Adscam II is coming back real soon.

[Canuck E Stan]

Sun, January 7, 2007

Adscam rears its ugly head

We recently received an unusual call from a member of the RCMP commercial crime squad in Montreal, seeking our assistance in the feds' ongoing criminal investigations of the sponsorship scandal.

Of specific interest to the Mounties was our investigative piece in 2004 that exposed an apparent shakedown of federal contractors in the 1990s, a fleecing operation run through one of the Liberal-friendly advertising companies at the centre of the Adscam fiasco.

Charges 'weeks' away

During a wide-ranging interview with Sun Media this week, Dion tried to brush aside the issue, saying he doubted the sponsorship debacle would play at all in the next election.

"I think people know that

I am an honest man, a man of integrity, and the (public's) perception is this way, and

I don't think it will change," he said.

As head of the Quebec chapter back then people will say Dion should have known about it.

And like Martin tried to do, pleading ignorance, it may just put Dion in the same sinking ship as Martin.

[geoffrey]

Saying he's an honest man doesn't change he was Chretien's Quebec man during arguable the biggest criminal fraud a political party has ever seen... based in Quebec.

Dion is damaged goods whether he claims he's honest or not. If he didn't know, he's imcompetent, if he did know, he's a criminal. Same applies to Martin.

[Who's Doing What?]

As head of the Quebec chapter back then people will say Dion should have known about it.

And like Martin tried to do, pleading ignorance, it may just put Dion in the same sinking ship as Martin.

Would that be a ship with a French flag, Canadian flag or just a flag of Convenience?

Time to get to the bottom of this mess. If Dion knows anything he should be naming names, otherwise he WILL be painted with the same brush that ruined Martin.

So, Liberal party Leadership convention next November anyone?

[fellowtraveller]

As a taxpayer, I still wonder what happened to my money, and why no politicians have been charged. So far, just bureaucrats and ad agencies.

Is that the end of the trail? Where exactly did the money end up? Why have no forensic audits been done on Liberal riding organizations in Quebec?

Did Chuck Guite suddenly decide one day to open the Montreal Yellow Pages, select some agencies at random, and award them $200 million or so with no expectation of... anything in return?

Yes, I guess that is what happened, or what we are expected to believe.

We are also expected to belive that Dion, a Quebec based Cabinet Minister throughout this affair, had no clue. Yeah, right.

[Ricki Bobbi]

As a taxpayer, I still wonder what happened to my money, and why no politicians have been charged. So far, just bureaucrats and ad agencies.

Is that the end of the trail? Where exactly did the money end up? Why have no forensic audits been done on Liberal riding organizations in Quebec?

All very good questions.

If Adscam ends up becoming big news again will Dion go on TV pleading for time until the next election?

If Dion knows anything he should be naming names, otherwise he WILL be painted with the same brush that ruined Martin.

So, Liberal party Leadership convention next November anyone?

You could see one in the fall of 2008. The Conservatives look likely to hang on until the fall of this year at least.

*When* we win a majority Dion will pay lip service to hanging on as leader ... than in the spring of 2008 he'll resign for *personal reasons*. Gerard Kennedy takes over and things get very interesting. The following election could see new leaders for all four parties.

[Catchme]

As a taxpayer, I still wonder what happened to my money, and why no politicians have been charged. So far, just bureaucrats and ad agencies.

No politicians can ever be charged, not for back then, not for the future. Because on Dec 13 Harper's Federal Accountability Act went into place, and it specifically cut key federal ethics rules for the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, their staff and senior government officials. Democracy Watch has launched actions against this travesty of the CPC's already.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

The federal government has passed Bill C-2, (the so-called "Federal Accountability Act" (FAA)), a long overdue bill that closes some loopholes in the federal government's accountability system.

The federal Conservatives promised during the 2006 federal election to introduce an Accountability Act containing 52 measures, but when Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Treasury Board minister John Baird introduced Bill C-2 in April 2006, the bill only contained 30 measures and cut key federal ethics rules for the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, their staff and senior government officials. To see the ethics complaint that Democracy Watch has filed about Harper and Baird being dishonest by breaking their election promises and claiming that they have kept their promises, go to: Democracy Watch's December 12, 2006 news release

http://www.dwatch.ca/camp/BillC-2Analysis.html

[Ricki Bobbi]

The next election will be very interesting.

Bernard Lord finishes his time as an MLA in a few weeks...

Does he run in Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe?

It's a pretty strongly Liberal riding, but it has gone PC in the past...

[jdobbin]

We'll see if the RCMP wait until the election to deliver this news.

[Catchme]

Oh dear, this is reminding me of the NDP MP who got the mysterious fax from the RCMP during the last election campaign saying that charges were imminent against a Liberal for Income Trust breaches, something that never did happen by the way and the Liberals lost the election. Goodale was exonerated after the fact and NOW Zaccaralli the instigator of the phoney Income trust fax has resigned.

Like the brief snippet quote of Canuck E Stan; "Charges 'weeks' away", now theres a propaganda ploy for those that don't actually read the links, which most do not and they wonder why they get a skewed view of the world.

The complete quote there was:

For several months now, sources have been telling us the Mounties are "only weeks away" from laying a slew of new criminal charges against individuals other than the three Adscammers already doing jail time.

What is really funny is the RCMP allegedly phoning the Sun in the first place asking for their information. Even more funny after Greg Weston yammers on, is the bottom line:

(While we wish the Mounties every success in their investigation, they also accepted with utmost professionalism our long-standing journalistic rule that we don't disclose what we don't print, and the conversation ended there.)

The Sun never wrote any thing about it in the first place. So yes, the RCMP are hot on the trail all right and charges are weeks away, just like they were 2 years ago now!

The CPC is trying to:

1. make adscam dirt stick to the new Dion Liberals in order to try and frame the up coming campaign debates along those lines.

2. deflect away from their own 3.5 million dodgey convention donations while adscam is only 1 million

3. trying to appear accountable after bringing in their phoney accountability act

[Ricki Bobbi]

The CPC is trying to:

1. make adscam dirt stick to the new Dion Liberals in order to try and frame the up coming campaign debates along those lines.

2. deflect away from their own 3.5 million dodgey convention donations while adscam is only 1 million

3. trying to appear accountable after bringing in their phoney accountability act

What a typical Liberal response.

We aren't bad. Look at what the Conservatives have done....

Nice try.

[geoffrey]

The next election will be very interesting.

Bernard Lord finishes his time as an MLA in a few weeks...

Does he run in Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe?

It's a pretty strongly Liberal riding, but it has gone PC in the past...

Doesn't matter how Liberal it is, New Brunswickers love Bernie.

He was only ran out of office because of gerrymandering, his popular support increased steadily over each election.

[stignasty]

The CPC is trying to:

1. make adscam dirt stick to the new Dion Liberals in order to try and frame the up coming campaign debates along those lines.

2. deflect away from their own 3.5 million dodgey convention donations while adscam is only 1 million

3. trying to appear accountable after bringing in their phoney accountability act

What a typical Liberal response.

We aren't bad. Look at what the Conservatives have done....

Nice try.

Typical Conservative response.

We'll stick our heads in the sand and cover it up with a bunch of smiley faces.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Typical Conservative response.

We'll stick our heads in the sand and cover it up with a bunch of smiley faces.

Stick my head in the sand?

[August1991]

No politicians can ever be charged, not for back then, not for the future. Because on Dec 13 Harper's Federal Accountability Act went into place, and it specifically cut key federal ethics rules for the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, their staff and senior government officials. Democracy Watch has launched actions against this travesty of the CPC's already.

Out of curiousity, I went and looked at the web site of this Democracy Watch organization. It seems as much (if not more) concerned about private corporations than it does about governments. In this, it makes a fundamental error. Maybe it should be called Corporate Watch.

Anyway, I found this quote:

Minister Baird's much-repeated retort to critics who have pointed out the Conservatives' broken promises and other gaps in Bill C-2 is that the bill is the "toughest anti-corruption" law ever passed in Canada. This is very likely true, and the bill does make 30 important changes that limit political donations to democratic levels, make the watchdog for lobbyists and other accountability watchdogs more independent and powerful, require the disclosure of more information (especially about government spending), and ensure that responsibility for spending decisions is clear in more cases.

However, as a result of the Conservatives' broken promises, and many other long-standing gaps, 57 undemocratic and accountability loopholes remain the federal government's policy-making system. For example, it will still be legal:

for politicians to lie to the public (because the Conservatives cut the ethics rule requiring the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers and senior government officials to "act with honesty");

for wealthy interests, especially corporations, to lobby in secret (because the Conservatives broke their promise to require senior politicians and officials to disclose their contacts with lobbyists);

for government institutions to deny the public access to information they have a clear right to know (because the Conservatives broke their promise to include 40 key open government changes in Bill C-2, and are moving much too slowly on making these changes through another policy-making process);

for Cabinet ministers to have a personal financial interest in areas in which they make policy decisions (because the Conservatives broke their promise to close all the loopholes that allow such conflicts of interest), and;

for the key ethics watchdogs to make secret rulings, even when they exempt politicians and officials from important ethics rules.

Please tell me how to write legislation that will prevent politicians from lying, or from speaking with lobbyists. IMV, it is impossible to legislate morality and we shouldn't try. The way to prevent tyranny is a little more complicated than a simple act of parliament.

----

I read this Weston column earlier today and I was surprised. I think he wrote it to cover his ass (in bureaucratic speak) because the RCMP got in touch with him. He didn't want another Stevie Cameron situation.

Witll there be an Adscam II? I don't know if people in Canada or in Quebec want to hear more about Adscam. If there were more details of the "wads of cash in envelopes", then maybe. (Any discussion of money is sexy.) In general however, I think the bloodlust has been dissipated.

I also think Dion is immune to accusations of dishonesty. The guy seems too much of a nerd to be on the take.

Of course, I stand to be corrected. I too feel that Dion has not cleaned the Liberal house (and most certainly won't). He also was there in a key role when all this happened. Chretien started adscam and brought in Dion and Pettigrew as his way to deal with the near loss of the referendum.

About 40% of Canadian voters will never vote Liberal under any circumstances. These people want to hear about adscam. The other voters have had enough.

[Ricki Bobbi]

About 40% of Canadian voters will never vote Liberal under any circumstances. These people want to hear about adscam. The other voters have had enough.

Probably closer to 50%.

It is that 6% who swung to the CPC in the last election and the 4% who stuck with the Liberals because of fear of *scary* *scary* *scary*.

Should be enough to win the Conservatives a majority this time around.

[mikedavid00]

As a taxpayer, I still wonder what happened to my money, and why no politicians have been charged. So far, just bureaucrats and ad agencies.

I've had the same questions for a long time now and have given up. The Liberal party of Canada looted our tax dollars and Canadians will still support.

Same as third world style politics.

[Borg]

As a taxpayer, I still wonder what happened to my money, and why no politicians have been charged. So far, just bureaucrats and ad agencies.

I've had the same questions for a long time now and have given up. The Liberal party of Canada looted our tax dollars and Canadians will still support.

Same as third world style politics.

I want you to ask another question - where did all the money that went into foundations during Lib rule go?

I believe it is unaccounted for as well.

The average Canadian voter is an idiot.

If it was good enough for Gramps and Grandma - then the Libs are good enough for me.

It is rare to see a Liberal Canuck who is capable of actually doubting the truth of any CBC news broadcaster.

Pompous Pete is a well trusted favourite. I figure he is as trustworthy as the CBC is - but he packs tremendous impact when he smiles and gives that CBC friendly interview to any Liberal bagman out there.

Viewers love him and the CBC enough to not even consider the fact that they may be twisting events - just a little teeny bit.

So, they will keep voting in coruption.

After all - c'mon - Chretien did not know about things in Kebec - Martin was an honest man and he did not know about any problems in Kebec - and for sure Dion, our France passport carrying Liberal leader, would not have known.

Those non-elected people hired to help the politicians in Kebec were the guilty boys and girls - they kept it all from the politicians. It must be so, because no investigative reporter has ever turned up anything to the contrary.

The average Canadian voter is an idiot. The proof is in the proof which is a proof if it is proven - or words to that effect.

God love the idiots who vote Lib - no one else does.

Borg

[sharkman]

There have been so many billions disappear over the length of the Liberal rule that typical Canadians think that's the way it's supposed to be. They finally got sick of it, however, during the last election, and Adscam II could give Harper a majority.

[Joe Blow]

If more charges come out, especially against carded Grits as opposed to ad firms, Dion will have a tough go of the next election. Even if 50-60% of the electorate is sick and tired of hearing of corruption; the TV news photos of Grits being led away in handcuffs will reignite the poweder keg all over again. If that happens, and Harper doesn't blow up on the campaign trail, look for a Tory majority in the next election.

[Ricki Bobbi]

If more charges come out, especially against carded Grits as opposed to ad firms, Dion will have a tough go of the next election. Even if 50-60% of the electorate is sick and tired of hearing of corruption; the TV news photos of Grits being led away in handcuffs will reignite the poweder keg all over again. If that happens, and Harper doesn't blow up on the campaign trail, look for a Tory majority in the next election.

Pictures of Liberals being lead away in handcuffs would be manna from Heaven. I seriously doubt the Convservatives can hope to get so lucky.

I wouldn't expect Harper to blow up on the campaign trail. He had no chance at winning a majority last time. The only possible *error* he made was in making the very valid point about there never really being a *true* Conservative majority.

Harper likes PM. He knows that another solid, tightly controlled campaign is his only chance at a majority. He will not blow up!

[jdobbin]

If more charges come out, especially against carded Grits as opposed to ad firms, Dion will have a tough go of the next election. Even if 50-60% of the electorate is sick and tired of hearing of corruption; the TV news photos of Grits being led away in handcuffs will reignite the poweder keg all over again. If that happens, and Harper doesn't blow up on the campaign trail, look for a Tory majority in the next election.

I haven't seen anything aside from one Sun article on the subject. In fact, when do we hear about the Goodale investigation?

[geoffrey]

I haven't seen anything aside from one Sun article on the subject. In fact, when do we hear about the Goodale investigation?

That investigation was considerably under pursued. It's rather clear that Brison leaked info. Goodale's department was responsbile.

In the private sector, insider trading and the prevention of it is the responsibility of the Chief Financial Officer (often assigned elsewhere, but ultimately and legally it is the CFO's responsibility). Should Goodale not face similar scrutiny when a very obviously worded e-mail leaked (claim what you want, Brison claims ignorance, but the e-mail is very clear IMO).

[Topaz]

I, for one, am so sick of this scam mess! We need to find those guilty of their crimes and punish them and then, get on with life. One thing I don't think is fair is to punish a whole party for few bad apples. If that were true, the Cons wouldn't be in power and the NDP would be the only party to vote for! I think Quebec is more to blame for the scam or should I say that Quebec has some really good scammers within its borders. So far all the crooks have come from there. If we don't punish the people who have done the crime, and not the party, than we will end up with only 2 parties, NDP and the Green party, although maybe that's not that bad a thing!

[jdobbin]

That investigation was considerably under pursued. It's rather clear that Brison leaked info. Goodale's department was responsbile.

In the private sector, insider trading and the prevention of it is the responsibility of the Chief Financial Officer (often assigned elsewhere, but ultimately and legally it is the CFO's responsibility). Should Goodale not face similar scrutiny when a very obviously worded e-mail leaked (claim what you want, Brison claims ignorance, but the e-mail is very clear IMO).

The RCMP doesn't announce that they are investigating something. To do so, especially in an election, was very suspicious.

I'm not even sure they *are* investigating anymore.

[hiti]

Was adscam a Liberal problem?

Mr. Coffin is proof that ad executives were ecumenical when it came to making money. He said he became a staunch Conservative because he opposed Pierre Trudeau's national energy program.

Judge Gomery asked. ”It would appear that you were getting substantial business from the government . . . so you thought it was good business to show up at (Liberal) functions and it wasn't going to get you any business to show up at poorly-attended Conservative functions.”

”That's true,” Mr. Coffin conceded.

Paul Coffin told the Gomery inquiry that he repeatedly produced fake invoices, over-billing the federal government for thousands of dollars for work that was never done on sponsorship projects at the behest of Chuck Guité, the bureaucrat in charge of the program. In the 1980s, Guite became the head of the government's advertising branch. Guite was known for steering work towards Tory-friendly ad firms during the Brian Mulroney years.

Jean Brault was a Tory

This wasn't exclusively a Liberal Party of Canada problem - its a problem with people and corrupt ethics.

Gomery knows all this and that is why he recommends that deputy ministers be responsible to parliament and not just the PMO.

Gomery hired Kroll Lindquist Avey to audit and follow the money. They found that the Liberal party had received $801,000 in donations from those who had been charged in the sponsorship scandal.

The Government sued the recipients of the sponsorship for over $40 billion and the Liberal party paid back money the auditors said had been donation to the party. Paul Coffin paid back over half. Did the rest pay?

Are there more to be charged? I double it. If the RCMP are following the money they won't find out any more than Gomery or Kroll Lindquist Avey or even Sheila Fraser did.

Money that the Government budget put into Foundations and research is still there. It is being used for the betterment of Canada. Unless Steve grabs all the money for some stupid vote buying or to pay for more military equipment. Besides Fraser is keeping track of the Foundations.