...

The question now is whether Harris takes the fall or proclaims that he was "just a patsy" forcing Steven Harper into the Jack Ruby mode

JJ said...

The Go-To blogs, LOL. Just noticed that

Oh! The Daybreak interview. Yeah, I guess in a manner of speaking they broke it... my beef is that it never appeared as a "news story" anywhere on their website.