In 1795 U.S. President George Washington wrote to Edmund Randolph (this quotation comes to me courtesy of the Patriot Post Founder’s Quote Daily) that “There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily.”
How very quaint this 18th-century sentiment seems today. But (now you laugh) I’d still like to see someone in politics try it. Who knows? It just might work.
Despite two days of controversy around a Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) newsletter that said Canada “plays a key part in perpetuating war crimes” by Israel, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair refuses to utter a peep about the union.
“Those are not statements anybody that’s associated with our party has ever made, so I’m not going to start commenting on things that have nothing whatsoever to do with our party,” he said Thursday.
That’s in line with Mulcair’s refusal to criticize CUPW last year for sending a delegation to a “Free Palestine” conference in Brazil, featuring talks on boycotting Israel.
Mulcair hasn’t always been so reluctant to speak out on statements by people not directly tied to the NDP. Read more…
Here’s what I don’t like about the suggestion by the good folks at the Taxpayers Federation to make moonlighting MPs reimburse taxpayers for the time they spent away from public business looking after their private interests. Two things: 1) There are A LOT of MPs who take time to look after their other sources of income and I wouldn’t be surprised if they sometimes skipped school to look after their affairs; and 2) Parliament is a self-governing institution. It is – and should remain – independent. That means MPs are left to police themselves. That’s obviously not a perfect solution, but it’s the best we’ve got.
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair lashed out at evangelical Christian groups Monday, accusing them of going “completely against” Canadian values and law.
Mulcair’s anger spilled over when reporters asked about Crossroads Relief and Development – a group getting around $540,000 from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to build wells and provide clean water in Uganda. Read more…
A week after settling a $5-million defamation lawsuit against him, NDP MP Pat Martin’s fundraising website to cover his legal costs still says the “court case is proceeding and legal expenses are mounting.”
“We are reaching out to supporters for help in meeting these costs and we appreciate any contribution you might make,” says the main message on the website patmartindefencefund.ca.
Martin has confirmed to QMI Agency that he settled the lawsuit with automated call company Racknine for an undisclosed amount on Feb. 4.
Both he and NDP officials have not responded to questions about the fundraising site or to what purpose donations will now be directed.
Racknine sued Martin last February after he publicly accused it of trying to “defraud the electoral system” through so-called deceptive robocalls on behalf of the Conservatives in the 2011 election.
Rookie Conservative MP Erin O’Toole has asked the federal ethics commissioner, Mary Dawson, to investigate whether the website violates conflict of interest rules.
The commissioner’s office says O’Toole’s letter was delivered Monday.
“I can confirm that a letter was just received around noon today and the commissioner will be reviewing it,” spokeswoman Jocelyn Brisebois said in an e-mail. “Due to confidentiality rules, the office cannot comment further.”
Speaking on Martin’s behalf, the NDP dismissed O’Toole’s complaint Sunday.
The party issued a terse statement saying that the ethics commissioner, Revenue Canada, and Elections Canada were all consulted before Martin’s fund was set up.
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