Gomery: Chretien's Riding & $$$, Morselli 'Da Boss', Poll, Jean-René Halde to BDC & Committee Reports

Chretien's riding drop-off point for $60,000 in cash in '97 campaign: inquiry Brian Daly, CP, May 11, 05

Former party organizer Marc-Yvan Cote told the inquiry he brought the briefcase of $100 bills to Shawinigan, where the cash was handed out to at least nine candidates who had gathered to kick off the 1997 campaign.

He said the cash was one-half of a $120,000 sum he received for the 1997 campaign from Michel Beliveau, then head of the party's Quebec wing. [. . . . ]

Beliveau testified Friday that he gave Cote $200,000 from Chretien's friend, graphic designer Jacques Corriveau.

Gomery has now heard three former Liberal officials bolster ad man Jean Brault's claims that huge cash sums were funneled to the party in the 1990s. [. . . . ]

Gagliano's friend was the real boss: inquiry Peter Rakobowchuk, CP, May 11, 2005

[. . . . ] Daniel Dezainde [head of the Quebec Liberal wing at the tim] told the sponsorship inquiry Wednesday that Gagliano informed him after he was appointed in May 2001 he would not be responsible for financing.

Dezainde said one of the first people he met after replacing Benoit Corbeil was Joe Morselli, a Liberal fundraiser.

[. . . . ] He testified that Corbeil introduced Morselli as "the boss, the real boss," and if he had any financial needs Dezaine should just give him a call.

Corbeil also warned him not to get on Morselli's bad side, he added. [. . . . ]

Search: alleged recipients , federal ministerial aides , for members of Quebec Premier Jean Charest's cabinet , a team of 30 "fake volunteers"




Gomery Info and link to this poll question.

Will the Gomery Inquiry and its revelations into the sponsorship scandal bring down the Liberal government?

81.94 % Yes
18.06 % No

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Stacking the Lifeboats: BDC -- Committees

Standing Committee on Industry, Natural Resources, Science and Technology Committee Report: (Remember Mr. Beaudoin of the BDC?) Certificate of nomination of Jean-René Halde to the position of President of the Business Development Bank of Canada

Your Committee has considered the Certificate of Nomination of Jean-René Halde to the position of President of the Business Development Bank of Canada referred on Friday, April 22, 2005, pursuant to Standing Orders 110 and 111. — (Sessional Paper No. 8540-381-22-15).

This was announced today by the Industry Min. but the above was signed by Brent St. Denis, Chair. in April, note.

Stacking the lifeboats before the ship goes under? How many will be appointed to protect those who need protection?




New BDC chief had 'tough' time at Irwin Toy -- Bid to settle lawsuit over pay owing to former employees Barry Critchley, May 11, 05

David Emerson, federal Minister of Industry, named Jean-Rene Halde president of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). He starts on June 20. The salary range for the CEO is $246,700 to $290,200.

[. . . . ] "It is interesting to hear the words of Minister Emerson, but my experience -- and the experience of almost 250 employees at Irwin Toy -- is decidedly different," said Andrew Hatnay, a lawyer at the Toronto-based firm of Koskie Minsky.

"Together with his partner Richard Ivey, Halde left them high and dry when Irwin Toy became insolvent in December, 2002, and all the employees were terminated three weeks before Christmas without being paid termination and severance," added Hatnay, who has been leading a class action lawsuit against Halde and Ivey for almost two years. [. . . . ]

By some estimates the 21-month trip cost Ivey about $50 million. Here's a potted history. The information comes from the web site maintained by Koskie Minsky. [. . . . ]

This is an excerpt from the Koskie Minsky website.

CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT

We commenced a separate class action lawsuit against the Directors of Irwin Toy (Jean René Halde and Richard Ivey) for the same amounts we claimed on your behalf in the insolvency proceedings. The lawsuit seeks that those amounts be paid personally by the two Directors (instead of by the company).

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Standing Committee on Justice, Human Rights, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee Report: Certificate of nomination of Yves Le Bouthillier to the position of President of the Law Commission of Canada May 9, 05

Definitely getting the "appointments" to the judiciary in order before . . . . .



Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs Activity: Briefing session from the Military Police Complaints Commission -- Here is the message: "No data is currently available for this item"

It's like Liberal promises -- all sound and fury, signifying . . . .Are the Libs anxious that this one not get out in time for the election? Why announce it if there is nothing for citizens to read?



Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics
Committee Report: A New Process for Funding Officers of Parliament

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Goodale, PM and $$$ for Ontario

It takes a Fiberal to know one Editorial, May 11, 05

On Monday, Goodale said the accord that Martin and McGuinty said was worth $5.75 billion over five years in fact contained only $1.9 billion of new spending.

And even that, Goodale said, wouldn't kick in for two years.

The remaining two-thirds of the money, Goodale noted, had already been provided for in his Feb. 23 budget, or in the $4.6-billion deal Martin made with NDP Leader Jack Layton on April 26 to prop up the PM's minority government.

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