OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper is using taxpayers’ money to reward Conservative cronies with plum posts, Liberal MPs charged Thursday.
The Tories unleashed “unparalleled patronage” by appointing 233 former Conservative MPs, cabinet ministers, campaign workers, failed candidates and donors during the past 12 months, said Liberal MP Wayne Easter.
“Stephen Harper seems to be addicted to the political patronage he promised to prevent,” Easter said.
Hot Button: Did Harper break his promise?
Liberals say the recent Harper-appointees contributed more than $272,000 to Conservative party coffers.
Liberals say Harper broke his promise to establish a public appointments commission to ensure selections are based on merit. Harper shut the commission down after Liberal MPs rejected his choice of Calgary oilman Gwyn Morgan as the office’s first chairman in 2006.
“It’s a bit rich for Liberals to be criticizing Conservatives over patronage appointments,” said NDP ethics critic Bill Siksay, adding Harper should nominate another person to head the commission.
NDP and Conservative officials pointed out members of Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff’s office also benefited from political appointments, including diplomatic postings in Milan and Costa Rica.
althia.raj@sunmedia.ca
