In my ongoing attempt to chronicle government deception, we have a lovely case by the Canada Conservative party and their attempts to stifle debate, withhold information and play dirty politics. This stuff shows up at every level of politics, regardless of left-right though the right has institutionalized it.
Take notes. Examples:
Not showing up: "Tories did not show up at the official languages committee Thursday to hear witnesses criticize their government for killing the court challenges program."
Stalling: "At Thursday's meeting of the procedure and house affairs committee Conservative MP Joe Preston talked for an hour and a half. While explaining his opposition to a bill on the use of replacement workers, Preston also talked about his favourite pens."
Procedural gumming: "University of Ottawa professor Amir Attaran wanted to testify at the access to information, privacy and ethics committee that the government has tried to cover up things about the Afghanistan mission that should be public. But the Tories bogged down the committee by debating the order of witnesses for nearly six hours before Attaran got his chance."
For it all to work well, it's best to do this stuff in an organized, across the board fashion. So get a playbook:
"Opposition parties on Friday demanded the Conservative government make public a reported 200-page guidebook on how to create chaos in parliamentary committees. The guidebook, reportedly handed out to selected Conservative MPs, offers advice on how to favour government agendas, select party-friendly witnesses, coach favourable testimony, obstruct debate and, if needed, storm out of committee meetings."
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