02.13.2019 04:36 PM

Two politicians who call investigations into alleged criminal activity by their political friends “a witch hunt”

Left: Donald Trump.

Right: Randy Boissonnault.

30 Comments

  1. Nasty Bob says:

    And are we about to see another similarity- where loyalty trumps competence? Be interesting to see who gets front row seats in the house when the next channel changing shuffle comes

  2. Gord Tulk says:

    Randy had a choice. He made the wrong one.

  3. The Doctor says:

    Wow is Trump ever orange in that photo. He almost looks like a Trump impersonator on Halloween or something.

  4. Grant says:

    How can TrueNope now stand in front of Canadians, or foreign leaders, or anyone else, and speak with any moral authority on ANY subject? Confidence must be restored in our federal government…..he has to go

  5. Matt says:

    Stupid question:

    By blocking the committee investigation into the PMO obstruction of justice allegation regarding SNC, can’t it be argued the Liberal committee members are themselves obstructing justice?

    • doconnor says:

      I don’t think so, since a Parliamentary committee isn’t part of the Justice System.

      The problem is first past the post creating false majorities is what prevents Parliament from holding the government to account as it is designed to.

      • Gord says:

        Part of the problem as well is that every government backbencher sees a future cabinet minister when they look in the mirror every morning, and thus don’t want to do anything that might offend The Centre.

        Contrast this to the UK, where there are so many MPs and only so many jobs to go around that many backbenchers simply accept they will never be in Cabinet, and thus feel more free to defy the party whip or scrutinize their own government (i.e. what we expect MPs to do).

      • Jim R says:

        You seem to be assuming that a junior member in a coalition government (brought about by a proportional representation election) would do something other than play ball when it comes to the survival of said coalition government. If so, I find that assumption doubtful. Just look at how the Green MLAs have given into the NDP in BC on many, including environmental (e.g. Site C), issues.

        In other words, I believe PR coalition governments would act little differently from FPTP governments when it comes to matters such as this.

        • doconnor says:

          Don’t you recall the aggressive investigation by committees during the Conservative minorities?

          Compromising on policy issues to prevent forcing an election is different then blocking a committee investigation.

          • Jim R says:

            Minority Conservative governments were not coalition governments in which the majority forming coalition is formed by one or more parties who share governing responsibility (and cabinet seats), which is what PR systems usually produce. I.e., the minority Conservative governments didn’t have other parties with a vested interested in status quo.

            As well, this isn’t just any old investigation. It’s an investigation that has the potential to cause the government to suffer serious damage in the next election. As such, in these circumstances a junior member of a coalition government that’s happy with the status quo would have to think long and hard whether it wants to do something that may result in that coalition being non-viable after the next election.

            Personally, I think FPTP is a stupid system to use in a multi-party environment like we have. However, I don’t think PR is the panacea that many PR proponents make it out to be. My preferred electoral system would be Alternative Vote or Alternative Vote Plus. But at this point I’m way off topic 🙂 .

          • Vancouverois says:

            Alternative Vote is horrifyingly unrepresentative. It’s worse than FPTP, by far. It would be an absolute disaster.

      • Fred from BC says:

        “I don’t think so, since a Parliamentary committee isn’t part of the Justice System.”

        Doesn’t matter. Anyone can be charged with obstruction of justice. Give your friend a false alibi or lie about what you did or did not see during the commission of a crime and you too can be charged with obstruction.

  6. Walter says:

    Difference is that Trump has been investigated for over a year (now 20 months), and no Russian Collusion discovered – hence he says it’s a witch hunt.
    Team Trudeau says it’s a witch hunt without any investigation.

    • Daryl Gordon says:

      Add to that the fact that the investigation was started by a false report from the Clinton Democrats, pushed forward by corrupt high level FBI agents and then constantly promoted by compliant left leaning media.

      Imagine the uproar if in an imaginary scenario, the Canadian federal Conservatives were found to be behind the Lavalin- Trudeau narrative. Large difference indeed.

      PS. I have seen Zero reporting on the Trudeau tribulations on local and national news outlets here in the US.

    • Derek Pearce says:

      LOL “No Russian Collusion discovered,” how remarkably, er, selective a reading of the situation you have. Forget about Stone, Cohen, Papadapolous, Manafort, Flynn, Gates not the mention the 13+ Russian nationals, nothing to see here.

      Now then, back to our regularly-scheduled Canuck obstruction of justice…

      • Daryl Gordon says:

        All those prosecutions can be reasonably called “process crimes”. The Russian nationals will never be prosecuted, so no evidence will ever be disclosed. Mueller is stalling discovery in the one case before the courts.

        Now how about aiming the full force and assets of the US justice department at Podesta, Comey, Wasserman-Schultz, and the Clinton foundation. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander or is there two levels of justice? One for the right, one for the left. It appears that’s the case on both sides of the 49th.

      • Fred from BC says:

        The “selective reading” appears to be yours. None of those charges prove any Russian “collusion” (whatever that actually means) with the Trump campaign, which was the whole point of the investigation.

    • Walter,

      Only Mueller knows whether collusion exists or not. If Mueller hasn’t wrapped up so far, logic tells you that he’s probably working on more than one juicy steak.

      • Fred from BC says:

        No, Ronald…not even close. Anything that Mueller had would have been leaked by now, like every other avenue of investigation so far. When CNN shows up to record arrests that are supposed to be secret, you know that the fix is in.

        Mueller has nothing, sorry. His charges so far have been a desperate attempt to save face, nothing more.

        (porn star payoffs? Oh please…what does that have to do with the Russians?)

  7. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    This government has predictably chosen to commit political suicide.

    Massive sitting on hands by Liberals come October. Sad.

    Trudeau government. Dead at only 4.

    • Fred from BC says:

      I would agree with that. “Death by a thousand cuts”, it seems.

      I have to wonder, though, if this might finally get the Liberal Party to reconsider its strategy of seeking ‘star’ candidates and ignoring the most qualified ones.

  8. Joseph says:

    A cover up?
    I concur thats what it looks like.
    If I can be so bold that the allegations of what is being covered up was part of a political calculation to save liberal seats in Quebec.

    Warren you still have contacts, inquire how this is being perceived among the Quebec pundits. You likely won’t be surprised.

  9. JamesHalifax says:

    This is what happens when you let an arrogant twat like gerald Butts become Trudeau’s brain. Granted, it is better than the alternate solution and let Trudeau think for himself; but c’mon!!

    Wouldn’t Mark Garneau be the better option?

    Now we have a PM who has all of his father’s arrogance, but none of his competencies. In effect, we have a PM who has proven to be little more than a virtue signalling moron without the slightest idea of how to do anything other than stage a photo op of himself running around without his shirt on. Unfortunately, this plan only appeals to the naive ladies who think a nice smile and pretty hair is enough to go on

    What has been learned by this entirely preventable episode? That the Liberal Party as it stands today has at LEAST ONE MP with some integrity and a sense of duty to the country; and chances are she will be out of caucus very soon; even though she was the first woman of native heritage to hold the position of AG of Canada.

    • Sam White says:

      Watched an interesting version of that clip that Global and other played yesterday: When junior was asked a question he had no scripted answer for, he stalled by asking if the english speaking reporter wanted the question asked in english if she wanted to be answered in english. Then he muttered under his breath “just trying to remember uhh..” before spouting off one of Geralds talking points he’d been memorizing, pausing to lay the blame on JWR then finishing off with the talking point.

      It was both painful and funny to watch. His body language in this tells you all you need to know.

      https://twitter.com/Glen_Allan_/status/1095896181178216448

  10. Tom says:

    There is a striking similarity between his response to this allegation and his response to the allegation of his groping the reporter last fall. I thought Andrew Coyne was going there in his article yesterday, but did not quite hit it. I would love to see that thread developed.
    Coyne Wrote:

    “This implied without quite saying so that Wilson-Raybould — if it was indeed she who made the allegation — had made the whole thing up. Or that she, rather than his advisers, was somehow derelict in her duty. Or perhaps the former Crown prosecutor is merely mistaken, confusing what the prime minister’s people have called “vigorous debate” with improper interference.”

  11. JamesHalifax says:

    I am sure Gerry and Kate are arranging the next showing of a topless Trudeau….and contacting Chatelaine and Vogue to ensure they have the cameras ready. Then all will be forgiven.

    If that does not work……expect many millions more being doled out to the usual suspects to buy their support come the fall.

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