[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Valmy]

So I happened to randomly overhear people discussing reformation of the Canadian Senate this weekend.  Is this like a thing?  I couldn't figure out why Texans would be discussing such an odd topic but I was doing something else so I did not have time to follow up on it.

[crazy canuck]

@BB It can also mean exactly what it says.  The there is no ongoing investigation.  The straight forward implication was that the police looked into it and didnt find anything worthy of investigation.  ie the "reliable" story told to the staffer was stuff and nonsense.

[Malthus]

So I happened to randomly overhear people discussing reformation of the Canadian Senate this weekend.  Is this like a thing?  I couldn't figure out why Texans would be discussing such an odd topic but I was doing something else so I did not have time to follow up on it.

It is a thing (there is currently a huge federal scandal over senators, overshadowed somewhat by the Ford circus). Amazing that anyone in Texas could give a shit about it, though.

The Canadian Senate is an entity in search of a purpose. Currently, it is used as a mid-level reward for political hacks being put out to pasture - they get a salary and expense accounts, the massive (and totally predictable) abuse of which is creating a big scandal.

[Jacob]

What else was viable from his point of view?  What was his upside if he didnt go to the police with what he knew?

If he had little integrity and valued the mayor's PR higher than due process he could have tried to sweep it under the rug; or take some sort of independent action to secure the tape.

He didn't, which is to his credit 

[crazy canuck]

What else was viable from his point of view?  What was his upside if he didnt go to the police with what he knew?

If he had little integrity and valued the mayor's PR higher than due process he could have tried to sweep it under the rug; or take some sort of independent action to secure the tape.

He didn't, which is to his credit 

On the contrary, this was an act which did value the mayor's PR.  The worse thing in the world for Mayor was to have his staffers sit on this information. The Chief of Staff had no other option.  Keeping it from the police would have been the most stupid thing to do on all levels.

Now that doesnt mean that staffers dont do stupid things.  Adrian Dix did such a stupid thing in the face of an actual police investigation.  But I dont commend people for not doing stupid things.

[Jacob]

If it was the right thing to do for from the mayor's point of view, why doesn't Towhey work for Ford anymore?

[Malthus]

@BB It can also mean exactly what it says.  The there is no ongoing investigation.  The straight forward implication was that the police looked into it and didnt find anything worthy of investigation.  ie the "reliable" story told to the staffer was stuff and nonsense.

Heh, if so, the article is written in a somewhat misleading way - it gives the impression to the casual reader that the tape really *is* linked to a murder. 

The press does seem to be indulging in a little of what L.B. Johnson used to call "pigfucking". 

[crazy canuck]

If it was the right thing to do for from the mayor's point of view, why doesn't Towhey work for Ford anymore?

Because Ford is an idiot.

Next question.

[crazy canuck]

Heh, if so, the article is written in a somewhat misleading way - it gives the impression to the casual reader that the tape really *is* linked to a murder. 

The press does seem to be indulging in a little of what L.B. Johnson used to call "pigfucking". 

Yep

[Jacob]

If it was the right thing to do for from the mayor's point of view, why doesn't Towhey work for Ford anymore?

Because Ford is an idiot.

Next question.

[Josephus]

If it was the right thing to do for from the mayor's point of view, why doesn't Towhey work for Ford anymore?

Because Ford is an idiot.

Next question.

crack does that to you. 

[viper37]

So I happened to randomly overhear people discussing reformation of the Canadian Senate this weekend.  Is this like a thing?  I couldn't figure out why Texans would be discussing such an odd topic but I was doing something else so I did not have time to follow up on it.

Quebec has been talking about it for 30 years now.  But then, it was just Quebec whining.  Now that they see the truth after everyone else, Canadians suddenly ask for change.

Senators, Governor-General, Lieutenant-Governor claiming expenses they shouldn't, sometimes crossing the line over the dark territory of criminal fraud is nothing new, really.

I'm leaning toward the Westerner's of a senate, triple E: Equal, Elected and effective, but I'd like some guarantee that it won't be used to trample the province's right like the House of Commons has been.  We don't need two identical chambers.

[Malthus]

If it was the right thing to do for from the mayor's point of view, why doesn't Towhey work for Ford anymore?

Because Ford is an idiot.

Next question.

crack does that to you. 

Not convinced that Ford *not* on crack was a model of enlightened reason to begin with. 

[Malthus]

So I happened to randomly overhear people discussing reformation of the Canadian Senate this weekend.  Is this like a thing?  I couldn't figure out why Texans would be discussing such an odd topic but I was doing something else so I did not have time to follow up on it.

Quebec has been talking about it for 30 years now.  But then, it was just Quebec whining.  Now that they see the truth after everyone else, Canadians suddenly ask for change.

Senators, Governor-General, Lieutenant-Governor claiming expenses they shouldn't, sometimes crossing the line over the dark territory of criminal fraud is nothing new, really.

I'm leaning toward the Westerner's of a senate, triple E: Equal, Elected and effective, but I'd like some guarantee that it won't be used to trample the province's right like the House of Commons has been.  We don't need two identical chambers.

There is nothing to indicate that Canada needs a senate for anything (other than an old folks' home for elderly political hacks).

[crazy canuck]

Agreed.  The worst thing we could do is to give the Senate some power.  Best just to get rid of the damn thing.