Is Senate-gate the Tories’ sponsorship scandal?

It's widely believed that the sponsorship scandal — which involved the diversion of federal advertising dollars to Liberal staffers — was one of the key factors that ended Paul Martin's Liberal government in 2006.

Accountability and ethics issues are usually what bring governments down. Voters can easily relate to these types of issues more than they can relate to a trade deal with China, for example. The electorate can forgive a bad policy but they have trouble forgetting about a lie or a financial maleficence.

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So, is Senate-gate akin to the Tories' sponsorship scandal?

Let's put this into perspective: Nigel Wright, the prime minister's chief of staff has loaned or gifted an sitting government official $90,000 to reimburse taxpayers for falsely claiming a government benefit. Wright has resigned from the PMO and Senators Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin have quit the Tory caucus while the federal ethics commissioner and RCMP are investigating the matter.

In my opinion, this is just as significant as the sponsorship scandal and could have the same ramifications. In other words, this could be the beginning of the end of the Harper government.

We decided to take this issue to our expert panel and asked them about the similarities between this and the sponsorship scandal and for their assessment of how Stephen Harper has handled the 'crisis.'

Here are their thoughts:

Former Conservative MP Paul Forseth:

This affair is not anywhere near the sponsorship scandal, as that was a planned complicated scheme involving many players, to commit outright fraud.

The PM did what was available to him. The Senators are out of the Conservative Caucus. The over-payments are being be pursued and paid back…for sure. It is like an EI overpayment…it will be recouped. The clarity of administrative rules have already been fixed. The PMO has no role or authority in those matters.

It is now up to various administrative bodies to do their thing, and they will for sure. It is inappropriate for the PM to say much more. Just because the media loves muckraking, does not make it correct or required.

Remember that no matter what the PM says, it will never be good enough. From the Opposition, it is not about fixing any system to ensure full probity, but from their agenda, it is only about killing a government.

Former Liberal MP Dan McTeague:

Unlike Sponsorship this scandal goes right to the office of the PM. Everything from the sanitizing of the Senate report to a cheque cut by the PM's right hand man, removes all accountability pretense by Conservatives.

The name calling and aspersions cast by Harper and crew at the time against Liberal Parliamentarians who had nothing to do with the Sponsorship Scandal, can now be be correctly heaped on these same Conservatives.

They've been caught dead to rights and Canadians know it.

Political consultant Marcel Wieder:

The Senate scandal has the potential to be the Conservative version of the Liberal sponsorship scandal. What makes it more sensitive for the Conservatives is that they went to great lengths during the Martin period to demand an investigation, which they got, and then they were able to use that to campaign against Martin and force him out of office.

Now the shoe is on the proverbial other foot.

Harper's Conservatives are on record as wanting to abolish the Senate and he has made more appointments than any living Prime Minister. Then you have his piety of protecting the public purse and it turns out that his friends took advantage of the situation. It all adds up to a huge mess for the Conservative brand.

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As more news comes out it and with the Prime Minister out of the country this week the story will continue no matter who the Conservatives trot out to defend it.

The Prime Minister should not have accepted the resignation of Nigel Wright, he should have fired him. His statements prior to the resignation about having full confidence in Wright will come back to haunt him. He should also have fired Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau. This would have shown that the Prime Minister was serious when he talks about protecting taxpayers. Instead these Senators have been able to damage the Conservatives while appearing to defend inexcusable behaviour.

Canadians will be left with an impression that Harper and his party are tough on crime except when it involves one of their own.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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