Robocall et al issue - Fed 2011 election

[DBA]

Reminds me of Unions buying ads at NDP conferences. At least that practice was killed. This one should be as well.

The financial disclosure rules for Unions can't come soon enough. It is evident they will use any means they can to funnel money to politicians to gain and maintain influence. I wonder what is going on outside of public view.

 

[Brad Sallows]

>Personal gifts to a sitting MP are apparently fine, just not political donations.

Amazing.  Politicians won't live by the laws they pass to govern others.  (As a member of a corporation, try accepting a large "gift" from a vendor.)

 

[Edward Campbell]

But it's some kind of crime when Mike Duffy accepts a personal cheque, a gift, from Nigel Wright? Or is it because Duffy is a Conservative?

 

[GAP]

Yes, that is a bit of a saw, isn't it....

 

[Edward Campbell]

In fairness, while the police are looking at Duffy/Wright they are doing so mainly, I think, because there is so much that smells about Duffy's situation. It looks like fraud and it smells like fraud ~ although Wallin's point about the changing rules and so on is worth a pause for thought ~ so anything 'attached' to it must be suspect.

But this is why the AG must be allowed to look, deeply, into the HoC and Senate. It is not to ferret out misdeeds, rather it is to help Parliament establish clear, honest, transparent rules for spending our money. I don't begrudge parliamentarians a good living ~ remember, please, why the People's Charter of 1838 is so important to our democracy ~ but I want to know that their benefits are proper.