Much has been made of the Harper Government's use of provocateurs to get opposition pols to disclose their true feelings on the issues.
I see little that can be considered Nixonian in all this, yes it's crass and cynical as well as cheap but something to get exorcised about? Sorry I just can't see it.
What I do see worth getting worked up about is the notion that politicians need to be "tricked" in to expressing their true feelings on a matter, any matter and that when they do deign to share those opinions with us it is considered a gaffe.
Shouldn't lying to us and hiding their true thoughts be considered the "gaffe"?
Shouldn't that be where our outrage is directed?
Shouldn't we demand more of those we elect?
We have come to consider being lied to by our so called leaders as normal, all part of the game. As with many other things we have come to accept from our elected officials we must accept our portion of the blame.
How many times have we jumped all over a politician for having the temerity to tell us the truth. Express an opinion contrary to the party's and that is labelled dissent as opposed to debate.
While party discipline is a major factor here, so too is how we react when pols commit these so called gaffes. It perhaps would serve us better if we saved our outrage for when we are lied to and celebrate those rare occasions where we are permitted the truth whether intended or not
I think you make an excellent point here, Kev, but I do think we should also be outraged by this kind of entrapment only because it once more demonstrates that there is no depth to which the Harper regime won't sink in its ceaseless quest to retain power, its only apparent raison d'être. The collateral damage of further eroding Canadians' faith in the political process is clearly deemed acceptable by our current overlords.
ReplyDeleteYes Lorne, this is part of a pattern of underhandedness on the part of the Cons, yet I can't find any outrage. Perhaps it's due to fatigue on my part.
DeleteHowever, I do see the dishonesty displayed by all pols as the outrage here
.. General Leslie (Ret) can speak for himself.. and did so.. any trickery or foolery aside
ReplyDeleteWhat bothers me is where is Rob Anders or his Parliamentary Aide now speaking for themselves?
Or.. whomever in The Harper Government that requested them to complete their furtive mission
Or whomever in the Conservative Party that can order a public servant MP or Aide to do so
.. planning.. aquisition of hidden microphone & recorder
transcription of the recording, distribution of the resulting document
via liaison with Jewish or pro Israeli advocates
then same liaison with limp mainstream media a la Toronto Sun
Canadian taxpayers and Anders Alberta riding are being looked after
by this kind of id idiotic and greasy plumbing travesty?
How much time and expense involved here by Rob Anders and his 'Aide'?
And who can with certaintly declare who ordered up this tax payer paid fiasco
Government, PMO, Party, Senate, Anders, Aide, or other?
From what I can see this was a Harper Government Action..
acted out by at the very least, a Parliamentary Aide, on our dime
likely as ordered to by a Harper Government MP, at the very least
Strange nobody has asked any participant 'to be very clear' re this..
Well since you put it that way... seriously though all that is true and I should be angry but I'm not, at least not overly so. Likely because as I said, that pols must be tricked into being honest irks me so much more
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