Political staff

[Oldgateboatdriver]

For a complete education on the relations between politicians and civil servants or party policies vs. civil service policy in a Westminster style democracy, I strongly recommend a full review of "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister".

A few good quotes (approximate, as based on my recollection):


On the ethics of civil servants:

"Very good Bernard, you'll be a complete moral vacuum yet"

On the implementation of party policies:

"This is British democracy, a government of her Majesty's appointed civil servants tempered from time to time by general elections"

 

[Edward Campbell]

Very true, OGBD. It's important to remember that Yes, Minister and Yes, PM are documentaries, not comedies.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I've heard from a former Ontario DM that Yes Minister and Yes PM are faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar closer to reality than one would like to believe.  One of my personal faves, among many, from the series (great compilation here):

"'This would create a dangerous precedent'. Translation: 'If we do the right thing now, we might have to do the right thing again next time'."

Always an education, folks - much appreciated.

 

[Brad Sallows]

People who expect to undertake a 30+ year civil service career and not work within the constraints of a Conservative government should not take the job in the first place.

>The number of innocent persons tortured due to Canadian policy

What sort of happy horsesh!t is that?  I doubt very much that it is or was Canadian policy to torture anyone, let alone innocents.  Oh, does he mean people tortured due to other governments' policies at some time after falling into Canadian custody?  There are only three things to do with someone who falls into your custody: detain him, release him, or render him.  Setting up a prison system to coddle foreigners to Canadian standards indefinitely is a non-starter.  The practical alternatives are to release, or to hand them over to the government with sovereignty in the area.  If Canada's civil service and chattering classes are going to wake up sweating at night because we work with governments with low regard for human rights, the answer is simple: do not work with them - ever, ever, ever.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Brad
James Ron  is justifying his own lack of morals and the guilt of taking to long to let go a steady paycheque and feel the consequences of his beliefs. I had to live with the decisions of Liberal Ministers I despised, yet they were for the most part lawful. Lawful and personal morals do not always jive, at which point one has to decide on a personal level whether they wish to continue employment with that organization. Had a person being drafted into the civil service, I could understand his long winded whining. This article reminds me of the whining of my 6 year old when she does not get her way, except she is more eloquent and cute.
I look at the 1920-30 and I see a left wing that held their beliefs deeply and would accept the price quickly for those beliefs, hence such things as the McKenzie –Papillion battalion to Spain. The “New left” holds their beliefs for the most part far enough away that they don’t get dirty, they are conscious of their hypocrisy. Which I think creates the hatred they project onto others, again avoiding themselves, creating a self feeding loop.     

 

[Edward Campbell]

This is a slight change in direction, but, according to this article, reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions (§29) of the Copyright Act from the Globe and Mail, the PM's new communications guru is already part of the story:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec/separatist-files-human-rights-complaint-against-harpers-new-communications-director/article2153034/

Separatist files human rights complaint against Harper's new communications director

MONTREAL— The Canadian Press

Published Saturday, Sep. 03, 2011

A separatist firebrand in Quebec has filed an official complaint against Prime Minister Stephen Harper's new choice for communications director.

Gilles Rheaume wants the Canadian Human Rights Commission to investigate the appointment of Angelo Persichilli.

The ex-president of the St. Jean Baptiste Society says the fact that Mr. Persichilli can't speak French is unfair to French-speaking Canadians and journalists.

Mr. Rheaume also says that Mr. Persichilli, a former journalist, has engaged in “Quebec bashing” in some of his work.

Mr. Rheaume isn't the first Quebecer to complain about the appointment.

Several politicians and pundits have criticized the choice, saying it's a sign the province isn't a priority for Mr. Harper.

Gilles Rhéaume is, at least partially, correct; Angelo Persichilli cannot speak French and has engaged in "Québec bashing," or, at least, he has commented on the "Québec bashing" of others.

I agree with the "politicians and pundits" who say it (Persichilli's appintment) is "a sign the province isn't a priority for Mr. Harper." Nor should it be - no more, at least, than, say, Alberta or British Columbia.

 

[Old Sweat]

And there probably is an orgy of high-fiving in the PMO after an outraged separatiste took the bait.

 

[ModlrMike]

Even if he did speak French, they'd probably complain that he isn't "pur laine".

 

[Rifleman62]

Mr. Rheaume also says that Mr. Persichilli, a former journalist, has engaged in “Quebec bashing” in some of his work.

The ROC also say that Mr. Rheaume, a former humanoid, has engaged in "Canada bashing" all of his life.

And we are bored Mr. Rheaume.

 

[RangerRay]

These young people – they are almost all young – are, in my (limited) experience, very bright, very aggressive, tightly focused, very hard working, fiercely partisan and, above all, ambitious.

These guys operate at the provincial level too.  Although this guy admitted to bribing public officials in BC (also young, bright, aggressive and partisan), he is now approved to practice law in Ontario!

http://www.theprovince.com/Rail+stinker+follows+Bornmann+Ontario/5351412/story.html

Bornmann is one of the most notorious characters in the B.C. Rail debacle. He was a Liberal party insider and hot-shot law student when he went into business as a lobbyist at the tender age of 24, and immediately started wheeling and dealing with one of his Liberal buddies, Dave Basi.

Bornmann admitted paying thousands of dollars in bribes to Basi, then a powerful government insider, in return for secrets on the B.C. Rail privatization deal. He says he was living a high-rolling, high-octane lifestyle as a Liberal “power broker” when his life became a “nightmare” on Dec. 23, 2003 – the day the cops raided the legislature, and Bornmann’s office.

How did a guy who bribed public officials, and did so much public damage in B.C., end up as a lawyer in good standing in Ontario? Bornmann told the Law Society of Upper Canada that he changed his ways and was remorseful. The society was impressed with his volunteer work at a small legal-aid clinic.

But Oliver zeroed in on the testimony of Colwood city councillor Ernie Robertson, who said he met Bornmann at a Liberal “martini party” in 2005 – while the B.C. Rail scandal was raging – and was shocked Bornmann seemed “non-chalant” about it all and “doing very well financially and professionally, notwithstanding the scandal.”

Robertson said Bornmann bragged he was a millionaire, had a “ruthless and unscrupulous” reputation, and that the pair joked about Bornmann’s notorious nickname: Spiderman.

The panel heard Bornmann got the moniker from a rumoured story that he once broke through the ceiling of Liberal party headquarters to get a party membership list. At the time, Bornmann was working for Paul Martin’s federal leadership bid. Bornmann insisted he did nothing illegal in the incident, and the panel didn’t dig any further into it.

http://alexgtsakumis.com/2011/08/23/the-bornmann-supremacy-the-shameful-law-society-of-upper-canada-disentangles-spideman-from-his-own-web-secret-witness-reveals-christy-clark-leaks-first-hand/


You're welcome, Ontario.  ;D