# End of Pork Barrel politics at the Senate?



## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Well the chickens have come home to roost finally. The AG audit has uncovered more rot behind the facade of what was our noble and esteemed Red Chamber.

So it appears that when it comes to misinterpreting the archaic rules, some senators decided to interpret them in their favour to wallow in the public trough
and suck up as much as they could, all the time declaring they "didn't know".



> The long-simmering Senate expense scandal came to a rolling boil Thursday as revelations in a hard-hitting spending audit sent three of the upper chamber's most prominent members spinning into damage control and another Conservative running from the Conservative government caucus.


The squealing of the hogs must have resounded off the hallowed Parliamentary halls on Thursday as one after another they were singled out to the RCMP
for potential "culling". 



> Though Boisvenu said he *left voluntarily,* it was clear he'd been swept up by the same political maelstrom that cast aside former colleagues....


Oink! Oink! Oink!..the familiar grunts turned into squeals like hogs not realizing they are ready for slaughter...carrying all the way to the home of the senator
from PEI in Kanata...hiding under the kitchen table for fear of.....



> A separate group of 21 senators deemed by Ferguson to have made questionable claims include Speaker Leo Housakos; James Cowan, the Liberal leader in the Senate; and Cowan's Conservative counterpart, Claude Carignan, who all confirmed Thursday that they were red-flagged in the audit. Housakos, however, said Ferguson is being "nit-picky."


Oh so it's just nit picking when it comes to their lavish uncontrolled expenses...I see..and they don't like that one bit being subjected to the same scrutiny as the rest of us when we submit our tax returns to CRA. Maybe we should all adopt the same attitude against (lash out against? ) CRA when they send us our assessment asking us to pay some more..
CRA...'you are being nitpicky" (pulling out our pants pockets inside out)..."see!...we have no more...really!" 




> *Housakos* said the auditor general is also challenging him on about* $6,000 worth of contracts he issued rather than hire a full-time policy adviser*. Ferguson had taken exception to the wording of the contracts, but Housakos said he plans to appeal the decision, saying there was no deliberate attempt to mislead the Senate.


Uh huh!...wink! wink!...no deliberate attempt to mislead the Senate here...just wrote out a few checks to "Uncle Bill"s Home Improvements"..and "Joe Blow's car repair Emporium...and.." Billy Bob's pencil factory"

Pork Barrel politics.... oink! onk!..squealing!....hmm?..do I hear bacon frying on Parliament Hill again?

Tsk! Tsk!..." ICE cold camenbert served with broken crackers"...indeed!
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/polit...tiny-lash-out-at-mps-as-ags-audit-looms-large


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

The audacity of these "porkers" to now whine and cry that they didn't know "they" would also be scrutinized when they decided the judgements against Duffy and Wallin.

It was "fair" justice for them...........but now they want to change the sanctions, because they know they are guilty and don't want the same justice meted out to them.

More evidence or more Senators used by the Conservative Party to bolster their own popularity...........and just bill it to the taxpayers.

Bill the Senate expenses to the taxpayers........bill the ad campaign to the taxpayers............and when we are caught change the laws retroactively.

Absolute power corrupts and power corrupts absolutely.

Who wouldn't be desperate to keep a job that pays extremely well, doesn't require that you even show up for work, and have an expense account to pay for all your expenses.


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## fraser (May 15, 2010)

Are you kidding???

They will just hide it better next time and learn to effectively mask personal travel expenses etc. with minor public events that they would otherwise not attend.

This is a huge trough. They are not about to let all that pig food in the trough go to waste. That is why some of them are so corpulent.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

sags said:


> The audacity of these "porkers" to now whine and cry that they didn't know "they" would also be scrutinized when they decided the judgements against Duffy and Wallin.
> 
> 
> Absolute power corrupts and power corrupts absolutely.
> ...


Not sure if you can label this kind of corruption due to absolute power..it's more like nobody was watching the cookie jar and they just helped themselves.

Nice work if you can get it....but the dry rot has been exposed now..most of them watching Duffy's trial that is going on (and on and on) are concerned that
if they are scrutinized by the parliamentary committee and asked to provide receipts and details of what the expenses were for...will get indited to appear
before another judge.

Their cover (such as it was) for living high off the hog on the taxpayers tab, while collecting "sunshine list" salaries, is blown.
They know that from now on, they won't be able to play that game and have their own "expense rubber stamping commitee' approve everything they submit.

Maybe, we won't see senate reform or abolishment of the senate anytime soon..but from now on..they won't be able to get away with what they have been
doing.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

fraser said:


> Are you kidding???
> 
> They will just hide it better next time and learn to effectively mask personal travel expenses etc. with minor public events that they would otherwise not attend.
> 
> This is a huge trough. They are not about to let all that pig food in the trough go to waste. That is why some of them are so corpulent.


It has been revealed from the media, that Duffy submitted several travel expenses to BC (where his kids are living) to visit them...
...and oh yes..attend some minor party function to make it look legit. 

Same with his travels to PEI to attend funerals of his friends...of which none had been senate or even gov't employees.

Just the tip of the iceberg, when it comes to the Red Chamber "Hogs"...and they ain't ridin' Harleys either.

Ice cold camenbert and broken crackers....the horror!:biggrin:


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Why should the government be covering travel for partisan events--if Duffy (Senator for PEI) travelled to BC for a partisan fundraising event--why should not the CPC cover the cost?


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Now they are pointing the finger at the MPs and saying "look at them too.......they are worse than us"..........

The RCMP just might do that...........now that they mention it.

So they are not only dishonorable thieves.......but tattle tales as well..........LOL.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

sags said:


> Now they are pointing the finger at the MPs and saying "look at them too.......they are worse than us"..........
> 
> The RCMP just might do that...........now that they mention it.
> 
> So they are not only dishonorable thieves.......but tattle tales as well..........LOL.


There is no honour amongst thieves.....and there it appears that...... there is no honour in politics either.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Old Duffy was right about one thing.

This is going to get messy for a lot of people.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Yes, it is going to get very interesting in September/October. Right now, its the preamble to the "big showdown" coming up.


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## fraser (May 15, 2010)

I believe this is mostly nod nod, wink, wink. After the heat dies down it will back to the usual practices. The only difference is that they will be framed in a different way. 

Pork barrel politics could be considered a cost of our democracy. It will never go away. One always rewards one's friends who helped in their election.

What I find fascinating is the number of Senate vacancies. Will Harper fill these before the election?? 

If he does the timing may have a negative impact on his upcoming election campaign. Similar to what happened with John Turner and the Liberals. There are lots of Conservative hacks, bagmen, has been politicians (perhaps Rob Anders for one) and hangers on who no doubt have their eyes on a Senate seat as their ultimate reward.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Breaking news from the Senate..............


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## My Own Advisor (Sep 24, 2012)

Somewhere, in some odd way, Duffy is likely happy this is going on. 

Kinda "See, it's not just me!"

Pathetic as this is...


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

So it's finally out in the open, the old boys club exposed. 

The AG is saying in his report that from now on, our Honourable senators cannot be trusted when it comes
to expenses. About 1 MILLION in total (23 illegal sets of expenses) are now either in the process of being repaid by our "den of thieves" who took full advantage of the loose rules to hoodwink the taxpayers, or they have already resigned and will have to be investigated and prosecuted. 

Nine are blatant illegal expenses, and have been submitted to the RCMP for criminal investigation and possibly further prosecution in the courts..when and if that happens, the taxpayers will be shelling out more than 1 million, I'm sure for those trials..but even if this costs the taxpayers big time..a stern message has to be sent to these "porkers" to stop sucking from the public troughs.

From now on all their expenses (unless it's complementary cold Camembert and broken crackers) has to submitted to a oversight committee "twice removed" from the "den of thieves" to keep them honest..and *maybe honourable?*... HOWEVER the last adjective may be a long stretch though.

New expense forms need to be printed up with as warning on the bottom where they have to sign.

The warning with their signature, (just like the CRA tax forms), will tell them that submitted expenses not eligible, will be subject to further scrutiny,
fines with deduction from their pay directly and/or possible jail time.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Isn't paying the money back now similar to a store robber returning the cash after they have been caught ?

Probably some honest mistakes......, but it seems pretty simple to know when you are doing Senate "business" or not and what you can legitimately claim as expenses.

Duffy was just a scammer..........no doubt in my mind. Nancy Greene........?

Interesting that the split was equal............50% Liberals and 50% Conservatives...............No NDP who refuse to appoint Senators.

The NDP wants to abolish the Senate......and the NDP continue to rise in the polls. 

Is the NDP tapping into a citizen revolt ?


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## fraser (May 15, 2010)

The NDP are blowing smoke and I actually think less of them because of it.

They talk as if the Senate can be abolished easily. Nothing but hot air. 

Mulclair should focus on more substantive issues....this is so similar to the Conservatives phoney 'law and order' platform.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

fraser said:


> The NDP are blowing smoke and I actually think less of them because of it.
> 
> They talk as if the Senate can be abolished easily. Nothing but hot air.
> 
> Mulclair should focus on more substantive issues....this is so similar to the Conservatives phoney 'law and order' platform.


Gil Duceppe just announced he's back into the fall election with the Bloc.
I think if that happens all the neophytes representing the NDP in Quebec will lose their seats and the NDP could end up back where they started.
They just gave a separatist a state funeral, so the sentiment may be growing again in "La Belle Province".


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## fraser (May 15, 2010)

As a former Quebecer, and a federalist, I have absolutely no issue with the Parizeau funeral in Quebec.

For me, Mr. Parizeau's contribution was not as a politician but rather as an economist who helped transform Quebec and the Quebec economy. He joins people like Rene Levesque and Eric Kierans who battled Bay Street and the Church (and he succeeded) in order to move Quebec forward in the quiet revolution and make it a much better place. Just wish we had more of his type of out of the box economic thinkers and doers in Canada. Harper could certainly use a few.

If you want one example just compare that abysmal mess of a company called Ontario Hydro/Hydro One or whatever they like to call themselves to Quebec Hydro.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

fraser said:


> I believe this is mostly nod nod, wink, wink. After the heat dies down it will back to the usual practices. The only difference is that they will be framed in a different way.
> 
> Pork barrel politics could be considered a cost of our democracy. It will never go away. One always rewards one's friends who helped in their election.
> 
> ...


I'm pretty sure Harper isn't going to appoint any more senators until after the fall election, and if he does, he will have some pre-conditions with the next group.

Not all of them started out doing crooked go't business..it's just that the rules on expenditures were practically non existent and "bendable"..such as Duffy, Wallin, Harb and Brazeau did before they got caught at it, but there were some others that did the same thing (live in Ottawa yet claim personal travel expenses).

Duffy got caught and that pretty much spilled the beans wide open. I'm sure they are all secretly cursing the Duffer for being so callous with his money laundering schemes..but what goes for one, also goes for all of them.

On the surface they are saying on TV interviews that they will abide by all of the AG's recommendations..because at this point they don't have much choice..do they?

There should be new agreements for any new appointees that they will be held responsible for any spending on the taxpayer's dime.
That in itself should be enough to discourage any sneaky ways to get around the spending issues..as they know that the AG can order random audits on their spending habits.

As far as pork barrel politics..crony favouritism..that will continue whether it's Harper or anyone else that gets to warm the PM seat.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Another Harper appointed senator gone down in flames..this time it's a black church minister.....who had a fancy for young girls under the age of 18.
The CONS have kicked him out of the caucus..but he is under investigation for sexual harassment of others.




> Liberal Sen. Jim Munson says he was at a loss for words after reading the report. He says there are likely to be formal and informal discussions about whether the Senate can and should act on the latest allegations of personal misconduct.
> 
> Meredith, 50, is an ordained minister at a Pentecostal church in Vaughan, Ont. He ran unsuccessfully for the Tories in Toronto Centre in a 2008 byelection.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senator-don-meredith-kicked-out-of-conservative-caucus-1.3118061

Of course the good Liberal senator shouldn't be the first to throw stones..his liberal senator friends have skeletons in the closets of their own.

So besides stealing from the taxpayers. money laundering (as in Duffy's case) lying and coverups, given the chance they will also look for friends with "benefits'..
after all it's all within the senate mandate...the chamber of second (and not so sober) second thoughts...or maybe these days just complaining about those first
class AC tickets that serve only "Ice cold camembert and horrors..broken crackers with the wine"

Fire them all! ..every one of them!... and close the doors once and for all. Too many hogs running around on Parliament Hill these days!


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

^


> Fire them all! ..every one of them!... and close the doors once and for all. ...


 ... excellent solution but who'll execute? Or do we need a taxpayers' revolt first?


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

SCANDAL! Oh the very thought of it affecting our"honourable" senators sitting in the chamber of "ice cold camembert and broken vows..er crackers I meant.
How could the latest ad yet anthother scandal drag down the "Chamber of sober second thought..even more than" PAMBRADUFFHARB"

now it is FOUR FOR FOUR (appointments) "PAMBRAMERDUFF". I'm sure that in our Correctional Facilities, they will be served bread and water instead...and then they can complain
about mice droppings in their cheese to go with their "whine". 


Senate ethics committee and the rest of the sitting senators told him " out damn spot"..something is "definitely rotten and it isn't even Denmark!"



> In his letter to ethics officer Lyse Ricard, Housakos writes that if the allegations prove true, they would constitute "conduct unbecoming of a senator" that would require "disciplinary sanctions." He alleges Meredith "may have improperly used his position of trust and authority as a senator."





> Conservative Sen. Vern White called the allegations "disgusting" and said if they are proven true, Meredith should be expelled from the upper chamber.
> *"This is his scandal. This isn't mine, this isn't ours. This is his and he'll own it."*
> 
> The age of consent in Canada for sexual relations is 16, except in cases of a relationship of trust or authority in which the young person is in a dependant or exploitive relationship, when it increases to 18.


What about all the illegal expenses swept under the rug by the "senate expense approval committee"..hmmm? Is there any honour amongst thieves? I think not!


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## none (Jan 15, 2013)

It's too bad because it's the only real check on the PMO power under an unfair first past the post electoral system. I think we're better off with a 'fixed' senate than no senate at all.


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## Islenska (May 4, 2011)

You would assume being a Senator is a position of honour.....

Compensation should be low on the list, 

As the Beatles sang "A Lucky man who just made the grade..........

Sort of set an example maybe!


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Islenska said:


> You would assume being a Senator is a position of honour.....
> 
> Compensation should be low on the list,
> 
> ...



Yes, you are referring to the song " A day in the life" ....but they are not blowing their minds out (brains?) out as the song goes...

They are very clever at their game of stealing from the public purse..a den of theives? ...but lately the focus has switched onto
the MPs, that take their wives along for trips to Ottawa at the cost of OVER $6000 in FIRST CLASS AIRFARE and expenses
for their wives..who do nothing but accompany them...and they are not even on gov't business.

Over$1,000,000 has been "scammed" legally by our honourable MPs, because the current rules allow them to bring their wives along, and
other family members to stay in first class accommodations..while they tour Parliament Hill..for free.

So our "honourable" MPs (some, not all though) join our "honourable' Senators at sucking up all that gravy..paid by the taxpayers. 




> I read the news today oh boy
> About a lucky man who made the grade
> And though the news was rather sad
> Well I just had to laugh
> ...


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