NDP vows to keep pressure on PM over Senate expenses
NDP’s caucus chair speaks to media after meeting with MPs
CBC News Posted: Oct 30, 2013 11:07 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 30, 2013 11:31 AM ET
Frankly, I’d much rather that Mulcair pressure the Cons about the EU Trade Pact and why the citizenry was not consulted, or the pipeline idiocy that could destroy the environment of the East or the West…the fact that Mulcair is focusing on Cons whingeing at Cons does nothing to further the interests of the country..Let Junior Trudeau have at this issue, after all, it was the Lieberals who were busted in the Sponsorship Scandal, let them attack the Harpsters in sweet revenge, but Mulcair, as Leader of the Opposition, should be focused on more important things…
Left Over 
Many of us see this scandal as something that goes to the corruption of our democracy. We have a very straightforward law on giving gifts or loans to a senator in connection with his office. That law is our sole instrument for curbing the outright corruption of our Parliament. It’s a serious offence to corrupt a Senator or MP.
Stephen Harper, of Bruce Carson fame, is now directly implicated in an under-the-table gift of money, with strings and inducements attached, that was performed within his own prime minister’s office. Duffy’s lawyer, senior criminal counsel Don Bayne, contends that the documents show that Harper was directly involved in that transaction. If his contention is borne out by the documents that makes our prime minister potentially liable to prosecution.
It was not only corruption to give Duffy the money, it was corruption to direct the Senate internal economy committee to launder the audit report. It was corruption for the Tory Senate leader to allegedly threaten Duffy with being stripped of his seat if he didn’t play ball.
Stephen Harper is running scared,. That much is plain from his obsession with getting rid of Duffy immediately now that the senator is spilling his guts and tabling documents. To the extent to which Canadians have any residual interest in the federal government, this is what has their attention.
In a less corrupt government, yes, the focus should be on CETA and the pipeline fiasco but corruption reaching right into the top is the 800 pound gorilla in the room right now. Mulcair can’t afford anything that will leave him more obscure in the public mind.
I agree that this is something that has to be dealt with, but, really…to e, corruption and politics go hand in hand, and until and unless they can find someone, anyone, to testify under oath to the theory that Harper did actually directly involve himself, it’s gonna go nowhere fast…
Justin Trudeau isn’t a political veteran like Mulcair. Mulcair is essentially acting as the public’s legal representative, grilling Harper about the wrongdoings and corruption of the Harper regime, using the Senate scandal as a leverage point.
The other issues are simply smoke screens and empty platforms designed to rally the last dozen or so remaining Canadians that believe Harper is honest.
As we see Harper’s government more and more in contempt of the political process and, more importantly, the legal process of the House of Commons, they lose their ability and moral capability to issue policy. This is why the Senate scandal and other signs of corruption are ABSOLUTELY the most important thing for Mulcair to focus on.
I only hope he gets the political reward he deserves for keeping the pressure on and not getting distracted.