November 2, 2005

A TOP TEN LIST OF GOMERY HYPOCRISY Canada Free Press -  "The practice of hypocrisy is not merely indispensable to government, but is capable of being sustained without much difficulty for as long as may be required." ~ Niccolo Machiavelli "A government is an organized hypocrisy." ~ Benjamin Disraeli In the last of the closing legal arguments at the Gomery Inquiry, Sylvain Lussier, private Counsel to the Attorney-General of Canada, made a startling statement to the Commissioner. After vouching for the piety of conscience and purity of knowledge of both Prime Ministers Martin and Chrétien, he said that though it is true that former Public Works Minister Alfonso Gagliano put himself in difficult positions by attending meetings he could have refrained from, and though he did not impose the appropriate departmental rigour for which he should bear Ministerial responsibility, Mr. Gagliano had done "nothing illegal". Furthermore, Me. Lussier went on, the political direction Mr. Gagliano provided in certain files was fully appropriate with his elected position. To quote Me. Lussier, "We elect politicians to make decisions and to show direction." 6:07:30 AM

Vancouver Province (subscription) Gomery inquiry slams Liberal kickbacks Reuters Canada - The inquiry into a government corruption scandal said on Tuesday that senior officials in the Quebec branch of the ruling Liberal Party had engaged in a kickback scheme and in illegal financing, but it said Prime Minister Paul Martin was not to blame. This is an initial report by Judge John Gomery, who has spent the last year probing how C$100 million from a government program was funneled to Liberal-friendly advertising firms. Its findings are likely to embarrass the Liberal team as it prepares for an election early next year. 6:06:37 AM