Embarrassment for Stephen Harper

Like the British parliamentary system, Canada is also made up of a house of elected members of parliament and another of appointed senators. The Canadian Senate is currently embroiled in a stinking scandal. Canadians frequently pass judgement on corruption in high places in other parts of the world, but have now been rudely reminded that they are not at all exempt from the scourge.

Scandal? What sort? My experience is that when there is scandal in high places, it is nearly always one involving either lust or greed or both. A handful of names should stimulate our memory: Silvio Berlusconi, Bill Clinton, Bernard Madoff. Unfortunately, it probably represents the tip of the iceberg. In Ottawa, the capital of Canada, it is about greed — greed not for millions, but for sums of about $90,000 (Dh331,020), which represents double the annual income of many Canadians.

There are several names, but the main story is about Senator Mike Duffy, a well-known former TV reporter, appointed in 2008 by the Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. The story of Duffy is a sensational one, as it takes us right into the office of the prime minister, which conceded that Duffy improperly claimed $90,000 in housing expenses and that the amount was repaid by Nigel Wright, who is none other than Harper’s chief-of-staff! Consequently, Duffy was moved out of the caucus of Conservative senators, to continue as an “independent” senator.

The obvious question that needed to be answered was why would Wright volunteer to pay this hefty fine and even more importantly — was this done with the knowledge of the prime minister? When that re-payment was made, the audit committee investigating the scandal issued a statement that it considered the matter closed! But is it? How does a committee of elder statesmen come to such a conclusion in a case that stinks and which has clearly embroiled several high-ranking politicians showing very poor judgement or worse? Is this the usual boys’ club phenomenon, yet again determining the path of justice for Canadians? How many other skeletons are there in the closet?

The plot thickens with more revelations: It is illegal for politicians to lobby the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) while it is considering an application. But one of the major TV channels in Ottawa, quoting an unnamed source, broadcast that Duffy had told a Conservative member connected to the CRTC that the Commission needed to approve the application of a specific TV network. The conclusions drawn from such information seem to have added much fuel to the fire.

At this point, Canadians are asking questions, but seem to be getting no answers in this supposedly democratic country, which keeps bragging about democracy, clean government and free speech.

Ironically, it was none other than Harper, when he was still in the opposition, who had launched the following attack against the senate appointments of the Liberal government of Jean Chretien, stating: “We don’t support any Senate appointments.” He also called the Senate a “dumping ground for the favoured cronies of the prime minister” and had the temerity to say “Canadians ... are ashamed the prime minister continues the disgraceful, undemocratic appointment of undemocratic Liberals to the undemocratic Senate to pass all-too-often undemocratic legislation.”

So, here are more questions about the handpicked appointees of Harper: Is the new application from the TV channel part of this scandal? Why does Duffy, who was caught with his hand in the till, not resign?

Why did the prime minister’s office try to protect the senator instead of disciplining him? Did the prime minister have anything to do with the bizarre decision of his chief-of-staff to bail out Duffy? When are we going to get the full truth? Why does this government not hold influential people to account and will Canadians show the gumption to punish it at the ballot box, as they had punished the Liberals a few years ago, for their financial scandals?

And finally, will Harper continue to lecture the Third World about good governance and democracy?

Dr Qais Ghanem is a retired neurologist, radio show host, poet and novelist. His latest non-fiction work is My Arab Spring My Canada and his combined English/Arabic poetry book is From Left to Right. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/dialogueluta