Belinda Stronach Sells Family Tradition

Politicians need to be connected, but are connections always a positive thing? It depends what you're connected to. In PR, we learn that networking is one of the keys, on top of the skills and portfolio that you have to show what you know. But it's not only who or what you know that can give you leads on job opportunities, but your ongoing relationship with organizations and people in general. If you get an opportunity through a mentor to shine, you also need to follow-up and do the job right to live up to their benevolence. You need to stay in touch, and if they scratch your back, you have to scratch theirs.

Belinda Stronach, Canada's sexiest politician in cabinet (you may argue or resent it if you like), the Human Resources Minister, and recent addition to the Liberal party (after she was heralded as a political and private 'whore' by nasty Conservatives and others who envied her for leaving both the Conservatives, and potential lover, Peter McKay) is being cut out of deals for her excessive, not her limited, ties to the automotive industry.


Presumeably because her father owns Magna Inc. and she was the CEO, she was forced to sell all her shares in the company this week, worth $4.6 million. She has also been sanctioned from political chats about the automotive industry and steel. So how is she supposed to address NAFTA and our trading relationship with our American friends? Sometimes the burden of wealth and property can be paralizing, but her tie-cutting actions should offer her a clean slate in the eyes of the ethics commissioner on some fronts. She also donates $213,000 a year to charity.
[Read the story]

David Wingwald on the other hand, in the unfortunate trend of recent Liberals Paul Martin and Jean Chretien, has added some cynicism to the already bleak view of how the government spews and wastes taxpayers money in frivilous debauchery. He just quit as president of the Royal Canadian Mint after $740,000 spendings on office expenses and golf tournaments were revealed. The Gomery inquiry is supposed to show the truth about whether or not the Canadian government is fraudulent or not, but the various players in this game have not shown a good face so far, opponents are saying they've already seen enough scandal, and when Canadians go to the polls in March, who knows what our voting habits will be like.
[Take a perusal]

Perhaps this will open up an opportunity for us to reject both the Conservatives AND the Liberals, but it's not likely. People are fed up with both parties: the Libs for their mismanagement, and the Conservatives for, well, Stephen Harper is not exactly the most chummy politician for his views on gay marriage or eliminating child poverty.

It is evident that the voting public will no longer stand for budgeting tricks and inside deals, but who in Canadian politics has a genuine agenda? I guess we'll find out, come March, if not before.

CBC News, Thur Sept 29/05