Oh Kathianne.

[Said1]

The Gomery report is ready for release.

I still say the best way to promote Canadian unity and nationalism was to show the short cartoon "The Hockey Sweater" over and over again on "the" CBC. I mean really, Rocket Richard isn't an icon belonging to the french only. You'd think they invented hockey by the way they act.

Gomery report now in government's hands

CTV.ca News Staff

Prime Minister Paul Martin and his closest advisers are now assessing Justice John Gomery's report in the federal sponsorship scandal.

They were given a copy of the three-volume shortly after 6 p.m. ET, exactly 16 hours before its official release to the public.

The opposition leaders unsuccessfully sought the same privilege.

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper demanded in Parliament's question period on Monday that he be allowed to see the report in advance -- and that Gomery agreed he should.

"He says that our request deserves consideration," Harper said, referring to a letter Gomery sent to him.

"By copy of this letter to the Clerk of the Privy Council, I am suggesting that careful consideration be given to the request as stated in your correspondence," Gomery wrote in his letter to the opposition leaders.

"The government always receives reports of this significance in advance because governments are in the unique position of having to act," Martin said, pointing to previous commissions like the Somalia inquiry.

Formally, the report goes from the commission to the clerk of the privy council, the country's top civil servant -- who reports to the prime minister.

Scandal's impact

Already, scandal stemming from the sponsorship program designed to promote federalism in the wake of the 1995 Quebec sovereignty referendum has led to an overhaul of election financing laws and taken Parliament to the brink of collapse.

And throughout, revelations of millions of dollars being paid to Liberal-friendly advertising agencies has riveted millions of news-watchers throughout Quebec and across Canada.

On Tuesday morning, Gomery will finally share his conclusions on who did what with the hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars reportedly misspent through the program.

The initial estimate, revealed by Auditor General Sheila Fraser in her February 2004 report, pegged the program pricetag at $250 million over six years. A forensic audit commissioned by the Gomery inquiry subsequently boosted the estimate to $355 million over a decade.

Continued

 

[Annie]

The Gomery report is ready for release.

I still say the best way to promote Canadian unity and nationalism was to show the short cartoon "The Hockey Sweater" over and over again on "the" CBC. I mean really, Rocket Richard isn't an icon belonging to the french only. You'd think they invented hockey by the way they act.





Continued

Well, it looks like they have their hands full. If I get a chance, I'll see what the Captain has, if anything.

 

[Said1]

Well, it looks like they have their hands full. If I get a chance, I'll see what the Captain has, if anything.

He'll probably wait until tomorrow, after the report and press releases come out. Apparently we might be looking at an election in 30 days.....big whooop. :firing:

 

[Annie]

He'll probably wait until tomorrow, after the report and press releases come out. Apparently we might be looking at an election in 30 days.....big whooop. :firing:

I'm trying to figure out, are the Canadians over politicized, or under? Honestly!

 

[Said1]

I'm trying to figure out, are the Canadians over politicized, or under? Honestly!

The word you are looking for is "indifferent". At this point, it's a well known fact that Martin is the best man standing, simply because of the alternatives. Regardless of the conservative majority, Harper doesn't appear to be the "people's" choice, or the choice of his party anymore - problem, no one to replace him at this point. The NDP and the Bloc, well, they're the NDP and the Bloc. Who's left, Martin.

 

[Annie]

The word you are looking for is "indifferent". At this point, it's a well known fact that Martin is the best man standing, simply because of the alternatives. Regardless of the conservative majority, Harper doesn't appear to be the "people's" choice, or the choice of his party anymore - problem, no one to replace him at this point. The NDP and the Bloc, well, they're the NDP and the Bloc. Who's left, Martin.

Wow, just wow! Seems that there are enough people up there that you should have a few alternatives? Is he that good?

 

[Annie]

Nothing from him today, his wife is in the hospital and with SCOTUS just no time for Canada I guess. Here's one from yesterday though, what do you think?

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/005698.php

Captain's Quarters Blog


October 30, 2005
Gomermas?

The long-awaited Gomery Inquiry report comes out on Tuesday, November 1st, and already the politicians have begun to believe that no one outside of Ottowa will notice or care. At least, that's what the Liberals hope and the Tories fear, as Canada's worst political corruption case seems destined to slide into oblivion due to scandal fatigue:

Stephen Harper would have you think it's all up to Jack Layton to help him pull down the government next week after Mr. Justice John Gomery's sponsorship report. The New Democrats would rather you believe that Mr. Harper's the coward for promising not to force an election to be held over the Christmas holidays.

And the Bloc Québécois says it would be happy to participate in an election at any time, before or after Judge Gomery's report.

But behind the bravado, all three opposition parties privately suggest that no one really wants to pull the pin after Judge Gomery releases his long-awaited report in the sponsorship scandal next Tuesday, and that the report will not blame Prime Minister Paul Martin.

No one really expected Gomery to implicate Martin, however, as the public testimony never quite touched Martin specifically. It doesn't mitigate the fact that his predecessor and his party took full advantage of a money-laundering and political payoff system it created specifically to extend its power and its grip on the Commons. The lack of outrage from Canadians shows that the Liberals may have scored on their calculated strategy to keep postponing their day of reckoning. The voters appear dissatisfied with the Liberals' performance during Gomery, but unwilling to put the Tories in charge as a consequence.

Unfortunately, the Tories have not had much success in finding an effective partner in pushing for new elections -- and at times, they have appeared as though they're not terribly interested in bringing down the Martin government. They allowed themselves to get outfoxed in the spring, when their polling had them riding highest, and the setbacks affected the confidence that the Canadian electorate had in Tory leadership. Now they have three parties willing to pull the plug on the Grits, but none of them can come up with a formula for the necessary no-confidence motion.

Can the Canadian electorate trust a coalition that clearly could demand elections on the basis of Adscam and corruption in general but for whatever reason fails to do so? It seems that such an outcome would automatically neuter Adscam as an effective argument against Liberal government and give away the best case for removing the Martin executive. With an overwhelming majority in the Commons between the three opposition parties, their failure to act implicitly endorses the average Canadian's apathy about corruption and undermines their best case for a change.

After Tuesday, we will know if the Tories mean business.
Posted by Captain Ed at October 30, 2005 01:54 PM

 

[Said1]

Wow, just wow! Seems that there are enough people up there that you should have a few alternatives? Is he that good?

I wouldn't say he's that good, it's there are internal party problems and Harper hasn't done well with his public image. He doesn't come off as a baby kisser and it's hurting him. Martin is scum, but he's pretty slick in front of the camera, allows himself to sigh, and appear vulnerable and "upset". He's done a so-so job up to this point, why change? I guess we're more conservative than we thought.

Then there's the Indian Affairs thing coming to a head, just in the nick of time. Couldn't have planned that better....nudge, nudge.

 

[Annie]

I wouldn't say he's that good, it's there are internal party problems and Harper hasn't done well with his public image. He doesn't come off as a baby kisser and it's hurting him. Martin is scum, but he's pretty slick in front of the camera, allows himself to sigh, and appear vulnerable and "upset". He's done a so-so job up to this point, why change? I guess we're more conservative than we thought.

Then there's the Indian Affairs thing coming to a head, just in the nick of time. Couldn't have planned that better....nudge, nudge.

So Martin is a Clinton type. Can he 'cry' on cue? It's going to take me years to get all this.

 

[Said1]

Nothing from him today, his wife is in the hospital and with SCOTUS just no time for Canada I guess. Here's one from yesterday though, what do you think?

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/005698.php

Like I said, most Canadians accept the fact that there is no point in ousting Martin with the available alternatives. This doesn't mean we don't care, it simply means that voting for someone else is not in our best intersts at this point. There are probably many who would argue this, but deep down I'm sure they know it to be the truth, as sad as it is. Believe me if there was someone better, this person would be brought to the forefront by Canadians and the media. Lose-lose type of situation I guess.

 

[Said1]

So Martin is a Clinton type. Can he 'cry' on cue? It's going to take me years to get all this.

I think so, in a way. He's not smooth in a "playa" type of way, more like a grandpa.