Is "The Harper Government" ethically challenged?



Good Day Readers:


More and more it’s looking as though we could be heading into a federal election shortly. “The Harper Government” beset lately by a series of scandals and mini-scandals suggests it may be ethically challenged. Tuesday March 22nd a budget will be tabled in the House requiring a vote of confidence. Lose it and an election writ must be dropped. Should that happen you can soon expect to hear the knock of your favourite Member of Parliament at your door pandering for support. We sure hope our MP comes by so we can tell her exactly what we think of her performance, or lack thereof, and blog about it.


Just received an electronic copy of a decision handed down by the Federal Court of Appeal a couple days ago in the “Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board” (10 individuals representing over 200 members) versus The Attorney General of Canada, The Minister of Agriculture and the Canadian Wheat Board. We attended the Hearing held in Winnipeg February 24 of this year (reference “Courtroom 400!” – March 1, 2011).


When Mr. Harper became Prime Minister over 5-years ago he vowed to get rid of the CWB but since then has run into stiff opposition from Manitoba and Saskatchewan grain producers.


“The Friends” sought complete reversal of a lower court decision:


(1) the Group indeed had public interest standing to bring an application for judicial review


(2) the Minister of Agriculture’s right to issue a Directive influencing the election of Directors to the CWB’s Board of Directors


(3) said Minister acted contrary to the regulations governing the election of Directors

The Canadian Wheat Board is governed by 15 Directors 5 of whom are appointed the remainder elected.


While a partial victory for the FCWB, nevertheless, it is very important in that it represented a huge plus because The Friends were able to document in open court attempts by “The Harper Government” to secretly manipulate the last two CWB elections. In fact, 3 of the original appellants have gone on to be elected as Canadian Wheat Board Directors. In other words, the political payoff for The Friends has been huge.


We noted with interest paragraph 34 in the Reasons for Decision:


“Skillfully and with great clarity counsel for the appellants exposed the effects of the minister’s decision on some of the producers rights on the issue of standing, it is common understanding that their resulting determination on standing is not a determination on the merits of the case.”


“Counsel” was none other than Mr. Anders Bruun who represented us beginning in April of 2010 in the Manitoba Metis Federation’s taxpayer financed defamation lawsuit against website CyberSmokeSignals.



This misguided, ill-advised, ill-conceived SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) was prosecuted by Winnipeg lawyer Murray Trachtenberg at an estimated cost to taxpayers of about $250,000.




Just ask Counselor Trachtenberg and sidekick Manitoba Metis Federation Executive Director Don Roulette just how skillfully and with great clarity Mr. Bruun can argue a case before judges - right Messrs Trachtenberg-Roulette? Sorry Readers inside joke!

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk