Democracy Watch has background on who was hired to vindicate[1] Immigration Minister Judy Sgro;
To conduct the investigation into Sgro's and others' actions, the Ethics Commissioner hired (without a contract bidding competition) law firm Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG).� BLG donated $165,000 to the federal Liberals between 2000 and 2003 (2004 donation figures are not yet publicly available); donated more than $25,000 to Paul Martin's campaign for the Liberal Party leadership; has three partners representing Liberals before the Gomery Commission inquiry (David W. Scott and Peter K. Doody representing Jean Chr�tien, and Guy J. Pratte representing Jean Pelletier), and; in February 2005 hired Gar Knutson, former Cabinet colleague of Sgro.
Curiously, the reports that Sgro has been cleared of wrongdoing are premature at best, as the Ethics Commissioner has not yet delivered his report. Most of the media is running on reports from Sgro's staff.
The National Post seems to have actually, eh, fact checked the report.
Ethics commissioner Bernard Shapiro is refusing to confirm a report that former immigration minister Judy Sgro has been cleared of alleged conflict of interest.In fact, Shapiro says his report into the matter isn't finished.
He will only say he released a confidential letter to Sgro answering a question she asked him in November.
He won't discuss details of the question or his response.
Hmmmm... damned faint "vindication".
Footnote:
[1] - Perhaps I worded that clumsily. I suppose the technically accurate term is "investigate". Hair splitting, really.
That's the way it's done these days - just ask Kofi and Volcker.
National Socialism wins again. Wins the battle; but, not the war.
Down with National Socialism.
Long live freedom and democracy.
To be fair, they have also give to the PCs and the Reform/Alliance in that same period.
They give to those that can and do have power to ensure the river of cash continues to flow. The connections between lawyers, law firms and political entities are just a little to close for my liking.
Anyways onto Sgro, I want to see her defeated in the next election in York-West even if that seems highly unlikely.
I caught the fact checking as well. I was was watching the CBC via real player and its astounding! Reading between the lines she's vindicated herself and nothing more,
In fact Shapiro has found that Sgro staff acted
inappropriatetly and put her in a position of conflict. Her staff must have recommended to her that the Romanian stripper be given the temporary resident permit since the minister acts on her staff's recommendation. Although the ethics commissioner could not conclude that she personally knew of this conflict because there is no direct evidence he gave her the benefit of the doubt and concluded rightly or wrongly that staff did not inform her of the conflict. Well the bottom line is that she is held resposible for her staff and her department and everything they do-this is a given in government.