Apolitical Staples

Aren’t you interested in knowing if it exists? If not, that means your newly minted Tory was lying. Not interested in knowing about that?

I think the PMO needs to release the report. The fact is that X amount of taxpayer dollars were spent : Canadians (or at least that small segment of the Press) should have access to it.

If portions need to be blacked out, fine. But, publish it. Ditto, Khan’s expenses.

My fear - which I had expressed in a post on PoliticalStaples back in August/Sept ‘06 - is that this Khan guy is a snake-oil salesman who sold the PM and Jason Kenney a “lemon”.

Or is there a chance that the report is nonsensical, and full of Liberalspeak jibber jabber, or is slanted anti-Israel and Harper isn’t likely to use it for anything but toilet paper? Regardless, this is clearly the burning issue of our time. I mean, Paul Wells is outraged, so it must be important, right?

”Aren’t you interested in knowing if it exists? If not, that means your newly minted Tory was lying. Not interested in knowing about that?”

PMSH said part 1 of the report is in, part 2 (Afghan/Pakistan) will be coming. CBC confirmed yesterday that Khan had a very busy schedual while overseas. That’s good enough for now.

Where is the report on the $$millions that LIBERALS STOLE FROM US? Oh, right, more charges coming with-in weeks.
3 years and still waiting for that report!

Khan’s report is not and never was, a public document - unlike committee reports and ministerial reports.

What puzzles me is why some people feel they have the right and authority to decide whether or not Harper can accept Khan and his advice on the ME - and refuse to accept Harper’s judgment on this? That’s really puzzling.

If you think that Harper cannot be trused to make judgments about issues, then, you should demand to review ALL advice, all comments, all discussions before Harper is allowed to make any decisions. And, you should insist that the text of his decisions must be vetted by The People before they are made public.

If the document is classified for national security or other reasons, it can’t be released. Anyone who has ever worked for the federal government knows this, yet these idiots are bringing it up for those ignorant of how security policy in the government works.

The problem is that Khan himself suggested in aug’06 that the report will be shared. It also does not explain why the PMO will not release his expenses for the trip. Surely, that is not classified.

Strange communications strategy, methinks. Why keep this story going? Release everything - if you have to take a hit, fine. Get it over with, and move on.

cb - shared with whom? And the decision is not up to him but to the PM. Has the PMO refused to release the expenses?

Again, what puzzles me is why some people are insisting that they see the report. This means that they are effectively stating that they do not trust Harper to evaluate a report for its merits; they are also effectively stating that they feel that only they can evaluate a report for its merits.

This must, of course, apply to ALL documents, all reports reviewed by Harper. They must be vetted by the public before he is allowed to accept them. And, his speeches and conclusions must also be vetted by the public before he is allowed to give them. After all - Harper can’t be trusted to evaluate anything.

ET: Not to belabor a point, but Khan’s expenses are not (according to CBC) on either the PMO or the DFAIT disclosure system, some six months after the trip. Naturally, reporters are assuming - with anonymous tips from Foreign Affairs undoubtedly - that PMO is refusing to release them.

On the report itself: the “trust” issue was raised by you, not by me. The PM reviews the budget too — before it is published. If the budget can be a public document, surely a report by a backbencher can be. Nobody is suggesting - regardless of your attempts to torque it as such - that the PM receive approval from the public for every report he receives.

However, when a Parliamentarian (who is not a Cabinet/Privy Council member) spends taxpayer funds to ostensibly prepare a report for the government/PM, it is reasonable for the taxpayers to expect to have access to it. Or, at least be provided a credible explanation as to why they cannot.

Not complicated.

“Khan’s report is not and never was, a public document “

Wrongo.

One of the conditions of letting the then Liberal Khan work for the PM was that the report be released to the public.

If there is classified information in it, redact it, or release a public version without the classified information. At the very least it should be shared with all opposition parties and members who are Privy Councillors.

I find it a bit odd that those who would normally be screaming about wasted tax payers money when n opposition don’t do so for this one. How do we know if we got value for money from Khan if we don’t get to inspect the final product?

Really, Mike? One of the conditions (set by whom?) of ‘letting’ the Liberal Khan ‘work for’ the PM - was that the report would be public? Would you provide some proof of this condition?

And, I disagree with both you and CB- there is no reason to make the report public. If you make ONE report public, then, you ought to make ALL reports public. How do you differentiate them?

Using the excuse of ‘taxpayer’s money’ as the reason for making the report public is invalid. ALL reports are made with the taxpayer’s money. Therefore, following this logic, ALL reports must be made public. Why?

Equally, CB, your attempt to compare a report by an individual MP with an official budget is invalid. The former is not official, is not a committe report or a Ministerial report. The budget is all of these. There’s no comparison. All committee reports, all ministerial reports, are public. But an individual MP’s comments? No, they are not public.

Again, Mike, you are setting yourself up as the Evaluator, as the Judge of this report, and I would presume, of all reports. Since, again, if one MP’s report is public, then ALL reports ought to be public. Could you provide some evidence why you are qualified to evaluate not only this, but all other reports? Does the public first vett all reports and then and then only, allow the PM to read them as ‘valid’????

Why should it be shared with all parties? Should all reports sent to the PM be shared with all parties? That’s the logical conclusion, after all.

Nope- I still fail to see the logic behind this demand to ‘review’ the Khan report. It can’t be to validate it for reliability, since we are not qualified. It can’t be to use that material to formulate policy, since we don’t perform that role. It’s not a report of an official parliamentary committee or the office of a Minister, therefore it is not by law, required to be public. And yet - some of you want it to be public? Why? And suggesting that it be shared with the other parties!! Wow. That also means that any and all reports prepared in the NDP, Liberal, Bloc parties - must be shared with all and everyone.

Mike, you said the same thing on another site and I will answer you here. Khan said that he would release his finidings to everyone, not the PM. Releasing a report was NOT part of Khan being a “Special Advisor”. The Liberals could not have stopped him from being an advisor if he so wanted but could have chosen to kick him out, which they chose not to do.

Talk about partisan BS. I have ALWAYS thought it would be good to see cabinet members from all parties rather than just the governemnt. We have a house of 308 people with many talents and abilities. We should want the best leading the country regardless of party affiliation. I have been dismayed seeing the remarks that it was inappropriate for Khan to work for the Government of Canada as he was a Liberal. Last time I checked, all members of the House worked for the Government. When you are on a committee you are doing governemnt work, ect…That is what being a member of parliament is.

This whole thing is getting idiotic. Liberals cannot handle not having the reigns and are turning everything into partisan garbage and Conservatives cannot communicate ideas effectively to save their lives. Bah!

Anon, Agree with that last paragraph wholeheartedly. The LPC is getting desperate and it’s shell-shocked supporters are digging for anything they can use against Harper.They are also well aware that Adscam II is coming at them like a freighttrain.

I have previously chastised Harper for clashing with the press as opposed to manipulating them…but I now honestly don’t see how he could have managed any better under the constant onslaught of negativism from the left-tilted media.Despite the fact he’s a politician,I’ve grown to respect him.

“I hear that train a comin’…comin’ round the bend…”

According to the CBC.ET that is hilarious.When has anything the CBC reported been anything but propaganda.PM Harper is being too fair in not shutting this piece of crap down and firing these bozoz ,1st to go would be that idiot mercer.As far as that report,it will be your business to see it,if PM Harper says you can and not when some opposition knee jerk says you have a right to see it.The only thing you have a right to do ET is send your money to China to pay for the credits we need to get our air cleaned up.What a bloody joke these tree huggers are and they have millions of you idiots on a string,ready to kiss their asses and agree with them to prove you are smart and hip and care about the environment.The whole world couldnt change the environment,let alone 30 million canadians.The world and the environment are unfolding as it should for gods sake,do you really think that you are so important in the scheme of this universe that you are changing the weather.Give us all a break and go hug your kids,at least that will be something useful.