Harper Breaks Rules to Live Large on Our Dime

'Harper Breaks Rules' is becoming as common a headline as 'Harper lies', but in another arrogant reminder that he is boss and will do what he wants, Canadian Press has learned that Harper's office spent $340,000 on hospitality, without prior approval.

The basic rule put in place to safeguard taxpayers against frivolous waste of our money.

But as we know, Harper now makes the rules, so don't expect anything to change.

An internal report on how the Privy Council Office spent $340,000 on hospitality found widespread flouting of a basic rule – that is, public servants must get prior approval from a supervisor before spending the cash. The review of 2,100 hospitality claims over 13 months, ending last June, found employees repeatedly failed to get a green light before racking up expenses.

The survey examined expense claims in the Prime Minister's Office as well those run up by the Privy Council Office, Mr. Harper's own department and the central organ of the Canadian government.

Auditors initially found several instances in which hospitality expenses were incurred without pre-authorization. But they were assured by senior managers that the problem had since been corrected. So auditors randomly selected 20 more-recent hospitality claims – and found only half had been authorized in advance, clear evidence the rules continued to be flouted, despite the protestations of senior management ... The Canadian Press later reported Mr. Harper had personally approved a $47,000 event for 600 employees in Privy Council Office.

Another example of 'do what I say, not what I do.'

King Steve has increased government advertising by 300% (still running Canada Action Plan ads, despite inaction), and increased spending on ministers’ personal offices by 14% last year alone.

How much longer can we afford to keep him in the lifestyle he's created?

His Highness Must Fly in Style

In March of 2007, taxpayers were upset to learn that his highness was spending $2000.00 an hour to travel on military jets, too good to fly commercial: Harper called hypocrite over usage of jets

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been flying in military jets to Conservative events and even a hockey game — despite having once railed against their use by the previous Liberal government.

Invoices obtained by the Canadian Press show Harper flew Challenger executive jets three times in 2006 — and the Conservatives only fully reimbursed the military for one of the flights, which are estimated to cost more than $2,000 per hour.

Last night the royal entourage spent $3285.00 per hour to jet to a hockey game in Boston. King Steve paid for the hockey tickets himself (wink, wink), and will now reimburse the cost of a commercial flight.

How about the 11 bodyguards, needed to fuel Harper's paranoia?

If he wants to go to a hockey, drive or take a bus. He's telling us all to tighten our belts, while he just keeps adding notches to his won.

So Harper Planned Coalition with the Bloc as Early as 1996

If Harper supporters were surprised to learn that he had agreed to a coalition in 2004, to become prime minister with the full support of the Bloc (Harper's team by Tom Flanagan), they will no doubt be shocked to learn that he had been planning this arrangement with the Bloc since 1996.

...the "alliance" of centre-right parties might require — to finally surmount the Liberal seat count in the House of Commons — an arrangement to be negotiated with the Bloc Quebecois to secure that party's support in Parliament.

"Separatists" and "Socialists". His tickets to power.

And yet he's now questioning the Oppositions right to take power in a coalition if he fails to get a majority.

Jack Layton and Stephen Harper United Again. When Will You Learn Jack?

You would think that Jack Layton would have learned his lesson. Every time he falls for Harper, he only gets his heart broken.

But apparently with the pollsters already deciding the next election, Jackie has run back to Stevie's open arms and will support corporate tax cuts (the Layton special), death trap fighter jets and absolutely no action on climate change.

He is nothing but a hypocrite, if he falls for this.

In the fall of 2009 – after Mr. Ignatieff declared: “Mr. Harper, your time is up” – Mr. Layton, who had boasted of voting against the Tories in 79 consecutive confidence votes, changed course. The NDP abstained from Mr. Ignatieff’s motion that October to defeat the government, citing the need to pass government legislation extending Employment Insurance benefits. The NDP also cited EI improvements at the time as the reason for voting for a bill tied to the 2009 budget that it had earlier opposed.

79 times, and yet whenever the Harper government does something horrible, Ignatieff is blamed for not getting rid of the menace.

It's all on you Mr. Layton from here on in. You can't blame anyone else for your cowardice.

And this doesn't mean that the right will like you now, but good luck selling this to the left. Tommy Douglas would be so disappointed.