Thanks Paul for this very depressing information. Until the ethics commissioner has some real authority this will continue to happen. I wonder if this will be reported by the mainstream media and if Mr. Trudeau will shuffle his cabinet anytime soon. If the conservatives hope to make any advances they should start using these ethical lapses to their advantage but I fear once they start the liberals will bring up abortion rights to frighten people. Truly a depressing situation for someone who has been around for close to 7 decades.
Until Canadians decide they are tired of being made fools off, this will continue to happen. They have found the golden calf, or the pot at the end of the rainbow, the taxpayers of Canada.
Permit me a hockey analogy from the old days. In the early 1970s, the Philadelphia Flyers earned the nickname "the Broad Street bullies," because of the location of their arena and their rough play within its confines (as well as wherever they went on the road). Led by the likes of Dave "The Hammer" Schultz and Bobby Clarke, they terrorized the newly expanded league. They committed so many infractions, the referees were left hapless and helpless; they couldn't keep Flyers in the penalty box all game long. So, they looked the other way and called only the worst stuff. You can see where I'm going here....
I have followed politics for many years and don’t have to struggle to think of Liberal MPs who towered over their peers in Cabinet and Parliament. I’ll name drop four: Herb Gray. Allan MacEachen. Judy LaMarsh. Anne McLellan.
All four of those Liberal MPs came to Parliament as rookies, learned the ropes and became competent Cabinet ministers in many senior portfolios. Wily, partisan in nature but not obnoxious, certainly no worse than anyone else in Parliament at that time. And they GOT THINGS DONE.
I suspect that within todays large Liberal caucus there are some pretty smart backbenchers waiting for their turn in the sun and a summons to join Cabinet. I wish Justin Trudeau would get over using Cabinet as a big social justice experiment and pull some of the best prospects into a sphere of influence. The experiment isn’t working and frankly it’s an embarrassment. Mr. Wells Substack post is a stark reminder how we are being governed by a shallow talent pool that lacks ambition, employs shady ethical standards and are in over their heads.
Ministerial accountability, as we once knew it, simply doesn't seem to exist anymore - it's a casualty of the extreme tribalism of our day. I think the argument is less "rules are for bad people" than "the damage the bad people would do is much worse than the comparatively trivial damage we're doing". Per Paul's argument that Hussen and Ng aren't particularly notable, I'd argue that that's not unique to them; "cabinet ministers displaying discernible personalities" is also a thing of the past, and for similar reasons. I think all of this is a shame.
The age-old connection between Ministers' exempt staff and constituency communications contracts is the first thing young comms firm execs are taught. Get some of that sweet House of Commons money first, and the big government contracts will come in time, young Padawan.
Rules are for bad people
Bravo Paul. This government is neither serious nor ethical. They are a disgrace to the office they hold.
Thanks Paul for this very depressing information. Until the ethics commissioner has some real authority this will continue to happen. I wonder if this will be reported by the mainstream media and if Mr. Trudeau will shuffle his cabinet anytime soon. If the conservatives hope to make any advances they should start using these ethical lapses to their advantage but I fear once they start the liberals will bring up abortion rights to frighten people. Truly a depressing situation for someone who has been around for close to 7 decades.
“The only communications material a Liberal in York South-Weston needs is a billboard saying, ‘Michael Ignatieff Is No Longer the Liberal Leader.’”
I damn-near fell off my sofa laughing.
Great article. Little wonder that voting numbers continue to drop. Zero accountability. Totally shameless individuals that we continue to re-elect.
Keep it up Paul. Thanks
Screw the Ethics Commissioner, where is the RCMP... oh wait, the RCMP Commissioner is NOT independent of the PMO... We're so screwed.
They come this far without accountability. Why start now?
Until Canadians decide they are tired of being made fools off, this will continue to happen. They have found the golden calf, or the pot at the end of the rainbow, the taxpayers of Canada.
Permit me a hockey analogy from the old days. In the early 1970s, the Philadelphia Flyers earned the nickname "the Broad Street bullies," because of the location of their arena and their rough play within its confines (as well as wherever they went on the road). Led by the likes of Dave "The Hammer" Schultz and Bobby Clarke, they terrorized the newly expanded league. They committed so many infractions, the referees were left hapless and helpless; they couldn't keep Flyers in the penalty box all game long. So, they looked the other way and called only the worst stuff. You can see where I'm going here....
I have followed politics for many years and don’t have to struggle to think of Liberal MPs who towered over their peers in Cabinet and Parliament. I’ll name drop four: Herb Gray. Allan MacEachen. Judy LaMarsh. Anne McLellan.
All four of those Liberal MPs came to Parliament as rookies, learned the ropes and became competent Cabinet ministers in many senior portfolios. Wily, partisan in nature but not obnoxious, certainly no worse than anyone else in Parliament at that time. And they GOT THINGS DONE.
I suspect that within todays large Liberal caucus there are some pretty smart backbenchers waiting for their turn in the sun and a summons to join Cabinet. I wish Justin Trudeau would get over using Cabinet as a big social justice experiment and pull some of the best prospects into a sphere of influence. The experiment isn’t working and frankly it’s an embarrassment. Mr. Wells Substack post is a stark reminder how we are being governed by a shallow talent pool that lacks ambition, employs shady ethical standards and are in over their heads.
Time to clear the deck with a Cabinet shuffle.
Ministerial accountability, as we once knew it, simply doesn't seem to exist anymore - it's a casualty of the extreme tribalism of our day. I think the argument is less "rules are for bad people" than "the damage the bad people would do is much worse than the comparatively trivial damage we're doing". Per Paul's argument that Hussen and Ng aren't particularly notable, I'd argue that that's not unique to them; "cabinet ministers displaying discernible personalities" is also a thing of the past, and for similar reasons. I think all of this is a shame.
Reports like this make me realise the bargain I am receiving from the (huge) investment in my subscription to your newsletter.
Oh man, enumerated paragraph #1 cracked me up.
Great piece.
The easiest thing for all of us to do is just shrug and say "meah".
The harder thing to do is demand more from all levels of government, and from all parties.
The age-old connection between Ministers' exempt staff and constituency communications contracts is the first thing young comms firm execs are taught. Get some of that sweet House of Commons money first, and the big government contracts will come in time, young Padawan.
the problem is - what is the alternative - Pierre? - Jagmeet? - Yves-Francois? - Elizabeth? - how about none of the above including Justin