Josee Verner Demoted to Cheerleading Position

Josee was a good little Conservative gal. When her bosses (allegedly) asked her to launder money for the Party she brought her own bottle of 'Cheer'.

When they asked her to sell the country on censorship, she again brought the 'Cheer'; yelling 'give me a 'B' ... give me an 'i' ... give me an 'l', give me another 'l' ...now how about a 'C' and a '10'?

But poor little Josee. Darned if her cover wasn't blown by a big bad old senator who admitted she hated the bill, but was willing to be the head cheerleader anyway.

And of course other gals like Helena Guergis and Rhona Ambrose joined the pyramid, before serving sandwiches and cookies to the boys. Giggle .. giggle.

The above may be tongue in cheek, but what is wrong with the women in the Conservative Party? Did they really get into politics to do as they were told? If Ms Verner didn't like the bill, why didn't she just say so? Instead she hid from reporters, hoping no one would find her.

What a disgrace. How can they possibly encourage young women to consider a career in politics, when they've allowed themselves to be nothing more than human props?

Heritage minister 'hates' C-10, says Conservative senator
Senator caught on tape after he forgot to turn off his microphone during committee
April 10, 2008

Heritage Minister Josée Verner "hates" Bill C-10, a Conservative senator was caught on tape saying in committee Apr 10.Senator David Angus' comments were recorded by C-PAC at the Senate's banking committee, which is studying a controversial clause within Bill C-10 that would revoke tax credits for films that are "contrary to public policy."

Angus called for a two-minute break between hearings around noon Apr 10, but for a short time after he adjourned the meeting, Angus' microphone was left on. His conversation with an unidentified man was broadcast over the Senate's live internet audio feed.

"The government has to bite the bullet," he was heard saying. "The minister agrees, she told me she hates the law." Angus was heard on the internet audio feed for another few seconds before his microphone was cut off, but his comments were hard to make out.

Representatives from Verner and Angus' offices were quick to downplay the claims."He's wrong," says a spokesperson for Verner, reached at the minister's office. The minister herself had no comment when contacted by xtra.ca.

A representative for Angus defended the senator. "The context is that I don't think that anyone realized it was going to cause such a controversy," he says. "Probably the minister is just tired of dealing with the bill."

Bill C-10 passed through the House of Commons last fall in one day, with unanimous support from all parties. But when news broke in February that the bill contained a clause that amounts to censorship, arts groups and opposition MPs were outraged. The Ministry of Canadian Heritage has been on the defensive since then.

Verner appeared before the Senate committee Apr 2 to defend the bill, saying that it would close "a loophole" that theoretically would allow illegal material like hate speech and kiddie porn to qualify for the credit.

She repeatedly tried to pass the buck to the Liberals, since an earlier version of the film clause appeared in several bills between 2002 and 2006.

Witnesses at the Senate committee Apr 10 said the bill would discourage banks from financing edgy film and television productions, because tax credits are awarded late in the production process. "The very existence of such provisions creates financial uncertainty," said Sandra Cunningham of the Canadian Film and Television Producers Association.

Most witnesses have called on senators to remove the "contrary to public policy" section of the bill, or at least establish the guidelines before the bill is passed. As it stands, the specific guidelines are not contained in C-10, and would be open for change at the whim of the ministry of heritage.

"We have already seen that there has been enormous controversy and censure of some of the most important Canadian films ever made," said Noa Mendelsohn Aviv of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Apr 9. "There were calls not to fund films about abortion and gay youth.

Should these too have been suppressed in the name of public policy?"

"If we give the government a free hand to pick off certain movies and chill our artists, how many more innovative films on controversial topics will get made?"

The Senate committee will hear two more days of witnesses' testimony Apr 16-17. Among them is Charles McVety, the founder of rightwing group Canada Family Action Coalition, which promotes the idea that homosexuality can be "cured." Last month, McVety took credit for the clause, saying it represents conservative values.

More postings on Josee Verner:

1. Josee Verner Involved in "In and Out" Scam and Alleged Cover Up

2. Luc Harvey Was Right. Josee Verner Did Take a Runner

3. Josee Verner is Coached and Programmed on Bill C-10

4. Luc Harvey Blames Josee Verner For Problems in Quebec

5. Josee Verner Says 'You'll Watch What I Tell You to Watch'