I was playing crib with my Dad and missed CTV news. MKBraaten didn’t.
Don Drummond, VP/Chief Economist: CTV said that Drummond told them he first heard about the announcement via email, 4 hours in advance of announcement. Also, stated that Liberal strategists in Ottawa were the source of email. CTV quoted Drummond as saying �Alot of people seemed to know there was an announcement coming and a few people seemed to know what it was.�
Jim Leech, Teachers pension fund – CTV said that Leech received emails at about 2 pm stating that the announcement was guaranteed. CTV Quoted Leech �I got a bunch of emails around 2pm saying for sure Goodale was making an announcement after the close.�
Sandy Mcintyre, Sentry Select Capital: CTV reported he sent the following email: �There is a strong rumor out of Ottwa that Goodale is going to pronounce after the close today his trust solution�hope my sources are right!� Mcintyre said his sources were quoting �well connected Liberals�.
Richard Nesbitt, CEO TSX Group: According to CTV, Nesbitt purchased $759,000 worth of stocks hours before the announcement and made $100,000 in profit the next day. However, he could not be reached for comment, yet his spokesman said that he was only filling up his core holdings before the calendar year end.
Video.
The NDP have a fact sheet up on the chronology of Ralph Goodale’s Income Trust announcements. Note especially the entry that features forensic auditor Al Rosen.
Friday morning update – Bourque has lots of breaking stuff on this, including a Globe & Mail item suggesting Goodale insiders are trying to shift blame to the PMO.
Aides to the Prime Minister were told about a taxation change for income trusts “some time immediately before” Mr. Goodale made the announcement after markets had closed on Nov. 23, Pat Breton, a spokesman for Mr. Goodale, said yesterday.
While it is not unusual for the PMO to be informed of high-profile policy announcements, this indicates that the list of officials who had advance knowledge of the pending change went beyond the Finance Department and Mr. Goodale’s office.
Yes, that is all fine and dandy, but did you beat your Dad at crib?
I’m not sure that it’s enough that there was a knowledge of a pending announcement — that’s not uncommon. For this to stick, it has to be knowledge of what Goodale’s decision was.
And I think most investors would have looked to the pending election and bet that it would be the decision that Goodale made. So the big question is did these ”senior Liberals” suggest which way Goodale was leaning?
Chip: only 13 of some 55 companies that trade were involved. Certainly ALL or most would have been invilved if it were “good speculation”
follow the money is always the key.
but insider trading is hard to prove. take the case of wacky bill jr. in BC twenty odd years ago. they showed that he made phone calls to his broker minutes before the market opening and the pending announcement but couldnt prove what he said. even if the broker sold all his holdings almost instantaneously. It was about the most obvious case ever until the Larry rickmans and bre-x boys showed up.
You were playing crib with your Dad??
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWw
I remember the Bill Bennett Jr. case. Personally, I think it was decided correctly. While the phone call did look bad, it was not the smoking gun because no one could prove what was said in that phone call. My theory being that if they could convict him on such flimsy grounds, what could they do to the average citizen who could not afford the high priced lawyers to defend such a charge?
That being said – I think he was guilty as sin – but that could not be proven.
The extreme irony to the Goodale story is that his Nov.23 “surprise” announcement was intended to neutralize the whole self-induced income trust fiasco from the campaign. Sweet.
So, has the OSC spurred into action, or are they still snoozing on the sidelines?
got the spiny little devils didn’t we.
Goodale’s foes in Wascana expect to benefit
Last Updated Dec 29 2005 04:11 PM CST
CBC News
While the income trust controversy plays out on the national scene, opponents of Liberal candidate Ralph Goodale predict it will be a part of the local election campaign in Regina as well.
The NDP’s Wascana candidate, Helen Yum
The New Democratic Party said Wednesday it had been informed the RCMP would investigate an NDP MP’s complaint that Goodale’s office may have been involved in a leak of information about income trusts that affected stock market activity.
The NDP has been calling on Goodale to resign, but Goodale told CBC News he won’t do that.
“I’ve had phone calls from many parts of the country last night and this morning and the message is the same from top to bottom � there is strong personal support and encouragement,” he said.
Brad Farquhar, the Conservative candidate for Wascana
Brad Farquhar, the Conservative candidate for Wascana
Goodale said he’s mounting a tough campaign and won’t let this be a distraction.
But Conservative Brad Farquhar, who is challenging Goodale in the Regina riding of Wascana, said his campaign is already benefiting from the questions about the finance minister.
“We had people calling to say, ‘Listen, I’m so mad at Mr. Goodale, I want to make a contribution,'” he said. “Now that there’s a criminal investigation, Mr. Goodale should just step aside and let that take place.” >>>
http://www.cbc.ca/sask/story/goodale-local051229.html
What a waste of Web space.
Your posts repeat information without adding anything. There was knowledge of an impending announcement and lots of speculation. The “smoking e-mail” you refer to contains confirmation people knew an announcement was coming, nothing more. There’s no sign they had details.
All of this has been in the news for over a month and there is still no proof that anyone knew what was in the announcement; even the RCMP corroborate this.
That�s the key point.
Who’s gonna make windfall profits on THIS announcement?…Frik, it just goes on and on. The LPC is in mid-election campaign with 3 scandals dogging them in the election time frame…is this unprecedented?
The fact that Goodale didn’t do the conventional honorable act of stepping down until he was cleared, to avoid accusations of tampering with the investigation, tells us all we need to know.
What is it with Librano Cab-mins who never follow parliamentary protocol and resign when under investigation…well Sgro did but the investigation was fixed before she resigned.
Stick with crib Kate, following this Liberal sleaze will jade you beyond redemption.
“Officially Screwed” counts:
33 RCMP Investigations into Liberal Government Activities
TrustOnlyMulder at 11:01 pm on December 29, 2005
Sent to me via email.
RCMP investigations into Liberal government activities
OTTAWA � Yesterday’s announcement that the RCMP are conducting a criminal investigation into the Income Trust Scandal is just another chapter in an ongoing saga. Here are some media reports of RCMP investigations over the past three years: >> more
http://www.officiallyscrewed.com/blog/archives/00000074.html
via bourque
Some Liberal apologist said: “All of this has been in the news for over a month and there is still no proof that anyone knew what was in the announcement; even the RCMP corroborate this.”
That is simply false, to a near-treasonous degree:
“Aides to the Prime Minister were told about a taxation change for income trusts “some time immediately before” Mr. Goodale made the announcement after markets had closed on Nov. 23, Pat Breton, a spokesman for Mr. Goodale, said yesterday.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051230.wxgoodale1230/BNStory/National/
From MK Braaten:
“Tonight CTV National news had even more devastating news for the Martin Liberals. CTV has found individuals who offered evidence of a leak from within the Ministry of Finance. The main highlights of the newscast are as follows:
* Don Drummond, VP/Chief Economist: CTV said that Drummond told them he first heard about the announcement via email, 4 hours in advance of announcement. Also, stated that Liberal strategists in Ottawa were the source of email. CTV quoted Drummond as saying �Alot of people seemed to know there was an announcement coming and a few people seemed to know what it was.�
* Jim Leech, Teachers pension fund – CTV said that Leech received emails at about 2 pm stating that the announcement was guaranteed. CTV Quoted Leech �I got a bunch of emails around 2pm saying for sure Goodale was making an announcement after the close.�
* Sandy Mcintyre, Sentry Select Capital: CTV reported he sent the following email: �There is a strong rumour out of Ottawa that Goodale is going to pronounce after the close today his trust solution�hope my sources are right!� Mcintyre said his sources were quoting �well connected Liberals�.
* Richard Nesbitt, CEO TSX Group: According to CTV, Nesbitt purchased $759,000 worth of stocks hours before the announcement and made $100,000 in profit the next day. However, he could not be reached for comment, yet his spokesman said that he was only filling up his core holdings before the calendar year end.
http://www.mkbraaten.com/2005/12/29/ctv-provides-evidence-of-actual-leak/
Tips from high ranking Liberals is anything but “speculation”. And the story specifically referred to a trader as saying a few knew what the announcement was going to be.
Of course, the moral of the story on such comments by Liberal supporters is that, they’re fine with a select few profiting hugely on the backs of average Canadians. Why? Because its the Liberals doing the offending conduct.
That’s the problem with a corrupt regime. They bring all their supporters/defenders down to the gutter with them.
In regards to Richard Nesbitt CEO of the TSX had lot of confidence he was doing right thing when he invests 759,000 dollars. Does that smell to anyone?
Whether anyone will be found guilty in court of law – may be very difficult to prove – does not mean that crime has not been committed.
Even OJ was found innocent.
Rob Wiebe farted, then wrote:
“The “smoking e-mail” you refer to contains confirmation people knew an announcement was coming, nothing more. There’s no sign they had details….there is still no proof that anyone knew what was in the announcement; even the RCMP corroborate this. That�s the key point.”
Try to follow along here, without getting too confused. First, no one is supposed to know there is an announcement. It is incompetent in the extreme for Goodale or anyone else to have even intimated that. Second, the proof some had details (aside from the interviews dug up by CTV in a matter of hours, as opposed to the months the RCMP will take) is that the speculation was not over the entire day, but only in the hours leading up to the announcement. And it all favoured the actual announcement, an announcement that was so closely held and so unexpected, even the Finance Minister’s own parliamentary secretary stated at the time of the announcement there would be a tax on income trusts. Third, while the RCMP have confirmed they do not yet have proof, the Commissioner’s letter verifies that after a month of gathering information, they have evidence of a crime. Otherwise, there would be no criminal investigation. THAT’S the key point.
However, given that you believe the Liberal spin so completely, I have a tropical island in Hudson Bay you might be interested in.
Clearly, no one should draw any conclusions as to why there was such heavy trading in Medisys until we’ve had an 80 million dollar inquiry- with an election to follow within 30 days of the release of the report.
Besides, I want to know what Martin has in his briefcase. Surely we need to know whether Paulie’s as adept at SHOW AND TELL as J.C.
From today’s Winnipeg Sun:
“Fri, December 30, 2005
Grits without honour
If the Liberal Party of Canada had a shred of honour or decency left in it, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale would have tendered his resignation as a cabinet minister on Wednesday night, and it would have been immediately accepted by the PM.
Goodale’s department is the subject of an RCMP investigation into whether there was a leak about changes to income trusts that allegedly resulted in a spurt of insider trading on the stock market before the announcement was officially made. Prime Minister Paul Martin said yesterday that he’s standing by his embattled finance minister. “He is a person of the greatest integrity, and he will not be stepping down,” Martin said.
If he’s a person of such great integrity, however, then it’s all the more reason why he should step down. Because, unlike the Liberals, we still believe in concepts like ministerial accountability and the greater good. And there’s the bigger issue of the overall integrity of the government.
Goodale simply must resign as finance minister while his department is under criminal investigation.
And while our regular readers might find this hard to believe — although it is the truth — our urging of Goodale’s resignation is based on principle, not partisan politics. If the finance minister were a Conservative, we’d be calling on him to step aside as well.
As the Conservative party pointed out in a press release, there is ample and recent precedent for ministers stepping aside temporarily while their departments have been under criminal (and even non-criminal) investigation, the most recent being Goodale’s counterpart in Ontario, provincial finance minister Greg Sorbara, who stepped aside just a couple of months ago after it was revealed he was named in a warrant in an ongoing RCMP investigation.
Judy Sgro, one of Goodale’s colleagues, quit as immigration minister last year over a number of allegations of wrongdoing in her department. B.C.’s fisheries minister John van Dongen stepped down in January 2003, and was reappointed to cabinet after a special prosecutor cleared him. Similarly, Rob Sampson resigned from Ontario’s cabinet in 2001 and was also reappointed to cabinet when he was cleared of wrongdoing.
If the RCMP find there was no insider trading and no leaks of the income trust announcement, then Goodale would be free to rejoin the cabinet — assuming that the Liberals form the next government.
But in an election where Liberal corruption is already a major issue, having Goodale arrogantly refuse to voluntarily resign only further proves to Canadians why this government doesn’t deserve to be re-elected. ”
A liberal butt snorkeler yammers: “All of this has been in the news for over a month and there is still no proof that anyone knew what was in the announcement; even the RCMP corroborate this.
That�s the key point.”
Actually the “key point” there is that this has been the new roll of the RCMP simce the Liberals made a Liberal Minister their director. The RCMP is brought in to sanitize Liberal crimes by “finding no evidence”.
Fortunately the tax payers have a private sector forensic auditor ( Rosen) interested in the case. That scrutiny may help sharpen the RCMP’s eye for “evidence”.
It appears the PMO is now under criminal investigation in this matter as well. Remember Goodale said only himself and few people close to him knew he was going to make an announcement and what he was going to say. What about short sales just before Goodale announced that he would be looking at income trusts?
I think the whole thing is a ploy. How come the Ontario Securities Commission are out and almost silent on this?…They are better positioned than the fed police to do this investigation…I smell a rat. I agree with you as my gut instinct tells me the leak came from Martin’s and/or his office for past “favours” from well connected Liberals.
I would not be surprised that around Jan 18, the RCMP comes out screaming that Goodale and his finance dept. are clear of any wrong doing and the MSM will spin it as yet another vile attempt from those bad bad opposition parties attacking them poor Lieberals…Remember that Martin is holding on to Goodale right now stating “He’s a man of integrity, blah, blah, blah” and the MSM is spinning that right now.
And of course, after exonaration, they’ll spin it so it will look like (If you don’t care to read the fine print, like most Ontarians) that it came from no other than Dr. Evil Harper where in fact the NDP were the first to initiate the call for investigation…This would be enough excuse for many Liberal voting ‘bleeding hearts’ and/or cowards to carve their X’s in the red zone yet again.
WL Mackenzie Redux, what are you smoking? It was the Commissioner of the RCMP who wrote the letter, in the middle of the election campaign, that guaranteed there would be no political interference in this election. Who do you think is the “Liberal Minister in charge”? It certainly wasn’t the Commissioner, the #1 official in the department.
And if he’s a Liberal, they’re in far more doo doo than they ever dreamed. The opportunity to have killed this has passed, in part because the Commissioner’s letter has forestalled that option. So if he’s a Liberal, he must have found something even a butt-kissing sycophant couldn’t ignore.
I don’t buy it. And I don’t think you should throw around wild and unsubstantiated accusations. Let the RCMP “get their man” (or woman, as the case may be).
Does anyone doubt that the internet is not having an effect in this election? The corrupt Liberal government is daily losing its former enabling media partners to the relentless pressure from internet bloggers, forcing MSM to do their job of unbiased reporting of events to a more knowledgeable public.
The media gatekeeping is over!!
When the liberal trolls come out from under the bridge and try to downplay the story it only proves beyond a doubt that the story is doing irrepairable damage to the liberal party.
News flash
The newest development is that it wasn’t someone in the FMO that leaked the info, it was someone in the PMO.
Lets use a recent judicial inquiry report to determine who is responsible. Seeing as this is no doubt a “small group of operatives” and not the minister himself, the finance minister does not bear responsibility. However, as the PM initiated this change in policy, he and he alone bears responsibility for the leak and should take the full blame for this breach of trust.
If its good for Chretien, its good for Bucky…..or is Bucky going to blame someone else yet again.
“only 13 of some 55 companies that trade were involved. ”
I wonder how many of these companies were paid a visit by Liberal bagmen/fartcatchers the next day rattling the Party Donation Can ??
and I wonder if there is a correlation between the “lucky 13” and previous donations to the Liberal Party ? ? ?
and hwo many of the Lucky 13 are card carrying Liberals ? ? ?
Maybe the Lucky 13 are just getting what they are entitled to and the rest of us just get screwed.
Here’s a question I’ve had for a little while now. Perhaps you folks could help.
When the government fell and the writ dropped, did the ministers not effectively loose their positions and become “candidates” instead? It’s my understanding that during an eletion campaign, there are no MP’s at all. Only candidates. Is this correct?
If it is correct, Goodale wouldn’t have to step aside as finance minister because he technically lost that position when the writ was dropped. Further to that, would attempts to try to get him to resign or step aside, at this point, not be simply wasting energy?
Please, let me know if I’m out to lunch on this one…
For those who are worrying that this is all a big set up and that the RCMP will clear the gov’t of all wrong doing before Jan 23…
This is in the Globe and Mail (of all places:
“The RCMP criminal investigation into the possibility that Ottawa’s plans for income trusts were leaked could reach the Prime Minister’s Office, and police warn the probe could last months beyond the Jan. 23 election.”
I’m NOT cheating on my income tax, I’m only,…How’s it go?…”only filling up my core holdings before the calendar year end”
That’s f#$%ing rich!!
That’s his excuse!
That’s it!
I love it, no shame, flat out boasting dare to do something about it.
This guy is the head of Canada’a largest (only) stock exchange.
The TSX has their own investigative body who is always at odds with the Ontario Securities Commission for more powers to selfregulate.
The guy makes a huge trade based on what is at the time undisputably privelidged insider information.
Un f#$%^ing believable.
I’ll go stick up the 7/11 and use… “please put the money in the bag “I’m only filling up my core holdings before the calendar year end””
This takes it to a new level that needs to be expressed.
The liberals have been stealing our tax dollars (admitted by Chretien under oath at Gomery)
This regular stealing of our taxes is likely going on under other programs set up in the same way Adscam was, to hide the money in trust so the auditor general can NOT examine it.
This is not good enough for the slimey money grubbing overlord liberal thieves.
Based with the cold realization that liberals may very well be cut off from access to the never ending supply of our money to steal, they steal the retirement funds of those hardworking sucker Canadians that have been able to salt a few bucks away.
These pricks are now working on our AFTER TAX savings.
It’s realy mind boggling stuff, that any Canadian could be so closed minded to wish to submit to such masochism.
Who the hell is still calling themselves a liberal?
You know except the head of Toronto Stock Exchange.
Further, here’s what potential visitors to Toronto have heard in the last 48 hours.
1) Don’t come to Toronto to shop because you could be shot by savages who have demonstrated their willingness to shoot into a crowd of screaming women and children!
2) Don’t invest in Canadian Securities because the head of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Minister of Finance are running it like a mob numbers game!
Enjoy your tax return!
Just as a question, beyond the possible legal benefits (if the RCMP investigation ends with charges) how does it benefit Goodale to shift blame to the PMO? Isn’t it more typical to find a low level scape-goat (like an intern or junior employee) to blame?
NoOne: This may be my wishful thinking coming through…could we be seeing the first visible cracks between high level Liberals? Perhaps Mr. Goodale is straight as an arrow and is pissed off beyond belief that someone in the PMO is making him go through the wringer for something they did?
I guess I was off base:
“The Prime Minister and Ministers remain in their positions until a new government is sworn in.” – http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/Procedural_fact_sheets/fs_dissolution-e.htm
I guess ‘ol Ralphy “G” needs to step aside after all…
Also, our Hoar frost is so much more beautiful in the morning then those dumb Americans Hoar frost. sarc/off
Richard Evans wrote: When the government fell and the writ dropped, did the ministers not effectively loose their positions and become “candidates” instead? It’s my understanding that during an eletion campaign, there are no MP’s at all. Only candidates. Is this correct?”
No. The government continues to be the government, the Executive (i.e. the Cabinet) continues to exercise power, and each MP continues to attend to constituency business. This continues until several days after the election, after the election results are certified.
However, by convention, their power is held in abeyance except to meet an emergency. The same goes for the public service, which does not generally hold public meetings, make policy decisions and commitments, etc. The government slows to necessary functions during an election.
That is why the news release from the RCMP is extraordinary, and smacks of political interference. No other news release has been issued by the RCMP except those announcing actual charges, or those dealing with time-sensitive events that are of public interest. Nor was it necessary – all of the information that the public needed to know was already available by reading a copy of the Commissioner’s letter. This news release seemed to have been issued for one reason only – to give the Finance Minister political cover. It may have been issued by the RCMP, but its final wording is determined by the Privy Council Office.
“How come the Ontario Securities Commission are out and almost silent on this?”
Could it be perhaps that some of them at the top were also in the know and benefited? Has this happened in the past as well? I bet it has.
And yes, absolutely, the Internet and Canadian Blogs are having a huge effect in this election. The news media in Canada will never be the same again. That’s about as good as it gets for me.
I hope every one of these bastards who profited from these leaks goes to prison for a long time. If not then it’s the end of the TSX as we’ve known it. No-one in their right mind would risk giving their hard earned cash to these guys.
The RCMP have released this news release at this time for a reason. Could it be payback? Could it be because they are sick and tired of political interference in their work? Could it be because they’d “love” to see a CPC win so that they can get their autonomy back?
richfisher. AMEN!
NoOne. This isn’t the “first visible cracks” as you put it. This goes way back to before Martin was elected. The Liberal Party is split into two factions and they hate each other. We are witnessing the total meltdown and destruction of a once proud political party in Canada.
I’m really enjoying this!
John C: That was my “first visible cracks” thought. And I guess what I really meant was – the first visible cracks between PMPM and one of his own cabinet members. Of course the Liberals are a divided house between Chretienites and Martinites. But surely all those in Cabinet are Martinites and my speculation is that maybe Ralph is the first Martinite to turn his back on PMPM.
Could we be so lucky?
sooz. I knew it. I’d read your other posts and knew you understood exactly what was happening. Just wanted to clarify it. As for Ralph turning on Martin it would not surprise me if Martin is asking Goodale to step down right about now, hoping to stem the tide by making it look like this is all Goodale’s fault. The only reason I think he won’t do this is because I don’t think Goodale would go easily into the night.
Look for more bombshells over the next three weeks. I think we might see additional announcements of criminal investigations into other Liberal corruption by the RCMP. I wonder how many other “letters of request” have gone out to the RCMP lately? The word “criminal” is becoming synonymous with Liberal these days.
And it isn’t only the split in the Liberal Party that’s noticeable. The RCMP investigation is a split between them and the Liberal Party. And I wonder how many lawyer insiders are thinking they should be getting on the right side of the CPC right about now?
I can’t wait for when the CPC takes over in Ottawa. The gun law will be killed and an immediate investigation launched into where all the $2 billion went. This will be the end of anti-gun legislation in Canada. That’s gotta make a few world government types at the UN a mite unhappy. Disarming the citizens of western democracies has been their main objective. That and of course skimming off millions from aid programs for third world countries.
If martin can manage to weather this storm and can squeek out another minority, would it be plausible that other faction of the liberal party breaks off and forms a new independant liberal party?
If they can’t renew because Martin won’t step down, they may have to make the split official.
Has anybody noticed that the media are actually doing their jobs? Reporting this stuff? In-depth? I’ve wondered often why the Libs seem content to sit out this campaign. I thought I had the answer when I heard a Toronto-based commentator remark that he had it on good authority that certain Libs were telling their constitutents to vote Tory this time around because there are more than a few jockeying for the leadership of the Librano$. Certainly, the Libs cannot be relying totally on negative ads to win this? And they announced their platform before the election even started, so really, there’s nothing to say. What gives? When you have the media doing their jobs, you know there must be something going on behind the scenes.
richfisher, a double amen!
CTV just reported that “annonymous baystreeters say that the RCMP may be on a iwld goose chase”. The following story was about how the RCMP failed to repond to a 911 call and an innocent lady died…
Yeah, I’d take the word of anonymous bay streeters over those who risked their careers and possible incarceration coming clean on CTV last night.
If Goodyale steps down, is he still entitled to his entitlements? If so, what are those entitlements? In other words, if he leaves because of the investigation, does he receive some sort of compensation that he would not recieve if the fine people of Wascana sent him packing in January?
With all of this happening we seem to have forgetten about the senior’s that lost thousand’s of their hard earned money in sept2005 when Ralph started fooling around with the Income Trust’s. The conservatives were the only party to rise in the house & question what was going on. Monte Solberg asked numerous times about it, only to have it sludged off by Ralph. These people will never recover the money that they lost prior to nov.23/05, Is this outrageous issue finaly going to be the one that get’s rid of this corrupt political party let’s hope so.
Does anyone know how to hold a leadership convention during an election? Heh!
Strathy asked: “If Goodyale steps down, is he still entitled to his entitlements? If so, what are those entitlements? In other words, if he leaves because of the investigation, does he receive some sort of compensation that he would not recieve if the fine people of Wascana sent him packing in January?”
No, there’s no severance for what you lose as Cabinet Minister by stepping aside. The good news for Ralph is that on January 23, he can start drawing on the MP pension plan, which is pretty lucrative. He’ll never have to work again.
Just caught the top news stories on CTV at 11:30. The top headline, and the only one about the IT scandal, was the one about “insiders” on Bay Street saying that the RCMP is on a witch hunt and that the “leak” was common knowledge on the street.
Not a word about anything else.
In all the discussion about �was there a leak, was a crime committed, will the RCMP be able to find proof� an essential point has been missed. In the first few days after the announcement it was obvious to a wide range of people that a leak was highly probable. Ralph Goodale at the same time stated that no leak occurred and refused to call in the RCMP or the Ontario Securities Commission to investigate. Ralph Goodale, as a Minister of the Crown, by taking these actions prevented the timely investigation of this event. These acts in my opinion constitute Criminal Obstruction of Justice. Regardless of what the RCMP finds in their investigation of the leak Ralph should be arrested based on his attempts to prevent the investigation.
Rebel, chill. Willful blindness to unproven events is not a criminal code offence.
However, this is the kind of nonsense that Ralph should have considered when he made the incredible decision that a few more weeks of Cabinet pay is more important than principle. The fact that he COULD obstruct justice is enough reason for him to step aside. The Liberals have lost the right to demand the benefit of the doubt.
What would the RCMP response have been had the NDP asked the Mounties to look at the PMO instead of the FMO? Would there been a response? Maybe what the RCMP is telling us is absolutely true (i.e. needs further investigation) because they know all fingers point to the PMO. The NDP asking about the Finance Dept made things convenient for both the Libs and their friends at the RCMP. And as someone wrote earlier, don’t be surprised with a mid-Jan headline reading “Goodale cleared” or some such bullshit.