The REALity: Libs & Funding -- Spoor? -- Toronto Port Authority (TPA)

LIBERAL PARTY'S LITTLE FUNDRAISING WAYS -- Read and bring it to the attention of others.

The embarrassment to the Liberals was because the data laid bare the fact that the Conservatives had received more than twice the amount in contributions from individual donors than the Liberals. The Tories received $10.9 million from 68,000 individual Canadians, whereas the Liberals received only $5.2 million in donations from 17,501 individuals.

[. . . ] the Liberals have their own little ways to make up for any loss of income. . . For example:

* a secret $5,000 a head cocktail party in Calgary with Mr. Martin in attendance. . . . a $200,000 plus bonanza for the Liberal party. [. . . . ]

* Another scheme by the Liberals to lose money was revealed by the Globe and Mail (August 17, 20 and 24, 2005) when the Liberal government gave $35 million to the Toronto Port Authority (TPA). The TPA, whose operations are vague at best, was established under the Canada Marine Act. It has three Liberal politicians involved in administering it. They are: Transport Minister, Jean Lapierre; Immigration Minister, Joe Volpe; and Toronto MP, Tony Ianno.

Because of the Port Authority's mysterious ways, it is known locally as "Little Mexico-on-the-Lake." The $35 million was allegedly given to the Toronto Port Authority to settle a law suit. However, not a single lawsuit against the federal government or any of its agencies, or the Port Authority itself has ever been filed. Nobody knows the names of the beneficiaries, none of whom have filed a claim for this money. What is also most peculiar is that the Port Authority is prohibited under the Marine Act from receiving any government subsidies. In short, who got this money - and why? Who were the lobbyists in all this? . . . . MP Jack Layton raised a question about this lost $35 million in the House of Commons (Hansard: June 7, 2005 p. 6728) but none of the three Liberal politicians involved, nor the Port Authority itself, have ever bothered to respond to his and other enquiries about the "lost" money.

. . . how many other little cubby holes. . . . many others hidden from view and sadly removed from the reach of Auditor General Sheila Fraser. . . . won't be able to look into the $35 million grant to the Toronto Port Authority because the Marine Act conveniently provides that the Toronto Port Authority is not an agent of the Crown except in restricted circumstances, that happily (for the Liberals), does not apply in this case. Therefore, the grant is out of reach not only of Mrs. Fraser, but also of Parliament, since the Toronto Port Authority is legally a separate entity from the government.

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a genuine talent for "losing" taxpayers' money that never seems to be recovered

Jane Stewart [And check out elsewhere information on Min. Pierre Pettigrew who ran the department before her; I always wondered if Stewart were not appointed to take the fall, should it come to that. She was a good soldier for the Liberals under Chretien, and where is she now? ]

another record breaking multi-billion dollar surplus

surge to $11.3 billion in the 2006 fiscal year.

Ipso Reid Poll

a substantial rise in the proportion of undecided

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