Friday, April 22, 2005

CANADA NEEDS SOMETHING BETTER

The prime minister last night:

Let me speak plainly
A bad start. I feel like I'm about to be patronized.
What happened with the sponsorship file occurred on the watch of a Liberal government. Those who were in power are to be held responsible and that includes me.
But he doesn't (immediately) go where I thought he would. This was actually the best recognition of responsibility I've heard from Martin on this issue. It's not good enough, but it is the best yet.
I was the Minister of Finance. Knowing what I've learned this past year, I am sorry that we weren't more vigilant — that I wasn't more vigilant. Public money was misdirected and misused. That's unacceptable. And that is why I apologized to the Canadian people a year ago.
Good, but not good enough. Martin recognizes some of his ministerial responsibility (not being vigilant enough) but he still is not accepting responsibility in the right way. He apologized for not knowing something was wrong, which is different from apologizing for being in charge when something went wrong. It is clear by this point that Martin is not going to resign, or even offer to as I had guessed he would, which is really what needs to happen.
But taking responsibility is about more than words. I want to tell you what I've done as prime minister to deal with the sponsorship scandal — to make sure it does not happen again, to make sure that those who violated the public trust will be identified and will pay the consequences.
Now we're going to move on to explanations, recriminations and damage control...
I committed to acting on the recommendations of Judge Gomery when he brings forth his final report. And I myself testified before his commission, answering any and all questions.
Grammar pet peeve: he has already testified, 'any and all' is unnecessary; 'all questions' would have been just fine.
If so much as a dollar is found to have made its way into the Liberal party from ill-gotten gains, it will be repaid to the people of Canada. I want no part of that money.
It should not have taken sixteen-months and mulitple Gomery witnesses to make this pledge.
As prime minister, I will never hesitate to describe what happened on the sponsorship file for what is was — an unjustifiable mess.
This is were he completely lost me. An unjustifiable mess ?! That's how the prime minister characterizes the worst kind, the often illegal, misuse of public money for partisan and personal gain? This wasn't an accounting error. This wasn't a few details missed. This was rampant, organized, partisan violation of the machinery of government and the public trust. Those two words finished it. If unjustifiable mess, is the terms under which the prime minister refers to the sponorship problem, he has to resign right now.
For that reason, I commit to you tonight that I will call a general election within 30 days of the publication of the commission's final report and recommendations. Let Judge Gomery do his work. Let the facts come out. And then the people of Canada will have their say.
The people of Canada will have their say, where and when ever we so choose. My mind is made up. Martin and his government must fall.
When I was young, I practically lived here in the Parliament Buildings. My father was a cabinet minister in four Liberal governments. He taught me that those who serve in public office have a duty to protect the integrity of government.
And to cap it all off Martin reminds us that the only reason he really wanted to be prime minister is because his father never was.

I give Martin some credit for trying to take responsibility but it is far too little, far too late.

Harper sounded good, he not only hammered the prime minister on corruption but also on the government's total lack of direction, rightly so.

Layton talked about governing and issues. My first reaction, was to think, 'what the hell is he doing?' Then I realized that of all four national leaders, he was the one most concerned with governing.

Duceppe didn't have to do much, but he did it well.

Posted by Matthew @ 1:57 a.m.

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More things you should ponder re: Martin's speech and the Gomery inquiry.

these are points that you will not see in our MSM here in Canada.
http://www.dowlersolutions.ca/blog/archives/2005/04/what_waiting_fo_1.html

Posted by Anonymous Anonymous @ April 30, 2005 9:56 a.m. #
 
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