Chuck Guite's testimony--Input or Interference? You decide.

Andrew Coyne's article in The National Post (Apr. 24) is entitled "The world according to G. Gordon Guite". He is playing on the idea of Guite being like G. Gordon Liddy, the Watergate conspirator. Liddy liked to regale the U.S. Senate committee investigating that scandal with tales of his various capers. Guite tells us about the time he bought up $8 million worth of billboard ads for his Liberal masters. No contract, no tendering, just a phone call to a Montreal media organization. Also like Liddy, he saw nothing wrong with breaking ("bending" in Guite speak) the rules. The end justifies the means was their common credo.

Coyne points out that, for Guite, any pressure from Chretien's crowd to do certain sponsorship contracts, or use certain pre-selected ad agencies, was mere "input"; however, if it came from Martin it was blatant "interference". A fine distinction that would elude we hoi polloi.

Much more priceless is his claiming that just because there were no invoices, or tenders, or even records written on the back of cigarette packages, that did not mean there were no file records kept. No, he kept them in his head. This would prevent that wily enemy, the Separatists, from getting at them through the Access to Information Act. Wow!

Why didn't teachers think of that when making up final exam marks? -- "Well, John failed because he made 37.2% on his finals. Proof? I memorized the result, before I shredded the exam." Oh, the problems could be avoided from irate parents and students, if teachers would just use Chuck's method.

The machinations that these guys consider normal leaves the public flabbergasted. One thing was consistent though, Guite took Dingwall's warning to heart: "You won't rat on them [the PC's], so you won't rat on us." Thank you Mr. Guite for elucidating the workings of government.

© Bud -- it was also good to understand how the few documents that Guite claims did exist -- on his exit -- disappeared. "Mr. Cutler, [the main whistleblower in the department] destroyed them", Guite said without a moment's hesitation.

Guite's scalpel cuts with precision, does it not? This is why we need whistleblower legislation independent of what Paul Martin is allowing -- which will NOT protect good people who want to do the right thing. NJC