It is with both measures of respect and a certain reluctance that I weigh-in on Parliament's current debate over Senate reform appearing as it does in the waning days of the session.
Early on in my career I was taught by, employed and worked with three men who subsequently served in Canada's Upper Chamber. At least three former colleagues with whom I was associated at my latter career with the CBC are serving Senators.
To some degree I know thus of what I speak. Nonetheless, in the case of the first three, I defer to their age, competence and wisdom. My university professor, a knowledgeable academic, currently serves as "Speaker in the Senate" and the other two (since deceased) had been well respected and experienced politicians in the maritime provinces before ascending the Red Chamber.
But with my equals and work colleagues from the CBC who currently sit on either sides of the Chamber, though doubtless they've acquired a certain level of wisdom and experience from their time in the "house of sober second thought" (So described by the Fathers of our Confederation in 1867) at least some have suggested, they may be less "Senate-worthy." I respect the office and position of their uncompetitive appointment. Since I worked shoulder to shoulder with them and at least shared in their competence and knowledge, I feel secure...Ahem! Well at least confident, that my own ascension to membership to the Senate's sinecure is just a few months away; a year or two tops! Which thus explains my reluctance, Nay - my near resistance; to weighing into this reform debate.
A throwback to the British class system of the pre-Victorian era, the Fathers of Confederation in their own obliged wisdom enshrined the Upper House into the British North America Act of 1867. The Senate is antiquated and out of touch. It's doubtful that the purpose for which it serves the denizens of the 21st Century is worth the annual cost to taxpayers of about $150-million. But so is another product of the same era: The railroads, of which elements are also enshrined in the articles of Confederation. I digress.
Substantive change or reform to the Senate of Canada requires amending the country's Constitution. The backdoor method now tabled by Mr. Harper's government seems on "sober second thought" (pardon the pun) just frittering along the edges of the issue. In fact so concerned is the Federal Government of a revolt from both sides of the Senate aisle that the combined legislation on term limits and the election of senators has instead been introduced for a quick push-through in the(lower)House of Commons. Lest I digress once more: Which seems to speak volumes about the Prime Minister's confidence in the more than 30 senators he has personally appointed since 2008; let alone the other Tories appointed to the upper chamber by Brian Mulroney.
In fact Mr. Mulroney's own well intentioned package of reforms for the Senate were enshrined in the Constitutional amendments which would have resulted from the Meech Lake and subsequent Charlottetown Accords. Both of which failed following unprecedented wrangling from the provincial partners of Confederation and damned near split the country apart in the Quebec referendum of 1995. No politician since has dared crack open discussions to another Constitutional conference. It is a lesson Mr. Harper has learned well. In fact though, he may nonetheless have unwittingly swung open wide the doors to Constitutional discord just as half-a-dozen provinces are gearing-up for fall elections and the five original signatories of the British North America Act are threatening to sue over this Harper plan.
It could indeed be a hot summer. Regardless of the outcome, as was noted this week by Ottawa Citizen columnist Kelly Egan: "After singing O Canada, our honourable senators should begin every session by falling on their knees and thanking their lucky stars. The base salary is $132,000, they get nice offices, a staff, breaks galore on the Hill, opportunities to travel."
Prime Minister, I've been good. Call me!
Showing posts with label Canada's Senate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada's Senate. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Sunday, September 26, 2010
ONE GREAT DISCONNECT
Despite the usual escalating tensions of a fall session in the House of Commons; and almost at the threshold of a fifth year of Minority Government, history is about to mark Prime Minister Stephen Harper's lasting legacy on our centuries' old democratic Parliamentary traditions.
Mr. Harper's first handpicked Governor-General, David Johnston, a Canadian most people have never heard of, will move into Rideau Hall at the end of the week. And, experts expect that early in December, the P.M.'s Conservative Party will claim a majority in Canada's Upper House, The Senate, for only the second time in three-quarters of a century. That's when the Prime-Minister will handpick two representatives to replace Liberal Senators Peter Stollery and Jean Lapointe who are reaching the mandatory age of retirement(75). Never mind that Mr. Harper as leader of the western based Alliance Party campaigned to abolish the institution...and later as Conservative leader, to at least reform the practice of the appointed sinecure: I digress.
All this at the same good time that evidence comes to light in the United-Kingdom that despite The Queen's reputation for frugality; she's been having a rough time making ends meet. Buckingham Palace has even explored using a government program there to subsidize heating costs for low-income Britons to help pay for heating the Royal residences.
The Queen's finances; somewhat like our Senate's as well as The Governor-General's (Her representative in Canada); have been controversial. But, as someone else put rather succinctly late last week - Once you're in the habit of spending the public's money as if it were your own; it's all too easy to forget whose money it really is.
Pending the next two Senate appointments in December; Mr. Harper has so far appointed 33 Senators since being elected in January 2006. Every one well politically connected and most appointed after Mr. Harper's Senate Reform plans appeared stalled after the fall 2008 general election and the Prorogation fiasco which followed. Though unrelated and to digress once more: It's nevertheless worth noting that the Governor-General has to consent to proroguing the House of Commons, and has the option instead of calling on an Opposition / Coalition to form the Government. Is it any wonder that living in the nation's capital city causes such political cynicism?
It now appears this new found Harper legacy consciousness may even extend to the world stage. The Prime-Minister who eschewed attendance at the opening of the United-Nations' General Assembly a year ago, favouring a photo-op at a Tim Horton's instead, has now turned-on the charm offensive to offset the international embarrassment which would be Canada's defeat by Portugal for a seat on the Security Council when that vote takes place October 12th.
Mandarins and officials at External Affairs have been warming the PMO for years that Mr. Harper's lackadaisical attitude towards the U.N. could cost the country one of two seats on the Security Council despite there being only 3 candidates in the running: Germany and Portugal being the other two - Well now, Germany is a shoe-in and Portugal may have the inner track. Canada is a founding member of the United-Nations and has held a two-year appointment to the Security-Council in each ensuing decade since the world organization was founded half-way through the last century...Losing-out to Portugal would be a massive psychological set-back for Canada's diplomatic relations as well as an international embarrassment. If resurrection were possible: Enough perhaps to raise former Prime-Minister Lester B. Pearson from the grave! Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for resolving the Suez Canal imbroglio. He's in company with Mother Teresa ('79); Lech Walesa ('83); Desmond Tutu ('84); The Dalai Lama ('89); Nelson Mandela ('93) and most recently: Barack Obama (2009) - Get the picture??
Selecting a Governor-General; creating a Conservative majority of partisans in our un-elected Senate; losing a rightful place as a founding member of the United-Nations: All worthy at least of an asterisk next to Mr. Harper's name in the history books.
Mr. Harper's first handpicked Governor-General, David Johnston, a Canadian most people have never heard of, will move into Rideau Hall at the end of the week. And, experts expect that early in December, the P.M.'s Conservative Party will claim a majority in Canada's Upper House, The Senate, for only the second time in three-quarters of a century. That's when the Prime-Minister will handpick two representatives to replace Liberal Senators Peter Stollery and Jean Lapointe who are reaching the mandatory age of retirement(75). Never mind that Mr. Harper as leader of the western based Alliance Party campaigned to abolish the institution...and later as Conservative leader, to at least reform the practice of the appointed sinecure: I digress.
All this at the same good time that evidence comes to light in the United-Kingdom that despite The Queen's reputation for frugality; she's been having a rough time making ends meet. Buckingham Palace has even explored using a government program there to subsidize heating costs for low-income Britons to help pay for heating the Royal residences.
The Queen's finances; somewhat like our Senate's as well as The Governor-General's (Her representative in Canada); have been controversial. But, as someone else put rather succinctly late last week - Once you're in the habit of spending the public's money as if it were your own; it's all too easy to forget whose money it really is.
Pending the next two Senate appointments in December; Mr. Harper has so far appointed 33 Senators since being elected in January 2006. Every one well politically connected and most appointed after Mr. Harper's Senate Reform plans appeared stalled after the fall 2008 general election and the Prorogation fiasco which followed. Though unrelated and to digress once more: It's nevertheless worth noting that the Governor-General has to consent to proroguing the House of Commons, and has the option instead of calling on an Opposition / Coalition to form the Government. Is it any wonder that living in the nation's capital city causes such political cynicism?
It now appears this new found Harper legacy consciousness may even extend to the world stage. The Prime-Minister who eschewed attendance at the opening of the United-Nations' General Assembly a year ago, favouring a photo-op at a Tim Horton's instead, has now turned-on the charm offensive to offset the international embarrassment which would be Canada's defeat by Portugal for a seat on the Security Council when that vote takes place October 12th.
Mandarins and officials at External Affairs have been warming the PMO for years that Mr. Harper's lackadaisical attitude towards the U.N. could cost the country one of two seats on the Security Council despite there being only 3 candidates in the running: Germany and Portugal being the other two - Well now, Germany is a shoe-in and Portugal may have the inner track. Canada is a founding member of the United-Nations and has held a two-year appointment to the Security-Council in each ensuing decade since the world organization was founded half-way through the last century...Losing-out to Portugal would be a massive psychological set-back for Canada's diplomatic relations as well as an international embarrassment. If resurrection were possible: Enough perhaps to raise former Prime-Minister Lester B. Pearson from the grave! Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for resolving the Suez Canal imbroglio. He's in company with Mother Teresa ('79); Lech Walesa ('83); Desmond Tutu ('84); The Dalai Lama ('89); Nelson Mandela ('93) and most recently: Barack Obama (2009) - Get the picture??
Selecting a Governor-General; creating a Conservative majority of partisans in our un-elected Senate; losing a rightful place as a founding member of the United-Nations: All worthy at least of an asterisk next to Mr. Harper's name in the history books.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
SPOKEN WITH FORKED TONGUE
It is abundantly clear that politicians of any and all stripes will say pretty much anything that can justify their actions, worthy or otherwise...
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is an increasingly seasoned and adept practitioner of the art. Now in a salute - Nay! - Tip of the Hat to old style politics, he's tipped the balance of power in Canada's Senate. Old style politics of course being a practice Mr. Harper and his party have repeatedly vowed to reform, abolish, rise above, and to submit to a new era of accountability (take your pick) in each of the three times these Conservatives have sought the electoral support of Canadians.
There have been five (and counting) excuses and reasons advanced for the bitter aftertaste of the hasty, useless, and affront to democracy "Proroguing" of the House of Commons. On that one; just short of a quarter-million FaceBook subscribers have so far petitioned Mr. Harper to have a change of heart.
Now, having repeatedly campaigned never to do so, Mr. Harper has packed the Senate under the premise that the heretofore Liberal Senate majority obstructed his government's "tough on crime" agenda. That of course would be the same "tough on crime" agenda legislation which died on Parliament's order paper when the Prime Minister unilaterally prorogued the House twice in one year. If you're keeping score; this sounds like excuse number two. To wit: It seems to me that when Senators Wallin, Duffy et al were appointed it was to hasten that promised (never to be delivered) reform of the Senate.
Be that as it may: Right-wing "tough on crime" agendas have packed American jails and the practice has repeatedly been shown to be an abject failure south of the border. A lesson we've missed, and thus obviously still must learn at our own politically fueled expense. I digress!
Despite winning two of the last three elections; a decimated disorganized opposition; and several potential false starts in between, majority government still eludes the Tories...There may be a reason for that: One that is all the more re-enforced by packing the Senate rather than delivering on promises. Hardly the signal of a new era..N'est-ce pas?
It was writer, journalist, raconteur Larry Zolf, now aged 76, who observed of management's decision to cancel the controversial program "This Hour Has Seven Days" in 1966; that at the CBC..."the milk rose to the top." He could just as well have been speaking of the slate of political masters we've elected to represent us and to assure the country's well being.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is an increasingly seasoned and adept practitioner of the art. Now in a salute - Nay! - Tip of the Hat to old style politics, he's tipped the balance of power in Canada's Senate. Old style politics of course being a practice Mr. Harper and his party have repeatedly vowed to reform, abolish, rise above, and to submit to a new era of accountability (take your pick) in each of the three times these Conservatives have sought the electoral support of Canadians.
There have been five (and counting) excuses and reasons advanced for the bitter aftertaste of the hasty, useless, and affront to democracy "Proroguing" of the House of Commons. On that one; just short of a quarter-million FaceBook subscribers have so far petitioned Mr. Harper to have a change of heart.
Now, having repeatedly campaigned never to do so, Mr. Harper has packed the Senate under the premise that the heretofore Liberal Senate majority obstructed his government's "tough on crime" agenda. That of course would be the same "tough on crime" agenda legislation which died on Parliament's order paper when the Prime Minister unilaterally prorogued the House twice in one year. If you're keeping score; this sounds like excuse number two. To wit: It seems to me that when Senators Wallin, Duffy et al were appointed it was to hasten that promised (never to be delivered) reform of the Senate.
Be that as it may: Right-wing "tough on crime" agendas have packed American jails and the practice has repeatedly been shown to be an abject failure south of the border. A lesson we've missed, and thus obviously still must learn at our own politically fueled expense. I digress!
Despite winning two of the last three elections; a decimated disorganized opposition; and several potential false starts in between, majority government still eludes the Tories...There may be a reason for that: One that is all the more re-enforced by packing the Senate rather than delivering on promises. Hardly the signal of a new era..N'est-ce pas?
It was writer, journalist, raconteur Larry Zolf, now aged 76, who observed of management's decision to cancel the controversial program "This Hour Has Seven Days" in 1966; that at the CBC..."the milk rose to the top." He could just as well have been speaking of the slate of political masters we've elected to represent us and to assure the country's well being.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
BLINDED BY PARTISANSHIP
Perhaps it is in the nature of our political system. It seems that there is a certain ill-conceived herd mentally that surfaces at times when partisans are blinded by following their misguided principles.
How else to explain that a tactician as brilliant as Stephen Harper (At least as some pundits would have it) gets blindsided by the "gotcha" politics popular with the followers of the ultra-conservative movement of the American south, and so obviously abhorant to Canadians?
A lesson which clearly fell on deft-ears just a year ago when a fit of the same tactics (A spiteful measure designed to curtail funding to political parties) ultimately resulted in Mr. Harper begging for mercy at the Governor-General's door in order to save the Tories from unprecedented humiliation by a coalition of opposition politicians.
Prorogation round two this time 'round obviously has struck the same discordant chord with Canadians. As protests mount the "doctors o' spin" at Mr. Harper's behest have fired-up all eights into overtime (once again) to explain away this political miscalculation; Nay - Faux Pas!
Commentators better than I have suggested that the decision to prorogue the House at mid-session was a Prime Ministerial "gotcha" to Micheal Ignatieff's ill conceived September Sudbury bluff to defeat the Tories and force an election. Be that as is may, Harper's acknowledged reason of a couple of weeks back - Peace and Good Government during the Winter Olympics - has now hastily evaporated in favour of the pressing need to "consult with Canadians" in the early stages of our nation's challenging economic recovery. A recovery doutless made longer by the $60-Billion debt Mr. Harper's own government has managed to saddle us with in just one year...But, I digress. As that sorry excuse sours on Canadians, the "doctors o' spin" will surely pull-out another from their bottomless (or should that be topless?) magic hat o' tricks. Oye!
The fact is that next month's Winter Olympic Games may be Mr. Harper's best hope to recover from this latest blunder. Should the games go well for Canada: In our usual national outpouring of patriotism over whatever "Gold Medals" Canadian athletes achieve; we'll be ready to forgive the discord that plagues our venerable Parliamentary institutions. Though, as World Junior Championship Hockey showed just recently; all bets are off, and achievements soon forgotten if the "gold" count turns out disappointing once more.
Just for good measure: The PM may want to wait for the medal count before packing the Senate Chamber with Tory cronies.
How else to explain that a tactician as brilliant as Stephen Harper (At least as some pundits would have it) gets blindsided by the "gotcha" politics popular with the followers of the ultra-conservative movement of the American south, and so obviously abhorant to Canadians?
A lesson which clearly fell on deft-ears just a year ago when a fit of the same tactics (A spiteful measure designed to curtail funding to political parties) ultimately resulted in Mr. Harper begging for mercy at the Governor-General's door in order to save the Tories from unprecedented humiliation by a coalition of opposition politicians.
Prorogation round two this time 'round obviously has struck the same discordant chord with Canadians. As protests mount the "doctors o' spin" at Mr. Harper's behest have fired-up all eights into overtime (once again) to explain away this political miscalculation; Nay - Faux Pas!
Commentators better than I have suggested that the decision to prorogue the House at mid-session was a Prime Ministerial "gotcha" to Micheal Ignatieff's ill conceived September Sudbury bluff to defeat the Tories and force an election. Be that as is may, Harper's acknowledged reason of a couple of weeks back - Peace and Good Government during the Winter Olympics - has now hastily evaporated in favour of the pressing need to "consult with Canadians" in the early stages of our nation's challenging economic recovery. A recovery doutless made longer by the $60-Billion debt Mr. Harper's own government has managed to saddle us with in just one year...But, I digress. As that sorry excuse sours on Canadians, the "doctors o' spin" will surely pull-out another from their bottomless (or should that be topless?) magic hat o' tricks. Oye!
The fact is that next month's Winter Olympic Games may be Mr. Harper's best hope to recover from this latest blunder. Should the games go well for Canada: In our usual national outpouring of patriotism over whatever "Gold Medals" Canadian athletes achieve; we'll be ready to forgive the discord that plagues our venerable Parliamentary institutions. Though, as World Junior Championship Hockey showed just recently; all bets are off, and achievements soon forgotten if the "gold" count turns out disappointing once more.
Just for good measure: The PM may want to wait for the medal count before packing the Senate Chamber with Tory cronies.
Friday, August 28, 2009
BEATS A SENATE NOMINATION
Jeez whiz, the Prime Minister has been taking it on the chin this week over his nominations to Canada's Red Chamber: The Senate; of several new political hacks, has beens, wannabees and hangers on.
In a noteworthy obvious case of "do as I say...not as I do", Prime Minister Harper has abandoned his life long public political pledge to reform the Senate...er!...well at least stop the century old Canadian tradition of loading the Upper-House with one's friends, supporters and political bag men (and ladies) regardless of ability; knowledge; or (God forbid) conscience over taking a $130,000 / year political sinecure for towing the party line till mandatory retirement age of 75 years.
The Senate: Parliament's chamber of sober second thought; is the quintessential Canadian institution where, with a little help from well connected friends, "the milk rises to the top." - I speak with some knowledge of, and experience with at least several Senators with whom I have had professional working relationships in their previous lives...Lest I digress:
I'll venture a confession that I found some delicious irony in a report published on the trusted news syndicate "Agence France Presse" (AFP) just a few hours before Prime Minister Harper stepped in front of the media microphones in Montreal to announce his list of nine Senate nominees. Dinosaurs and pre-historic remnants are among the varied and descriptive adjectives which have previously, and frequently been used by Canadian observers, commentators, some politcians, as well as pundits to describe our Upper House of Parliament.
It seems that after a chance encounter with Jack Horner, a renowned American paleontologist and the technical advisor on the enormously popular "Jurassic Park" movies researchers at McGill University have determined to experiment with Doctor Horner's theory that chicken embryos can be manipulated to create dinosaurs. The theory is based on research in macro-evolution that birds are direct descendants of the enormous pre-historic, now extinct creatures which once roamed the planet.
In fact the Government of Canada, through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; as well as the Canada Research Chairs program and National Geographic in the United States are funding the McGill project. It is still just in its infancy, and scientists at McGill are cautious, because of ethical reasons, about predicting they will eventually hatch live pre-historic animals...But, the work is described as a demonstration of evolution done by flipping certain genetic levers during a chicken embryo's development that may reproduce a dinosaur's anatomy.
Prime Ministers of the future should now take note: McGill University may be on the verge of sourcing a whole new crop of candidates for the Canadian Senate willing to "peck","chirp" and "cluck" to support the governemment for mere chicken feed.
In a noteworthy obvious case of "do as I say...not as I do", Prime Minister Harper has abandoned his life long public political pledge to reform the Senate...er!...well at least stop the century old Canadian tradition of loading the Upper-House with one's friends, supporters and political bag men (and ladies) regardless of ability; knowledge; or (God forbid) conscience over taking a $130,000 / year political sinecure for towing the party line till mandatory retirement age of 75 years.
The Senate: Parliament's chamber of sober second thought; is the quintessential Canadian institution where, with a little help from well connected friends, "the milk rises to the top." - I speak with some knowledge of, and experience with at least several Senators with whom I have had professional working relationships in their previous lives...Lest I digress:
I'll venture a confession that I found some delicious irony in a report published on the trusted news syndicate "Agence France Presse" (AFP) just a few hours before Prime Minister Harper stepped in front of the media microphones in Montreal to announce his list of nine Senate nominees. Dinosaurs and pre-historic remnants are among the varied and descriptive adjectives which have previously, and frequently been used by Canadian observers, commentators, some politcians, as well as pundits to describe our Upper House of Parliament.
It seems that after a chance encounter with Jack Horner, a renowned American paleontologist and the technical advisor on the enormously popular "Jurassic Park" movies researchers at McGill University have determined to experiment with Doctor Horner's theory that chicken embryos can be manipulated to create dinosaurs. The theory is based on research in macro-evolution that birds are direct descendants of the enormous pre-historic, now extinct creatures which once roamed the planet.
In fact the Government of Canada, through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; as well as the Canada Research Chairs program and National Geographic in the United States are funding the McGill project. It is still just in its infancy, and scientists at McGill are cautious, because of ethical reasons, about predicting they will eventually hatch live pre-historic animals...But, the work is described as a demonstration of evolution done by flipping certain genetic levers during a chicken embryo's development that may reproduce a dinosaur's anatomy.
Prime Ministers of the future should now take note: McGill University may be on the verge of sourcing a whole new crop of candidates for the Canadian Senate willing to "peck","chirp" and "cluck" to support the governemment for mere chicken feed.
Friday, February 20, 2009
SENATOR'S BLUEPRINT?
Back in 1444, the British Sovereign, Henry VI, travelled to France to sign the "Treaty of Tours" with the French King, Charles VII. The voyage lasted three weeks. One of the highlights of this first ever trip outside of Britain for the King was a wrestling match between the two country's monarchs.
Thankfully wrestling bouts between political rivals have ended. This weekend at a meeting of his Cabinet in Gander, Newfoundland, the Premier Danny Williams, has confirmed that the province has dropped plans for a province wide "Have" status party to coincide with Newfoundland's 60Th anniversary in Confederation, and mark the province's removal from the list of equalization receiving provinces.
The event on March 31 was to have included a school holiday and province wide celebrations. Premier Williams says the entire matter is being assessed "in light of the current Canadian economic climate". Perhaps there is a touch of politics in this matter. Premier Williams and the Federal government, primarily through the new Senator, former CTV broadcaster, Mike Duffy have been at loggerhead over changes to Federal transfers contained in the January 27Th budget.
The Premier of Newfoundland, Mr. Williams, is a formidable opponent and there is anecdotal evidence to suggest Senator Duffy has softened his rhetoric. However that's not necessarily the case with Mr. Duffy's confrontation with the Premier of his native province, Prince Edward Island's Robert Ghiz, regarding the same issue.
The two men apparently held a secret hush-hush meeting in Charlottetown a few days ago to try and bury the hatchet; but Senator Duffy was unapologetic. The meeting followed the earlier rebuke from the Prime-Minister who told a Halifax CTV interviewer that the new Senator's comments were..."perhaps inappropriate."
For his part, Premier Ghiz has said very little about the "tete a tete" other than to express a desire that the Senator focus on the issues facing Prince-Edward Island instead of personal attacks...."Perhaps Mr. Duffy might just need a little time to grow into this new role."
Some Islanders though have been somewhat more expressive over the controversy: One island based blogger told the Charlottetown "Guardian" - "These sniper comments may have gained popularity or a few chuckles in the world of show biz, but in the political arena they are seen as being uncouth, unwarranted, unproductive, inappropriate, crass and belligerent...In short Senator Duffy, a statesman rides his horse sitting high on the saddle, not on the back end!"
Yikes! Senator Duffy claimed that Premier Williams and Premier Ghiz "in bed" was grotesque. Picture that chubby image.
Thankfully wrestling bouts between political rivals have ended. This weekend at a meeting of his Cabinet in Gander, Newfoundland, the Premier Danny Williams, has confirmed that the province has dropped plans for a province wide "Have" status party to coincide with Newfoundland's 60Th anniversary in Confederation, and mark the province's removal from the list of equalization receiving provinces.
The event on March 31 was to have included a school holiday and province wide celebrations. Premier Williams says the entire matter is being assessed "in light of the current Canadian economic climate". Perhaps there is a touch of politics in this matter. Premier Williams and the Federal government, primarily through the new Senator, former CTV broadcaster, Mike Duffy have been at loggerhead over changes to Federal transfers contained in the January 27Th budget.
The Premier of Newfoundland, Mr. Williams, is a formidable opponent and there is anecdotal evidence to suggest Senator Duffy has softened his rhetoric. However that's not necessarily the case with Mr. Duffy's confrontation with the Premier of his native province, Prince Edward Island's Robert Ghiz, regarding the same issue.
The two men apparently held a secret hush-hush meeting in Charlottetown a few days ago to try and bury the hatchet; but Senator Duffy was unapologetic. The meeting followed the earlier rebuke from the Prime-Minister who told a Halifax CTV interviewer that the new Senator's comments were..."perhaps inappropriate."
For his part, Premier Ghiz has said very little about the "tete a tete" other than to express a desire that the Senator focus on the issues facing Prince-Edward Island instead of personal attacks...."Perhaps Mr. Duffy might just need a little time to grow into this new role."
Some Islanders though have been somewhat more expressive over the controversy: One island based blogger told the Charlottetown "Guardian" - "These sniper comments may have gained popularity or a few chuckles in the world of show biz, but in the political arena they are seen as being uncouth, unwarranted, unproductive, inappropriate, crass and belligerent...In short Senator Duffy, a statesman rides his horse sitting high on the saddle, not on the back end!"
Yikes! Senator Duffy claimed that Premier Williams and Premier Ghiz "in bed" was grotesque. Picture that chubby image.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
...ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE
Just a few days ago I came across what I'd presumed was a long disappeared vestige of the early 20th Century: The Barnum & Bailey, Ringling Brothers Circus train, heading east out of Tampa Bay, Florida. Lest I digress, my brother has since reminded me that the train was pretty much the "star" of Cecil B. DeMille's Academy Award winning 1952 film: "The Greatest Show On Earth". Well, turns-out it is still making tracks and currently believed to be the largest privately owned train in the world.
The circus' founder, P.T. Barnum, is credited with the 19th century remark - "A sucker born every minute." His words came to mind this week as Senator Mike Duffy single handily destroyed the objectivity of his own iconic 40 year career in Canadian political journalism. A practitioner of the craft of journalism myself, including as a colleague of Senator Duffy at CBC Radio News in the 1970's, I too was offended with his twice repeated comments about the grotesque nature of Newfoundland Premier, Danny Williams, and PEI, Premier Robert Ghiz, "getting into bed together".
Whilst I entirely understand that in politics you..."dance with the one who brung you", it seems to me that the remarks caused near irreparable damage to the objectivity of all Canadian political journalists. Mr. Duffy has clearly chosen to park his career's journalistic principles and integrity at the Senate's door. Although within the Senate's Chamber, Senator Duffy has since withdrawn his disdainful metaphor, his intransigence over repudiating the full nature of the choice of descriptive words may also well have caused collateral damage to the reputations of the other 17 Senators appointed along with him in December...They too should be concerned.
The Prime Minister chose his words carefully on Friday evening in telling CTV News Halifax that the Senator's language was: "Perhaps inappropriate". The message though seems to me clear: Insulting the Premier of the province you represent in the Senate is a hell of a way to ingratiate yourself with the people of P.E.I. who elected Premier Ghiz...especially when the insult comes from a heretofore cherished favourite son of the Island province.
In Canada's Red Chamber, Senator Duffy sits amongst at least two other former CTV journalist colleagues: Senator Jim Munson, appointed by Prime Minister, Chretien; and Senator Pamela Wallin, appointed along with Mike Duffy in December by Mr. Harper. I hope that they both will be able to assist Senator Duffy in reigning-in his sharp and somewhat inappropriate rhetoric; lest the people of his native Prince Edward Island regret that it wasn't Stompin' Tom Connors who was named their Senate representative...Or worse: That such behaviour make the Senate, much like the circus train, a vestige of another time...Wait - It already is!
The circus' founder, P.T. Barnum, is credited with the 19th century remark - "A sucker born every minute." His words came to mind this week as Senator Mike Duffy single handily destroyed the objectivity of his own iconic 40 year career in Canadian political journalism. A practitioner of the craft of journalism myself, including as a colleague of Senator Duffy at CBC Radio News in the 1970's, I too was offended with his twice repeated comments about the grotesque nature of Newfoundland Premier, Danny Williams, and PEI, Premier Robert Ghiz, "getting into bed together".
Whilst I entirely understand that in politics you..."dance with the one who brung you", it seems to me that the remarks caused near irreparable damage to the objectivity of all Canadian political journalists. Mr. Duffy has clearly chosen to park his career's journalistic principles and integrity at the Senate's door. Although within the Senate's Chamber, Senator Duffy has since withdrawn his disdainful metaphor, his intransigence over repudiating the full nature of the choice of descriptive words may also well have caused collateral damage to the reputations of the other 17 Senators appointed along with him in December...They too should be concerned.
The Prime Minister chose his words carefully on Friday evening in telling CTV News Halifax that the Senator's language was: "Perhaps inappropriate". The message though seems to me clear: Insulting the Premier of the province you represent in the Senate is a hell of a way to ingratiate yourself with the people of P.E.I. who elected Premier Ghiz...especially when the insult comes from a heretofore cherished favourite son of the Island province.
In Canada's Red Chamber, Senator Duffy sits amongst at least two other former CTV journalist colleagues: Senator Jim Munson, appointed by Prime Minister, Chretien; and Senator Pamela Wallin, appointed along with Mike Duffy in December by Mr. Harper. I hope that they both will be able to assist Senator Duffy in reigning-in his sharp and somewhat inappropriate rhetoric; lest the people of his native Prince Edward Island regret that it wasn't Stompin' Tom Connors who was named their Senate representative...Or worse: That such behaviour make the Senate, much like the circus train, a vestige of another time...Wait - It already is!
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