[ridenrain]

So Much For The Democratic Deficit As Martin Barrels Ahead With Cronyism

Sat 19 Mar 2005

"Mr. Martin simply cannot be trusted to keep his word": Layton

WINNIPEG - NDP Leader Jack Layton today condemned Prime Minister Martin's appointment of failed Liberal candidate Glen Murray to a patronage job. A Parliamentary committee voted 7-4 against appointing Murray.

"Paul Martin promised to respect MPs and promised to clean up cronyism," said Layton. "By appointing Mr. Murray, he has shown he has no respect for the MPs he promised to empower and that it's cronyism as usual in Paul Martin's Ottawa. On two key issues, Mr. Martin has shown he simply cannot be trusted to keep his word.

"From failing to stop credit card medicine to choosing corporate tax cuts over tuition relief, there are fewer and fewer connections between Mr. Martin's endless rhetoric and what happens," he said.

In March 2004, Martin said, "from this point forward, MPs will be more important than they have been in decades" and that "the Prime Minister's Office has become too powerful, to the detriment of our Parliamentary process". He also pretended to believe that, "we are going to condemn to history the practice and the politics of cronyism."

Since then, Parliamentary decisions on splitting foreign affairs and international trade were ignored, a former Martin communications director was appointed ambassador to Costa Rica and former Liberal MPs were given plum government jobs. Now, Murray is receiving patronage over the explicit objections of MPs on the committee charged with reviewing his appointment; NDP MP Nathan Cullen was on the committee.

"From the environment to tuition, cronyism to education and democracy to foreign aid, the sad fact is that Paul Martin cannot be trusted to keep his word," said Layton.

http://www.ndp.ca/page/1165

...well..DUH!

[Ripcat]

ridenrain wrote:

Sat 19 Mar

wtf...it's July now...almost August....

Obviously marriage counselling work well for them.

[hwacker]

Quote:

Mr. Martin simply cannot be trusted to keep his word

Stupid ass should have asked me years ago. DUH

[Bigboy]

Quote:

"From the environment to tuition, cronyism to education and democracy to foreign aid, the sad fact is that Paul Martin cannot be trusted to keep his word," said Layton.

Its scarey how long it took for Layton to figure that out.

[Bigboy]

Quote:

While I view the NDP as essential in Federal politics I shudder at the thought of them leading this country

They need to realize were not europe and we are still building a country and that yes defence is important.

[Patrick_Ross]

ridenrain wrote:

"From failing to stop credit card medicine to choosing corporate tax cuts over tuition relief, there are fewer and fewer connections between Mr. Martin's endless rhetoric and what happens," [Layton] said.

These were tax cuts for small and medium-sized businesses, only a portion of which are incorporated (a legal entity unto themselves) -- none of them are traditional corporations, in the way Layton wants people to think of them.
While I don't support patronage appointments in any way shape or form (and so partially agree with Layton on the subject), I just feel compelled to point this disinformation tactic out.
Memo to Green Party: please wipe out the NDP in the next election.

[Zeipher]

This is before Martin bought out Layton's support.

[Patrick_Ross]

That's embarassing... I should have noticed that.