[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Oexmelin]

I guess that would depend on what you assume ought to be the level of porosity between political personnel and big business, and whether or not you assess this as a political fault in our current political setup (i.e., a serious misstep by Trudeau), or as a political fault in our current political regime (i.e., a PM should never ever broach a specific case with the Justice minister).

I tend to see this as pretty despicable (i.e., pretty serious corruption), but unfortunately, pretty ordinary. Upon reflection, I think Trudeau's pressures upon Wilson-Raybould to matter less to me than the fact that the law was clearly written with SNC in mind (and perhaps even with direct input from SNC).

[Barrister]

I guess that would depend on what you assume ought to be the level of porosity between political personnel and big business, and whether or not you assess this as a political fault in our current political setup (i.e., a serious misstep by Trudeau), or as a political fault in our current political regime (i.e., a PM should never ever broach a specific case with the Justice minister).

I tend to see this as pretty despicable (i.e., pretty serious corruption), but unfortunately, pretty ordinary. Upon reflection, I think Trudeau's pressures upon Wilson-Raybould to matter less to me than the fact that the law was clearly written with SNC in mind (and perhaps even with direct input from SNC).

I think I agree with this - the story is both serious corruption, and fairly routine.

[crazy canuck]

Note to however is drafting his script  "I disagree with some parts of the report" and "I fully accept the report" don't work well together - especially when said one after the other.

I disagree (and quite independently from this case). I tend to think the inability to maintain both simultaneously is part of our current problem in politics. One should be able to note dissidence while accepting responsibility. If only full compliance is necessary to accept responsibility, we find ourselves with ministers who refuse to resign for anything but the most egregious of transgressions, and officials who actively look for loopholes.

In the abstract I agree with your observation.  But in the particulars of this case all he is agreeing to then is the easy admission that he is in fact responsible for those who do his bidding but he does not agree that what they did was wrong.

[crazy canuck]

How would you political observers rate the PM's level of fault in this case? Is this serious corruption, mere mishandling of the matter, or somewhere between?

I think the most damaging thing is not his level of fault but rather how inept he was.  Those are mutually exclusive.  If he knew what he was doing this was very serious but the report is more a case of political operatives running the show behind the scenes and the PM just saying what made the most political sense on any given day.

[saskganesh]

Two!

Anyhow,  a piece from Rick Salutin on the NDP's apparent demise, looking at the past three decades:

https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/9500642-ndp-or-endp-is-it-over-for-this-radical-canadian-party-/

as the NDP starts to disapears, all the commies will join the Greens and transform it from a relevant, positive, ecological force into a vehicle for leftist purity.

There are no "commies" in the NDP...

Of course.  Of course.   

They are called social democrats. Of course, you are too lazy and reactionary to know the difference. Of course.

[Malthus]

How would you political observers rate the PM's level of fault in this case? Is this serious corruption, mere mishandling of the matter, or somewhere between?

I think the most damaging thing is not his level of fault but rather how inept he was.  Those are mutually exclusive.  If he knew what he was doing this was very serious but the report is more a case of political operatives running the show behind the scenes and the PM just saying what made the most political sense on any given day.

One of the most damaging digs at Trudeau Jr. by his political enemies was that he was basically an empty suit - the front man for the same old Liberal machine.

[viper37]

How would you political observers rate the PM's level of fault in this case? Is this serious corruption, mere mishandling of the matter, or somewhere between?

somewhere in between.  SNC is a large contributor to the LPC (certainly to the Conservatives too, depending on polls...  but Liberals have proven more favorable to their donors in the past than other parties), but there was no direct link between the PM's attitude and the money his party received. 

Hard to talk of corruption there.

However, he was concerned about his election coming soon, and that should not be a matter for judicial decisions.

The blunder here may have been to imagine that JWR would be as malleable as any other traditional Liberal MP, like, say, Freeland.

[viper37]

They are called social democrats. Of course, you are too lazy and reactionary to know the difference. Of course.

Depends on how you see things.  Is what you define yourself more important than what your actions tell of you?

[viper37]

Vancouver mother linked to US college admission scandal

A Vancouver mom is the latest parent linked to the U.S. college admission scandal.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that a B.C. teen was admitted to UCLA last fall after being awarded a soccer scholarship at the school. However, court documents have revealed the teen didn't play soccer and his admission was actually bought with a US$100,000 bribe that William "Rick" Singer paid to Jorge Salcedo, then the head coach of the UCLA men's soccer program.
[...]

Interesting...  Say, CC, didn't your kid attend UCLA? 

Nah, just kidding

It is interesting though, that this is not stricly a US problem.  Kinda, but still.

[crazy canuck]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/22/justin-trudeau-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-political-brand

[Barrister]

Federal election is likely to be called in the next week or so.

Today, 14 nominated NDP candidates from New Brunwswick all joined the Green Party and will run under that banner.  Article below mentions that NDP leader Singh has not visited that province since becoming leader 2 years ago.  That seems unwise...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-greens-nb-1.5268498

It's entirely possible that this election could see the Greens come in as Canada's #3 party.  They have been trending up, and the NDP trending down.  In fact I think I have to hope that happens, because if there's an NDP collapse without a corresponding Green surge that just means the Liberals are the beneficiaries.

[Oexmelin]

Indeed, my parent's MP has switches sides from NDP to Green. 

It has reinforced their tentative decision to vote Green. Singh has not been a good choice for the NDP.

[crazy canuck]

The NDP have become irrelevant and the Liberals a poor choice for progressive voters.  I wondered whether that group of voters would find a home with the Greens and the events of today seems to answer that question.  The question for the Liberals is if the Greens can position themselves as a viable way to keep the Conservatives out of government, why vote Liberal?

[Zoupa]

I've recently made my first ever political donation 

[Malthus]

The NDP have become irrelevant and the Liberals a poor choice for progressive voters.  I wondered whether that group of voters would find a home with the Greens and the events of today seems to answer that question.  The question for the Liberals is if the Greens can position themselves as a viable way to keep the Conservatives out of government, why vote Liberal?

I think because that's an enormous "if".