In short, his speech to caucus was a chance to be accountable. He blew it.
He expressed his unhappiness with the unspecified conduct of “some parliamentarians” and his own office and then patted himself on the back for taking “unprecedented measures” to improve accountability. Canada now has a system of governance that is the envy of the world, “something Canadians are rightly proud of”.
But pride is not the sentiment many voters are expressing to their MPs, judging by the blowback they are hearing in their ridings. “We’re taking the heat on the doorstep because of the behaviour of an unelected senator,” said one Conservative MP.
Sorry is always the hardest word for this Prime Minister, who is now en route to Peru for no apparent good reason, beyond the fact it gets him the hell out of Dodge.
He refused to take questions from a furious press corps. A good number of his own caucus were equally upset that he didn’t level with them about what he knew and when he knew it.
“Honest backbenchers didn’t start this mess — it started at the centre.
There needs to be an apology to caucus and the public,” said another MP.
“One rule-breaker is bad but three, plus the chief of staff [Nigel Wright] is a systemic problem. The real problem is, we crossed the moral red line a long time ago.”
Mr. Harper did restate the need to “uphold a culture of accountability” and his strongest card is that no-one could ever conceive of him cheating the system for his own gain. “Whoever wishes to use public office for their own benefit should change their plan or leave this room,” he told caucus.
But those are hollow words coming from a leader who is in danger of looking like the driver of the getaway car. Was there a deal between Mr. Wright and the Senate committee on internal economy to go easy on Mike Duffy, in return for expeditious repayment of his $90,000 in unwarranted expenses? If so, was the Prime Minister aware of it?
Mr. Harper did suggest that the scandal will give fresh impetus to his Senate reform agenda. The Supreme Court is currently mulling whether Parliament has the power to enact term limits and elections on its own, and is also considering the option of abolishing the Senate completely. A decision is not due until the fall but the government may ask the court to expedite its recommendations in the circumstances.
In the meantime, Honourable Senators are honourable no more. Mr. Harper said the government will accelerate changes to make senators more accountable. New administration rules mean it will no longer be presumed that senators have acted honourably – now, like the rest of the world, they will be obliged to provide receipts, state the purpose of their travel and maintain a road travel log. Given the horse bolted long ago, shutting that particular barn door is unlikely to appease many irate voters – or MPs for that matter.
The overriding impression left by the Prime Minister’s speech was that the whole Duffy Affair is an inconvenience —he called it “a distraction” — from the government’s economic agenda. Which, of course, it is.
But ethics, accountability and principled government are core to the Conservative agenda too — that’s why many people voted for the party.
This scandal can’t be wished away simply by urging caucus: “Let’s get back to work.” They are making tee-shirts in Prince Edward Island bearing the legend: ”Stuff the Duff” and a cartoon of Mike Duffy being stuffed in a garbage can.
Conservative MPs are, for the first time in my experience, talking about open mutiny. “The question for my caucus colleagues is increasingly: Who is for Harper and who is for the party that will, hopefully, outlast him?”
This story is not going away until the Prime Minister gives us some answers.
Original Article
Source: fullcomment.nationalpost.com
Author: John Ivison
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