The auditor general is doing her job.

As much as I would love to see her report on the G8 released right now, she is right according to procedure in place in holding it back.


NDP candidate David Christopherson is right.  On his vote to block the release:

"It wasn't about the content, it was about the integrity of the auditor general's work. These rules are in place for very good reasons," he said.

If we insist she breaks procedure in this case, the integrity of the office is affected and open to more breaches in the future. The CONs knew she wouldn't abuse her position or bend the rules.  That's why they were so quick to say the report should be released.  No risk, makes the lying cheats appear to care about transparency.

However, Milliken brings up this possibility:

House Speaker Peter Milliken says it’s up to Auditor General Sheila Fraser and the four party leaders to decide whether she may make public the final version.

That would be fine as long as this is written up as standard should such a situation occur again.

The Senate as a soapbox.

Paid for by us.

Meet one of Canada’s newest senators — Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu.
 
The Sherbrooke, Que., native who went on from the tragic murder of his daughter to become one of Canada’s best known advocates for the rights of victims and their families says he plans to use his new job to fight for victims rights and to crack down on the criminals who prey on them.

Boisvenu said he has specific things he wants to achieve in terms of justice and victims rights. At the end of four years he plans to assess his progress and if he has achieved what he came to Ottawa to do, he’ll quit.

Many Senators have their area of interest, an issue they push for relentlessly.  Dallaire fights for human rights, especially the rights of people affected by war; Oliver fights for visible minorities (although I’ve noticed he can be quite silent when his views are not in agreement with those of the conservative government); Ringuette fights for the right of all Canadians to apply for government jobs regardless of where they live in Canada...

But those Senators never claim to be there solely for those issues.

Any Senator will likely bring certain goals to the Senate and will have a point of view already in place.  But by saying he’ll quit once he achieves his preconceived goals on crime and justice, Boisvenu is saying two things - even without debate in the Senate, he has made up his mind what he wants to push for, and that is his sole purpose for serving as a Senator.

The Senate should not be anyone’s personal soapbox, paid for by taxpayers.  Senators must address each issue with a willingness to debate and consider other information and arguments, and they must be as committed to all issues presented for debate and vote.