Frum Defends Harper's Senate Appointments

I have criticized journalists being appointed to the Senate but I'm not upset about Harper going back on his word have elections for the vacant 18 seats. Neither does David Frum in today's National Post:

Following Stéphane Dion's attempt to take power via a clandestine deal, Harper and the Conservatives had every reason to fear that their two years of principled self-denial would profit only their opponents. Senate-watchers expect another 11 vacancies to open in the next 12 month. How would Dion have filled those 29 seats total -- that is, after paying his debt toElizabeth May?

So Harper acted. He acted as almost every prime minister before him has acted, following some of the most ancient traditions of Canadian politics.

If we don't like those actions (and I suspect that few like them less than Harper himself), blame the traditions -- not the man who was thwarted in his every attempt to repair and improve the traditions.

Canadian Journalists Get Senate Appointments

Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin of CTV are two among 18 new Senate appointments named by the Conservatives today.

Among those appointed to regionally distributed seats in the upper house were former broadcaster Pamela Wallin (Sask.), Olympian Nancy Greene Raine (B.C.) and CTV personality Mike Duffy (P.E.I.).

Our last two Governors General were journalists as well. I'm a bit uncomfortable with members of the fourth estate getting patronage appointments. This is a threat to press neutrality. (Not that I believe the main stream media is neutral for a minute.)