Harper's Victim List Continues to Grow. When Will it be Enough?

"Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you have to be without one, be without the strategy." General Norman Schwarzkopf

I posted a partial list of public servants who have run afoul of Stephen Harper, building on a list compiled by Jill Mahoney, in the Globe and Mail. I picked up a few more from Chantal Hebert, and now the Vancouver Sun has added several more.

And what were their crimes? They were under the mistaken belief that they worked for the public, hence the name.

But now that we are officially a fascist country, we need to change their name to Harper Servants. Although 'servants' gives a suggestion that they are free to serve others. Let's make it Harper Slaves, who answer to him and him alone. Harper of course, answers to Guy Giorno, as does God himself, but that's an entirely different matter.

The additions from the Vancouver Sun:

Adrian Measner: President of the Canadian Wheat Board since December 2002, his appointment was terminated in November 2006 by then-agriculture minister Chuck Strahl. Measner disagreed with the government's plan to end the board's monopoly over the sale of barley and wheat.

Sheridan Scott: Head of the Competition Bureau, she ran afoul of Environment Minister Jim Prentice over a brewery takeover. She resigned in December 2008 a few days early after being told her appointment would not be renewed. She was first appointed in January 2004.

Steve Sullivan: The first victims of crime ombudsman was not renewed after his three-year term expired in April 2010. Sullivan was critical of the "tough on crime" agenda of the government.

Bernard Shapiro: The first ethics commissioner was appointed in 2004 for a five-year term but clashed repeatedly with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He resigned suddenly in March 2007.

Jean-Guy Fleury: The chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board resigned in March 2007, about six months before his five-year term expired. The resignation coincided with government actions to assert more control over appointments at the board and a letter from then-minister Diane Finley that was critical of the board.

Robert Marleau: The former clerk of the House of Commons was appointed as the Information Commissioner in 2007 to a seven-year term. He resigned after only two and a half years for personal reasons — but he had made public comments about funding cuts to his office and was skeptical of the government's commitment to reforming the Access Act.

Arthur Carty: National science adviser. His position was phased out when he retired on March 31, 2008. Carty was critical of the government's decision to disband the office. He was first appointed by then-prime minister Paul Martin and reported directly to him. After the Conservatives formed the government, he was shifted to the Industry portfolio.

And Lawrence Martin added a new one:

Michel Arpin: CRTC vice-chair Michel Arpin is being ushered out the door. His term expires at the end of the month; he’d like to stay on, but his request is not being granted.

And let's not forget Sheila Fraser, who is currently the victim of smear campaign, orchestrated by Kory Teneycke and Sun Media, in preparation of some reports she will soon be tabling.

My list so far, includes:

Michael Arpin
Remy Beauregard
Arthur Carty
Marty Cheliak
Richard Colvin
Jean-Guy Fleury
Sheila Fraser
Linda Keen
Paul Kennedy
Kevin Lynch
Robert Marleau
Marc Mayrand
Adrian Measner
Jeff Monaghan
Kevin Page
Luc Pomerleau
Louis Ranger
Sheridan Scott
Bernard Shapiro
Munir Sheikh
Pat Stogran
Steve Sullivan
Peter Tinsley
Mark Tushingham
Dan Veniez
Konrad von Finckenstein

Let me know if you have others I can add to the list. I'm also compiling a separate list of those in the private sector who have been demoralized by the Harper goon squad. That one is even longer.

And as Lawrence Martin has written regarding Harper's battle with the CRTC because they did not fast-track his bid to have Fox News North a mandatory station:

Observers of Mr. Harper have long noted that he doesn’t take kindly to commissions or agencies or anyone else who tends to get in the way of his wishes. It’s only necessary to look at what happened at, among others, Rights and Democracy, Elections Canada, the Nuclear Safety Commission and Parliament.

So the question naturally arises: Do the CRTC board members actually think they can get away with delaying or denying Mr. Harper’s wishes on Fox News North? Do they really believe they have some kind of independent power?

The CRTC chair is Konrad von Finckenstein, and his term doesn’t end until 2012. But insiders report that Mr. Harper now wants him out well before that date and replaced by a rubber stamper. The independently minded Mr. von Finckenstein, who did not respond to queries on the matter, is reportedly being offered judgeships and ambassadorships, one post being Chile. So far, he’s not biting. But the bait might get bigger.

And don't be thinking you're going to get out of watching the trash. Stephen Harper has appointed 11 of the 14 current members of the CRTC. That may be all you get to watch.