EDITOR,
There's something unseemly and out of kilter with people like Conservative John Weston, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, who say one thing to get elected, and then do exactly the opposite once they are. And at times his flagrant hypocrisy and cynicism - much like the government of which he is a backbench member - is breathtaking in its audacity. Take the latest example of Mr. Weston's silence on the unanimous decision by the Federal Court of Canada upholding Elections Canada charges against the Conservative Party of Canada and two Harper-appointed senators.
At issue is the so-called "in and out" scheme where Elections Canada says the Conservatives improperly sought to overspend their $18.3 million ceiling by more than $1 million and defraud the Canadian taxpayer. Elections Canada has found the Conservative Party and two Harper-appointed senators guilty of serious violations of the Canada Elections Act. And last week, a three-judge panel of the Federal Court of Canada agreed with Elections Canada in their finding that the Conservative Party violated the law.
On Dec. 19, 2009, a paid advertisement appeared in the Powell River Peak that was made to look like an article. It was authored by Mr. Weston and entitled: "A call to restore integrity to public life." In it, Weston calls on sitting MP Blair Wilson to resign because he said that Mr. Wilson was under investigation by Elections Canada.
Weston states in this paid advertisement: "Blair Wilson has decided to continue as MP despite now being under investigation by Elections Canada concerning allegations about his last campaign. However, given the official investigations now underway, he would be wise to step aside until the matter is concluded one way or the other."
In Blair Wilson's case, Elections Canada found that he did not declare certain expenses, such as the purchase of umbrellas. But the case that Mr. Weston and his colleagues are silent on now is one where Elections Canada and the Federal Court of Canada strongly agree that a system was put in place to knowingly break the law. If fairness and decency have any place in public life, shouldn't Mr. Weston call on his colleagues to "resign"?
In one of the more amusing quotes from Mr. Weston's 2009 paid ad, he says: "To quote our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, 'Principles above Party!' I support a Prime Minister like Mr. Harper who practices integrity and accountability, who makes commitments, keeps track of them and follows through. Harper does what Harper says." Let that quote sit there for a bit so we can all reflect on how utterly ludicrous it is.
John Weston and I certainly agree on one thing he said in his paid advertisement in the Peak: "People in this riding and across Canada expect and deserve honesty and integrity from their elected officials." Indeed they do, John. Indeed they do.Dan Veniez
Liberal Party of Canada
Candidate, West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to SkyDavis Bay
