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Radwanski on politics, 'gossipy old busy-bodies'

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 9:07 AM EDT 15/05/08

Adam Radwanski takes your questions on politics ...Read the full article

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  1. Ruth Walker from Edmonton, Canada writes: When Alfonso Gagliano was in cabinet, there were constant rumors about his peripheral connections to the Bonanno family.

    C.f. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_Gagliano

    At the time I found it very disturbing that I had to go to Italian and American publications to read about the allegations of e.g. influence on visas for Mafia personnel.

    My question is, can we count on the media to dig deep enough to find a problem when one exists, say with the connections of a cabinet minister?
  2. James Creechan from Toronto, Canada writes: I believe that Pierre Trudeau was right in saying that the State has no business in the bedroom. But Maxime Bernier occupies a position of trust and has full access to information that is valuable to criminal Biker groups. Links between Canadian Bikers and narco-cartels should not be downplayed nor underestimated in their reach, power or strategies of infiltration. 90% of the cocaine and at least 85% of 'synthetic' street drugs passes through Mexico and Mexican cartels into the USA and presumably into Canada. Mexican cartels have long employed a strategy of co-optation and infiltration to ensure the success of their drug businesses and money laundering. During the Presidency of Vicente Fox Quesada, a 'mole' was placed in the presidential office and was in charge of coordinating travel plans for President Fox and for other cabinet ministers. The current Mexican ambassador to Canada was almost denied formal approval of his appointment because several of his childhood friends and others close to him in his home state of Sinaloa are well-known cartel leaders.

    Unfortunately, we cannot overlook the insidious reach and organizational efficiency of such organized crime bosses and should take steps to confirm that Mr. Bernier's private life has not been compromised by an enterprising gang. There are times when busy-bodies are right to be worried.

    In this case, it cannot be acceptable to claim this affair was only a private matter and that it has no policy implications.
  3. Dr Riff from Toronto, Canada writes: it's a good thing our country is run by someone who understands that those 50 years or so of 'deficit' amounted to us stiffing the international bankers on our national debt mortgage and that just because we had a few years of surplus doesn't mean we're in the black.
  4. Toby Maloney from Canada writes: I don't agree that our politicians are emphaszing scandals and trivia because we are relatively free of the kind of big issues that the sovereignty debate brought. First of all we're at war, and its a war that a large number of Canadians are very uncomfortable with. On the domestic front, the conditions that created the crisis at Kahnestake and Kahnawake are still with us. Little has been done to address either the gross mismanagement implicit in the Indian Act, treaty land entitlement, and other land claims. At the same time there is a growing problem with economic and social disenfranchisment of urban abroriginal people (as well as other disadvantaged groups) and in my view there is less understanding and empathy from non-aboriginal people now than there was ten years ago. We're about to hit a wall and the result will be more explosive than at Oka. Att he same time we have a growing democratic deficit, with the long, steady decline of parliamentary influence, and the increase in the power of the PMO undermining our institutional capacity to respond to the problems above or to economic challenges. I think we're talking scandals because the two governing parties are hiding their agendas, and managing public opinon rather than sharing their policy directions becasue they want power without the strictures of accountability. And the constant horse race reporting that seems to have largely displaced political analysis is also contributing to the lack of substance in political discourse.
  5. only mikey from Canada writes: Why would any one be surprised that the usless opposition parties keep smearing the current government. The master of smearing,R. Goodale is pathetic and should take an anger management course!
    Wasting time with gossip- nothing has been proven,but because the opposition parties have nothing to offer they fall back on 'smearin' Time for these toads to get to work(joke) they are not capable of work. Dion should bench his goalie and keep Martha Hall F in her seat for starts!!! Iggy and Rae are just waiting like snakes in the grass..And people say our current gov. is no good!
  6. james mcgillawee from Oshawa, Canada writes: While I agree with Adam up to the points about Dion's leadership, I would remind him that we are saddled with Dion because of a flawed political system. Dion won the leadership contest because Gerrard Kennedy played spoiler since he realized he could not win it himself. If We the People were consulted in a Primary System of Elections similar to that in the USA, there is little doubt that either Messrs. Ignatieff or Rae would have been the choice. Another plus for a Primary Election System is that it would be a catalyst for much greater involvement by the population than is currently the case. If you want greater participation, then you need to create and allow involvement. Most of the public do not have time nor interest in joining a political party, but they will vote when it is clear to them that they can make a difference. In the current system we cannot fight the 'backroom' good old boys clubs, nor 'write in ' a candidates name....or opt for 'none of the above'! Consequently the next election(s) only promise more of the same old same old! One principle of human governance that is being ignored to our peril is that evolution denied promotes revolution when the rulers get too far out of step with public opinion.
    In Canada it may not be violent but it may allow a drastic take over by elements that present a significant promise of change. What we get along with such promises we may regret! Small improvements to the democratic process like the Primary Voting System are more desirable in the quest for more responsive governance.
  7. J Reid from Toronto, Canada writes: She's no Gerda Munsinger.
  8. james mcgillawee from Oshawa, Canada writes: 'Gossippy old busy bodies' is just more obfuscation by a frustrated young pouty Prime Minister who promised he would totally change the nature of our democracy without a majority mandate. Get it straight, if We the People so choose, there will be another minority government elected that will undo everything Mr. Harper has done which offends the true nature of Canadian sentiment.
    I have just watched today's Question Period which confirms his attitude towards the functioning of Parliament. As long as Mr. 'Carper' continues the practices of having Ministers of the Crown evade answering legitimate questions and of having lesser members spout specious spiels written in the PMO for them, plus blocking the Parliamentary committees from functioning, We the People are denied our constitutional rights to proper representation and sound legislation. This is now becoming a disfunctional Parliament because it suits little Stevie's wishes.
    In my 67 nearly 68 years of life in our great country, I cannot recall a previous House of Commons that regularly entertains so much personal character assassination. If some one is a weak leader, that is none of your business, just STFU and run with it. If a security check or report was filed but is confidential, just say that we are aware of all the details and it is confidential, end of story. But to hide behind, it is the personal private life of the minister is patently false, we know it and you know it! ie., I've been lied to by smarter men and women with ar more credibility than you Scarborough Stevie, and figured it out no problem. As a native of Saskatchewan and Alberta, I hate liars. As a Conservative supporter for the past two decades because of the misbegotten gun control act and Sponsorgate among other things, I will no longer vote for what has now become a 'Regressive Preservative' party. I will hold my nose and vote for one of the others!
  9. William Ross from Victoria BC, Canada writes: I am behind the PM 100% on this issue and think that both Dion and Duceppe should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe we should look at their past relationships and see if any their ex-girlfriends were married to a person who was less than an outstanding citizen. People let's be honest here what do we have but a woman who was married to a biker and then dated another - that is it! Now if she was a biker then a quick check might be in order but apparently she has no criminal record and there were no allegations of her being directly involved so where is the issue. I just do not get it .... I wonder what our slander and libel laws would say about this maybe she should sue them I know I would if I were her! Probably win too. The politics of late are all pseudo-scandal mongering and franky I think Canadians are getting tired of it. When are the oppostion going to behave like an oppostion and not a tabloid newspaper. What Dion and Duceppe are doing is the lowest form of political pandering and that is guilt by association.
  10. MJ Patchouli from Regina, Canada writes: If Bernier had her listed as his spouse, I assume this means the Canadian taxpayer would pick up the bill for her travels with him.

    I scoff at Harper and Van Loan, etc, calling her 'an ex-girlfriend.' This is the government that holds marriage so sacred, it wishes to deny it to homosexuals -- so why is it listing someone as your spouse on a capricious whim sacred?

    Is he paying her alimony now that they've split up? Did we pay for her travel? Is that why he listed her as spouse?
  11. Archie 1954 from Vancouver, Canada writes: I don't think anyone wants another Munsinger affair and federal cabinet members must be as circumspect as judges. You are known by the company you keep!
  12. B Ford from Edmonton, Canada writes: ex girlfriend? he listed her as a spouse! and now expects less scrutiny than a port employee.

    once again, if you disagree wiith the tories, they attack and call names. that's just not nice. it turns off the ladies and other thinking folks.
  13. Jonathan Mejia from Rexdale, Canada writes: The Tamil Tigers managed to get their hands on Elections Canada's voters list. The Tamil Tiger's are a known terrorist organization, and what's more nobody knows yet how they got the information. This is a security breach and leak. And yet, for some reason, this is not getting as much publicity as Bernier's ex-girlfriend story over a possible breach of security that never happened. To those of you making the excuse that this is a matter of public safety - where are your partisan comments on that story? Is there any documents missing? Did you find any notes about NORAD or NATO in the cleavage of his ex-girlfriends dress? No. So grow up. And what do you want to happen from all this? Maybe ask Bernier to break up with the girl? Oh wait too late. What's next, we should submit blood tests on all dates for MP's in the future? If Michael Ignatieff's wife turns out to be the great grand-niece of a Stalinist - would you ask him to divorce her and step down? I doubt it.
  14. john chuckman from Canada writes: Oh, please, no one is saying that a minister's private life is not his own business.

    But his private life does stop at places and under conditions involving national security. Else why is he himself vetted? And why am not I and my wife welcomed to these places?

    A girlfriend going to secret bases and sitting in on official meetings? This sounds like something from a black comedy about a banana republic.

    This would never be permitted by the very ally Mr Harper so wants to please, the United States. They take security seriously.
  15. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    Switch 'Conservative' to 'Liberal' and the slurs 'Lieberal', 'Librano', and such would have been deafening from the Con hacks on here.

    Our Foreign Affairs Minister was fraternizing with someone who has biker connections. People want to know why she wasn't screened better and whether information was at risk. That's the point. Period.
  16. only mikey from Canada writes: Speaking about security-Martin and Layton where buddies with the Tamil Tigers! Dion could care less re security he is just jealous that the X girlfried is a C cup and he is only a A cup!(thats how silly all this is)
  17. Kim Huynh from Montreal, Canada writes: When a politician accept an office, his private life is no longer private. What s/he does in the bed room might not be our business but when it comes to national security and the likes, it is. The Bernier 's affairs of late is very much similar to the J.F.Kennedy's affairs with Marilin Monroe. Sometimes, pillow talks are more effective than any other political maneuvers.
  18. Dr Riff from Toronto, Canada writes: i suspect she probably is suing over it
  19. L.B. MURRAY from !! from Canada writes: -
    WE the PEOPLE expect our democratically elected representatives to represent us and at all times work FOR the PEOPLE.

    WE the PEOPLE expect our democratically elected MINORITY PRIME MINISTER to act like a Prime Minister and not some tinpot dictator; WE the PEOPLE deserve answers.

    ''JELLY BEANS'' does not answer what WE the PEOPLE deserve to know regarding what happened at that TOP MEETING in Motebello last year with the Prezz of the USA and the Prezz of Mexico attending as guests of our ''prime minister'' of Canada, which meeting we paid for courtesy of our TAXES.

    ''GOSSIPY OLD BUSY-BUDDIES'' does not answer the questions of the PEOPLE when there is a HUGE SECURITY CONCERN.... If it is not important or does not matter, then it's time to drop all the useless ''so-called security hassles'' at the airport for ordinary PEOPLE, unlike those Ministers who are privy to all kinds of SECRETS and trips behind the lines in Afghanistan.

    Thank you. No more ''BEANS'' and no more ''GOSSIPY OLD BUSY-BUDDIES''.

    Enough. We live in a democracy and we want ANSWERS.

    -
  20. L.B. MURRAY from !! from Canada writes: - Forget the typos and grammar.
    I've got other stuff to to and lots to read.

    Good day.
  21. Jonathan Mejia from Rexdale, Canada writes: Disregarding the fact that LB Murray is alluding to the Constitution of the United States of America in a discussion on CANADIAN politics (notice the use of capital letters), I think he's forgetting that the "we" also includes ministers of government. They also count as people, last time I checked, and subjecting them to lessening rules of freedom and privacy should be considered an infringement of rights like unto any other citizen in this free country. Yes, the ministers of the government are privy to information that other Canadians are not - but that's why we have elections in democratic states. That's how it works. Enough Canadians trusted them to make them the government - and if they did not trust them to keep a secret then, then they would not have voted for them in the first place. The most trouble I'm having with however, are unsubstantiated claims that Bernier would have told his ex-girlfriend government secrets over pillow-talk or some such nonsense. Think of yourself and your own job. As if you would go home to bed with your significant other and say, "Honey, the deployment of Canadian troops along the Afghanistan border is complex and unique - here let me draw you a diagram of all the country's military operations and installations on our bedsheet." The very idea that who you are career-wise is inextricable from who you are personally is ridiculous, offensive, and frightening. And further, the implication that ministers should be entitled to less personal freedoms then the rest of us is not right. Thank you. Enough. We live in a democracy and we are entitled to our own lives. That's the point. Period.
  22. Mom Ottawa from Canada writes: What confidence can we have in a man who chooses a woman of this calibre as his "partner"? It speaks of his character or lack thereof. Bernier should resign from his post as Cabinet minister of Foreign Affairs. Furthermore, he has abused his position based on recent reports of his excessive expenditures on travel.
  23. loraine lamontagne from Canada writes: Today, La Presse reports that Julie Couillard was linked to bikers' gang up to 2005. She lived with Robert Pepin, with whom she also had a business relationship. Together they had pursued in 2004 a federal contract related to biometric technology. They did not get the contract. She broke up with him in 2005. In 2007, Robert Pepin was found dead in his office. It was determined that he hung himself.

    La Presse also reports that Julie Couillard is courting the media, offering to tell her story to the highest bidder.

    And the governement persists in saying that this does not pose a problem.

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