It's been clear from the beginning that the Conservative Party, from the top down, has no problem in pushing their weight around.Anyone who watched the Ethics Committee meeting this morning expecting to see examples of that, wouldn't have been disappointed.
It started with the uninvited arrival of the charmer staring at you here, Doug Finley. Mr. Finely of course is the behind most of the nonsense we see the party carry out, including of course meeting with Chuck Cadman. Well, he certainly led his group by example today. Rather than appearing on Wednesday when he was asked to, he arrived today. His lawyer had contacted the committee to ask if this was acceptable, but the committee did not respond. He showed up anyway and expected to be accommodated.
After much wrangling, countless Points of Order by the Con's on why it was imperative that Finely be heard today, a vote was taken and it was ruled that Finely would not be heard, so he was asked to leave. He just sat there and refused to go.
Imagine the arrogance that takes. Consider the lack of respect for parliament it exhibits and recognise that the entire party shares this mentality.
What was so telling and humorous in a sense, is that by the Con's proceeding the way they did, they blew their own case. Before the meeting started Szabo had actually said that though it was unusual, if there was time after the other witnesses had been heard, they could hear from Finely. I guess the Con's weren't listening though because they began making their points of order, completely ignoring that fact.
So after being asked to leave Finely sat there for about 5 minutes until he was escorted out by security. Astonishing.
The rest of the meeting was no better in terms of decorum, but some pretty interesting detail came out that further clarifies just how this scheme took place and just how underhanded it was. Things like the party ordering some candidates to participate, to the point that they pulled one person, Ms. Fortier after the election had started because she refused to go along with it.
No invoices from the ad agency were seen by riding's and they did receive invoices from the CPC. They were not allowed to use the money as they wished and had to agree ahead of the transfer that they would simply wire it back to the party because it was for a National ad buy.
Anyway, the Committee is back at 1400hrs and I expect more of the same.
In my view, this stuff should be required viewing for all Canadians. When you see the Con's as they really are, I truly cannot understand how anyone could vote for such people.
Update - Here are some more, accounts of the events.
45 comments:
Look at the cooments at the end of this article on this mornings hearing. They are mostly anti-CON!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080811.wtories0811/CommentStory/National/home
OOps! Comments...got all excited here. ;)
That's why more Canadians should see this stuff.
I wonder if there will be anything on the evening news?
It really is unbelievable.
I wish it were mandatory for every single tv station to play this committee meeting from beginning to end so the entire public could see what is going on. Say starting at 7 or 8 p.m.
The outrage of the people towards the arrogant, derisive, disruptive, sneering CONs would be wonderful to see! They would be ousted in a heartbeat in the next election.
knb,
Do you think the CONs are so arrogant & blind that they don't think anyone is watching these proceedings?
I'm discovering that more & more people are tuned in. And they are angry with the behaviour of these idiots. Interesting.
Do these committee events ever end up on YouTube? If they don't, they should.
The replay is on now.
Yes I think that's part of it penlan.
The meeting just started again and I just heard that the Party is contacting the witnesses and telling them not to appear.
Arrogance? That's an understatement, imo.
Sometimes clips do end up there Omar. I'm not equipped to do it though.
If you'd like to watch the proceedings live, go here.
Good grief, Tilson just more or less said that he doesn't believe the clerk who confirmed that the Con's instructed witnesses not to appear.
Is there anyone's reputation they won't ruin on a whim.
I suppose having the clips on YouTube would likely be a double-edged sword. Not only would you witness the dim, thuggish Conservative behaviour, but you will also have to bear the ludicrous display of the entire system at play. It's not a pretty sight and could very well scare people away from participation all together.
Fair comment.
I'd still like to see them there, but I can also see them having a negative impact on those whose opinion of Parliamentarians is very low already. I meant to say "turn off" not "scare".
Tilson is disgusting - aren't they all - but to say he doesn't believe the clerk is outrageous.
"Thugs" is absolutely the right word. "Mobsters" is another that comes to mind.
With any luck we'll see something Omar. Something tells me this stuff isn't going to slip under the wire this time.
Indeed penlan.
knb,
This is all too hot to slip under the wire this time. Already online articles in the prominent papers are writing scathing reports.
Delicious!
Del Mastro just said Martelli got less than 10% of the vote.
Check here for the truth.
Agreed penlan, and it's only day one.
I wonder how many other witnesses will be no shows?
The car salesman just corrected his mistake.
I love how the Conservatives bring out their big-thinkers to defend themselves. Beautiful.
Love this Martelli guy! He just says it like it is & stands right up to the CONs, cool as a cucumber...lol...
And he's saying a LOT!
Yes I saw that Omar. But he still threw in that he wasn't part of a national ad buy.
What's all this hostile witness stuff?
Well when you yell at the witness & he stands right up to you & stands his ground & gives it right back then to a CON that makes him "hostile".
Also, hostile because he's dragging them through the mud - saying everything they don't want to hear.
Indeed.
Now Goodyear is asking to re-do the witness list! After day one!
He wants the NDP and Bloq witnesses brought in.
Yes, & after all this talk about not "mentioning" parties by name! How many times did they bring up Libbie Davis & the NDP today? Double-standards, over & over.
They are sickening. Real trash as far as I'm concerned.
He didn't get it anyway. They bring up such pointless stuff just to try & obfuscate & drag things nowhere. Try to confuse.
Well, if this doesn't make youtube, there are some pretty precious moments for a Liberal ad.
Agree with you there. Plenty for ads.
I'm just blown away by the audacity of the CONs. Their attitudes & everything else. That they think they can continue to act like this & not get called on it is amazing. The worm is turning, so to speak & it won't be pretty for them.
So here's the question for the day, (judging by the coverage and posts).
What exactly was the strategy in having Finley be so arrogant this morning?
My bet is that he was there to intimidate to a certain extent as well as be the first one to speak to offer some nonsense designed to make all that came after it irrelevant.
As someone said on Kady's blog if the committee let him be a witness then & there they would have made an "exception" & then the CONs would be trying to make exceptions for every witness, & other things, after that & could have tied up the committee & nothing would have gotten done.
I think that's part of it. And yes, I think he wanted to lay out all kinds of reasons to make other testimony irrelevant like you said.
The arrogance of sitting there & refusing to leave is the height of "I can do what I want, I rule"!
Maybe it's the first time someone has said no to him?
LOL...that's possible I suppose. Don't think his wife is used to anyone saying no to her either.
They are used to underlings doing everything they tell them to.
Did I just see someone throw a balled up piece of paper at Szabo?
I missed that. Sorry...darn, should have been watching. I was listening.
Well I saw it and think it's disgusting.
These aren't 6 year olds, their MP's for heavens sake.
I don't know who did it but given the screaming, I'd guess Goodyear.
KNB — Heh. I see we used the same pic of Doug's ugly mug. Seems to be the only one out there one the web.
Anyway, what an arrogant twat.
Yes there don't seem to be many pic's. Maybe that is a good thing? He really does look like a bully, and in a weird way reminds me of Rove.
Arrogant doesn't begin to describe him in imo.
This time, I think the Con's have made a really big mistake and one that is going to play out in Quebec.
Oops, meant to say the pic's we used were the same but you made it look much better!
Your update seems to indicate their objective for the "Findley Gambit"
They want the headlines to be about him and not the testimony at the committee.
Guaranteed the leads in tonight's news broadcasts and the headlines tomorrow will be about his ejection. That is much more "sexy" than the minutae of what was said during the hearings.
Now my question is what stunt will they pull for tomorrow and Wednesday?
CPAC repeats these meetings - you can get the schedules on their website. I think there's a repeat tonight.
Some BT's think it was horrible to throw Finlay out....they are so stupid it makes me shake. They also attack Szabo - like he's weak. I'd say he had a lot of patience and stamina. I'm not a violent person by any means, but I sure as hell would find it hard not to want to go over and punch one of them in the face. Szabo deserves big time credit for what he's had to put up with.
Finlay looks like a person that drinks too much - he has the bloat and colouring about him.
Thanks ottlib. I hadn't read through them all yet. I just grabbed what I saw was being written.
That the media are acutally writing that it was orchestrated is a good sign.
He may get some headlines, but the rest of the story isn't being ignored either and given that it was primarily about Quebec, that could be problematic.
I noticed 2 french media rep's in the audience.
About tomorrow and Wednesday and Thursday actually, I have no idea.
I wouldn't be surprised if they keep pushing the witness list thing.
Hopefully their made-up need for an independent investigation into the non-leak is finally dead.
sandi, he reminds me of a lumpy Karl Rove.
Yes, they get my blood pressure up too.
Szabo's my MP and while there is plenty that he and I don't agree on, I couldn't have kept my cool as he did.
It really is like dealing with grade school kids who keep talking and taunting.
Imagine if one of those people represented you?
Too bad Politics is off the air in the summer. I'd like to see Newman ask a few questions.
The good news is the Con's are being exposed. The bad news, it's still summer, but I think some of this will stick.
I suppose I should wander over to read the outrage at the BT's.
They've all got their shots in a knot over some Liberal candidate in Atlantic Canada that suggested his opponent was possibly too old to run (that's not quite what he said, but that's how it's being spun). Yawn.
Oh, I guess they missed the new NDP star that will be facing Hedy. Michael Byers suggested she should retire.
Funny, the press didn't have a field day with that.
Senior Puppeteer Finley and con artist parrots Goodyear, Tilson, Del Mastro et. al … are committing the most heinous of crimes … that of DELIBERATELY MISLEADING Canadian Taxpayers (Voters) … not once, not twice, not by accident, but continuously & repeatedly.
Their conduct is no different from the conduct of someone who would willingly set out to perpetrate a Fraud, Scam and / or Swindle on Canadians.
The bluster, bravado & subterfuge of Goodyear, Tilson, Del Mastro et al is all an act and pure contrivance as they continue to employ some half-truth at best and what they know to be non-truth comments for the most part, repeating them over & over & over like they’re seriously into performing as all star mind control propagandists.
As an example, one of the non-truths they continue to throw around is that Elections Canada is playing favorites in allowing former Liberal leadership candidates to not repay their “illegal” overdue loans, which the con artists know is not factual, not accurate and not correct. They employ many more non-truths.
And whose behind the curtain … why it’s none other than Head Puppeteer Steve YO Harper, fully aware of and condoning this deplorable, shrill, mean-spirited and dysfunctional behaviour.
Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls, here’s your new Conservative government, oozing oodles and oodles of transparency, integrity, credibility and a clear concept of fair play … AKA the Wrecking Crew that’s only just begun.
They've all got their shots in a knot over some Liberal candidate in Atlantic Canada..
Really? It hardly made a ripple over on the G&M. Eleven comments and two of them mine. Not much of an issue I'm afraid. I guess when the government you are in support of is in the midst of having its fraudulent election activities exposed you'll grasp at anything.
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