Rumours are surfacing of yet another pending arrest in the Sponsorship Scandal. Okay, now this is eight years and two governments after the fact.
This proceeding, if it comes to pass, needs to be put under some scrutiny. Remember we're dealing with the RCMP here, the same once-proud outfit whose commissioner gamed the last election with a spurious, mid-campaign press release about a possible scandal involving hinted wrongdoing by Ralph Goodale.
Now that same tattered remnant of a national police force is headed by whom? Why it would be my old lawschool classmate and life-long Tory insider Bill "Bubbles" Elliot. Much as I like Bill it does trouble me that Harper appointed a total partisan to head the RCMP.
Now in the justice system, appearances count. The mantra goes that justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. In other words, it's all got to be above board and completely beyond suspicion. That's not being picky. There's a good reason for it, the best in fact. If the administration of justice is tainted with the appearance of favouritism or bias, it can undermine the one thing the system cannot do without - public confidence in its integrity.
The appearance on this one - well it stinks frankly. You have the Harper Cons now reeling from a succession of scandals - Mulroney, Cadman, In & Out, etc. - and they could really use something to distract the public and turn the tables on the Libs. What have they got? Precious little - unless they can milk that sponsorship scandal one more time, especially now that an election is looming.
The RCMP hasn't done too well on the smell test lately. If they're going to launch another politically-charged proceeding - at this late stage - when they're headed by a lifelong partisan - and having displayed an openness to dodgy interference in the last election - they damn well better come up with a very convincing explanation of the timing and they'd better not count on the benefit of the doubt if their story has that now all-too-familiar stink to it.
Meanwhile the force can explain why it's not proceeding with perjury charges against Mr. Mulroney. The Commish, after all, worked in Mulroney's government. Maybe they don't think that Mulroney's sworn statements that his only involvement with Schreiber was a few meetings for coffee constitutes perjury. If so, I'd love to hear them come out with it.
This proceeding, if it comes to pass, needs to be put under some scrutiny. Remember we're dealing with the RCMP here, the same once-proud outfit whose commissioner gamed the last election with a spurious, mid-campaign press release about a possible scandal involving hinted wrongdoing by Ralph Goodale.
Now that same tattered remnant of a national police force is headed by whom? Why it would be my old lawschool classmate and life-long Tory insider Bill "Bubbles" Elliot. Much as I like Bill it does trouble me that Harper appointed a total partisan to head the RCMP.
Now in the justice system, appearances count. The mantra goes that justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. In other words, it's all got to be above board and completely beyond suspicion. That's not being picky. There's a good reason for it, the best in fact. If the administration of justice is tainted with the appearance of favouritism or bias, it can undermine the one thing the system cannot do without - public confidence in its integrity.
The appearance on this one - well it stinks frankly. You have the Harper Cons now reeling from a succession of scandals - Mulroney, Cadman, In & Out, etc. - and they could really use something to distract the public and turn the tables on the Libs. What have they got? Precious little - unless they can milk that sponsorship scandal one more time, especially now that an election is looming.
The RCMP hasn't done too well on the smell test lately. If they're going to launch another politically-charged proceeding - at this late stage - when they're headed by a lifelong partisan - and having displayed an openness to dodgy interference in the last election - they damn well better come up with a very convincing explanation of the timing and they'd better not count on the benefit of the doubt if their story has that now all-too-familiar stink to it.
Meanwhile the force can explain why it's not proceeding with perjury charges against Mr. Mulroney. The Commish, after all, worked in Mulroney's government. Maybe they don't think that Mulroney's sworn statements that his only involvement with Schreiber was a few meetings for coffee constitutes perjury. If so, I'd love to hear them come out with it.
3 comments:
I dont think you have much to worry about, other then the ones who already have their minds made up no one really cares. He said she said is played out by MP's and bloggers. I have no evidence or links to support my theory, only years of reading and voting, but, most Canadians dont really think an MP from Nova Scotia took money in the Adscam affair, and, the same are not that concerned about EC or Cadman. This next election will be about the economy and tax's and leadership, which is why the Liberals have been smart not to push for one. billg
I don't know Bill, you might be right.
Well...I nailed the environment issue, I said it was a mistake for the Liberals to attempt to win on a green policy, and, I've also said that the Conservatives should stop with the "Librano" message just in case the glass house they lived in ever had a rock thrown at it...so...I feel good about this one. Tax's....jobs....leadership, thats what the next election is about. Oh, and it will get UUUGGLLYY!!! billg
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