Harper Conservatives A "Threat To Democracy"

Well, well, well... The great Justice Gomery - you know the one: his commission was the Cons' poison-tipped arrow that helped bring down a government - is downright furious about the very same Conservatives' refusal to accept his recommendations on government integrity and corruption.

According to news sources: "Gomery told a parliamentary committee today centralized power in the PMO is a "danger to Canadian democracy" and paves the way to political interference in public administration."

A DANGER TO CANADIAN DEMOCRACY. Don't think Canadians had THAT in mind when a small minority of them were voting for the "wolves-in-sheep's-clothing" better known as the Conservative Party of Canada. Those are some very poignant words by the former justice. Mr. Gomery was an INDEPENDANT counsel whose work in the last few years shed light on some shady dealings by minor former Liberal officials in Quebec.

To be described as a "danger to Canadian democracy" is a VERY serious accusation, and something that a government has not been called in recent memory. This is also something that the Canadian public needs to know - perhaps in the way of a nice "pre-election" TV ad. Imagine the black and white closeups - with ominous background music - as the very serious sounding announcer says, "Justice John Gomery has called the Conservative Government a danger to Canadian democracy. This government has created a dangerously powerful PMO that threatens to change the way Canadians live, work, and play. Is this the Canada YOU want?" Background scenes during the live, work, and play segment would display happy diverse Canadian families. The "is this the Canada you want" part would be heralded by imagery of angry Conservative MPs (some foaming at the mouth) screaming in the House, smokestacks in Alberta billowing toxic smoke, police beating anti-war protesters, and heck, why not, a few baby seals getting clubbed... (that part's a joke)...

All fun aside, the justice has a very good point, and this government IS a threat to democracy. We need to do something about it, but more importantly WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT IT. As with anything before the voters, it has to be incessantly drilled in, over and over again, before we know there is traction...

John Gomery was a "god" to the Conservative Party back when he held his commission in Ottawa. The Conservatives not only respected his every word, but also harped (harpered?) on about the commission's - still incomplete at that point - findings. Curious to see how the Conservatives will react to Gomery's very well-founded accusations. An honest government would say, "we've made some mistakes - some errors in judgement - and we intend to make it better, to re-establish the trust of the Canadian people". Don't expect Harper to come out with such an apology right away.