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Re: Former Aurora resident pens election ditty for CBC radio. The Era-Banner.
Gregg Lawless, who lives in my hometown of
Aurora, penned a quick song for the CBC Radio that Paul Martin might want to
investigate.
To Paul Martin's credit, he said we should get down to the bottom of this
situation (the sponsorship scandal). I agree with Paul Martin on that take, but
the rest of what he said also seems to be missing. Martin said that Canadians
should get the full truth before going into an election on the issue of the
sponsorship scandal. Martin said this early 2004 and yet he called an election
for May 2004. This was even before Justice Gomery started his judicial
hearings.
Sure Martin had a parliamentary committee look at the issue over a couple of
weeks. But all that really happenned was the Liberal majority on the committee
ended the hearings before any real in depth understanding could be gleaned from
it like the Gomery investigation is currently doing.
If Steven Harper and Gilles Duceppe were smart, they would continue to make
noise about the budget and propose amendments to the legislation to try and
show they are willing to compromise. This is what a minority government should
be doing. Listening to the other parties for possible ways to get them on track
to approve the budget. Parliamentarians should be negotiating with each other
to make sure the most members are onside with the legislation no matter what
their political stripe.
However, this no longer happens. Instead we have Conservatives trying to
lambaste Liberals over this and that and trying to cause an election to be held
when there does not need to be. Has Harper said that his party has negotiated
or attempted to negotiate with Martin? Nope, never. It is time for the
Conservatives to reach out.
After the Gomery inquiry has had a chance to get to the bottom of the sponsorship
scandal and produces a final report should Harper even consider forcing the
election issue. The next election should be about how to properly safeguard
future taxpayers money from being squandered like it happenned during the
Sponshorship program's tenure.
In other words for now "Let's make a deal." Then once the Gomery
Investivation has completed the political parties should be forced into an
election using platforms that tell voters exactly how the whole sponsorship
fiasco can never happen again. In other words, Martin and Harper, following
Gomery's final report should put out solutions their party's would use and then
"hold [their] breaths" for the electorate to do their job and vote.
Thats the only way Canadians can vote with a clear conscience and know the
government has learned a lesson and is going to put in safeguards to stop the
abuse of the taxpayers pockets.
Works Cited
Joseph, Simone. Former Aurora resident pens election ditty
for CBC radio. The Era-Banner. 1 May 2005. Online. Internet.
Links
CBC www.cbc.ca
Era-Banner www.yorkregion.com
