Whither Canadian Decency?

On a day when even the stenographers in the press report that the deal forged between the Bloc, the Liberals and the Conservatives is a mess and filled with loopholes the Tories mean to exploit, there are actually things the Tories are up to that are worse and more cynical, Things like not allowing staff members to testify at committee hearings in direct contravention of parliamentary rules. Dimitri Soudas, the Prime Minister’s director of communications, has refused to appear before the Commons ethics committee and has even had security turn away a bailiff who showed up with a summons that he do so.

Imagine the outrage from the "law and order" Tories if a Liberal member ignored parliamentary procedure or ducked a legal summons in this fashion?

There was also the business of trying to ram through Bill C- 23 by claiming that Karla Homolka could be set free if it wasn't passed - they sure love their fear, fear, fear tactics. A compromise has been reached and the national parole board will be able to deny any pardon which brings the system into disrepute and the period of ineligibility for a pardon increases to five years from three for summary crimes, and to 10 years from five for more serious indictable offences. The rest of the bill will remain in committee until the fall, bringing to an end the Conservatives attempt at using Homolka's name to pressure the opposition to pass the bill in haste. Nice huh?

News that should concern Canadians about the goings on in Afghanistan - high profile setbacks and delays.