Dear Editor: Open letter to governor general David Johnston: I am writing to you today as a Canadian citizen frustrated by my prime minister's lack of responsibilty to the Canadian taxpayer. Mr. Harper wants to once again suspend Parliament so an un favourable situation to him and his party can have a chance to die down. Scandals regarding senators' expenses and the prime minister's chief of staff have continued to stay in the news all through the summer break, and now he knows that the questions he
doesn't want to answer will continue to be asked on the first day back in the House.
I believe Canadians deserve the answers to these questions. I personally disbelieve Mr. Harper about his lack of knowledge regarding the $90,000 cheque Nigel Wright wrote to Mike Duffy. I also have to question how he could have stood before Canadians back in February this year and stated "In terms of Sen. (Pamela) Wallin, I have looked at the numbers. ... Her travel costs are comparable to any parliamentarian travelling from that particular area of the country over that period of time ..." Further, we are now seeing stories in the news that in a "bootcamp" for new Tory senators, direction was given that they could bill for certain partisan - that is, political - travel. I fear Mr. Harper is purposefully trying to stain the image of the senate irrevocably in the eyes of Canadian citizens to push an agenda to abolish the house of sober second thought.
Sadly, too many Canadians are lacking in knowledge of how our government works and the important role of the Senate. With all this negative media about the expense claims for Ms. Wallin, Mr. Duffy and Mr. Brazeau, it makes senators look bad and taints all the honest, hardworking senators with a corrupt brush. I plead with you, your Excellency, please deny Mr. Harper's prorogation request. It is merely based on selfish reasons that have nothing to do with the good of the country.
Shannon Powell
New Westminster
