The Harper gang are “hogs at the trough” they used to complain about.

SIMCOE — Bob Speller, federal Liberal candidate for Haldimand-Norfolk, says the husband of local MP Diane Finley is set to make $130,000 a year for life courtesy of the Harper government.

“Haldimand-Norfolk’s farmers and steelworkers are struggling but Ms Finley’s husband is getting cash for life,” Speller said.

“Diane Finley’s husband has won the lottery and we are all going to pay for it.” he said.

With his appointment to the Senate, Ms Finley’s husband Doug Finley will make $130,000 a year until age 75. Even though Stephen Harper says he wants them to resign in eight years there is no law or guarantee that they will.

Stephen Harper is now officially the Senate patronage king. Harper used to say he would never appoint his friends to the Senate but as Prime Minister, Harper brazenly stacked the Senate with 18 appointments just before Christmas. Now he is poised to do it again just before Labour Day.

He has now tied Conservative Robert Borden as the only Prime Minister in Canadian history to make 26 Senate appointments in a single year.

Diane Finley’s and the Conservative Party’s web site said during the 2006 election that “A conservative government will not appoint to the Senate anyone who does not have a mandate for the people”. Just another one of the numerous broken promises from this Member of Parliament Speller said.

“The difference between the Harper gang and hogs at the trough is that hogs will stop feeding when the trough is empty. The trough will never empty for the Harper gang and we will all pay for it.”

Harper hypocrisy exposed:

“In the 21st century, those who want to sit in the parliament of a democratic state should have a mandate from the people.”

— Stephen Harper, February 7, 2006)

“As everyone in this room knows, it has become a right of passage for aspiring leaders and prime ministers to promise Senate reform – on their way to the top. .But once they are elected, Senate reform quickly falls to the bottom of the Government’s agenda. Nothing ever gets done.”

— Stephen Harper, Speech on Senate Reform before Senate Committee, September 7, 2006

“I don’t plan to appoint senators; that’s not my intention.”

— Stephen Harper, Standard-Freeholder, January 14, 2006

“Stephen Harper will cease patronage appointments to the Senate. Only candidates elected by the people will be named to the Upper House.”

— Stephen Harper Leadership Website, www.oneconservativevoice.ca, January 15, 2004

“I challenge Mr. Martin, once he becomes Prime Minister, to turn a page on the past, and appoint only elected Senators to the Upper House.”

— Stephen Harper, Canadian Alliance Press Release, July 4, 2003

“Canadians from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia remain ashamed of Canada`s senior legislative body. They are ashamed the Prime Minister continues the disgraceful, undemocratic appointment of undemocratic Liberals to the undemocratic Senate to pass all too often undemocratic legislation.”

— Stephen Harper, Hansard, March 7, 1996

“We don’t support any Senate appointments.”

(— Stephen Harper, Winnipeg Free Press, January 29, 1996