It will get worse for the Liberals. As soon as Parliament resumes, the Auditor General will be releasing her report on the gun registry. There are rumours that it will make Sponsorgate look like Dollar Daze at Fields. With over half a billion just spent on just computer contracts alone, there is every expectation of the kind of Liberal ethical malnutrition that made the sponsorship program so popular with people.

If Stephen Harper can find more criminal misdeeds now that the Tories will have access to detailed financial records, wouldn't it be advantageous both to Canadian taxpayers, and to the Conservative Party 9 (not to mention the Bloc and the NDP), to propose to parliament as to whether the House of Commons, representing the Government and people of Canada, should sue the Liberal Party?? Individual MP's are protected by the Charter from personal civil penalties, but couldn't a convincing case be made that the Liberal Party itself should be held responsible not only for the missing $45 million or so uncovered from the sponsorship scandal, but also the resulting roughly $180 million dollar costs of its investigation and trial?? After all, governments are allowed to be incompetent and power hungry, but they aren't allowed to be criminals. Any costs to the Canadian taxpayer as a result of criminal activity should rightfully be sought in civil court.

That's a great idea except who would pay the judgement? The already-indebted Liberal party? My bet is they would simply fold.

Sure lets get the LiEberal machine sputtering into operation again! Please! The division of the country that Darth Cretinous worked soo hard to achieve was almost complete!

There are others that want the break-up to proceed sooner rather than later (as the Maritimes & PQ soak up more $$$) so that we can all get on with our lives and barter from a smarter perspective of the future rather than a long-dead past.

From Sheila Copps Blog

March-1-2005 - Going Green
Tomorrow, I am going to be giving a presentation to the Green Party. No, I am not about to change colours. But I do believe that the realignment of politics in Canada provides a great opportunity to promote a green agenda. I have always believed that politics and policy are intertwined. If Prime Minister Martin finally changed his mind on missile defence, it was partly because a sigficant majority of Liberals and liberals opposed the militarization of space. So it is with the environment. A signficant majority of Canadians want early action on Kyoto yet for years, we in Ottawa could not move beause of the power of the oil lobby. Why is it that a minority can command the attention of government while the view of the majority is important during conventions and elections, but otherwise minimized. Those Canadians, and we are millions, who care about the environment, can make their voices heard by supporting legitimate debate on green taxation. The Green Party is uniquely positioned to get these issues on the agenda. To butcher the oft-used epithet, "show me the money,", in this time of minority governments, Canadians can rightfully demand, "show me the green."

' No, I am not about to change colours.' Perhaps not but this could be a signifigant shift in the political spectrum just the same

The Liberals have stolen platform planks from everyone else, its about time they noticed the Greens.

The Greens should welcome this, getting your policies adopted by one of the major parties is the whole point.

They say every person has a price at which he/she will sell out honour in return for rewards. I've never felt this so keenly, as in the time following 28 December 2003 when the R.C.M.P. raided the British Columbia Legislature, investigating Paul Martin's top B.C. campaigners for his Liberal leadership bid.

The Mounties uncovered a political and electoral scandal which will make Adscam look insignificant. Much as I dread what's ahead, I'm absolutely convinced that we must get all of the information out in the open ... if it isn't too late already.

UN had already warned the world that any nation which allows Organized Crime to enter into government, has lost national sovereignty never to regain it. Invaded, conquered, enslaved.

RCMP Sgt Ward explained, at the time of the Raids in 2003, that organized crime had already entered British Columbia "like a cancer, over the past 2 years" (now 4 years). Under Paul Martin's leadership, you might think nothing had happened.

So what's the problem? Justice will be done, eh? I hope so. But, well ... my problem is the Liberal Party. If they are guilty of electoral as well as governmental malfeasance (think how Herb Dhaliwal was ousted, and think of the controversial sale of BC Rail for example) ... and if the Liberals go down in eternal disgrace ... I honestly believe that Canada is sunk.

Who wouldn't be scared, and torn, by that image? Who wouldn't begin to think protectively? There's the horrible dilemma: does this mean shielding Basi and Virk and the others, from a full and open trial? No, it doesn't. We daren't do that.

I really need to blame somebody ... and that somebody isn't far away. It's not Basi and Virk so much, as it is the people they worked for, promoted, and allegedly sold out for [6 charges each of breach of trust, fraud, influence peddling, with drug trafficking and money-laundering in a separate trial]. Paul Martin's deplorable scramble up the ladder is what corrupted the Liberal Party (temporarily, I hope).

I want to blame the media too. Sheila Copps wrote that the media knew about a private company, Lansdowne Technologies, partly owned by Paul Martin that received millions of dollars in untendered contracts from the Department of Finance during the years of Martin's tenure there. "Year after year, Martin's operatives, well placed in various government relations firms around Ottawa, would ... solidify his position as the next leader." Paul Martin had 20-25 paid staffers working in campaign offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, as early as Dec. 2002 ... and "squadrons of people working full-time under the guise of various lobbying companies ... to get the delegates he wanted ... the Party's membership rules were deliberately corrupted ... it was widespread organized fraud directed from the top ... it was ruthless ... undemocratic ... and highly successful." [Worth Fighting For, by Sheila Copps]

David's proposal (above) is a good one ... but in my opinion, it's just one Liberal we should sue: Paul Martin. After that, heaven help Canada.

dangrice:

GAG!!!!

He's no Trudeau! He's too much his mother's son.

As in , Flake, you mean?

BC Mary:

what do federal Liberals have to do with BC Liberals? Are you confuse or am I?

Neocon:

As I understand it Basi (at least) was an aide to a provincial cabinet minister and an organizer for the federal Liberal party in Herb Dhaliwal's former riding.

Coyote:

THANKS. I didn't know how to spell "flakey". LOL

neocon. The fact that anybody is confused about this important story, is because of the media silence surrounding the affair.

Basi's day job was as Aide to the B.C. Minister of Finance but he was also one of Paul Martin's top campaigners in his leadership bid. It is said that he was hoping to trade inside information for a top job in the Prime Minister's office when Paul eventually scrambled into Chretien's chair. He also worked the electoral ridings, the "Basi Boys" for example, arranged to oust a sitting (Chretien) cabinet minister, Herb Dhaliwal, replacing him with a Martinite. I understand that every B.C. riding was Martinized in some way. Esquimalt Juan de Fuca is particularly interesting.

Virk's day job was as Aide to the B.C. Minister of Transportation, but ditto the above.

Google Basi + Virk for more. OK?

One name I heard that might be promoted for Liberal leadership is Stephen Owen. He is percieved to be on the left of the party and is not from Quebec.

bc mary & michael clift: thanks for the enlightenment

never mind the bumbling liberals. it's just been nice not to see the face of that irritating used-car salesman from toronto since the election. god that guy's irritating.

lol @ elliot...."god that guy's irritating".

At this point in time, why would anyone want to be leader of the federal liberal party?

In debt; still having the cronies who moved taxpayer money to ad firms and then to the liberal party coffers; no vision for Canada, no vision for their party, little or no respect, or support in Quebec; and so on.

It is no surprise to me that the persons supposedly leadership candidates are rapdily declining the opportunity/challenge!

Whoever becomes leader may become known as the leader of the Liberals when the Conservatives gain a majority in the next election. Maybe John Turner will volunteer to be the lame duck all over again!

Then again, the Conservatives may mess up big time and lose their minority government position, bringing another election which Canadians do not want-though how could one think the Liberals would be in a poistion to take advantage of that!

I will never vote Liberal (I have in the past when I lived in Quebec) until they clean themselves up (re: fire the wags who were involved in Ad scam) and put forward a vision for Canada. And even then who knows!

Seems to me that BC Mary would be an excellent choice to be a Tyee correspondent during the upcoming Basi/Virk trial.

Or at the very least one of the members of a collective Tyee BlogWatch of the proceedings.

.

March-1-2005 - Going Green
Tomorrow, I am going to be giving a presentation to the Green Party. No, I am not about to change colours. But I do believe that the realignment of politics in Canada provides a great opportunity to promote a green agenda. I have always believed that politics and policy are intertwined. If Prime Minister Martin finally changed his mind on missile defence, it was partly because a sigficant majority of Liberals and liberals opposed the militarization of space. So it is with the environment. A signficant majority of Canadians want early action on Kyoto yet for years, we in Ottawa could not move beause of the power of the oil lobby. Why is it that a minority can command the attention of government while the view of the majority is important during conventions and elections, but otherwise minimized. Those Canadians, and we are millions, who care about the environment, can make their voices heard by supporting legitimate debate on green taxation. The Green Party is uniquely positioned to get these issues on the agenda. To butcher the oft-used epithet, "show me the money,", in this time of minority governments, Canadians can rightfully demand, "show me the green."

' No, I am not about to change colours.' Perhaps not but this could be a signifigant shift in the political spectrum just the same

Old news, note the date on the post, March-1-2005. She gave a presentation on campaign strategy.

"At this point in time, why would anyone want to be leader of the federal liberal party? In debt.."

I know a certain politician from Aurora who could solve that problem...

And what about the $100,000,000. taken from the Dept. of Defence. This was brought out years ago and never investigated.

still beating the tired old basi-virk horse eh mary? i figure gordo and the libs must be in pretty good shape if that's all you can come up with after all these years.
p.s. thanks for enchanting us with your great wisdom 'michael clift'.

actually it was irony

i originally thought you were just another knuckle dragging troll but now i realize that you are actually an observant commentator who adds a lot to the discussion

thanks for the enlightenment

Funny to see the possible leaders bailing out and now saying that the older, tired generation needs to hand over the leadership to the younger Liberal crowd.

GOOD LUCK!

Was Paul Martin's resignation as Leader (Opposition leader as it now appears to be as he is staying on a Party leader until a new one can be chosen) a surprise?

I thought playing cards on election night was an indicator that something was up!

Elliot said:

Well, Elliot, it's not just the unfinished business of the criminal charges involving those aides of Campbell and Martin, what about Doug Walls, Campbell's cousin, who was given responsibility for social services in the interior (yup, with his credentials as a car salesman he's perfect, eh?), plus untendered/over-extended contracts with the government for computers, and wrangling with one of the big banks who he apparently defrauded.

Whatever became of Doug Walls, and all the fraud of public and private concerns he was accused of? I guess we'll never know because the media has been sooooo silent about this. Can anybody enlighten me about Gordo's cousin, and all the stench around him?

old news sunny. no legs. bye.

Doug Walls is on trial for "cheque kiting" along Mike Millard. Here is the story from Opinion 250. Here is the site for the story.

http://www.opinion250.com/blogs/news/archive/2005/12/27/5256.aspx

Walls Case in Court Soon
Doug Walls is scheduled to appear before Judge Evan Blake beginning January 17th.
That will mark the start of the case arising out of the closing of the Fred Walls and Sons car dealership back in 1998.Â*
Walls is charged along with Mike Millard on charges of fraud over $5000 .00 dollars.Â*Â*
Millard has opted for a trial in the Supreme Court before a Judge and Jury.
The CIBC claims it lost $2,000,000.00 dollars through check kiting during the final days of the Fred Walls and Sons car dealership.Â*

About the computer scandal... it was 160 mil, and Compaq cut a cheque to the feds for 159 mil.

SS- 'blog nazi'you've been outed, we know who you are and who you work for. You've been permitted one more mistake by the Tyee and you are gone.

On the other hand, Sacha looks quite promising as an apple fallen from a very interesting tree. Consider also that while the Trudeau boys' mother may not have been particularly brilliant, her father was grand old warhorse of the Liberal Party in BC, and no slouch in the political smarts department.

Nevada? New York? Louisiana?

The UN is too politically-loaded to be able to say the straightforward truth, common on toilet-stall walls throughout the anglosphere in various forms: "Government is organized crime", also known as "Don't steal, the government hates competition". In truth, and I'm not kidding, the foundation of central government is believed to be the extortion racket, er, centralized taxation system, imposed on the people of what was to become the Duchy of Normandy by their Danish-brigand masters...(in historian Colin McEvedy's opinion, anyway).

As for this "organized crime getting into government" logic; says a lot about the post-Ollie North United States doesn't it? Drug dealing, arms smuggling, dealing with the enemy; all sanctioned by the government, and all which helped build up the international drug empire now being taken over by the people in the countries which were exploited by its creation.

Yes, indeedy, organized crime is a big problem with government. Especially with governments which claim to have the high moral ground.

Of course, once the BC government got into gambling, half of organized crime's former business got taken away. Won't be too long now before the government decides to go for the whoring and self-medication profits.....