I’m choosing to blame the Liberal Party of Canada for the lack of legal action taken against the members of the Conservative Party accused (with taped evidence) of attempting to bribe the (now late) MP Chuck Cadman. There’s a simple psychological theory that explains mob behaviour in humans, and it’s called the Bystander Effect. It is most often blamed on cases where a human needs help desperately, but because a group of people are ignoring the distress, an individual feels no need to assist.
The Liberals online are brainwashed, perhaps into thinking there is no emergency? The Prime Minister Harper is caught on tape admitting party officials are discussing “financial considerations” with an MP not of their party. It’s an obvious case where the law was broken, but we don’t hear anything about an investigation?! The leaders of the Liberal party are waffling as to the seriousness of bribery in Canadian law.
This is not a time for posturing in Question Period, or plotting election ads which will be moot if the PM is on trial for bribery. This is a time for the people of Canada responsible for investigating crime in the upper levels of government, to step up their work and send Cadscam to court! Right now, democracy’s guardians are asleep at the wheel, and they aren’t waking up because too many people are desensitized to the seriousness of corruption in government.
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![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.efc.ca/images/efcfreet.gif)
JimBobby | 07-Mar-08 at 1:50 pm | Permalink
Whooee! Sasky, us Greens got a bit of a soft spot fer Dion on accounta the Red-Green deal and also on accounta Lizzie has said the ideal outcome of the next election would be a Liberal minority with a smattering of Greens (”to keep them honest.”)
Personally, I lost most of my respect for Dion when he agreed to a 2 years extension of senseless death and suffering in Afghanistan. The only reason the Grits agreed to extend the mission is so that they can avoid the electorate a few more months. I see that as putting political expediency over the lives and safety of Canadian Forces members. This mission is a complete failure and 2 more years of dead Canadians isn’t going to turn it around. Dion knows this and so do the rest of the Grits.
Among a good number of our blogging Liberal friends, I’m seeing a combination of embarrassment and exasperation. As a loyal foot soldier in the treehuggin’ army, Ive been openly trying to recruit the disenchanted over to our GPC ranks. I won’t be too surprised when we gain a few converts.
The Liberal brass, on the other hand, will probably be shocked to discover that their no-election-at-any-cost tactics are costing them grassroots support. Bloggers who identify themselves with a party are generally much more loyal than typical voters. When Liberal bloggers are questioning their own loyalty, many average Liberal voters have likely already decided not to vote LPC next time around.
Just as the Reform-Alliance swallowed up the PC’s, I think the Greens can swallow up the Liberals. We’ll call it a “merger,” naturally. ;)
JB
Saskboy | 07-Mar-08 at 2:02 pm | Permalink
I’ve been predicting a 2022 Green government in Canada, but I thought it would come from a merger with the NDP. You’re right, it could be Liberal/Greens before 2015.
BCer in Toronto | 07-Mar-08 at 2:32 pm | Permalink
On this issue I’m not sure what more you’d like the LPC to do Saskboy. They’ve asked the RCMP to investigate, it’s up to the RCMP to investigate or not. They’re pushing to get a committee investigation, and are being blocked by the Cons and NDP. And they’ve been pushing so hard on it inside and outside the HoC Harper is threatening a libel lawsuit. And they told Harper where to stick that threat.
There is nothing any party can do to make the RCMP investigate or not, or make them speed-up their decision.
Saskboy | 07-Mar-08 at 2:37 pm | Permalink
The Liberals online I’ve spoken with mostly are in a mode where they think Cadscam is just about winning points in the next campaign, instead of a bribery scandal that could put the PM and crew behind bars (in theory). I think that where there’s a will, there’s a way, and the will is lacking, so the way is missing.
BCer in Toronto | 07-Mar-08 at 2:44 pm | Permalink
Obviously they want to score political points, that’s what political parties do. Those I’ve spoken to do take it seriously though. As for putting people behind bars, its up to the RCMP to investigate and the Crown to prosecute any charges. That’s up to those bodies. All politicians can do at this point is to attempt to bring as much information to light as possible. I think that’s being done. But we can’t wish, or will, the RCMP into investigating, or the Crown into laying charges.
Saskboy | 07-Mar-08 at 3:09 pm | Permalink
“But we can’t wish, or will, the RCMP into investigating, or the Crown into laying charges.”
We can’t, and the Liberals obviously can’t. So when a damning tape of criminal wrongdoing hits the public airwaves, and it involves the ruling Prime Minister, just WHO is in a position to notify the RCMP of the crime, and when are they required to make the existence of an investigation public?
BCer in Toronto | 07-Mar-08 at 3:34 pm | Permalink
Anyone can notify the RCMP of alleged criminal wrongdoing. The Libera;s have done that. The RCMP responded they’ll look into it, and consider investigating.
As for when they make an investigation public, who knows. It’s an arms-length thing. We should keep our fax machines on, maybe they’ll send us a fax in the middle election campaign like the last election, when they faxed the NDP’s Judy W. to let her know they were investigating Ralph Goodale on income trusts.
JimBobby | 07-Mar-08 at 3:43 pm | Permalink
I think any one of us can go to the RCMP and inform them that we think a crime has been committed. If we are sincere and have some sort of evidence, I think the RCMP is obligated to follow up. I suspect if an MP or other government official tells the RCMP that they think a crime has been committed it might carry more weight than if you or I walk into our nearest detachment and tell them about this bigass criminal, Steve Harper.
That might not be a bad idea, though - a mass campaign of ordinary citizens armed with copies of the Harper tape all walking into RCMP detachments and demanding an investigation.
JB
stageleft | 07-Mar-08 at 4:52 pm | Permalink
They’re Conservative enablers.
huffb1 | 07-Mar-08 at 5:24 pm | Permalink
Oh yea, I forgot you’re a Green. I always get you mixed up with a Liberal Saskboy. I was wondering why you’re attacking The Liberals at first