It was one year ago that his "solution" was crafted, after endless prior delays and aversions. People will note, a wasted summer of further delay, followed by little information through the fall and winter, not a single document seen prior to the election. And, with this vote, the mandate as agreed upon rendered mute, the new Parliament would have to recommit to continue the work, an almost impossible tenet, given the NDP were never on board in the first place. In other words, the government delayed inspection on multiple fronts (as detailed in this excellent column, then when finally cornered by the Speaker, engaged in running out the clock, knowing that Parliament wasn't supreme, just this edition, all bets off after absolution.
Here we sit, 10% of the documents available, the rest seemingly forever lost to transparency, a combination of security issues, cabinet confidence and incomplete process. The panel itself has weighed in, stating the Conservatives have stopped the process mid stream, they were still reviewing, their job incomplete. Think about that fact for a second, this government has short circuited an on going process, agreed upon and ultimately dictated by the Speaker, with little practical recourse available. The government knows the public is tired of the issue, Baird runs to the cameras, declares the issue settled and that's pretty much that. A couple of outraged columns and empty rhetoric doesn't change the reality, the government had the mechanism available to end the process, majority or not when you extrapolate, and they have.
Turns out obstruction was really supreme and sadly in the end, hardly anyone really noticed or cared to for that matter.
9 comments:
The international court however was just giving fuel for its case against the Harpercons. Last time the chief prosecutor spoke on Canada, he said that he only acts if a nation refuses to use its own courts. Since Harper has neutered the high court of parliament and will soon control the Supreme Court nothing will come of our law, which is being re-designed to serve the powerful anyway.
Harper has NO international friends or allies, this is not over.
Despite the fact that Con voters live in an amoral bubble, the rest of the world doesn't.
* given fuel
As Jerry wrote, Harper may be able to stop any domestic inquiry from occurring, but Canada is a signatory to the International Criminal Court and as such we are bound to hold any inquiry in cases as such. And if we do not, then The Hague will.
Macleans: ICC may investigate Canada’s handling of Afghan detainees - Chief prosecutor says he may have to intervene
Looking forward to Baird yelling at the judges in The Hague.
Yes, but that will get lost in multiple governments, and domestically it will just turn into a defence of our troops. My point, this government has successfully blunted their role, their knowledge and how they manipulated to obstruct.
Oh I get your point and I'd put money on the Harperbots playing it as the UN against our troops. But I don't think the ICC really gives a shit about Canada's domestic politics, or Harper's obstructionist tactics.
Incidentally, this does tie in with your "CanaINC" post from the other day. As you wrote (paraphrasing) Canada now becoming an international obstacle with one singular focus: ensuring nothing gets in the way of our ambitions or direct self interest, will mean the ICC won't be cutting us the slack that it does for the UK or Denmark on this issue. They have detainee problems too, but unlike us they have inquiries going - and they co-operate with the international community.
KW
I hear you, but we can point to a series of transfer improvements over the years, I doubt this international angle goes anywhere to be honest. Could be wrong.
At least Terry Milewski is still doing his job ...obviously a Liberal operative.
Milewski: Can a redaction be revealing? This one is!
Steve, I have no idea where this is going to go now either, and anyone who says they do is lying.
Now domestically, yes this issue is dead, no matter what Milewski or others can dig up. Harper has all the power, and nothing will get done.
Internationally thought, it's anyone's guess at to what can happen. And really it's pretty stupid of the Harper government to not hold a domestic inquiry that they can at least hold some control over. He will have no such influence on the ICC.
My feeling is the past Liberal government would hold some blame too for the original detainee transfer agreement, so Harper could score a few points there and muddy any blame on his administration.
It really does beg that old question, just what is in those documents that has the Harper government going through these extraordinary measures?
Well, it's certainly true that the Cons obstructed and delayed with great energy. And it's certainly true that they have ultimately been successful in their efforts to avoid disclosure. I don't buy the idea that there will be any serious international difficulties.
But I disagree that this proves obstruction and delay are supreme. Bottom line, when the Cons were a minority, and the majority in parliament was armed with the speaker's judgment that parliament was indeed supreme, they could perfectly well have ordered that all the documents be handed over right then, period, full stop, no more fuddle-duddling around. But the Liberals let them off the hook, agreeing to their committee schtick when any idiot could easily see that it would lead to precisely what it led to.
So what we've seen is that obstruction and delay are supreme . . . when all they need to defeat is spineless incompetence rather than resolve.
Bottom line, when the Cons were a minority, and the majority in parliament was armed with the speaker's judgment that parliament was indeed supreme, they could perfectly well have ordered that all the documents be handed over right then, period, full stop, no more fuddle-duddling around. But the Liberals let them off the hook, agreeing to their committee schtick when any idiot could easily see that it would lead to precisely what it led to.
Shutting it down? If the process was entirely useless, I'd get the feeling that the Conservatives would have continued with it.
As for handing over the documents... The MPs on the committee -- Conservative, Bloc, and Liberal -- got the chance to review the 40,000 documents. The judges' panel go through their selections on what to release publically.
As for whether the opposition could dictate the terms... the Speaker called for "a workable accommodation" to satisfy all parties "without compromising the security and confidentiality contained." Here's an article on the ruling and the NDP's position on it.
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