George Smitherman Should Resign…
…and not to fullfil his hubristic fantasies of being the King of a(ny) Castle. He should resign because the eHealth scandal happened on his watch. He should resign because he was Ministry of OLG and like eHealth shoved that issue off on a Cabinet colleague instead of taking responsibly for the corrupt actions he has allowed to happen on his watch. This is a man who talks screams first, and fails to think at all. He loves the game, but clearly doesn’t do the work.
He has failed Ontarians, and demonstrated he is a man whose ethical bar is so low one could trip over it. I don’t see how Premier McGuinty expects to continue to govern with this overgrown school yard bully running around the Cabinet room, throwing cash at the firms that are run by his former employees, and prepping his Cabinet colleagues, and possible leadership contenders for a political stabbing they simply won’t ever recover from.
Caplan should have resigned too, but not for eHealth. He was the Minister of OLG until him and Smitherman traded scandals Ministries.
I’ve said before that when Andrea Horwath and Tim Hudak agree on something – the Premier should listen. I don’t believe there has been a time when they’ve agreed on something that I have disagreed, and expect many Ontarians have a similar experience to their agreement on issues.
Ontarians deserve a government that isn’t going to blow over a billion dollars on back pats for their friends, while failing to live up to the job. Electronic health records are serious business. They will save lives and create a more effecient health system by ending duplicated tests, over prescription of drugs, and the dangerous situations that arise from a lack of information in the doctor/patient relationship. If the Premier, Smitherman or Caplan actually cared about this important goal, they wouldn’t have turned the agency responsible into a scandal ridden piggy bank for their friends.
As for Minister Smitherman not feeling ‘Survivor’s guilt’ over Caplan’s firing – you need a sense of densency and integrity to have a conscience that would compel you to feel guilt. The Toronto Star put it best when they said about Minister Smitherman’s handling of the Green Energy Act: ‘George Smitherman couldn’t find the political high road with a state-of-the-art GPS.’
Perhaps Dalton McGuinty needs to find his spine and point Minister Smitherman in the direction of the nearest exit, before Ontarians opt to do the same for the Premier.
90% of 680 News listeners would agree.
Tags: Dalton McGuinty, David Caplan, Deb Matthews, e-health, eHealth, eHealth Scandal, George Smitherman, Minister of Health, Scandal
October 8th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
I hate to say it, but I agree with almost everything you wrote. It did happen on his watch. He did pass the hot potato to Poor Mr. Caplan who was forced to fall on his sword to protect Smitherman.
It isn’t fair.
October 9th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Is anyone doing party support polling in Ontario? McGuinty may still be Teflon Man, even while this has happened on his watch. I’m not sure there’s enough generalized anger — and actual movement away from the Libs — to get his attention.
October 10th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Thank you for finally saying something I can agree with you on. Smitherman should be punished in some way, however I don’t think resigning is the way to go. Parliamentary convention states that the present minister should step down, and George was not the current Health Minister. If we’re going to change the rules because of one incident, that sets a troubling precedent down the road for any problem that arises from a department (Are we going to make every minister who was in charge step down?).
The best way I can see to punishe George would be in 2010. If he and John Tory both run for mayor, I’m definitely putting myself in the Tory camp and urging people to vote for the guy who knew this eHealth mess was going to happen, thereby punishing the guy who let the problem happen first. How’s that for poetic justice?
October 11th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Smitherman should step down has he could never do is job properly without McGuinty backing him up,he is a loser period
October 12th, 2009 at 12:20 am
Goodbye Georgie AND the Liberal Government. The Leader should never,ever pass the buck by saying I didn’t know.??
He is responsible for his troops. Dalton must GO also.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
I would suggest at the very least a Public Inquiry into the inner workings of Smitherman and his cohorts. The most desirable ending to this man’s political career should be a full blown Police Investigation!
October 18th, 2009 at 7:28 am
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October 19th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Couldn’t agree with you more! This idiot should have resigned a LONG time ago… Caplan took the fall for something that happened under someone elses leadership. McGuinty & his group of clowns will hopefully get their butts kicked to the curb at the next election.
October 26th, 2009 at 12:47 am
Your comment about Smitherman as a bully resonated with my findings and seeing him at work in the Legislature.
We are fighting the battle against the power plant here in Oakville and Mississauga, and we are alarmed and sickened by the GEA that steals our rights as Canadian citizens. Since Dalton cannot see this, or any of the SERIOUS, scandalous moves his cohorts are committing they are all guilty and must be removed ASAP.
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I actually believe that a Politicians STATUS among each other is all about BULLSHITTING the public. The lies are so blaint that you should not be voting if you can’t see it.Right now McGuinty is out of control and unless ONTARIANS want a big tax increase during a so-called recession we better get together and STOP this HST Tax now. All that is needed is a few people to manage the tax revolt and show Canada’s Politicians that we aren’t SHEEP anymore.