In Harper and CON universe, bullies rule. (Part 2)

 

The opposition has raised questions about former RCMP Bruno Saccomani's qualification given this, another Harper patronage appointment, as the Canadian ambassador to Jordan.

[...] NDP international development critic Helene Laverdiere, herself a former diplomat, said there is no reason to believe Saccomani has the skills required to fill such an important ambassadorial position.

“At the moment it is one of the hottest region in the world,” she told reporters in French. “We have specialists, professionals who have been in the diplomatic service for years who know the issues who know how to represent Canada more adequately. … This is certainly not someone who has the skills for a position in an area as sensitive as that.”

Bloc Quebecois MP Andre Bellavance alleged the only reason Saccomani received the appointment was because of “his proximity to the prime minister.”

In a previous post, DJ! linked to this, with regard to Saccomani's "diplomatic skills":

The management review report, published in January [2012], paints a grim picture of on-the-job morale for the 117 Mounties who protect the Harpers around the world and across Canada.

"The (review) team found that the examples of conflict in the workplace, harassment, discrimination, intimidation and perceived favouritism given during the interviews were disturbing," says the report.

Evaluators interviewed 41 per cent of the protection unit in December, and found a majority of officers had issues with their supervisor — Supt. Bruno Saccomani. [...]

Some complained about being reprimanded in front of their peers or in public. Mounties reported they felt they were "walking on eggshells" or feared repercussions following the review.

Saccomani appears to have his ardent fans though; look how they gush over him.

Guy Giorno, Harper's former chief of staff, said he's suspected RCMP brass have had Saccomani in their sights for a while.
"This is exactly what the brass was looking for -- to put a bullet into Bruno," he said. "They were happy about this."

Since then, it appears the RCMP have changed their opinion of Saccomani.  Medication taken to curb aggressiveness?  Insider knowledge, applied judiciously to his advantage?

"In his most recent annual performance review, dated March 28 and obtained by Postmedia News, Saccomani receives glowing praise from his manager."

I would guess that Tom Flanagan knows where Saccomani's RCMP manager lives.

More about Harper Cons and their hogs at the trough patronage appointments, at Sixth Estate's blog.

A Smoking Gun?!?! Could it be?

So close, yet still no cigar.

Old-school investigative journalism techniques have been most effectively demonstrated for the young'uns by Curtis and Maher in this recent piece.

Several people listed as donors to a Conservative riding association in Montreal say they did not make the donations attributed to them by the party.

The donations – in the amounts of $333.33, $666.66 and $733.33– appear on the 2009 Elections Canada filing of the Conservative riding association of Laurier-Sainte-Marie, a downtown Montreal district [where] Conservative candidate Charles K. Langford, a businessman and professor, came fifth in the riding in 2008 and fourth in 2011.

From 2006 to 2009, the Conservative riding association collected $583,318.96 from 931 donations, many from people connected with engineering companies and law firms. It also distributed $376,739.36 – mostly to other ridings around Quebec. The Megantic-Lerable riding of Industry Minister Christian Paradis, for instance, received $41,841 in 2009.

[...]The Conservatives collected many donations at a big fundraising dinner held at Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth hotel on May 20, 2009, according to the riding’s financial officer, Benoit Larocque.

[...]Senator Leo Housakos, who was then Harper’s key organizer in Quebec, organized the event. Housakos, a close friend of Harper’s then-director of communications, Dimitri Soudas, did not respond to queries about his role in fundraising for the riding association.

Soudas was recently mentioned in disclosures offered by witnesses in the Charbonneau Commission inquiry into corruption in construction contracts awarded in Quebec.

More DJ! posts with regard to alleged CPC corruption, dodgy fundraising, voter suppression and illegal election undertakings can be found here, here, here, here and here.

Stephen Maher and his other colleague Glen McGregor deserve Jubilee Medals ... perhaps the Order of Canada for their steadfast investigations and reporting into the nefarious and possibly felonious activities of the CON party.

Rob Anders' CONvictions

Infamous for falling asleep whilst warming a CPC backbench in the House of Commons, Rob Anders "beaked off" recently.

There was the predictable fall-out and, as one journalist mused, there must have been some vigorous "arm-twisting behind the scenes" to get Anders to produce a classic CON non-apology.  He did not retract  his spurious claims nor admit he had made a mistake by advancing fallacious information, but instead stated his remarks were inconsiderate and insensitive.

In the meanwhile, two tweets from Glen McGregor were intriguing.  One referenced a piece he wrote in 2009 about CPC MPs who had openly pledged to remain virgins until they married.  The other tweet  raised questions.

Who is Karma MacGregor? You may well ask.

A long-time CPC political operative it seems, now traveling on taxpayers dime.  Is she Anders' significant other?

It's really not the public's business whether they engage in high-risk activities like eating steak tartare off each other's quivering nekkid butts or chastely worship together at Charles McVety's church, united in platonic commitment.  Privacy issues.

But if MacGregor was given this perk only because of her dedication to the cons, would that qualify as feeding at the patronage trough?

Good riddance.

Vern White is leaving the Ottawa Police force in February.

It's one of those good news, bad news situation.

Many are glad to see him go; he's been named by Stevie Spiteful to the Senate to ensure the Hard-On Crime Bill C-10 makes it through.

It appears that some of some of PMSHithead's patronage Con appointees may not support C-10.

Chief White will do Harper's bidding; under his watch he allowed bully rogue cops to do pretty much as they wanted.

Oink, Oink, Oink: Cons are entitled to their entitlements!

At the rate it's going, the Contempt Party may soon set a record for the most patronage appointments ever produced by a leader who once railed at, and denounced the practice.

Con-gratulations, Stevie! Long live irony and reformaTory greediness.

The Sixth Estate has been valiantly trying to keep up with Stevie's largesse with the public purse.

Dr Dawg recently wrote about the Con Jobs' Patronage Poster Boy, Mike Duffy.

The most recent rash of appointments is intended to keep defeated Con candidates well fatted and to reward the party faithful who expect and hope one day they'll be snuffling in the trough alongside Larry Smith and Josée Verner.