Monday, August 23, 2010

Is Jay Hill Leaving Because of the "excessive control" of Stephen Harper?

This really comes as no surprise, but according to the Hill Times, Jay Hill is resigning because he was tired of being muzzled and having absolutely no power.
Conservative MP Jay Hill was frustrated with the "excessive control" put upon him by the Prime Minister's Office in his government house leader job, before being shuffled out earlier this month, say opposition MPs who worked closely with him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replaced him with John Baird to toe a more aggressive PMO-friendly line, they say.
AKA: A "yes" man.
Mr. Hill announced in late July that he wouldn't seek reelection, prompting Mr. Harper to shuffle him Aug. 6 out of the government house leader job he's held the last two years.

"He knew how to manoeuvre the rules. But I knew he was frustrated by the control that was being exercised by the Prime Minister's Office. It was excessive control by the PMO in comparison with what we saw with the Liberals," NDP Deputy House Leader Joe Comartin (Windsor-Tecumseth, Ont.) said last week. Mr. Comartin said he thought Mr. Hill did a "pretty decent job" as house leader and his integrity "is really beyond reproach."

But, he said, "There were times when Jay would indicate [that] this is what he wanted to do, whether it was on a bill or a motion or a strategy, and at a subsequent meeting he would have to back off that," said Mr. Comartin. "It was clear that he had gotten different instructions from the PMO, which he didn't agree with, but would follow through and carry them out.

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