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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

ADAM OLSEN - If that is the precedent he is setting, then I guess nobody needs to be accountable for anything under his leadership


I tend to stay away from federal political stories in this blog. Mostly because there are so many provincial stories that it keeps me busy enough.

However, I’m a Canadian and a politician. So, I feel it’s impossible to let the latest chapter in the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau / SNC-Lavalin affair go without a comment.

Like many Canadians, I’ve been watching this affair unfold. I held my tongue as our Members of Parliament worked to expose the truth from one side of the issue and the others. Without being in Ottawa I decided it's best to let my federal colleagues do their work.

So why comment now ... what has changed?

The release of the Ethics Commissioner’s report and the Prime Minister's reluctance to be accountable or even apologize. The findings are deeply troubling and Prime Minister Trudeau’s response is what drove me to feel the need to plant a flag here.

Ethical leadership
While the Liberal Party of Canada is going to try to spin this situation into an election imperative: are Canadians really okay with a Conservative government? (Because they would like you to believe that would be the result of undermining Trudeau.) Or, as the Prime Minister stated himself, do we believe he was just doing his job of protecting Canadian jobs.

I’m sorry, but his job is to lead our country and to do it ethically. It is also his job to maintain the honour and integrity of our government.

As an elected official myself, I am vitally aware of the fact that my actions, and how I undertake my duties, is a reflection of the institution of our government.

If it is okay for the person holding the highest office in the land to “disagree” with the Ethics Commissioners ruling ... but accept “full responsibility” for a situation that cost him two highly competent and celebrated Cabinet Ministers ... if that is the precedent he is setting, then I guess nobody needs to be accountable for anything under his leadership.

If he is taking responsibility, then why is he not accountable?  Further, why is it that his former Justice Minister is the only one who is paying a price for an ethical breach that the Prime Minister is accepting responsibility for?

Wait it out?

As a Canadian it's appalling, and as an elected official it's deeply troubling. There was a time that Prime Ministers, Premiers and Cabinet Ministers were accountable for their actions, the actions of their staff and the activities that occurred under their supervision. In order to preserve the integrity of our government, to ensure people could still trust their politicians when scandals were uncovered, leaders publicly fell on their sword. 

The integrity of government was maintained because somebody in a position of power and authority paid a price, allowing the government to move on.

That principle appears to have gone extinct in Canada and now there is a new approach, hunker down and wait it out, apparently with the hope we will all forget it ever happened.

This is about accountability for unethical behaviour. If we can’t have that then what have we?

Adam Olsen ... is a Green Party Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Saanich North and the Islands.

Born in Victoria, BC in 1976, Adam has lived, worked and played his entire life on the Saanich Peninsula. He is a member of Tsartlip First Nation (W̱JOȽEȽP), where he and his wife, Emily, are raising their two children, Silas and Ella.
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