Tory MP's Confide That Harper Needs Better Advice In His Inner Circle
"You need to have some people around you who are going to disagree with you. My concern is some of the people around Harper reinforce his worst instincts whereas I'd like to see him get some calming influence," said one top Conservative insider who spoke to Hill Climbers on condition of anonymity.
"Caucus and the Cabinet want to see changes, not the leadership changes, they're firmly behind Harper but they want to see changes around him, people who are giving him advice. He has to get better advisers," said the source.
Declared another Conservative insider: "I agree totally with that. While the Prime Minister does have good people with him, one of his challenges is to expand the circle so that there can be a variety of views that are reflected to him and variety is helpful in these circumstances."
Hill Times
I would be surprised if Harper dumped Baird and Poilievre. They have been far too loyal, vocal, and all around fierce supporters of the Harper doctrine.
Posted by DivaRachel | 9:42 am, December 15, 2008
Spin translation: We are blaming the latest screw ups on everyone and anyone except Harper.
Truth: Harper thinks he's always right, thus anyone who disagrees with him must be wrong.
Posted by Mark Richard Francis | 9:42 am, December 15, 2008
Of course we would all prefer it if the man who has those "instincts" in the first place were removed, but this might help. Mind you, I sincerely doubt that Harper would permit it. From everything I've seen, he's congenitally incapable of admitting error or accepting criticism.
(I love the Hill Times. It's like the only truly non-partisan news source in the country.)
Posted by Jennifer Smith | 9:55 am, December 15, 2008