Ponderables
Isn’t it time someone wrote a John Allan Cameron biography?
When both centre men are set, why don’t NHL linesmen immediately drop the puck?
The Myth Of Being Fashionably Late
When you’re deliberately late you aren’t sending a message that you’re fashionable, you’re sending a message that you think your time is more valuable than everyone else’s.
Trudeau’s Liberals Botch Another Appointment
Non-partisan political observers have been eagerly awaiting the departure of the queen of ditherers, Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Mary Dawson, and the naming of her replacement.
I headed this item “Trudeau’s Liberals” because the prime minister insists he didn’t participate in the process because, almost a year later, he is still being investigated by Dawson for the outrageously expensive Christmas visit to the Aga Khan last year by Trudeau, his family, and some close friends and associates; hence the “queen of ditherers” reference. And is she ever going to get around to dealing with the complaints against Finance Minister, Bill Morneau? But I digress.
The Liberals finally got around to naming Dawson’s successor this week, the current head of the immigration and refugee Board, Mario Dion. There are two problems with this appointment.
The first is that the ruling Liberals did not consult with the opposition parties before making their choice. The office of the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner is an office of the parliament of Canada, not the Liberal party, so this appointment should not have been made without consultation with the other parties. This is still another example that Justin Trudeau has inherited his father’s often-demonstrated disrespect for parliament;, as is his chronic absence from the House of Commons.
The second problem with the appointment is Dion himself. In 2014 the auditor general found “gross mismanagement” in Dion’s office, a statement that wasn’t refuted at the time, and of which there’s no evidence of rectification. I guess we just have to assume that Dion has become more competent over the past couple of years. Or could he be simply another Liberal lap dog?
As for Trudeau not participating in the selection process, it’s also possible the Vegas Knights will win the Stanley Cup this season.
Another Ethics Office Concern
My understanding is that there’s a great deal of concern among objective political observers in Ottawa that Dithering Mary may not rule on the Trudeau and Morneau files before she leaves office, which, when coupled with Dion’s lack of commitment to continue the investigations, means that the Gold Dust Twins, Trudeau and Morneau, may be off the hook.
As alluded to earlier, that it would take Dithering Mary almost a year to rule on the Trudeau Christmas trip is almost beyond comprehension, and worse still, leaves the impression that she’s either incompetent or partisan
Why I Muse So Much About Politics
I’m often asked why I muse so frequently about political matters. The short answer is that I’m a political junkie. For many years, when I did political commentary on CFRB (now Newstalk1010) in Toronto, I was introduced as a “keen political observer.” I’m happy to wear either tag.
My interest in politics at all levels (municipal, provincial, and federal) extends back to my early childhood. Both my parents could also have been characterized as “keen political observers.” My mother was a Conservative and my father was a Liberal, my six siblings were similarly evenly split. The MacInnis dinner table conversation often revolved around political issues and, because of the split party preferences, also often got very lively.
But I want to clarify a couple of things.
It’s no secret that I’m a Conservative, but I’ve been asked to run in federal and provincial elections by both the Liberals and Conservatives. Although I listened politely each time, I never seriously considered any of the overtures. I’m not a card-carrying member of any political party.
There have been many Liberal politicians for whom I’ve had great respect, such as Louis St. Laurent, Lester Pearson, Walter Gordon, Paul Martin, Jean Chretien, Joe Ghiz, Lloyd Axworthy, Gilbert Parent, and John Manley. And I don’t hesitate to add current Liberal cabinet ministers Chrystia Freland and Ralph Goodale to the list.
I’m also often asked why I dislike Justin Trudeau so much. I actually do not personally dislike Justin Trudeau. I just think he’s a naive, narcissistic, inept prime minister; and I will continue to write about his actions and inactions that support that view.