Sometimes it is very difficult to believe the hypocrisy coming from the Liberal party and members of the MSM over the 2006 Federal Election campaign advertising expenses dispute between Elections Canada and the Conservative Party.
In previous federal elections, all 3 federal parties have had candidates who accepted money from them, gave it back and then claimed a rebate on it from Elections Canada. While Elections Canada has accepted the election campaign submissions from the Liberals and the NDP, it has rejected the submissions from Conservative Party candidates. Because of this issue, the Conservative party has taken Elections Canada to court because of inconsistencies in its rulings.
The Liberals party has for the better part of this week, been accusing the Conservatives of everything from having a personal vendetta against Elections Canada to not respecting it and trying to undermine an independent institution, because they have refused to accept its ruling.
What the Liberals have failed to mention is that they have had disputes with Elections Canada in the past and even challenged them in court over it.
Just 2 months ago, former Liberal leadership candidate, Bob Rae successfully challenged an Elections Canada decision in court because they had ruled that it would be illegal for the Liberal party to reimburse the $50,000 deposit that he paid to the party as a requirement to enter the leadership race.
Even though the Liberal party had taken Elections Canada to court, there was no RCMP raid on the Liberal party’s headquarters.
Only 2 month later, just one day before the court proceedings between the Conservative party and Elections Canada is set to begin, there is a televised RCMP raid on the party’s Ottawa headquarters in front of conveniently placed TV cameras from the MSM and also from the Liberal Party headquarters. A raid was conducted, even though the Conservative party had promptly complied with and provided all documents that were requested by Elections Canada. Something just does not add up. Why were both federal political parties treated differently by Elections Canada?
Below is an exchange between Conservative house leader, Peter Van Loan and Liberal MP, Ralph Goodale in the HOC over this issue.
(You tube link - HOC -Peter Van Loan/Ralph Goodale) - Climbing Out Of the Dark blog:
Peter Van Loan:
Mr. Speaker, we share the same curiosity, because as we said, we provided every document that Elections Canada has sought with regard to our dispute, on ahh… how the elections spending should be interpreted. And you know what? Elections Canada does make unduly rigid interpretations. I know that because the guy that this member from Wascana supported for the leadership, the member for Toronto Centre now, actually took Elections Canada to court too on an interpretation. Guess what? He won and he is $50,000 richer as a result and so is his party leader and so is his deputy leader from Lakeshore.
Ralph Goodale:
Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister has a personal vendetta against Elections Canada. Back in 2001, he called Elections Canada “jackasses.” His words, not mine. Time and again,
Peter Van Loan:
Apparently, that member should look to his left, look to his right because every single one of those front benchers who ran for the leadership of his party other than him, who never ran for the leadership of his party in the end. Every single one of them benefited from the fact that they said that Elections Canada doesn’t know how to interpret the law. That they took Elections Canada to court. I guess that they don’t respect that institution either. And you know what? They won because guess what? Elections Canada makes mistakes sometimes.
(You tube link - HOC - Peter Van Loan/Marlene Jennings) - Climbing Out Of the Dark blog:
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Liberal hypocrisy over the Elections Canada Campaign Advertising Issue
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5 comments:
Couple of problems with your post.
It is not Liberals who called Election Canada officials "jackasses". That was PM Steve Harper. I guess that shows alot of respect for National institutions.
Second, Liberals )and NDP and Bloc) were investigated for the same reason as CPC. However, they were exonerated.
With reghard to Tories there are 700 pages of reasons why the investigation has led to a criminal one.
I would say that there is a tad of trouble for the CPC. This was no "visit" to CPC HQ. This was a raid to pursue criminal charges. Not warrants issuesd in civil cases!!
Thanks for the link Tony. I agree, something really stinks about this whole "raid".
I think the Liberals were going to defeat the government, so they called on their Elections Canada buddies, got the "raid" going with cameras blaring, and called in favours from the media.
Only problem, the RCMP don't like being used as patsies, and that's what the media and Liberals made them appear to be. They kept referring to it as "the RCMP raiding" the Conservative offices, which was blatantly false.
Guess the RCMP don't like that.
Anonymous 4:56pm said...
Couple of problems with your post.
It is not Liberals who called Election Canada officials "jackasses". That was PM Steve Harper. I guess that shows alot of respect for National institutions.
All political parties are guilty of name calling with respect to National institutions. When the RCMP announced an investigation into the Liberals in connection with the income trust leak, they were called all kinds of names.
In respect to this, the NDP and the Liberals are just as guilty as the Conservatives. In regard to this post, name calling is just a side issue and has no bearing on the appearance of unfair treatment of the Conservative Party by Elections Canada.
Anonymous 4:56pm said...
Second, Liberals )and NDP and Bloc) were investigated for the same reason as CPC. However, they were exonerated.
With reghard to Tories there are 700 pages of reasons why the investigation has led to a criminal one.
There is no indication that a criminal investigation is occurring. The RCMP would be the ones to conduct it and they have not said that there is a criminal investigation occurring.
The RCMP were used by Elections Canada to escort their own officials into the Conservative office headquarters to collect items. So far, there is only civil proceedings over a dispute over an Election Canada ruling.
Ralph Goodale continues to tarnish the reasonable political image he once had. Every time he opens his mouth in the last few years, his legacy to Saskatchewanians diminishes...as for the first Anonymous post, tone down the drama and at the very least try to look like you post with reason, and not like a partisan bottom feeder.
That's the first time I've heard that the Liberals and the NDP were investigated for the same reason and exonerated, Anon. Care to provide some links to this? As far as I have seen, there have been no investigations on this.
Regardless, the actions that have been brought up with in regards to the Liberals and the NDP were exactly the same and -- in some cases -- more blatantly "in and out" than what the CPC did. If the Liberanos and the NDP were both exonerated, then obviously something stinks because a specific activity cannot be both legal (for the Libs and NDP) and illegal (for the Conservatives) at the same time.
Unless of course, the person/s interpreting the law have a "hidden agenda".
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