Monday, November 20, 2006
Our National Lampoon Style of Government
The more I see of this government, the more my attention is drawn to the Liberal leadership race.
We have a Prime Minister who treats us like mushrooms. His Communications Director Sandra wants staff in the various ministries to spy on their managers and secretly report back to her. Talk about a bi... er... "treacherous person". Then you have Jim Flaherty's off the cuff knee jerk whimsical financial policy decisions; Rona Ambrose's fumbling and bumblings with her environment portfolio; Peter MacKay's puerile behaviour in his bitter relationship with Stronach; Vic Toews wanting the police to help him select our judges; and a host of Conservative MP's too meek to speak.
I have always been right of centre in my political thinking and I have always voted either PC, Reform, Alliance, and recent years, Conservative. But, I confess I'm chomping at the bit to watch the Liberal Leadership Conventoin. Go Michael, Go.
We have a Prime Minister who treats us like mushrooms. His Communications Director Sandra wants staff in the various ministries to spy on their managers and secretly report back to her. Talk about a bi... er... "treacherous person". Then you have Jim Flaherty's off the cuff knee jerk whimsical financial policy decisions; Rona Ambrose's fumbling and bumblings with her environment portfolio; Peter MacKay's puerile behaviour in his bitter relationship with Stronach; Vic Toews wanting the police to help him select our judges; and a host of Conservative MP's too meek to speak.
I have always been right of centre in my political thinking and I have always voted either PC, Reform, Alliance, and recent years, Conservative. But, I confess I'm chomping at the bit to watch the Liberal Leadership Conventoin. Go Michael, Go.
Labels: environment, foreign affairs, income trusts, judiciary
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Canadian Professional Police Association
Tony Cannavino, President of the CPPA claims the Judicial Advisory Committees are "private clubs" responsible for secretly picking our country's top judges. "It's like scratch my back, I'll scratch yours..."* Mr. Cannavino strongly supports Justice Minister Toews' proposal to put police representatives on these committees. Does this mean Mr. Cannavino is looking for a little back scratching himself?
Mr. Cannavino doesn't seem to get it. The judiciary need to be independent of political and police influence for reasons that should be obvious to Mr. Cannavino, but apparently not.
If the government follows through with its idiotic proposal to allow police on these committees, what about other special interest groups? Perhaps representatives from victim groups, civil liberty associations, feminists, minorities, environmentalists, and senior citizens should also be included. Where does it end?
Before the CPPA gets involved in matters outside its purview, its' members might want to look after their own back yard first. Mr. Cannavino preaches transparency and objectivity, yet police are the first to decry transparency and objectivity when it comes to civilian oversight. Mr. Cannavino wants to hold other professions accountable, but not his own.
*Janice Tibbetts, Canwest News Service, as reported in the Vancouver Sun November 16, 2006
Mr. Cannavino doesn't seem to get it. The judiciary need to be independent of political and police influence for reasons that should be obvious to Mr. Cannavino, but apparently not.
If the government follows through with its idiotic proposal to allow police on these committees, what about other special interest groups? Perhaps representatives from victim groups, civil liberty associations, feminists, minorities, environmentalists, and senior citizens should also be included. Where does it end?
Before the CPPA gets involved in matters outside its purview, its' members might want to look after their own back yard first. Mr. Cannavino preaches transparency and objectivity, yet police are the first to decry transparency and objectivity when it comes to civilian oversight. Mr. Cannavino wants to hold other professions accountable, but not his own.
*Janice Tibbetts, Canwest News Service, as reported in the Vancouver Sun November 16, 2006
Labels: accountability, judiciary, police
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Police Selecting Judges?
Justice Minister Vic Toews suggests police should have representation on the Judicial Advisory Committees and input into the selection of federally appointed judges. A scary thought indeed. You would think someone with the Minister's credentials and background would understand the foolishness of such an undertaking, but apparently not.
Worse yet, the Minister apparently has the support of an ally by the name of Jamie Graham, Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police and retired Chief Superintendent of the RCMP. He believes the police have a role to play in this regard because they have experience in selecting personnel for supervisor and management positions. Wow! That experience oughta come in handy when it comes to selecting Supreme Court Judges.
Whatever happened to the concept of an independent judiciary where judges protect Canadians from the potential abuses of politicians (like the one the Minister is proposing) and police? Thanks, but no thanks. Keep the police out of it.
Worse yet, the Minister apparently has the support of an ally by the name of Jamie Graham, Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police and retired Chief Superintendent of the RCMP. He believes the police have a role to play in this regard because they have experience in selecting personnel for supervisor and management positions. Wow! That experience oughta come in handy when it comes to selecting Supreme Court Judges.
Whatever happened to the concept of an independent judiciary where judges protect Canadians from the potential abuses of politicians (like the one the Minister is proposing) and police? Thanks, but no thanks. Keep the police out of it.
