I am beginning to think we have done Stephen Harper a disservice. No, I’m sure we have. In fact, I think we — and by we I mean the media, me included — have been grossly unfair to him, and never more so than in the matter of Mike Duffy’s expenses.And that's just for openers! What follows is quite, let's say, uncharitable.
You will be familiar with the picture we have created of him: suspicious, paranoid, controlling, a leader who trusts no one, leaves nothing to others, insists on taking a hand in even the smallest matter. Well, you’d be suspicious, paranoid and controlling, too, if everyone around you was lying to you all the time.
Coyne's opening sarcasm is actually a fairly accurate statement of the Media Party's characterization of Stephen Harper throughout his entire time in office.
Of course, he is suggesting, sarcastically, that the media (him included) have not created such a picture - that those who think so are just being "paranoid". But that "picture" is a meme the media started and has continuously reinforced from square one. And it is one that Harper's other opponents have adopted as routine talking points.
Coyne's entire column is just one more reinforcement of that smear. "Harper, the paranoid micromanager not only knew every detail of his chief of staff's handling of the Duffy affair but was directing the whole thing." That's what beggars belief!
The simplest and most believable scenario is that Stephen Harper the CEO of the Government of Canada, like any other successful CEO of a large enterprise, would have entrusted a relatively minor internal problem, like the handling of the Duffy affair, to his chief of staff - just like he said he did. Furthermore, any other CEO, not being subject to a partisan, hostile media would not have fired his COS but instead given him a raise along with a commendation.
Coyne needs to stop being so naively, blindly and nastily partisan and start paying attention to Christie Blatchford. Better yet, the Post should give him back to the CBC, full time.
Even if every single PMO staffer worked towards the ultimate goal of keeping the Duffy/Wright deal out of the public eye; even if PM Harper knew about Nigel Wright's payment of Duffy's ineligible expenses; even if the PM himself was the mastermind involved in demanding it be kept hidden from the public -- the basic fact remains: this was about REIMBURSING to the public purse money which should not have been disbursed in the first place.
ReplyDeleteSo, in the annals of scandals involving prime ministers and their government, how does it compare with the ones listed here?
http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/cdngovernment/scandals.html.
Very small potatoes, IMO. A far cry from a prime minister whose Immigration Minister's policy during WWII was "none is too many"; or one who fathered a child whom he never acknowledged as his own (3 prime ministers apparently in that category); or one who allegedly slapped his then-wife around.
So, let Coyne pontificate or d---cate as much as he wants. He's full of both.
-- Gabby in QC
What else to expect from Coyne the sneering advocate of the "Liberal Party" and chinless wonder.
ReplyDeleteWell chinless know it all, in his own mind, Coyne needs to earn his $500+ payment per "AT ISSUE" spot on CBC. You have to have Harper derangement Syndrome to appear on CBC...Jennifer Ditchburn is another echo of the biased CBC. No wonder they are all signed up as 3rd parties in the election.....fighting for more taxpayers cash to spew their venom.
ReplyDeleteIs he not the uncle of Trudeau's bastard half-sister? That should be enough to disqualify him from being taken seriously on political events.
ReplyDeleteNo he is not an uncle to Debra Coybe's daughter,they are first cousins,not siblings. He is the son of James Coyne,Bank of Canada head who John Diefenbaker attempted to fire in the 60s.Make what you will of that, probably not endeared to conservative policies.
ReplyDeleteThe media party have become their own worst enemy.
ReplyDeleteThe media party describe PM Harper as a powerful leader who has complete knowledge and COMMAND
of all matters that are important to ALL CANADIANS.
The media party think by asking about duffy they are accomplishing their objective but instead they are displaying their ignorance for ALL CANADIANS values.
fhl