Canada's Reputation Destroyed!

Whispering in the Wind:  (November 11, 2013) WITW 4

Two international surveys have labeled Canada as the world’s most “reputable” nation.  Undertaken about a year ago, the survey respondents viewed Canada to be a stable and honorable nation with a governance system that should be held in high esteem.  The recent scandals and a number of other important events in Canada have cast a dark shadow over Canada’s image, both at home and abroad, with some observers saying that Canada’s image has been severely tarnished with others more politically motivated, suggesting that Canada’s reputation has been blown out of the water.  To judge those assessments in light of recent events is to judge the performance of Canada’s governance system and its political leadership – particularly and more specifically, Mr. Harper’s government and his focused leadership on the economy.  Following is my assessment of Canada’s political landscape and how it might have changed – hopefully for the better and in the end, hopefully making Canada a better, stronger nation. 

The Senate Expenses Scandal – has tempered a bit with the suspension of Senators Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau but there is more to come with the RCMP investigations.  What I find so disturbing is that the charges and counter charges made were made with a lot of political-speak with decisions railroaded through without due process.  In the absence of transparency and fair play I have concluded that there was a vendetta against the three Senators because they would not tow the Conservative Party line and the interference from the very top – so much for the independence of the Senate when passing judgment. 

The City of Toronto Scandal – the Rob Ford saga is proving to be a real tragedy for the mayor, the city and the country – and there doesn’t seem an acceptable political process to fix the problem.  One criteria for judging the world’s most “reputable” countries, is to have vibrant, dynamic cities to live in, to be safe in and to do business in and those goals  are being threatened with the way the Rob Ford saga is unfolding – at least in Toronto.   What I find surprising is that the province of Ontario isn’t stepping in to remove the mayor from office – after all Canadians expect provinces to maintain “peace, order and good government” within its municipalities.  The City of Toronto isn’t the only city suffering from an image problem.  The City of Montreal is also suffering from an image problem – in just one year the City of Montreal has had four mayors, two of which have been thrown out of office and are facing corruption charges. 

Prime Minister’s Role in Senate Scandal – has negatively impacted Prime Minister Harper’s image, both within Canada and around the world.  The prime minister’s refusal to be forthright when asked direct questions on his role in the so-called Senate Expenses Scandal and his direct, interfering role in the so-called “independent” Senate decision to suspend Senators, has left many people, both here and abroad, agreeing with former prime minister Joe Clark who suggested that Prime Minister Harper needs to “bring people into the facts” and tell the real story about what went on between Senator Mike Duffy and  Nigel Wright, Mr. Harper’s former Chief of Staff.  At this point in time Prime Minister Harper is severely damaging Canada’s reputation abroad.

Prime Minister’s Role in Nation Building – has become a big question mark!

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Save Canada - Save the Senate

Whispering in the Wind – (November 4, 2013) WITW: 3

In the last couple of weeks national politics has taken a turn for the worse with the so-called Senate Expense Scandal.  Politicians and staffers on the government side are running for cover with truth taking a back seat to a single conspiracy theory and a good number of cover-ups.  Responsibility, transparency and accountability are values that were so important to Prime Minister Harper in 2006, have all been sacrificed with misleading statements and basic obfuscation.  For the average Canadian there is a great deal of confusion and a lot of frustration.

The Senate Expenses Scandal

The Senate expense scandal has finally come to a kind-of conclusion with three Senators thrown under the Conservative bus without due process – Prime Minister Harper gave his final direction in a speech last Friday at the Conservative Policy Conference in Calgary.  In that speech he clearly insisted that Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau should be suspended from the Senate without pay.  I am pretty sure the Prime Minister’s directive could bend a bit, if only to show that the Senate is “independent” of his directive.  So it will now be up to the RCMP and the courts to determine the long term fate of the three Senators.  Stop the presses – information made on Monday indicates that Senator Gerstein of the Conservative Party was entertaining a payment of $30,000 to Mike Duffy for his residential expenses using the Conservative Party of Canada Fund.  When the expenses grew to $90,000 the offer was apparently withdrawn.  Stop the presses again – it is now believed that the $90,000 given to Mike Duffy might be a bribe, the RCMP are investigating – will the drama never end?       

The Role of the Prime Minister

Lingering questions continue to haunt Prime Minister Harper and the role he might have played in the Senate Expenses Scandal.  His stonewalling of legitimate questions put to him (his refusal to communicate or cooperate) is quite disturbing and leaves some to speculate that he might be covering up something greater than simple mistakes or misdemeanors.  As to advice for Prime Minister Harper and suggestions as to what he should do or say; the best advice comes from former prime minister Joe Clark who offered the following observations last weekend:  “Right now, I think [Prime Minister Harper] has to bring people into the facts ….he needs to tell the real story and I think he needs to seek some advice as to what’s the most effective way to do that ….”      

Rebuilding the Senate

The “parliament” of Canada is made up of three extremely important components; the Governor General, the House of Commons and the Senate.  Of the three pillars of Canada’s parliamentary governance the Senate is in desperate need of repair.  The Senate was severely damaged in the last year or so but it is also a result of many decades of external neglect and internal mismanagement.  From my perspective I think the broken Senate can and should be rebuilt and there are a number of upper house models to choose from.  For those who wish to see the Senate abolished I suggest that they review the historical importance of having a chamber that offers sober second, never mind keeping exuberant prime ministers in check.  Simply put; if you get rid of the Senate at a time of majority government, you are paving a highway to dictatorship – and that’s the threat.  

Harper: Abuse of Power or Just Politics

Whispering in the Wind – (October 28, 2013) WITW: 2

Canadians have been drawn into a bizarre, all-consuming soap opera entitled the “Senate Expenses Scandal”.  Actually the scandal has been around for about a year and there is no letting up, it’ll be around for some time to come.  What’s so fascinating about this scandal is that it has all the elements of an intense drama that has been known to bring down governments and its leaders.  The “Senate Expenses Scandal” is all about an elite group of well known political personalities with at least a couple of its stars offering passionate, tear-jerking monologues.  Other wan-a-be stars are offering contrary views and speeches leaving most political observers confused and befuddled.  Typical in this type of saga the truth is forgotten and substituted with intriguing conspiracies and mishandled cover-ups; all negotiated in the back rooms of the political power centres of Ottawa – and that in itself adds to the drama, anticipation and speculation.  The whole thing is wrapped up on daily news broadcasts leaving many Canadians feeling that they have been conned.  In the meantime a cloud of suspicion is hanging over the Ottawa skyline with important questions unanswered, all lost in the political fog.  When it comes to soap operas, it’s a winner but it does not make for good government.    From my perspective it is all about the governance of Canada and how it can go astray.  Simply put our politicians (both elected and appointed) have forgotten about their supreme obligation to the country, the constitution and the rule of law.  As the saga unfolds in the days and weeks to come I think it is important to keep in mind one important question:  Is the “Senate Expenses Scandal” a result of an “abuse of power” or is it just plain old Canadian party politics?   

Abuse of Power or Just Politics?

The :”Senate Expenses Scandal” continues to be a very fluid situation but a compromise appears to be developing that would at least delay any major confrontations until after the Conservative convention in Calgary.  It seems that the three Senators involved – Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau – will be given some sort of reprieve without further discussion.  If you ask me to speculate on the future of these three Senate stars:  Mike Duffy is toast; Patrick Brazeau will be dealt with in the courts on his assault charges, so he’s toast and Pamela Wallin will end up being a survivor.

The “Senate Expenses Scandal” has severely damaged a very important institution within the Parliament of Canada – the so-called Red Chamber is the chamber of sober second thought and is clearly challenged, if not under threat – it is broken and new codes of conduct must be introduced, new methods of selection of appointees must be considered, its independence from the standing government must be strengthened.  From my perspective it is extremely important that the Senate be strengthened and that it remain a chamber of sober second thought – it must be repaired and not discarded.  It’s going to be up to Prime Minister Harper to lead the charge.

The “Senate Expenses Scandal” will have a major impact on the Conservative Party of Canada and their conference deliberations in Calgary.  The Senate scandal exposed a rift within the Conservative caucus of the Senate.  A severe censure motion was tabled by the Conservative leader in the Senate and was against three Conservatives sitting in the Senate – the “slash and burn” strategy appeared to follow the wishes of Prime Minister Harper.  Not all Conservative Senators agreed and wanted “due process” – and that was the first exposure that rifts exists within the Conservative Party ranks.  How it plays out on the convention floor in Calgary is anybody’s guess but no question in my mind there is a split – the “Progressive Movement” and the “Reform Movement” based in western Canada. 

US On The Brink

Whispering in the Wind – October 21, 2013 – WITW: 1

Over the past few weeks political events in both the United States and Canada have caused concern amongst a good number of observers.  Just days ago the United States was on a precipice of disaster with the government shutdown and the nation close to financial default of its obligations.  The crisis was temporally averted but will return with a vengeance in early 2014 unless something dramatic happens in US politics.  In Canada the RCMP continues to investigate possible fraudulent dealings of some prominent Senators and the role the Prime Minister’s office might have played in the debacle.  To avoid attention Prime Minister Harper is seemingly ignoring the issue and is definitely trying to avoid discussing the matter.  But let me offer my views on the United States as many people are wiping their brow saying that only through political brinkmanship was chaos avoided. 

On the Brink of Political Disaster?

The United States is drowning in debt, a debt that is currently estimated at over $16 trillion.  In the years 2000 to 2007 the national debt in the United States grew by 50 percent, from 6 to 9 trillion dollars.  In 2008 the debt grew to over $10 trillion (due in large part to a $700 billion bailout of the banks and other financial institutions). No matter how you look at it the US is in deep trouble and creditors are expressing some concern – observers in China are suggesting that it is time to de-Americanize the global financial system.  To deal with the crisis some American politicians and financial experts are saying that there are only two ways to deal with the debt crisis in the United States; one is to cut spending – unlikely, in large part due to President Obama’s stance on ObamaCare.  The second option offered is for the US to print more dollars and that means raising the so called debt ceiling.  It is obvious that pumping more dollars into a broken system will have a major impact on interest rates and inflation.  Also expanding the money supply will, under current conditions, threaten economic recovery, growth and stability.  Neither of these two options appears feasible largely because of a stubborn president and a divided, dysfunctional Congress.  The political system is in gridlock and the leadership cannot agree on the role of government in times of crisis.  In the last few days President Obama has voiced his willingness to work with “anyone” who wants to address his country’s problems – a number of observers have opined that it is a first step if the invitation is more that political speak.

 

Nation Building Strategy in the United States

Avoiding an Armageddon situation in the US is not going to be an easy task, it is going to be a monumental task and time is short.  The first step will fall upon President Obama who needs to get the weakened Republican Party (leadership) and the confused Democratic Party (leadership) working together, with a common purpose: build and implement a Nation Building Strategy.  And the Nation Building agenda must include building blocks like:  addressing the ill-effects of globalization on the US ; re-writing the taxation codes; stop (and possibly repatriate) the many billions of dollars that have left the country for safer havens; and introduce policies and regulations that support a re-building of basic industries in the United States.

The “X” Factors

Like all grand political strategies there are unknowns and risks.  One of the biggest unknowns for President Obama is going to be the reaction and the response from the small business community and from the major corporate giants?  President Obama has to gain the active support from the captains of corporate America if he intends to re-build America.  To a significant degree the standard of living in the United States cannot be sustained if it is based on borrowed money – so the captains of industry should be interested if not supportive of a re-built America.  On the political side the biggest unknown is the Tea Party movement, a movement that is growing fast and is particularly strong and prevalent in the southern US?  Here the unknown is how to harness the good ideas coming from the Tea Party leadership and separate those good ideas from the unacceptable extremist rhetoric.  Representative Ted Cruz (the Calgary born Republican representing the Lone Star State of Texas) has emerged as a leader of about 50 members of Congress with Tea Party sympathies.  They, as a block, represent the extreme right wing perspective in the Republican Party.  Mr. Cruz and his gang make some important points that cannot and should not be discounted based on their extremist association and support.  A third unknown factor is the response from the international community, specifically China.  As already mentioned there are muses about de-Americanizing the international financial system but China’s leadership knows full well it’s too early to make a play on world dominance.  Equally the European Union is encountering its own financial problems attached to the PIIGS countries (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) so President Obama will be given some time to sort things out internally and begin the process of re-building the United States which in itself will help to stabilize the world.

Canada, ONE NATION FOR ALL

Ed Shaske Article No. 254 (February 25, 2013)

Whispering in the Wind

CANADA, ONE NATION FOR ALL!

The inflamed discord between Assembly of First Nations chiefs and the prime minister has seemingly calmed from the goings-on just weeks ago.  The fighting words and rowdy demonstrations; all captured under the “Idle No More” banner in December and January, has shifted to tamer discussions behind closed doors.  Many Canadians were and still are outraged by the two months of chaos with most of the confusion being caused, if not engineered by a few of the more radical aboriginal leaders.  The “Idle no More” movement, initiated by four women in Saskatchewan, did have merit when it was focused on the omnibus legislation passed by Prime Minister Harper’s majority government. When the Assembly of First Nations chiefs embraced the sentiments of “Idle no More” and then took “political” ownership of the slogan, things changed big time.  As well the Assembly of First Nation chiefs expanded the “Idle no More” agenda dramatically to include “nation to nation” negotiations, with at least one chief advocating “sovereignty” of the Indian nations.  The response from the Canadian public on the politicization of “IDLE NO MORE” has been mixed with some Canadians indicating; ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and asking that Prime Minister Harper undertake appropriate action to deal with the “Indian Question” once and for all time – and do it with a firm hand.  I am not a particular fan of Prime Minister Harper and his autocratic approach to governance, but he might be the man to carry the country through this mess – and he needs to do it through definition rather than accommodation.  If he needs a slogan, how about a more positive approach with:  Canada, ONE NATION FOR ALL.     

Chief Spence Ends Fishy Fast

Smoky Lake Signal Article No. 253 (unpublished)

Whispering in the Wind

The circumstance between the fragmented hierarchy within the Assembly of First Nations (the chiefs) and Prime Minister Harper’s government has gone from bizarre to dangerously ridiculous – with a good deal of attention being paid to publicity hungry Chief Theresa Spence and her disregard for the people of Attawapiscat.  It’s become embarrassing for the aboriginal peoples of Canada; the Prime Minister of Canada; and yes, all of Canada.  So I guess in at least one respect, she has been successful.    

Unraveling the Attawapiscat Scandal: 

Chief Theresa Spence of the Attawapiscat First Nation was recently interviewed by the CBC on Question Period – I thought Chief Spence’s responses to the questions were bizarre to say the least.  Chief Spence indicated that her fish fast would continue until there was a joint meeting of chiefs with the Prime Minister and the Governor General (together).  In my view such a joint meeting would not only be unwise, it would be contrary to Canada’s parliamentary traditions and the in-place system of governance that includes division of responsibility and power.  To express it in terms that I understand:  Prime Minister Harper was elected (along with his elected government) to DO things for the benefit of Canada through the legislative process.  The role of the appointed Governor General is to protect the constitution of Canada and assure that all the DOings of the Prime Minister (and his government) conform to all the tenants of the Constitution Act, 1982.  To bring these two functions together is, in my view, an affront to Canada’s parliamentary system of government.  Chief Spence was also challenged in the Question Period interview about the administrative practices at Attawapiscat and the possible mismanagement of over $100 million of federal funding; Chief Spence’s response:  “It was a witch hunt.”          

Buckingham Palace Responds:

To add further intrigue to the Chief Spence sage, a letter dated January 7, 2013 from Buckingham Palace was sent to a Chief Spence supporter (Jonathan Francoeur) living in British Columbia.  The relevant passages of the letter from a correspondence secretary to the Queen reads:  “This is not a matter in which The Queen would intervene.”  “As a constitutional Sovereign, Her Majesty acts through her personal representative, the Governor General, on the advice of her Canadian Ministers and therefore, it is to them that your appeal should be directed.”  The Queen is also aware and acknowledges Mr. Francoeur’s concerns regarding Chief Spence’s hunger strike.  What hasn’t been released is Mr. Francoeur’s original letter to the Queen dated December 15, 2012 and a follow up letter he sent later.  A spokesperson for Chief Spence voiced that the Queen’s letter sent to Mr. Francoeur is a fake.  A spokesperson from the Governor General’s office voiced that the letter from the Queen looked authentic. 

Indians Need Help from the PM

Smoky Lake Signal Article No. 252 (January 16, 2013)

Whispering in the Wind

Over the past month a lot of chaos and confusion has erupted in Canada and it’s all about the rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada.  The questions in my mind; are we talking about evolutionary change; transformational change or are we talking revolution?  It’s up to Prime Minister Harper to guide Canadians out of this mess.  What I want to know from Mr. Harper, where is your line in the sand?

The “Idle No More” Factor

The so called “Idle No More” group began as a protest against the federal government’s omnibus budget legislation (C-45).  The founders of the group (Jessica Gordon, Sheelah McLean, Sylvia McAdam, Nina Wilson) have and are claiming that the C-45 legislation is an erosion of treaty and indigenous rights and they have asked that the provisions related to aboriginal rights be rescinded.  In an interview last Sunday, one of the four founders Sylvia McAdam observed that the “Idle No More” movement was peaceful and committed to working within the country’s legal framework when pursing its goals.  She also specifically said; “All I can say is no political organization can speak on behalf of Idle No More.”  So what started as a protest initiative in Saskatchewan last November – an initiative that most likely would have been ignored in Ottawa – has been embraced and taken over by the Assembly of First Nations and others to represent the total failure of government in dealing with aboriginal issues and the government’s treaty obligations.  Even the extreme advocates of native rights have taken ownership of the “Idle No More” movement and are using it as its platform to justify unsupported, if not illegal actions.

Chief Theresa Spence Factor

Theresa Spence is Chief of the Attawapiscat First Nation peoples (about 2,800 members with 1,549 living on reserve).  Located in the James Bay area of northern Ontario, the Attawapiscat community has been in the news for years as a “basket case” of need, want, waste and mismanagement.  A recent “leaked” audit report indicated that for years (2005-2011) “an average of 81 percent of files did not have adequate supporting documents and over 60 percent had no documentation of reason for payment.”  The audit report goes on to say that there was “no evidence of due diligence” on the part of Attawapiscat’s administration.  What is so amazing is the amount of money being spent with few, if any results – Prime Minister Harper indicated that since 2006 (when he took office) $90 million was transferred from the federal government to Attawapiscat; the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development reports that between 2006 to the end of this current fiscal year an estimated $131 million will have been spent on Attawapiscat.  Chief Theresa Spence has decided to ignore questions on her financial mismanagement and in her wisdom has gone on a “hunger strike” until she is able meet with Governor General Johnston and Prime Minister Harper (together) to discuss aboriginal rights.  For me Chief Spence has become an important factor in the dialogue between the Assembly of First Nations and the Harper Government and it’s not because of her fasting or the possibility that she could become a symbol of martyrdom.  In my view Attawapiscat (and its chief) is only one example of possibly dozens of other aboriginal communities (and its leadership) that have failed miserably due to mismanagement.  Nevertheless the responsibility for the clean-up rests with both the Assembly of First Nations and the Government of Canada.  I think the condition of the Attawapiscat community is unconscionable and the federal government should send in a forensic team to determine the possibility of fraud and/or other acts of corruption and mismanagement.        

The Assembly of First Nations Factor

In my view the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a very loose amalgam of 630 settlements or reserves spread across Canada – 700,000 people.  The prime purpose of Assembly of First Nations is to discuss and deliberate on aboriginal issues and present recommendations to the Government of Canada – the process includes regular meetings with chiefs and the support of an elected grand chief (currently Shawn Atleo) and six vice-chiefs – it’s that loose.  In my view the major weakness of AFN’s coordinating function is the implementation process which mean any conclusions (decisions) made at the AFN level are filtered down to the local chiefs for implementation.  After watching the antics of a number of chiefs last week there is no doubt in my mind, the Assembly of First Nations is a very fractured body of diverse interests with the leadership proposing divergent positions and opinions – in some cases speaking with dangerous voices – Derek Nipinak, Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs last week inflamed many Canadians with his remarks:  “We have the power…the people and the members that can bring the Canadian economy to its knees…We have the warriors….” For me I can take critical comment (I am critical of governments and political leaders all the time) but what Mr. Nipinak voiced was insurrection and he should humbly apologize to Canada and Canadians, otherwise he should be dealt with by the authorities in appropriate, timely manner.  To add to the confusion for AFN and governments, the Federal Court ruled last week that Indians under the Constitution would include off-reserve aboriginals and Metis – there is an estimated 600,000 people falling into these two categories and that means the power base AFN could be reduced by half. 

The Prime Minister Steven Harper Factor

Prime Minister Steven Harper has “a tiger by the tail,” a tiger that is with power and without question, is dangerous.  The question for Mr. Harper, where does he draw the line in the sand?  That’s what Canadians want to know.