Tory senator linked to key players in Quebec scandal

[jdobbin]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politi...article1339276/

The Harper government risks being sucked into a political scandal raging in Quebec with the revelation that a top Conservative organizer and senator had ties to key players.

The Canadian Press has learned that Tory Senator Leo Housakos worked politically with now-disgraced Montreal politician Benoit Labonte from about August, 2008 to February, 2009.

Mr. Labonte has alleged that there was an elaborate kick-back scheme to finance Montreal municipal political parties. He insists he never did anything illegal, but acknowledged he made ethical lapses while in city politics.

There is no suggestion Mr. Housakos knew of any wrongdoing, but he has now been linked to Mr. Labonte and controversial construction magnate Tony Accurso.

I'd like to hear more on this before making any conclusions but the whole thing as described needs investigating.

[capricorn]

Just when the Tories thought a majority was a done-deal, the storm clouds are gathering. Bourque has learned that embattled Conservative Senator Leo Housakos, imbedded in the Senate until the year 2043 no less, may be turfed from the Conservative caucus because of lingering ethics issues that have elicited a barrage of questions in the House of Commons to the extent that the Quebec politico himself has called in the Senate ethics officer to probe potential derring-do and unknown nefarious deeds. Senior Tory sources who've read the tea leaves and who spoke to Bourque on condition of anonymity assert "the situation is untenable". Such is the breach of trust within the highest echelons of Team Harper, otherwise preoccupied with ravishing glances at their current poll numbers. Said one keener who's shared a pizza with the PM while marveling at Don Cherry's blazer during a hockey broadcast, "Housakos is expendable as a Tory. He's kicking up a lot of dust in Quebec, the absolute last place we need to have a dust storm." It remains unclear how, or if, Housakos will be dealt with by the PM's political handlers, his buddy Soudas runs interference and may have to be deleted too, but it is understood that the threat Housakos made to his detractor last week won him no favours. The PM is said to remain unimpressed by his contingent of Quebec politicians. As one top-shelf single-malt Tory put it, "Pierre, we are so high in the polls these days, the only place we can go is down. And the only way we can go down is if we screw up. That's why Housakos needs to be nipped in the bud."

http://bourque.org/

Harper really has no choice in the matter. Both Housakos and Soudas have to go. Regardless of the outcome of future investigations these men are tainted.

[jdobbin]

Harper really has no choice in the matter. Both Housakos and Soudas have to go. Regardless of the outcome of future investigations these men are tainted.

Hadn't read that yet.

It really isn't making national news in for the most part. I wonder if we will see some investigation announced.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

It begins. Once again it starts in Quebec, which may or may not suggest something else. At any rate, the possibility of scandal is very bad news for Harper. Watch how all the other parties will bring this to the table, and quickly at that. I would expect Question Period to be the staging area to organize the attack on Harper. It is a logical place to start because of the free public attention and media coverage it gets.

[ToadBrother]

http://bourque.org/

Harper really has no choice in the matter. Both Housakos and Soudas have to go. Regardless of the outcome of future investigations these men are tainted.

I'm a little uncomfortable with the "shoot first, ask questions later" kind of justice.

[Argus]

http://bourque.org/

Harper really has no choice in the matter. Both Housakos and Soudas have to go. Regardless of the outcome of future investigations these men are tainted.

Are you insane? I ask that merely because anyone who posts raw sewage like the bourque site as a reason for demanding people be fired might not be of sound mind.

So far as I can discern the evidence that either of them actually did anything wrong is very nearly completely lacking.

[capricorn]

Are you insane? I ask that merely because anyone who posts raw sewage like the bourque site as a reason for demanding people be fired might not be of sound mind.

My opinion was not based on the Bourque entry. Having kept informed by reading the French press in Quebec on the matter, it's evident to me there are political and business forces at work in that province that will milk this for all they can. It's all very murky right now but a group of reporters locked out from the popular Journal de Montreal is devoting all their time in getting to the bottom of the story. Even if some of the information is innuendo right now, it will be difficult to erase the perception of corruption that has already been planted. There will inevitably be investigations and this thing will make headlines for a considerable time. There's no telling where it will lead. This is no time for the Harper government to be diverted from governing the country by having to put out brush fires that will pop up all over the place as a result.

So far as I can discern the evidence that either of them actually did anything wrong is very nearly completely lacking.

They said that about Mulroney too then along came Schreiber.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

My opinion was not based on the Bourque entry. Having kept informed by reading the French press in Quebec on the matter, it's evident to me there are political and business forces at work in that province that will milk this for all they can. It's all very murky right now but a group of reporters locked out from the popular Journal de Montreal is devoting all their time in getting to the bottom of the story. Even if some of the information is innuendo right now, it will be difficult to erase the perception of corruption that has already been planted. There will inevitably be investigations and this thing will make headlines for a considerable time. There's no telling where it will lead. This is no time for the Harper government to be diverted from governing the country by having to put out brush fires that will pop up all over the place as a result.

They said that about Mulroney too then along came Schreiber.

Brian is as innocent as O.J. and his buddy M. Jackson.

[Argus]

Even if some of the information is innuendo right now,

All of it is innuendo right now.

it will be difficult to erase the perception of corruption that has already been planted.

So we should fire anyone smeared by innuendo because of the perception which that innuendo has planted?

They said that about Mulroney too then along came Schreiber.

So because Mulroney was a crook everyone who is accused is guilty?