[KWL]

<strong>Written By:</strong> KWL
<strong>Date:</strong> 2007-08-29 11:44:30
<a href="/article/104155127-realistic-conservatives-try-to-bypass-an-elected-mp">Article Link</a>



<a href="http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=6f618597-118a-4306-8bce-13d8c924cb24">http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=6f618597-118a-4306-8bce-13d8c924cb24</a>

Please email the ethics commsioner about this, it is outrageous:

[email protected]

[rearguard]

As sleazy and outrageous as this may seem, it's hard to see anything unethical about it. I see no reason why an individual from one given riding cannot communicate with an elected MP from another riding, or to anyone involved with the so-called "elected" government.

For example, if anyone disagrees with this particular action, then by all means, send your angry correspondence directly to Mr. Harris - it's your right and to do so is perfectly ethical.

As for the issue at hand, what we *should* be very angry about, is the dysfunction within our system of government - it obviously does not work very well, and most of the major flaws are obvious and simple to remedy.

We should get very angry at all of our so-called elected representatives and demand that the system of government be reformed to correct at least the most obvious areas of dysfunction. Until that is done, what else is there worth complaining about?

[boflaade]

Basically there is no reason to vote. A representative of the government will be appointed to you. it's call Harper Conservative Democracy. The "NEW" government.

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Expect little from life and get more from it.

[Diogenes]

"Basically there is no reason to vote. A representative of the government will be appointed to you. it's call Harper Conservative Democracy. The "NEW" government."
and about time too! I mean after all, voting is such a bother and I'd much rather leave any thinking to those who schooled in the matters of state.




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"When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do."

William Blake

[ouhite]

I wouldn't have known about this if I didn't see this here.....I have already written
to the ethics commissioner and I'm trying to spread this with people I know.

[Chadermando]

NDP MP protests Harris move

(News) Thursday, 30 August 2007, 04:00 PST
by MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff

Controversy over appointment of Houston Mayor Sharon Smith as the Conservatives' "go-to" person in Skeena-Bulkley Valley is continuing as Nathan Cullen, the NDP MLA for the riding said Wednesday he's close to submitting a complaint to the federal ethics commissioner.

Cullen said he'll be launching the complaint against Cariboo-Prince George MP Dick Harris, who announced last week Smith will be the "go-to" person in Skeena-Bulkley Valley.

Smith, who will be the Conservative candidate in Skeena-Bulkley Valley in the coming federal election, will provide the kind of help Cullen simply can't deliver, Harris said in a press release.

“Having an MP from the fourth party in the House just doesn’t cut it when it comes to actually getting things done for the folks in Skeena-Bulkley Valley ," Harris said. "Sharon Smith, with her direct government contact, will ensure that things do get done.”

Cullen said the move is unethical because Harris is using his office to promote the ambitions of a private citizen and because it contravenes the spirit of democracy.

"It's not just impugning my reputation, politicians do that all the time," he said. "But it's trying to confuse the voters in a free democracy as to who actually represents them."

"He's also suggesting that the public service, which Canadians pay for, is somehow working harder or working at all for just the Conservatives. Public servants do not work for the Conservative Party, the government does not belong to the Conservative Party, it belongs to Canadians."

Cullen said there's been an outpouring of support for him on the issue, including comments from residents in Harris' constituency.

"We've had an amazing reaction from right across British Columbia to this," he said. "Just absolute anger at what Mr. Harris has been up to."

His submission to the ethics commissioner will include letter's he's received from outraged voters and he said the number of calls from Harris' riding about the issue have equalled the number from his own constituency.

"No one likes being bullied or tricked into voting differently than they want to," Cullen said.

Harris dismissed Cullen's assertion the move is unethical and claimed his own office has been getting an increasing number of calls from people in Skeena-Bulkley Valley who've not gotten responses from their own MP.

"I'm sure that the ethics commissioner will have a chuckle about this one," Harris said. "There's nothing unethical about having a volunteer working for you or unethical about wanting to help people out if they have a problem and can't get help from other sources."

He said the outrage comes largely from Cullen's supporters.

"We're not trying to steal any clients away from Cullen, we're just trying to help the ones that can't get help from him," Harris said.

Smith won't be paid, nor will she get an office and phone as a result of her appointment, said Harris. The experience will make her a better MP if she's elected, he added.

Smith couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday, but Harris said she told him the response she encountered while in Smithers for the Bulkley Valley Fair last week was great.

"Apart from some of the well-known NDP types who came up an harassed her and the people in the booth, the response was very positive," he said.

[Chadermando]

Cullen said the move is unethical because Harris is using his office to promote the ambitions of a private citizen and because it contravenes the spirit of democracy.

"It's not just impugning my reputation, politicians do that all the time," he said. "But it's trying to confuse the voters in a free democracy as to who actually represents them."

"He's also suggesting that the public service, which Canadians pay for, is somehow working harder or working at all for just the Conservatives. Public servants do not work for the Conservative Party, the government does not belong to the Conservative Party, it belongs to Canadians."

[Ed Deak]

The long and short of what Dick Harris is saying is: "Democracy is dead, this government is corrupt and if you want something, jump on the corruption bandwagon".

I grew up with this under fascism. The name of the racket was "protection", "protekcio" in Hungarian and everybody practiced it. Everybody had to "know" somebody with power, or was left in the mud. We had no phone, but my mother had a list of phone numbers and when she didn't get what she wanted she just said: "Where is the phone in this office, I'm going to call XY ........". That was usually enough and the doors opened.

Never thought I would ever see it in Canada, but this is part of the "competitive equilibrium of globalized wealth creation", so we either get used to it, or get rid of the bums.

Ed Deak.

[RPW]

So we amend the elections act, such that election time is used to determine who "wins". The "losers" go home, and the "winner" appoints "representatives" in the ridings where the "losers" won.<br />
<br />
Hmmm! Where have I read something like this before......?<br />
<br />
Oh, yes......<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O</a>'Brien_(1984)<p>---<br>"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." <br />
-Max Planck<br />
<br />

[Dr Caleb]

If you quote an article, please include a link to the original or I'll have to moderate it 'Plagiarized'.

Sometimes Vive gets angry letters from copyright holders.

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The preceding comment deals with mature subject matter, however immaturely presented. Viewer discretion is advised.

[RPW]

Gauleiter Frau Smith?<br />
<a href="http://www.answers.com/gauleiter">http://www.answers.com/gauleiter</a><p>---<br>"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." <br />
-Max Planck<br />
<br />

[boflaade]

"He said the outrage comes largely from Cullen's supporters."

Seeing that Cullen was voted in, the "supporters" must be the "voters".

Then the Bulkley Valley Fair must be the new voting booth, but who called the election?

---
Expect little from life and get more from it.

[srfl]

Nathan Cullen put in his formal complaint, and now the Conservatives in Ottawa are distancing themselves from this action of Dick Harris. Everyone is claiming innocence, and "gosh, but we didn't mean any harm!"

[RPW]

Will he do the right thing now, and resign? Will there be a formal apology put forward by our leader, for this blatant attempt at short-circuiting the electoral process? Or (and perhaps more importantly) will Gauleiter Frau Smith be removed from her position?

Or is this "distancing dance" just another instance of empty rhetoric by our leader and his minions?

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"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."
-Max Planck

[RPW]

<a href="http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=mayor+sharon+smith+naked&btnG=Google+Search&meta">http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=mayor+sharon+smith+naked&btnG=Google+Search&meta</a>=<p>---<br>"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." <br />
-Max Planck<br />
<br />