Today, the Conservative government faces a grilling in Ottawa over allegations of election fraud, its widely criticized omnibus crime bill, and a increasingly confrontational tone in the House of Commons.
The Vancouver Observer reports live from Parliament Hill today, with staff reporter David P. Ball on-scene to report on our federal government. Follow our reports on our live blog, and on Twitter at @VanObserver.
- RoboGate election scandal: 11 robo-call ridings linked to Conservatives' 11-seat majority
- Tories' robo-call fraud leads to cries of election stealing from NDP, Liberals
- Austerity budget, free trade, crime bill: Conservatives eye sweeping changes with 2012 legislation
2:30 p.m. PST:
It's been a long day on the Hill, and time to head home to Vancouver, three hours behind.
Bob Rae and Charlie Angus won an award (from me) for debating skills and fiery rhetoric. Joe Oliver won another for coolly engaging reporters (one of the few Conservatives who did), even ducking down closer when he couldn't hear a question. Odd fashion award goes to the unknown MP wearing a Dick Tracy-style beige fedora hat, silver tie and shirt, and fake-fur lined parka.
Accusations flew today about who exactly was responsible for the electoral fraud known as 'robo-calls.' Who is responsible, and how high does that responsibility go? Conservatives pointed to the resignation of a 23-year old campaign staffer, Michael Sona (who worked until this week for Conservative MP Eve Adams). Sona was the same campaigner who attempted to physically remove and flee with an on-campus advance voting booth in Guelph - after which the Conservatives' argued the results should be invalid (Elections Canada counted those ballots regardless).
One junior staffer down from both Conservatives and Liberals (that one over a Twitter feed leaking details of public safety minister Vic Toews' life). The Conservatives will no doubt make the most of the @Vikileaks30 revelations, given that the Liberals are saying the Sona resignation wasn't enough in the RoboGate scandal.
I spoke at length with national news and comment site Rabble.ca's parliamentary reporter, Karl Nerenberg, about the climate on Parliament Hill under the Conservatives. He's a veteran Gemini award-winning reporter with experience on the Hill (and vouched for me to get my all-access blue day pass, which I'll be holding onto as a souvenir, thank you very much).
"This is a government that loves talking about law and order," Nerenberg said, pointing out the irony of the fact they are accused of using election dirty tricks. "If up to 38 ridings had uncertain tactics, that's very dangerous for democracy.
"Was the election tainted because of that? The issue is whether the law was broken. This is a very serious matter."
He recently wrote in a column about the history of political scandals in Canada, going back to founding Prime Minister, John A. MacDonald. But most scandals revolved around improper financial transactions, power and prestige. This RoboGate affair takes things to a whole new level, he argued - to an attempt to corrupt democracy itself.
"As hobbled as our democracy is already, if a Prime Minister starts behaving like a dictator - to reference Pierre Trudeau - just watch him," Nerenberg warned. "This isn't a hockey game where it doesn't matter if you win by a couple goals.
"This is an election. It's like children - we know what happens if children get away with misbehaviour."
Signing off for now, thanks for following.
1:30 p.m. PST:
The whole Hill is abuzz with two political intrigues today - adding to the RoboGate election scandal, Bob Rae has just apologized after Liberal staffer Adam Carroll was revealed as the author of the @Vikileaks30 Twitter account. Earlier this month, the account leaked alleged details of public safety minister Vic Toews private life (including alleged exerpts from his divorce papers and allegations of marital infidelity) in retaliation for his online spying bill - The Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act.
Bob Rae's apology was accepted by Toews, who in turn apologized to the NDP for blaming them for the leaks. More apologies to come? It's Apology Day! Carroll, a staffer at the Liberal Research Bureau, resigned yesterday, Rae told us in a media scrum at the House of Commons.
As more ridings pile up in the RoboGate electoral fraud scandal, this revelation bodes poorly for the Liberals, who now have to face criticism from the Conservatives for their own staff indiscretions (or policies, depending on which side you're on).
It certainly takes some of the steam out of Rae's argument that the RoboGate scandal goes all the way to the top - Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party - when their own staffer resigned over that affair. You can feel the excitement in the House foyer every time the door opens.
It could, however, be argued that exposing a government minister's private life - however one may feel about it - is not on the same scale as alleged cross-country electoral fraud targeting thousands of voters. Your call.
12:30 p.m. PST:
Question Period ended. As public safety minister Vic Toews defended his so-called online spying bill - and comments he made and later retracted accusing opponents of supporting "child pornographers" - MPs filtered out of the house.
I joined the large, teeming herd of reporters in the House of Commons foyer to try to get comment as they emerged.
It was like fishing - a journalist would hail each MP as they emerged, usually to no luck. Suddenly, out came natural resources minister Joe Oliver, who raised controversy this year when he labelled tar sands and pipeline critics of being "foreign funded radicals."
He maintained the government line that the Conservative Party had nothing to do with the robo-calls scandal, and that his party ran an ethical campaign.
The Vancouver Observer then asked our question: "Minister Oliver, why is a former Conservative campaign address being used by Ethical Oil?" Ethical Oil is a pro-tar sands and pipeline group.
He walked up the stairs without commenting. But it was worth a try.
11:45 a.m. PST:
Opposition has moved on from electoral fraud issues - now criticizing refugee bill (which proposes automatic, indefinite detention of asylum-seekers). There is an electric energy in the House, the tension is high.
11:30 a.m. PST:
Question Period is upon us in the House of Commons! The big moment, and electoral fraud is front and centre. The Conservatives maintained their innocence, saying they have shared all information with Elections Canada in its investigation, and called on opposition parties to supply proof of wrong-doing.
“It is the Liberal party that has made these allegations – very vague allegations,” said prime minister Stephen Harper during Question Period. “We don't have any info on that.
“I challenge them to produce it and give to Elections Canada if it exists. This is exactly the kind of behaviour from the Liberal Party that Canadians rejected in the last election.”
The Liberal Party interim leader Bob Rae reacted instantly, but not surprisingly did not succeed in forcing any sort of admission from the prime minister.
"When is the prime minister of Canada going to take some degree of personal responsiblity for what's taking place?" Rae asked. "It's the Conservative party which is in poss of info. It's the leadership over there who knows which contracts were signed."
The NDP also joined the attack, with veteran MP Charlie Angus making some very colourful comments in an attempt to force the government to accept responsibility.
“One more time, the Conservatives have been caught with their fingerprints all over the broken safe,” Angus said. “They're up to their eyeballs in this.
“Are they going to take responsibility and hold a public inquiry so Canadians can find out who's guilty and who should be going to jail? The wheels of the bus have fallen off this Conservative party.”
Fingerprints. Safes. Wheels on the bus. My mind is exploding from the mixed metaphors.
10:30 a.m. PST:
NDP is firing a series of salvos against the Senate on the floor of the House of Commons, calling for reform of the unelected Upper House (a long-standing policy of the party). No discussion of the robo-call scandal yet (the governing party sets the Commons agenda, so we'll have to wait until Question Period in half-an-hour. Neat to see so many very young parliamentarians cutting their political teeth on the floor.
9:30 a.m. PST:
Found my way through a snow-storm and labyrinthine hallways of the centre block of Parliament, finally finding the "Hotroom" - a large workroom for media. There are photos from eons past of all the journalists reporting from the Hill. Nearby is a writer for the Hill Times, a very strong paper reporting exclusively on Parliament Hill and producing strong journalism over the years.
Behind me, Postmedia's reporter seems to be on a hot trail with the electoral reform scandal, pretty exciting to see behind the scenes as journalists chase leads and scoops. As I posted my second article on the scandal - crunching the numbers on the Conservative's closest scandal-linked victories - the number of ridings affected rose to 36, then 38, as soon as I hit publish!
7 a.m. PST:
Now attending the Senate constitutional affairs committee debate on Bill C-10, the omnibus crime bill, which contains U.S.-style mandatory minimum sentences for a wide range of drug-related crimes.
Members of the Liberal opposition in Senate raised criticism that the bill's mandatory minimums remove all power of judges to consider complicated factors in criminal cases. Senator Joan Fraser (Liberal) repeatedly proposed amendments, arguing that the bill further criminalizes people with mental health issues and fails to address the causes of crime or prison problems.
All motions were, predictably, voted down with a chorus of vigourous "NO"s (reminded me, strangely, of a herd of lowing cattle). I expected to be in some kind of public gallery. But in fact, there were only a few dozen voices at the table, and I was ushered to a seat within arms reach of the closest Senator. Whoa.
I spoke to Senator Fraser during a break. She repeated her case against mandatory minimums - and said that, as frustrating as it is to have all amendments voted down by the Conservative majority, it is still vital to have dissenting criticism put on record. Ultimately, she told me, the point is to force the government to explain and rationalize their sprawling omnibus bill.
Photo by David P. Ball
6:30 a.m. PST:
Got press pass - and bantered with the press staff about what's coming up today and the excitement for Question Period, when opposition parties will get to question government on the scandal. Thanks to Rabble.ca's progressive parliamentary reporter, Karl Nerenberg, for vouching for me to get in. We chatted this morning about the significance of the robo-call scandal - out of a long line of scandals in Canada's history, this one's about democracy itself.
5:30 a.m. PST:
Heading into Ottawa to get the low-down on what Parliament Hill is like under the Conservatives. The visit was planned long in advance of the so-called RoboGate scandal (or 'Robo-Con' as other outlets have named it). First stop, the Parliamentary Press Gallery to get accredited with a press pass. It's blue and on a metal chain - and gets me access to committee meetings, a press work room (the "Hotroom"), and past security.