Cornwall ON – While MPs of all parties continue to stonewall the public on the Auditor General’s request to audit Parliament, pressure continues to mount on them.
Most MPs still don’t get it. This is one issue the public can understand and no amount of spin from our MPs or their spokespersons will work. Canadians want to know that the money we entrust to MPs is spent wisely. That’s it pure and simple.
Most Conservative MPs stick to the talk points they were issued on this topic. That alone is interesting as there is certain validity for talk points on bills, party platform etc, where caucus solidarity is important. But this is not about government policy. This is about an MPs personal office budget and who audits it. Conservative MPs should see the centre issuing talk points as an intrusion into an area for which they alone are responsible.
Faced with the public backlash, Jack Layton has gone silent. Now, when has anyone known Jack to walk away from a microphone? He hasn’t even issued a release recently on this subject. The NDP is beginning to shift though as the following comments highlight:
Timmins-James Bay NDP MP Charlie Angus said “I think we need to work something out with the Auditor-General.”
Winnipeg NDP MP Pat Martin “It goes against everything I stand for, we’re getting the shit kicked out of us all.”
To his credit, Hill has shifted his position slightly: “There’s an open door. She can come back and discuss this with us.”
As for the Liberals, most of them have gone to ground, the exception being a couple of newer MPs, who have posted the details of their budgets online.
Ignatieff has shifted a bit too. In his latest version of spin on this subject he waffled and said: “What I support is Sheila Fraser, the Auditor General, coming to the Board of Internal Economy and talking about what she wants to do and then taking it from there.”
And the BLOC which is supposed to be the un-Canadian party remains the only one that has clearly said they have no problem with an audit and letting Canadians see the result. Strange world we live in, but then what can you expect when so many hysterical Canadians want proof that the money we entrust to MPs is accurately accounted for.
As Jay hill said: “We are held accountable. It’s called an election.”
Damn right, and voters won’t forget that either.
Keith Beardsley is a senior strategist for True North Public Affairs in Ottawa, as well as a blogger and political analyst. He can often be found running or cycling on his favorite bike trails.
I think this clearly shows that no matter what they say deep down most MPs are the same. They just want to get to the trough! They are a bunch of lying crooks!
Just to voice our concern in a language ALL politicians understand, we should all vote GREEN in the next federal election.
To ConcernedCitizen:
Anybody who has donated money to one of the three parties should contact that party and tell them never again!!! Hit them in the pocketbook!!
I agree with Keith Beardsley and his analysis. The taxpayers must be relentless in demanding an audit of parliament. It disgusts me that so far most MP’s are hoping the issue will disappear, and no one is coming forward to open their ledgers.
Enough is enough. It is taxpayers’ money and we want to see how it is spent.
Throw all of the politicians out and elect a new slate if necessary. Beware of the Bloc- it is easy to make a promise when you have no power to enact it.
I think this is an “all in” ploy to trigger an election and let Mr. Harper take his best shot at a majority before the economy really tanks.
If an election were called today, Stephen Harper and the Conservatives would be elected in majority. Just check the recent polls and you’ll see the Conservatives are way ahead by double-digits.
A couple of years ago, I attended a few dinner meetings with various associations in the Ottawa area. There were many members who were gov’t employees. The yearly membership fee and the added cost of each meeting were being billed to us, the taxpayer. This must cost millions right across the country for gov’t employees but we do not hear about it.
Some of these fees, memberships/dinners & law society renewal for Lawyers as an example are thousands each year per member. There are many group associations out there.
Hopefully you paid for your meals