Power and Propaganda ~ Harper and Penashue ~ Stand by your man!

The Ex-Minister of Inter Governmental Affairs has a hard time to keep his story straight these days. No wonder he is reluctant   to speak truthfully about it. He actually over spent by a huge amount during the 2011 general election and thereby had to resign in disgrace. And Not only is he no longer a Minister in Stephen Harper's Conservative Government, Peter Penashue (pronounced "Panache away", is no longer a member of parliament. 

Althought he didn't say at the time, he had resigned just ahead of a deadline set by Elections Canada to come clean or resign. Did he come clean? No, blamed it all on a what he called an an oversight by an"inexperienced volunteer". The volunteer turned out not be volunteering at all and was in fact well paid as Penashue's Campaign Manager, and it turns out much more experienced than Peter Penashue. see 

" "I haven't done anything wrong"
In an interview with a Labrador radio station, Penashue said he was waiting for Elections Canada to finish its report into the campaign spending, which he said he expects soon."What I saw, I wasn't pleased. So I thought that the best and appropriate thing to do was to resign," he said."I'm not comfortable with those illegitimate contributions and ... I don't think Labradorians feel comfortable with it either so I think it's proper that I resign and have the people of Labrador decide as to who they would like to have them represented in Ottawa."I haven't done anything wrong because I didn't have any knowledge to it," he added. "

The Odd Part or rather some the odd parts are that he announced that he was going to run in a By-election even as he resigned? And he starting campaigning before he ever resigned. He announced the by-election before the prime minister said the would need one. And the Scape Goat was attacked by the party thugs in out out of the House of commons and it they insisted that he was indeed a volunteer and inexperienced and had made a honest mistake. He was very incompetent they said. 

Turns out the intended scape-goat had already been rewarded by the Conservative Party with a plum job. In spite of his perceived incompetence he was appointed as, well, you better read it. 

The federal government has filled a vacant seat on the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB), offering the spot to the campaign manager for Peter Penashue, the province’s sole Conservative MP.
Reginald Bowers of Happy Valley-Goose Bay helped lead the Penashue camp to a 231-vote victory in the 2011 election, preventing a complete Conservative shutout of Newfoundland and Labrador. Bowers has now been named to the body responsible for regulating the province’s offshore oil and gas industry.
(ttSm adds: That the vote was actually a 76 vote "victory". And that '231' is just the PMO's numbers at the time, just spin) The CNLOPB appointment was made by federal Minister of Natural Resources, Joe Oliver.
“Mr. Bowers brings decades of experience in business and economic development,” Oliver stated in a federal government news release Friday. “He will be an asset to the board as it continues to fulfill its mandate.”
Its mandate includes: safety, environmental protection, resource management and industrial benefits. It is responsible or licensing oil and gas developments.
The federal Department of Natural Resources provided no further information on Bowers’ background within its announcement on his appointment. The Telegram requested further information. We have since received the following:

“(Bowers) is an economic development officer with extensive experience in regional economic development. His business experience and educational background have allowed him the opportunity to be heavily involved in consultation processes and gain in-depth knowledge of many government programs and policies. He is active in the community, having participated in numerous local groups and serving on local boards. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Memorial University of Newfoundland.”

Bowers saw fit to resign shortly after this story broke, But I think you get the picture!

Now with the show! 

Harper protects the disgraced Minister and MP from Labrador. 


According to Jamie Watts
who crunches the numbers
to see who is talking about political stories,
The Propaganda
Just May Be Working!

More reading

Peter Penashue | openparliament.ca

Peter Penashue: The minister we never knew

I'll be back!