Getting Kicked Out of Stephen Harper's Cabinet

Helena Guergis’ defamation suit against her former boss and his government will come before a court this week. The judge will have to decide whether the suit should go forward or not.

Guergis was kicked out of caucus and Cabinet because the actions of her husband (and former caucus-mate) Rahim Jaffer. When she was kicked out of the Conservative caucus, the Prime Minister said he had been told of “serious allegations” against Guergis.

Guergis is suing Harper, a party communications official, Guy Giorno and her former caucus colleagues Lisa Raitt, Shelly Glover and Ray Novak, Harper’s principal secretary, for defamation, infliction of mental suffering and negligence, amongst other things. Harper’s lawyers argue that the suit has nothing to do with the courts since everything that happened with Guergis was under parliamentary privilege.

While Guergis did clearly have a lack of good judgment when it came to her husband (allowing him to use her office and a parliamentary Blackberry), there is no doubt that she was mistreated. According to the letter from the Prime Minister’s Office to the Ethics Commissioner, the “serious allegations” Harper referred to were allegations that Guergis had promised to “advance private business interests.”

Meanwhile, Christian Paradis continues to collect his ministerial salary with more than allegations in his file. (In fact, when Paradis was found in violation of the Conflict of Interest Act, he was also helping Jaffer).

So, why the double standard?

Lisa Raitt lost a tape recorder and made some embarassing comments about how you can solve any problem by throwing money at it. Result: Stayed in Cabinet.

Maxime Bernier dated a woman with connections to criminals and that wasn’t a problem for Harper until it was revealed that he left secret documents at her home. Result: Benched for a while, now back in Cabinet.

Tony Clement had a field day spending money meant for preparing his riding for the G8 Summit on other little projects like renovations to the community center and building a gazebo. Result: Still in Cabinet, now in charge of government spending.

Peter MacKay had a search and rescue helicopter pick him up from his vacation, took a military jet to get to his riding in time for a lobster festival and lied to the Canadian public about the cost of the F-35 fighter jets and what the government knew when. Result: Still in Cabinet.

John Duncan decided that investigating where they money went should be the first step during the Attawapiskat crisis rather than getting people into proper living arrangements first. Result: Still in Cabinet.

There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to Harper’s decisions about who stays and who goes, though it always seems that the more the opposition demands a resignation, the more likely Harper is to continue supporting the Minister.

Big Spender Oda Walks Away

Harper Appoints Defeated Conservative Candidates to Senate

Photo Credit: World Economic Forum

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Dale O.

8:25AM PDT on Jul 31, 2012

"What does it take to get Harper kicked out of office?" (Jill B)

The next election! This "government" has to go.

Bye! I can hardly wait!

July 31
send a green star

Ron B.

7:18PM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

To get kicked out of Harper's Cabinet, you would have to suddenly develop a conscience and some moral integrity. But then, if that happened, hopefully you would leave on your own before getting kicked out anyway.

July 18
send a green star

Debbie M.

4:42PM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

so instead of just whining about it how are we going to get him removed from office??

4:38PM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

so what will we do to get harper out of cabinet??? he is as crooked as they come

Vicky P.

3:35PM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

thanks

Judy M.

1:17PM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

Everyone...do yourself a favour and read 'Harperland'....very scary.....the man is another Hitler

Teresa H.

12:09PM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

As outlined in the book "Rogue in Power - Why Stephen Harper is Remaking Canada by Stealth" by Christian Nadeau, PM Harper is systematically removing and eroding civil liberties in Canada. He has absolutely no conscience, and no morals. People refer to him as Führer Harper, his own wife left him for a female RCMP officer a few years ago (the media was in sympathy with her so never made it public) and I'm convinced that he had polonium put under Jack Layton's chair in the Commons to ensure that the beloved official opposition leader, who was recovering from prostate cancer (he was utilizing conventional treatments as well as traditional chinese medicine and was well on his way to recovery) would die. Stephen Harper is an embarrassment to Canada and worse than GW Bush because he is much smarter and craftier. We have GOT to get him out!

Liz E.

11:34AM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

I used to love Canada and was ever so proud to boast that I am Canadian. Not so much, any more. Harper has done, and still doing, more damage than any other politician in Canadian history and in record speed. He's selling us to the Chinese for pennies. The world's worst polluters! He is poisoning our country, figuratively and literally. If Enbridge is allowed its pipeline through BC then we know all he sees is a way to China. To hell with BC. It's not really part of Canada anyway. It's on the other side of the Rockies.

All of Harpus' cabinet is dirty. I don't think there's an honest person there.
Can we wait for four more year? Look at what he's done already! He needs to go Now! Before he Kills Canada. If he was anybody else he would be charged with criminal negligence, grand theft, etc. and thrown in jail. And his gang of crooks. THE LIES!! And we just go along, merrily, allowing them to continue stealing from us.
The only reason Bev Oda and the likes got canned is because they were stupid enough to get caught. Notice who goes and who gets to stay when busted. At His whim. Peter McKay is an old chum of Harper's so when he got caught with his fingers in the cookie jar he walked away with a clean plate.
Harper is becoming a dictator. The "thought police" are a reality. He needs to know what is going on in everyone's' minds so that he can control and brainwash. Hence the need to know what's on everybody's computer. "Pedophiles" my ass! Not even a good cover-up for the