FELDSTED: The only work that the PMO has done since February 7th is to make it clear that the PMO does not consider itself accountable to parliament or to the people our parliament represents
Kathleen Harris ~~ CBC News -~~ Feb 20, 2019
Jody Wilson-Raybould told the House of Commons
today (February 20th) she wants to tell her side of the
SNC-Lavalin scandal now consuming official Ottawa, but she can't
"waive" solicitor-client privilege on her own.
Sadly, it makes no difference what Ms
Wilson-Raybould has to say. I do not doubt her honesty or integrity. She is the
only person in this affair to have the good sense to say nothing.
Our Prime Minister, on the other hand, has no idea
how, or when, to shut up. Whoever in the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) who
decided that demoting Wilson-Raybould was a good strategic move precipitated
this scandal.
Media reporters smelled a rat and went digging.
Their sources unearthed rumours that the PMO and Wilson-Raybould were at odds
over how SNC-Lavalin should be treated in criminal charges the firm faced. When
the first hint appeared in the Globe and Mail, the PMO damage control unit went
into overdrive to squelch the rumour.
Over the next couple of weeks, on thing became very
clear. The Prime Minister and this government had no intention of being open
and honest about its dealings with SNC-Lavalin. We have listened to a series of
ever-changing and often bizarre comments.
Wilson-Raybould resigned from her ministry and
cabinet without explanation. As our consternation grew and Liberal members of
the Commons Justice Committee tried to limit investigation into the affair,
Gerald Butts, the most senior member of the PMO resigned, claiming that he was
distracting from ‘important work’ of the PMO.
The only work that the PMO has done since February
7th is to make it clear that the PMO does not consider itself
accountable to parliament or to the people our parliament represents. That
revelation indicates that we have allowed our Prime Minster to acquire far too
much power to abuse.
The media is abuzz with speculation over the Butts
resignation, but that is deliberate misdirection.
The pertinent questions are:
- why are unelected advisors to the Prime Minister given the power to manipulate our government as they see fit; and
- why is the PMO standing between members of its Cabinet and legitimate questions from the floor of the House of Commons.
No democratic government can operate shrouded in
secrecy and avoid accountability to the public.
John Feldsted
Political Consultant
& Strategist
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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