May 14, 2005

UN, Saddam, Chirac, Galloway Pascua & Related

Saddam spies 'offered to help Chirac get re-elected' By Francis Harris in Washington, Henry Samuel in Paris and David Rennie in Brussels, May 14, 05

Saddam Hussein's spies planned a wide-ranging scheme to bribe members of the French political elite in the run-up to the Anglo-American invasion, including an offer to help fund President Jacques Chirac's 2002 re-election campaign.

That bid failed, according to Iraqi secret service papers seen by The Daily Telegraph, when Mr Chirac's aides allegedly said they did not need the cash.

[. . . . ] The spies claimed that Mrs Bachelot offered an assurance that France would veto any American proposal to invade Iraq at the UN Security Council and would work to have UN-approved sanctions against Saddam lifted. [. . . . ]


Search: between its representative in Paris and Roselyne Bachelot , a who's who , claimed that Mr Chirac's team had turned down




Oil-for-food: Former French Interior Minister Pascua & UK Labour MP George Galloway

Oil-for-food probe fingers 2 politicians 12 May 2005, CBC
UNITED NATIONS - Evidence is mounting that high-profile politicians from France and Britain benefited from the United Nations oil-for-food program, says a U.S. Senate committee looking into the scandal.

The politicians – the former interior minister of France, Charles Pasqua, and British member of Parliament George Galloway – denied the accusations Thursday. They also said the committee has given them no chance to participate in the process of finding out what went wrong with the program. [. . . . ]

* A contention by former Iraqi vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan that Saddam personally approved allocating 11 million barrels of oil to Pasqua for resale from 1999 to 2000 "because of his opinions about Iraq."

* An allegation that an aide to Pasqua refused to give Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization a written request that oil contracts be handled through a Swiss company called Genmar, saying such a letter could lead to "political scandals" in France. [. . . . ]


"Honour" . . . again.

May 12, 2005

Greg Weston: RCMP probe stirring pot

RCMP probe stirring pot
April 12, 2005, By Greg Weston -- Sun Ottawa Bureau

In the latest episode of Desperate House Lies, Paul Martin's government has announced it is calling in the Mounties to find out who stole all the stolen sponsorship money otherwise intended for the Liberal Party in Quebec. [. . . . ]


I had posted an item concerning this previously: High Praise for the Liberals -- Canada's No. 1 organized gang -- the Hells Greg Weston, Licia Corbella and the Toronto Sun, "RCMP probe stirring pot" April 12, 2005, Greg Weston, Sun Ottawa Bureau

The players in Gagliano's circle G&M Saturday, January 12, 2002 - Page A4

Crack Conservative opposition now onto RCMP Written by Joel Johannesen, April 12, 05.



Frank Sebastian Nucci -- "Cocaine dealer skips out on bail" Natalie Pona, May 12, 2005

He could sell enough cocaine to make up the amount he forfeited in short order. He had pleaded guilty; why was he allowed out of jail at all?


Diane Francis: Canada doesn't have to be a corrupt duchy

Note: an update has been added to the post entitled "While the Janjaweed Throw Deadly Spears, Paul Martin Throws a Ditherer's Desperate $$$ & Diplomatic Support to the African Union in Darfur"



Now that the CBC is trying to push the idea that ALL politicians are corrupt, this is extremely relevant. Of course, CBC has an ulterior motive -- and NOT ALL politicians are corrupt. You just haven't met many since the Liberal hegemony of the last many, many, too many years.

Canada doesn't have to be a corrupt duchy Diane Francis, Financial Post, May 12, 2005

The greatest damage to Canada by the corrupt Liberal regime over the years has been the spread of cynicism among the voting public.

[. . . . ] The problem with Canada is not its politicians, the Liberals excepted. The problem with Canada is the political system itself, which has no checks and balances. The result is that it's been run like a corrupt little Third World country. And promises last year by Paul Martin to correct this have not been acted upon.

[. . . . ] Fixing the system is not difficult and the measures contained in the Conservative platform would do the trick.

[. . . . ] Systemic, sleazy and shameless come to mind when describing the Liberal government. But it doesn't have to be that way. To stop future corruption, the next Parliament must create a system that imposes checks on all future politicians.
[. . . . ]


Search: business abroad , forget guidelines , All contracts granted under the RFP, or Request for Proposal , a scam used by Liberals in two Crown corporations , Liberal expense accounts , Crown corporation pensions , immigration and refugee

Diane always has good ideas; it is a shame she hasn't run for political office.


While the Janjaweed Throw Deadly Spears, Paul Martin Throws a Ditherer's Desperate $$$ & Diplomatic Support to the African Union in Darfur

There is an update post below this first section with the PM's latest on what he is so concerned about in Darfur, Sudan, and what he is planning.

Dithering, desperate, dangerous, distressed and probably depressed, Paul Martin faced the mainstream news media outside the House of Commons at noon, avoiding the topic of the day. Instead of discussing the topic uppermost in democratically-challenged Canada, that is, the fractured Canadian Parliament inside the House, PM had obviously flailed around to find a way to get a vote from David Kilgour.

Diverting attention from the House, in facing the mainstream media, Paul Martin hid behind discussing the atrocities in Darfur. Buttressed by Senator Mobina Jaffer, Senator Romeo Dallaire (General's book "Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda") and supported by Canada's Ambassador to the African Union, the PM talked of Canada's newly-discovered need to do something about the atrocity in Darfur. Belatedly, he decided to take action by sending aid to the African Union in southern Sudan.

Desperately seeking David Kilgour's one vote to cling to power, Paul Martin stated--promised is too ephemeral a word for this man and his government--that he would do the following:

* PM will provide, maybe--up to--100 troops--sorry, "military experts"

* In the interest of "achieving peace in Darfur", PM promised that he would be "investing"--which always means spending Canadians' tax money--$170-MILLION, atop the $90-MILLION he promised previously in April. Remember, PM's promises are like blowing kisses--virtually meaningless--though they may garner votes. Have you forgotten his pre-election promises last year?

* Democratic deficit?

* Universal day care promised by JC in 1993 and now, in 2005, PM is promising ANYTHING to cling to his precipice--as long as it doesn't help stay-at-home-mothers. [They might teach their children something about God, independence from government and not trusting Big Brother.]

* Get to the bottom of the Sponsorship / ADSCAM / Liberal Slush Fund Scandal? He desperately wants it to end before more is revealed.


* PM announced that this forced initiative would be $$$ spread over two years--will it be backloaded? Note that the UN has not sent in a military force; to PM it is acceptable to take unilateral action when he needs votes.

* This is not a US endeavour, so sending troops to Darfur without the UN imprimatur is now ethically acceptable to this ethically-challenged government; no US to bash in this action.

* Remember the $$$ Paul Martin promised to the tsunami victims? It never got to the recipients in Sri Lanka, and possibly other places. CIDA connection? (Check Canada Free Press) Is it possible some had to go to supporting Jack Layton's socialist agenda?


* Some of these troops will be slated to provide diplomatic support to the African Union in the south of Sudan.

* How do you suppose our troops will fare? Yesterday, I read somewhere that the place is so dangerous that it is folly to send in 60 troops (yesterday's promise) so how will upping the ante to 100 make any difference? In an area the size of France?


Paul Martin--suffering the loss of confidence of the House of Commons--is demeaning himself and the office of Prime Minister with this weeks's giveaways--BILLIONS to buy votes--and now, this painfully obvious degrading display of debased dignity.

Is it possible Paul Martin has even more massive "interests" to protect than Canadians know? What is causing him to act in such an undignified manner?





Update:
A new press release has emanated from the PMO with caring and details. (thanks to a friend for this).

Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced that Canada is significantly increasing its contribution in Darfur to support international efforts toward peace and stability in Sudan. This pledge includes up to $198 million for more humanitarian aid and increased support for the African Union (AU) Mission in Sudan (AMIS), as well as the creation of a special advisory team to coordinate and promote Canada’s initiatives on the ground.

“I remain deeply and personally concerned about . . . . .

Canada intends to increase its engagement in three areas:

• Nearly $170 million in military and technical assistance to the AU to strengthen its capacity to fulfill its mandate. The contribution includes a renewed commitment and expansion of Canada’s helicopter support, other leased aircraft and a variety of additional Canadian military support, including strategic planning experts, in response to specific needs identified by the AU.

$28 million out of the total $90 million announced at the April 2005 Oslo Donors' Conference, in further humanitarian and peace support in Darfur and Chad through UN agencies.

• Enhanced diplomatic support for the AU-led mediation, to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict in Darfur.

Prime Minister Martin has asked the Prime Minister’s Personal Representative for Africa Ambassador Robert Fowler, Canada’s Special Envoy for Peace in Sudan Senator Mobina Jaffer, and Senator Roméo Dallaire to focus Canada’s efforts and resources in Darfur.

“The advisory team, led by Ambassador Fowler, will report directly to me, and will work with the Sudanese government, the AU and the international community to support the peace process in Darfur,” added the Prime Minister.

The enhanced AMIS is designed to increase stability in Darfur and to protect civilians, while assisting international efforts to encourage Darfuri rebels to return to the AU-sponsored peace talks.

Protecting civilians in armed conflict and ensuring that the international community is equipped to deliver effectively on its responsibility to protect are top priorities of Canada’s foreign policy. The enhanced Canadian contribution being announced today will help the AU bring more stability to the Darfur region, protect civilians and help them restart the Darfur peace talks.

AMIS is separate from the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), which is supervising the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by representatives of the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army on January 9, 2005. That agreement resolved the separate, long-running conflict in southern Sudan. Canada, as part of its holistic approach to Sudan, already participates in UNMIS. The mission includes 31 Canadian Forces personnel and its Deputy Force Commander is Canadian Brigadier-General Greg Mitchell. [. . . . ]




Answer to why the Public accounts committee couldn't get to the bottom of Adscam file last year

Answer to why the Public accounts committee couldn't get to the bottom of Adscam file last year Thursday, May 12, 2005 -- or you may visit the longer, official edition on the government website: External Link: Hansard May 11/05 -Oral Question Period


Hansard-May 11/05 Harper's preamble before the vote on the motion to adjourn

Hansard-May 11/05- Harper's preamble before the vote on the motion to adjourn via Newsbeat1


Liberal-NDP Blow-the-Bank Budget -- & -- Polls

Liberal-NDP, blow-the-bank budget -- Polls

Polls apart only increase the confusion By TOM BRODBECK -- Winnipeg Sun, May 12, 05


[. . . . ] the wildly contradictory results in recent days, some putting the Liberals well in the lead, others suggesting the Conservatives could form government.

Take two recent national polls -- one by the Strategic Counsel and the other by Decima Research Inc. -- which came out the same day.

[. . . . ] Pollara Inc. did a survey from April 25 to May 1 and found 45% of Canadians supported an election, while 41% were against going to the polls.


Nikita James Nanos, CMRP, President & CEO, SES Research who wrote "Feel free to forward this e-mail." Contacts: Tel 613.234.4666 and Cell 613.276.2731

[. . . . ] Research indicated that Quebec voters were more
likely to believe that the problem extended to the whole federal Liberal party
(Quebec 42% whole party, Canada 30% whole party).

[. . . . ] Question - When Paul Martin was the Minister of Finance, do you think that he was aware or unaware that government sponsorship money was allegedly directed to advertising agencies and firms closely linked to the federal Liberals and to Liberal Party organizers?

Aware - 67%
Unaware - 21%
Unsure - 12% [. . . . ]




May 11, 2005

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







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).







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





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.



WW2 Anniversary, Andre Ouelette's Expense Accounts, Morgantaler's 'Honourary' Degree

Interesting bits and pieces about the end of WW11

The returning Algerian veterans, who had fought for France, began demonstrating for independence. The riots led to a hundred Europeans being killed. On May 8, 1945, the French retaliated with air and ground attacks that massacred between 18,000 and 20,000 Algerians. Ironically their massacre began on VE Day.

Hundreds of thousands of Russian troops taken as prisoners by the Nazis, were handed over to the occupying Russian army by the Allies. Some were shot outright and the rest were sent to Siberian concentration camps. Earlier, when Stalin was told by the underground that his son had surrendered and was being kept in Dachau, he said, "I have no son." On hearing his father's retort, the son committed suicide.

Even after it was announced that Hitler was dead, Canadian troops had to keep on fighting the Nazis in Holland. This series of battles created two of the most astonishing tales of Canadian valour. While the word "hero" has been terribly debased, it isn't when talking about these two soldiers. One was an English-Canadian named Aubrey Cosens of the Queens Own Rifles. He single-handledly stormed a German fortress in Mooshof, Holland. Before he was killed by a sniper's bullet, he killed or captured dozens of German soldiers. For this gallant action he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross--the military's highest honour.

Of equal merit were the magnificent exploits of Leo Major, a French-Canadian. Leo lost an eye during the Normany invasion, but refused to be evacuated back to England. In the Battle of the Scheldt, he captured 93 Germans, but he refused on principle to accept the decoration offered. Montgomery, the British Field-Marshal, was going to personally present it to him. However, Major thought Montgomery was militarily incompetent, so refused it. Incredible as that sounds, his story does not end there. With a friend, Willy Arsenault, he scouted out the German positions in the town of Zwolle. When Arsenault was cut down by machine gun fire, an infuriated Major rushed the gunners, killing two and putting to flight the rest. When he reached Zwolle, he attacked German patrols and ran through the street tossing grenades into empty buildings to give the impression of a large attack. When he stumbled into the SS headquarters by mistake, he killed four of them, while the rest ran away. By four in the morning, Mr. Major realized the Germans had fled the town. He had liberated it. This time he did accept The Distinguished Conduct medal--second only to the Victoria Cross in merit, and one of only three awarded to British Commonwealth troops during the entire war. He went on to collect a second DCM, when he led his company in capturing an enemy hill in Korea. Quite a guy! A true hero.

The orgy of rape, looting and general violence that the Russians indulged in during their occupation of East Germany is well documented. Stalin considered it all to be fair recompense for the suffering of the Russian people at the hands of the Nazis. However there were comedic episodes also. This story was related to me by my good friend, Joszi, who was living in Budapest when the Russians "liberated" Hungary. His family was forced to billet Russian soldiers in their house. One day, Joszi heard the rat-a-tat of a machine gun upstairs. He discovered a Russian who had been washing his wooden false teeth in the toilet (he had never seen one before, so thought it was a wash basin). Unfortunately, the soldier had hit the flush button and his precious teeth went down. In his fury he blasted the toilet to pieces with his gun. The soldier claimed that a demon had snatched his teeth, so he killed it. Joszi everafter referred to these soldiers as "far beyond the mountains of civilization".

General De Gaulle, the commander of the Free French, was allowed to enter the freed city of Paris as a liberator; even though he had done practically nothing to win France's freedom. In fact, he was universally cursed by the real heroes of the resistence for allowing their comrades to be slaughtered in the south-eastern mountain region. De Gaulle had promised them an airlift of ammunition and food if they held down a German force. He reneged and the defenders were wiped out. De Gaulle falls into that category that saw every French whore who infected a German and every shopkeeper who cheated them as resistance fighters.

As often as I criticize the Arabs for mindlessly firing their guns in the air, it must be noted that the same thing happened in Okinawa on VJ Day. The Americans fired endless rounds into the air, which caused over 200 American casualties--and who knows how many Japanese ones.

© Bud Talkinghorn




Andre Ouelette's expense receipts are in the snail mail

Speaking of news that CBC doesn't warrant as important, there has not been a single penny of Andre Ouelette's $2 million expense claim accounted for. Canada Post's demand for receipts from its ex-chairman has gone nowhere. Just another item that Paul Martin hasn't gotten to the bottom of yet. By the way, Ouelette's predecessor claimed only around $15,000 in expenses, but than he wasn't Chretien's best boy.

© Bud Talkinghorn




"When Canadians want the whole story, they turn to CBC"

This claim that precedes every CBC half-hourly news update is patently false. You get the news that CBC wants you to hear and it is, indeed, heavily filtered. Not only does the CBC not give you news that might offend the sensibilities of its rather rarified audience, it creates news that fits its leftist agenda. Every day, in every way, it spins its leftish viewpoint. A classic example was seen a few days ago, when reporting President Bush's trip to Belarus. The second sentence that popped out of the anchor's mouth was, "Well, not everybody in the country was cheering his visit." To substantiate this sound bite was a camera shot of about 20 demonstrators waving a banner that called Bush a warmonger. To zero in on such a ragtag group and present them as a credible representation of Belarusian opposition is laughable. But CBC is so anti-American that a single protestor would have sufficed. I sincerely hope, should the Conservatives prevail, that they will weed out this hopelessly biased staff and make Mother Corp's news one that all Canadians can respect.

© Bud Talkinghorn




Granting Dr. Morgantaler an honoury degree

I can't imagine what the University of Western Ontario was thinking when they came up with this idea. Here is a man who escaped death in a Nazi concentration camp, then set up clinics to abort unwanted children. Does he not make the connection between how the Nazis had no compunction about gassing millions of Jews because they too were undesirable and what he is doing with undesirable foetuses? I realize that a certain segment of the university's profs and students would consider abortion a "progressive" social step; however there would be an equal number who consider it plain murder.

© Bud Talkinghorn


Aboriginals, Kakfwi, Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, PM's Profligacy with Your Tax $$$ -- & -- McKenna

Update:

Turn on your radio; something is going on in Washington
-- an unidentified plane flying over the capital . . .


PM too occupied to focus on U.S., McKenna says -- Is this the first salvo in replacing Paul Martin? -- by McKenna?




Ottawa strikes deal with NWT native groups -- Social program funding: Key to getting Mackenzie Valley pipeline underway Grant robertson and Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post, May 11, 05

[. . . . The] federal government agreed yesterday to help fund millions of dollars worth of Northern programs -- a step that could allow the massive MacKenzie Valley pipeline to move forward.

Anne McLellan, the Deputy Prime Minister, and Joe Handley, Northwest Territories Premier, said a preliminary deal was struck that will see Ottawa help fund roads, schools, health clinics and other social projects.

[. . . . ] Mr. Kakfwi said Imperial has offered one-time payments to each of the three major communities affected by the pipeline -- the Gwi'chn, Sahtu and Deh Cho.

[. . . . ] The demands are similar to benefits that aboriginal communities in the Yukon would receive under the Northern Pipeline Act if a rival project, the Alaska natural gas pipeline, goes ahead.


Search: Stephen Kakfwi , $40-million a year in , The only people who are not

By the way, considering the problems with gas sniffing, alcohol abuse, the rise in drug peddling in the Labrador Innu region and Indian / Native Affairs Minister Scott's laxity in not addressing the drug problem by sending the RCMP in, why would anyone expect this government to do any better in the pipeline area? Hope springs eternal?


Background items:

Canada's Aboriginals: Another Idea Frost Hits the Rhubarb, Feb. 22-27, 2004

Search for these headings:

1. Just Say No to Race-based Tax Exemptions Feb. 24, 04

2. May I have a word with you? -- First Nations Feb. 24, 04

3. Victimology 101 Feb. 21, 04

4. This System is Not Working: What is the Solution? Feb. 14, 04 -- Reserves rack up $300 million in deficits, native leaders blame underfunding, Sue Bailey, CP, Feb. 12


This Really Gets My Blood Boiling - My Commentary! -- on Kakfwi a rough diamond by Peter Foster News Junkie Canada, Friday, September 12, 2003



Not too long ago I read that Enbridge had offered to share the pipeline construction with Trans Canada Pipeline, the company that had acquired rights to build it 25 years ago, but the latter had said no.

Paul Martin will pay any amount of your tax $$$ to hang on even by the skin of his teeth and your money; for that reason alone--for his inability to say no if it contributes to his grasp on power, however tenuous--he should be sent out to pasture on one of his ships -- maybe to a retirement villa in the Barbados.

Good soldier Annie announced the preliminary deal. Given the Liberals' penchant for re-announcing their profligacy, ad infinitum, it is undoubtedly only the first of the announcements about this deal. I suspect that Kakfwi should read the fine print anyway. Find out what the "friends of" will be administering.

Watch for "dithering, desperate, dangerous" Paul Martin to sputter: "if 'scary' Stephen Harper becomes PM, all deals are off" -- so you'd better vote Liberal or the sky will fall -- and Paul's deals will implode.

News Junkie Canada Archive


CTV Poll -- RCMP & Canadian Border Services Agency: Dismantling of Counterfeiting Network

Listen to CFRA Ottawa
-- I just heard mention of Mr. Shapiro, ethics counsellor, and why not use FINTRAC to investigate Liberal government corruption. Tune in.


Poll: Do you think the government should resign because they lost yesterday's vote?


RCMP busts fraud ring
Officials say it's seized fake health insurance cards from several provinces, passports, drivers' licences from Quebec and Ontario, and thousands of fake credit cards.

The RCMP say it's arrested the three ringleaders. The trio was working out of Montreal, Toronto and the Mohawk reserve of Akwesasne. More arrests could follow.

Investigators are looking into whether they were orchestrating the entry of illegal immigrants or financing terrorist organizations.




RCMP assisted by Canadian Border Services Agency: Dismantling of Counterfeiting Network -- Project CHARNY -- Canadian banknote, credit card and passport counterfeiting network

A total of 13 charges were laid against three Canadian residents originally from Sri Lanka and Lebanon: Rajmohan JEYARAJAH, a 31-year-old from Mississauga, Thulasinathan THANGAVELU, a 38-year-old from Montreal, and Mohammad A. HASHMI, a 44-year-old from Cornwall.

The latter were charged with uttering counterfeit money, forging Canadian passports, having had in their possession instruments to commit forgery and having had in their possession instruments for forging or falsifying credit cards.

Good show!

May 10, 2005

Today's Links

I am inundated with commitments so posting will be sporadic for a bit.

Whistleblowing 101

Check all the links on Newsbeat1.



Go to www.ctv.ca and vote in the poll at the right -- Poll results earlier today

When do you think the government will fall?

This week 809 votes (30 %)

By the end of this month 872 votes (32 %)

Sometime in June 304 votes (11 %)

It will last until the fall 708 votes (26 %)


Then check the results of the other poll results.




Kofi Annan's black boxes by Judi McLeod, Canada Free Press, Tuesday, May 10, 2005

When it comes to hidden boxes, Annan’s got a history.



NDP leader Jack Layton and Moi by Judi McLeod, Tuesday, May 10, 2005

[. . . . ] As a journalist, I’ve always been on `Smilin’ Jack’s’ case. The premier issue of my newspaper, Our Toronto carried a front page cartoon depicting Layton climbing into a chauffeur-driven city limousine with the bicycle he always used for photo ops strapped to the limo’s back. The cartoon limo’s license plate read: "Caviar Socialist No. 1". [. . . . ]



Has Canada jumped the shark? by Arthur Weinreb, Associate Editor, Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Has Canada jumped the shark? Have we now passed the point where Canada is headed towards an inevitable breakup?



Secret ad payments explained

Ministerial aides to several current and former Liberals, both federal and provincial, were paid under the table during the 2000 federal election campaign, the sponsorship inquiry was told Monday.



Stand up for democracy in Myanmar Posted by Stockwell Day on 09:18:38 2005/05/10, published in the National Post, Tuesday, May 10, 2005

On May 3 and 4, delegates of the government of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) attended a meeting of senior economic officials in Toronto -- at the invitation of the government of Canada. Ken Sunquist, Assistant Deputy Minister of International Business at International Trade Canada, co-chaired the meeting. He responded to protests about the invitation by asserting that while "we discourage companies from trading and investing in Burma," we could not miss an opportunity to "show them the benefits of working together toward a different future."

What makes last week's meeting in Canada so odd (not to mention infuriating) is that our government pretends to officially discourage investment in Myanmar, as well as travel. [. . . . ]

The conference in Toronto is now over and done -- despite our protests. The embassy of Myanmar in Ottawa will now be emboldened to report home that Canada's protestations about democracy and human rights are only window-dressing, and the people of Myanmar who secretly crave freedom will read the censored media reports and wonder why Canada does not speak up.

[. . . . ] Instead of talking about business opportunities, we should be telling Myanmar's junta about our commitment to the promotion of democracy and human rights -- and how this commitment is forcing us to contemplate the speedy termination of diplomatic recognition. [. . . . ]


Don't forget that the Desmarais family's (Power Corp.) TotalFinaElf is in Myanmar / Burma. Business -- scroll down on this site.


China's bullying of Taiwan Posted by Al Gordon on 22:39:06 2005/05/09

The Washington Times

www.washingtontimes.com
What China wants

By Don Feder
Published May 9, 2005

China's idea of negotiations with Taiwan is dictating surrender terms. Last week's events bring this into stark relief. [. . . . ]


Search: Beijing also demanded , Next, the communists probably will demand


Re: The sovereign Taiwan that Martin says doesn't exist Posted by Al Gordon on 09:12:07 2005/05/10

In Reply to: China's bullying of Taiwan posted by Al Gordon

businessweek.com (international)

MAY 16, 2005

INTERNATIONAL COVER STORY

Why Taiwan Matters

The global economy couldn't function without it. But can it really find peace with China?

Want to find the hidden center of the global economy? Take a drive along Taiwan's Sun Yat-sen Freeway. This stretch of road is how you reach the companies that connect the vast marketplaces and digital powerhouses of the U.S. with the enormous manufacturing centers of China. [. . . . ]


Lengthy and worth reading.

Caught on tape: Paul Martin's photo-op from Human Tragedy, ADSCAM "allegations", Clot Busting t-PA

The following article is a great update on business, networks and Zenon mentioned in my earlier post, GG & Order of Canada-Aga Khan & Paul Desmarais, Jr., Tax $$$ to Khan's 'centre for pluralism', Maurice Strong, Zenon, China, Kyoto, Coal, Info Control or see menu at left.



Caught on tape: Paul Martin's photo-op from Human Tragedy Judi McLeod, Canadafreepress.com May 9, 05

You’ll never see this on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

That’s because it’s incredible, shot-on-site film footage that Prime Minister Paul Martin doesn’t want you to see.
Canadafreepress.com editors decided to post it here so that you can judge for yourself.


Search the paragraph beginning: "It starts with the moment the Prime Minister’s helicopter lands in Kalumai, and coincides with the very moment that" . . . .

To download six-minute video right click and save as

The picture that speaks 1,000 words:

Jack Layton and Paul Martin in Sri Lanka.


Do not miss all the articles below the above article on the webpage; even the titles have a tale to tell.




ADSCAM - if this took place in the USA , it would probably fall under racketeering sections but of course these are mere allegations on Newsbeat1, May 9, 05 -- yes, allegations, of course.

Search: intimidation , Denis Coderre , Liberal Yvonne Charbonneau. , Conservative MP Diane Ablonczy , Irene Marcheterre , Jean Lapierre , Benoit Corbeil



Cdn. study supports clot-busting drug for strokes CTV.ca News Staff

A Canada-wide research study has put to rest a long-standing controversy about the use of a clot-busting drug for treating acute strokes.

[. . . . ] The study is published in the May 10, 2005 edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

[. . . . ] "Treatment with t-PA, when appropriate, improves excellent outcomes from stroke by 50 per cent," he says.

Hill notes that in order to be most effective, the drugs must be administered within three hours of the onset of stroke.

"People need to get to hospital quickly," says Hill.

Calgary's "brain attack" team was the first in Canada to offer stroke patients the clot-busting drug t-PA. [. . . . ]



May 09, 2005

Bud: Desperadoes holed up in No Hope Canyon, Mr. Pinata, Air India Trial -- & -- ADSCAM Cash to Liberals

Update 2: ADSCAM - if this took place in the USA , it would probably fall under racketeering sections but of course these are mere allegations -- yes, allegations, of course.

Search: intimidation , Denis Coderre , Liberal Yvonne Charbonneau. , Conservative MP Diane Ablonczy , Irene Marcheterre , Jean Lapierre , Benoit Corbeil


Update: a new post on the Gomery Inquiry

UPDATE ON ADSCAM via Kate posted on Newsbeat1.

Politics Watch is reporting on the Corbeil testimony, and the Paul Martin camp makes another appearance.

The former director of the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal party testified at the Gomery inquiry Monday that he paid nine party staff members and officials $50,000 in cash stuffed in envelopes shortly before the 2000 federal election. [. . . . ]


Link for the rest and for other items.




Desperadoes holed up in No Hope Canyon--The Liberals await "justice"

Day by day, more evidence is presented against the Liberals. As Chuck Guite played tag team match with the twin bruisers, Benoit Corbeil and Michel Belliveau, the Gomery Inquiry was turning into the Liberals' worst nightmare. Corbeil and Beliveau could not be tossed off as minor players by Martin, or by his mouth-piece, Scott Brison. These men were at the highest levels of the Quebec wing of the Liberal party. The testimony from Jean Breault about $25,000 slush fund money stuffed into an envelope was put in the shade by Beliveau's testimony about Mr. Corriveau bringing him between $75,000 and $100,000 in an envelope. Belliveau was happy to receive this illegal donation and no receipt was given. It went to finance the "orphan ridings" in Eastern Quebec. Even though Guite has changed his testimony to accept his guilt and to finally provide names of other conspirators, the Liberals could try to paint his testimony as false. However the two Quebec Liberal officials could not be so easily dismissed.

To compound the problem, Martin has shown he can do more than dither. When Jack Layton presented his budget demand after Martin's TV quasi-mea culpa, Martin caved almost immediately. Thus has the vertically-challenged Layton got to play the mini-me role to Ralph Goodale.


Now, to appease David Kilgore, who quit his party to sit as an independent, Martin is talking about boosting Canada's role in Darfur. So we have the spectacle of an erstwhile Liberal dictating foreign policy. What's next? Perhaps Chuck Cadman will be appointed Justice minister to garner his support against a no-confidence vote.
There seems to be no limit to how far Martin will abase himself to stay in power. As for his promise to reduce the "democratic deficit", he didn't allow his cabinet a free vote on the same-sex union vote, and he appointed Art Eggleton to the Senate, despite Eggleton's being banished from Cabinet for giving his girlfriend a plum salary for a shoddy piece of research. To finally put the kibosh on any shred of democratic reform, Martin is resorting to procedural tricks to avoid a May no-confidence vote. This, he hopes will give him more time to smear and slander his Conservative opponents as scary KKK-types.

Having Reg Alcock claim that Inky Mark is rather far down in the gene pool was a blunder, however. Meanwhile, Martin is reduced to having his caucus sing a hosanna chorus every time one of his ministers trots out, "Let the Gomery Inquiry finish its work". As though Gomery can do anything except detail the failings of the sponsorship plan. Justice Gomery can't even name the villains behind the scam. Unfortunately, for Martin and his party, the average Canadian can do just that. Let it come down!

© Bud Talkinghorn


Amen to that, Bud. NJC







Maybe because it's tax time again


To honour a friend's request, I must mention Paul Martin's Herculean battle against tax-dodgers. Yes sir, he was going to close all those tax haven loopholes. Well, not the Barbados of course, since that is the flag of convenience port for his--sorry, his sons'--CSL business. My friend finds this multi-million dollar tax dodge by Martin as the height of hypocrisy. Then there was that "few thousand dollars of government aid" to his CSL steamship line that actually turned out to be a staggering $161 million.

Hey, Mr. Pinata, can you spare a billion or so?


It was a swift transition from Ralph Goodale telling Ontario that it didn't deserve any equalization money to Martin's initial offering of $3 billion--now reportedly $5.7-billion--though it may be broken down into different envelopes; check that. However, Premier McGuinty knows that, if you just gave Mr. Pinata a few more good whacks, he would spill out more than that. Having bought off two of the
Atlantic provinces with natural resource exemptions from equalization, and setting out "an assymetrical health transfer agreement" with Quebec, there wasn't much room to stiff that huge voting bloc in Ontario. Already, the Liberals had doled out vast sums to Ontario's cities in the form of a share of federal gas taxes and the province will get another $2 billion in daycare payments. As a result, McGuinty gave one final whack and Mr. Pinata split open to the tune of $5.75 billion more. On top of this largesse with other people's money, that is, taxpayers' money, the feds have scattered billions in grants to every conceivable interest group. A little digging would show that many of these clients are a tad leftish in orientation. However, with Layton as stand-in Finance Minister, that is not surprising. The Liberals do have some sense of fiscal restraint, so the West had better not come a'calling.

While Martin was stingy during his days as Finance Minister, he did occasionally loosen the purse strings for worthy causes; therefore Bombardier will again receive a huge federal loan. This deadbeat company might be the champion of corporate welfare, but Martin can't afford to alienate Quebec either. The only question left is how much of this Johnny Appleseed-dispensed swag will end up being kicked back to the Liberal Party.

© Bud Talkinghorn--And to think that the election hasn't even begun. You had better get in line for the goodies.








The Air India trial--its sad conclusion

I haven't seen a travesty of justice to match this one since the OJ Simpson trial. Just as a sidelight, I was in a restaurant in the Florida keys when this verdict was announced. The audience was white and most of them were aghast at the conclusion. A few of the Key's bad boys were high-fiving each other, however. Later in the day, I stopped at a supermarket in south Miami and I watched the Negro checkout girls and the aisle boys do the same. It was frightening to see such tribal empathy for that murderer.

Now we have the same thing happening here. There were numerous witnesses who testified that Bagri had confessed to the crime; yet, their testimony was excluded. Some witnesses admitted they wouldn't testify becuase they believed they would be murdered
, as was Mr. Hayat, the publisher of a newspaper who criticized Sikh extremism. In fact, there was evidence that a few potential witnesses were threatened with death if they went to court. I can't help but wonder if the judge, himself, or members of his family hasn't been threatened. We are entering a new dark era of terrorist thuggery. The CBC presented a special on the background to this trial and it highlighted the intimidation that followed the entire affair. Malik, Bagri's co-defendant paid the wife of convicted Reyat, $116,000, for her silence, presumably. Perhaps more chilling was the scene where Bagri stood in front of a NY crowd of Sikhs and called for 50,000 Hindu deaths as revenge for the seige of Amritsar. That scene cut away to hundreds of sword-waving Sikhs protesting in downtown Toronto. The cops obviously decided to stay away from those fanatics.


Now we have the spectacle of the government appointing Bob Rae as the "special investigator" for this shameful miscarriage of justice. This is a man who, as Ontario Premier, turned a blind-eye to the notorious infliltration of the Tamil Tigers into Toronto. This group used brutal methods of intimitaion to extract money from innocent Sri Lankans. Heck, Paul Martin showed up as an honoured guest to a Tamil Tiger fundraiser, so why not appoint Rae--another mush-mouthed multicult liberal. We are heading for deep trouble with some of our new citizens--the terrorist sympathizers and the criminal types--often the same ones who have entered as "refugees" without documentation or, as Brian McAdam and Cpl Read testified, as people and "business investors" who should not have been able to enter Canada at all, given what the police here and elsewhere knew about them. [Police in Hong Kong, for example. Scroll down for their testimony and the links to even more: The government silences whistleblowers while beavering away--squandering public money -- &-- The Whistleblowers. NJC]

Those who have lived in and / or travelled in a goodly number of these Third World countries, will testify as to the rampant corruption that pervades these societies. It is not simply a case of the elites being corrupt; rather, that mentality has suffused the entire populace. The government is totally corrupt, so why don't we get what we can, is the message. The worst of our immigrants/ refugees have explored our weaknesses and exploit them. Isn't it informative that the man who accused ex-Immigration Minister, Judy Sgro, of promising him immunity from a ten year deportation order, was involved in a massive passport counterfeiting scheme.

The reason that the police gave for his not being jailed was that he had threatened the witnesses with the death of their relatives here and in India. Shades of Bagri and Malik. It is time for our justice system to build a little backbone or we will be be held ransom to the thuggery of our worst immigrants.

© Bud Talkinghorn



GG & Order of Canada-Aga Khan & Paul Desmarais, Jr., Tax $$$ to Khan's 'centre for pluralism', Maurice Strong, Zenon, China, Kyoto, Coal, Info Control

Update: This is in response to the comments that people left at the bottom of this post. I had checked something carelessly. For the new comments and other links and information I added to this post, "GG & Order of Canada-Aga Khan", check the comments here.

http://frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/2005/05/
gg-order-of-canada-aga-khan-paul.html#comments

Related: scroll down for Paul Martin Gives $30-million to the Aga Khan Foundation -- Charity Begins with Taxpayer $$$ . . . Not at Home, Frost Hits the Rhubarb, April 22, 05

http://frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005_04_17_frosthitstherhubarb_archive.html






Note to all Bloggers:

The latest news on hackers -- China is still allowing--sending?--its computer experts into the blogosphere to hack and destroy -- so bloggers must be doing something right, perhaps making note of what some people would like hidden. Stop the hacking, you friends of . . . !





GG Honours Aga Khan with Honourary Companion & Paul Desmarais, Jr. with Officer of the Order of Canada -- Is it a cross-pollination of networks?

Google the words "Aga Khan" AND "Desmarais" -- very interesting, and don't forget that the Liberals have just announced they are abusing / using your tax $$$ to give funding to the Aga Khan's Ismaili Islamic "new global centre for pluralism" in Ottawa -- when many Canadians are out of work, in need of health care $$$ and much more. I wondered why. Then, I saw a few links which made me think some more.



Why would the Gov. General backdate Order of Canada appointments? -- Or so it appears from the webpage.

A little while ago, I wrote on the Liberal government's donation to the Aga Khan's endeavour in Canada -- Paul Martin Gives $30-million to the Aga Khan Foundation -- Charity Begins with Taxpayer $$$ . . . Not at Home April 22, 05


His Highness the Aga Khan, C.C. Gouvieux, France -- Honorary Companion of the Order of Canada Canadian News Wire (CNW), February 8, 2005

His Highness the Aga Khan, C.C.
Gouvieux, France
Honorary Companion of the Order of Canada

Personifying cherished Canadian values, His Highness the Aga Khan has devoted his life to protecting the environment and alleviating human suffering due to poverty. Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims since 1957, he has guided the spiritual growth of his followers, teaching compassion and tolerance by example. In 1967, he launched his foundation, the Aga Khan Development Network, with branches in countries around the world, including Canada. Recognizing our nation's caring spirit, he cites Canada as a role model for the world and has selected Ottawa as the home of a new global centre for pluralism.


[. . . . ]

Just down from the above was this announcement:

Attention News Editors: Governor General announces new appointments to the Order of Canada

OTTAWA, Feb. 8 /CNW Telbec/ - Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, today announced 74 new appointments to the Order of Canada, including three promotions within the Order. The new appointees include two Companions (C.C.), 17 Officers (O.C.), 54 Members (C.M.) and one Honorary Companion. These appointments are in effect as of October 29, 2004. Recipients will be invited to accept their insignia at a ceremony to be held at a later date.

On the recommendation of the Order of Canada Advisory Council, the Governor General is pleased to announce the following awards: [. . . . ]

OFFICERS [. . . . ]
Paul Desmarais Jr., O.C. Montreal, Que. Philanthropy
[. . . . ]
HONORARY COMPANION
His Highness the Aga Khan, C.C. Gouvieux, France Philanthropy

To obtain the citations for the recipients, please visit our Web site at:
www.gg.ca . [. . . . ]


Search: Order of Canada Backgrounder , The current members of the Council are:

One could ask why the Order of Canada honour is being given to someone who lives in France. Check the list and will recognize some names -- a cross-pollination, as it were. Check for yourself.

The following excerpt is from the keynote address was given by the Aga Khan in 2004 in Quebec. I have mentioned before that this government has been moving Canada away from her traditional ties and toward Europe, particularly, France.




Aga Khan Speaks on Preventing the Failure of Democracy and Understanding the Muslim World -- Keynote Address at the 2004 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference, Quebec, Canada May 2004, The Institute of Ismaili Studies

On May 19, 2004, His Highness the Aga Khan delivered the Keynote Address at the 2004 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. Across the river from the country’s capital, the Aga Khan spoke to over 200 future leaders from across the country in the presence of Canada’s Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson on this year’s theme of ‘Leadership and Diversity’. [. . . . ]

The Aga Khan observed that humanities curricula in educational institutions in the West rarely featured great thinkers and scientists of the classical age of Islam . . . .

[. . . . ] The Aga Khan took the occasion to announce the establishment by the AKDN in Ottawa of The Global Centre for Pluralism: a secular, non-denominational centre that will engage in education and research and will also examine the experience of pluralism in practice. It will draw upon Canadian expertise and work closely with governments, academia and civil society to foster enabling legislative and policy environments. In addition to strengthening indigenous capacity for research and policy analysis, the Centre will offer educational, professional development and public awareness programmes.

Earlier, the Aga Khan had discussions with Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and held separate meetings with other senior government officials in Ottawa.


Make a guess as to where all this is going. But, bear with me. There is more, of interest.

Now, think about that, the Aga Khan's intentions announced in 2004 -- and this year, he received the Order of Canada.





While checking the above, I found this on the CNW website [Google for more information on CNW -- intriguing], which I checked and -- lo and behold, more interesting news -- which follows in the next post concerning Maurice Strong, Zenon, and China




Maurice Strong's Zenon: Chinese Power Plant to use ZENON Membrane Technology for Desalination Pretreatment Apr 11 2005

China will have one of world’s largest membrane systems for seawater desalination incorporating ZeeWeed® membranes as pretreatment for power plant.

OAKVILLE, Ontario, April 11, 2005 – ZENON Environmental Inc. (TSX: ZEN and ZEN.NV.A; OTC: ZNEVF and ZNEAF) will supply the Yuhuan Power Plant, located in Zhejiang Province, China with its immersed ultrafiltration water treatment technology. The company’s ZeeWeed® membranes will pre-treat seawater before it is desalinated with reverse osmosis membranes.

[. . . . ] “We’re very excited about this project, which is one of the world’s largest installations of its type,” said Andrew Benedek, ZENON Chairman and CEO. “Our ZeeWeed® technology is the ideal complement to extending the life and improving the performance of reverse osmosis membranes, particularly for seawater desalination.”

The power plant will house four sets of 1,000 MW (mega watt) coal-fired steam turbine generators, which will be built in two phases. The first phase of construction is scheduled for completion in 2007 while the second is set to be commissioned in 2009. [. . . . ]


Check this but I believe I remember a Canadian company (Lavalin? Bombardier? or another?) is going to be working on a COAL plant in China, for I remember thinking at the time that this can't be correct. Why would Canadians be involved with a COAL plant -- with all the talk of the environment?



But, there is more on the CNW site:

ZENON Selected to Supply World’s Largest Membrane Bioreactor -- Total order valued at $30 million Mar 16 2005

OAKVILLE, Ontario, March 16, 2005 – ZENON Environmental Inc. (TSX: ZEN and ZEN.NV.A; OTC: ZNEVF and ZNEAF) announced the company has been selected to supply King County in the State of Washington with the largest membrane bioreactor in the world. The ZeeWeed® MBR (membrane bioreactor) will treat an average day flow of approximately 144,000 cubic metres of municipal sewage or 38 million gallons per day (MGD) with peak flows up to 204,000 cubic metres or 54 MGD, serving over 100,000 households. In addition, the company received an order for a second smaller plant, which results in a total order value to ZENON of $30 million. [. . . . ]



Maurice Strong is on the Board of Directors of Zenon. Check whether he owns a piece of Zenon; I have a vague memory of this information being on the Canada Free Press site.

================================================

Board of Directors includes "Maurice F. Strong is Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations and President of the United Nations University for Peace." and former CEO of Ontario Hydro and former Pres. of the Desmarais Family's Power Corp.

Mr. Strong is the former President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ontario Hydro. Prior to this, he served as President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Petro Canada and earlier as President of Power Corporation of Canada.

Mr. Strong serves as a director or member of a number of national and international organizations and corporations. His illustrious career has included appointments such as the Senior Advisor to the President of The World Bank and Chairman of the World Resources Institute, among numerous others.

He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2000. Among his numerous associations, Mr. Strong is internationally recognized for his leadership of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 (the Earth Summit).




Where is all this heading -- in my opinion?


Are Canadians expected to believe that there are not "business" connections between Paul Martin's desperation to buy the Canadian electorate with their own money, his mentor Maurice Strong of China's enviro-car and Zenon, the Desmarais family's Power Corporation and their TotalFinaElf business in Myanmar / Burma (scroll down for a post in French on this), Bombardier's business in China and undoubtedly elsewhere, and other "business" interests, along with others in the network?

Update: Someone has suggested I might want to re-think my comments below and that is a fair suggestion. Perhaps I am a bit harsh; however, when I hear of "loans", "initiatives", "grants", "forgiveable loans", "honours" and the like emanating from this government I go psychologically ballistic. I had written previously today, trying to figure out the connection and the cynic in me says there is or will be one. Nevertheless, I have added the section in bold to the next paragraph.

The Aga Khan is from Pakistan. Now, exactly where does he fit into the PM and his Liberal claque's equation? -- Into the network? -- Simply a fine, upstanding philanthropist? Perhaps there is no connection but I just find the sequence of events before the granting of Canadians' hard-earned money--$30-million--to the Aga Khan Foundation rather intriguing.

Let's see, now, there is going to be a Bombardier component to the railway through Tibet to -- is it the capital? There is a road going through Bangladesh (the old East Pakistan). What else is planned? I believe SNC Lavalin out of Montreal is involved in the China Southeast Asia area, as well. Just follow the yellow brick road -- and then end up at the Olympics and "business" interests.

I smell rats -- "business" rats. Of course, all this is in my humble opinion. You read and form your own ideas.

Then read the next story -- with a political rat connection.





Kyoto: triggering government funding & "broadcast quality" -- Government information control is insidious.

Kyoto Protocol--Propaganda or Censorship? by Garth Pritchard, Canadafreepress.com, Saturday, May 7, 2005

Last Thursday, I received a telephone call from Douglas Leahey, Ph.D., representing a group of Canadian scientists under the umbrella of "Friends of Science." It seems that they had been talking to Peter Worthington of the Toronto Sun, and he had mentioned to them that they should get in touch with me.

[. . . . ] Then I found out what their documentary was about. The story was incredible: it documented scientists--from Canada--speaking out against the $10-billion scam known as the Kyoto Protocol.

Yes, the very same Kyoto Accord that our government has committed Canada and Canadians to support.


[. . . . ] The Canadian government created an entity known as Telefilm and the Canadian Television Fund--a $250-million slush fund of taxpayers’ dollars. A bureaucracy that in theory provides funds for the creation of Canadian programming. Hidden in this monolith are a few interesting rules: [. . . . ]


This is engrossing and shows Big Brother in action. Do you ever wonder about the "news" that is "allowed" to be heard through the Liberal Propaganda Organs? Unbelievable! I have told readers before to check Canada Free Press. Well? Just go and check that site. Judi McLeod and her other writers are GOOD!


Are you starting to see a pattern to awards and honours? Not yet? There is more to come -- eventually.

How do people become NGO's who then are funded by your tax dollars and furthermore, represent you abroad and at the United Nations?

Oh, by the way, you are NOT allowed to know how much the Liberal government spends of your tax $$$, funding these NGO's either. It's a "privacy" issue, I suppose. Just try to find out.


Start digging. See if you see any interesting networks and patterns.


Note -- & -- Ekos "poll claims most Canadians want a change in government."

Note: If you are pressed for time, do not miss these:

* "The government silences whistleblowers while beavering away--squandering public money -- &-- The Whistleblowers" -- lengthy but important

* "Bombardier building "Roof of the World" railway China to Tibet, Chretien's Network of Interests, PowerCorp / TotalFinaElf in Myanmar/Burma, Lawsuit &" -- just read it.



The media are going to do all in their power to keep the Liberals in office. Why were they so silent when Adscam was running? They didn't know anything -- with all their excellent contacts? Or did they want to sanitize the Liberals' reputation?

This poll claims most Canadians want a change in government. While the pro Conservative polls get lost, the pro Liberal polls make it to the front page. It looks as if some shenanigans are going on with pollsters, also. The media just drive the poll headlines into the public's mind but don't let them know that the pollsters or the media had government contracts or worked for the Liberals, nor do the media report on the methodology- For example, who answers polls more readily, Conservatives or Liberals? More than likely Conservatives don't answer telemarketers or pollsters and so results can be skewed, unless the pollsters come clean on all their methodology.

For the media, after all, if their Liberals get in they can get more work so why not skew things a bit? Who would be the wiser?

Canadians Ponder Change In Government May 7, 2005

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Many Canadians believe their country might benefit from a new federal administration, according to a poll by Ekos Research Associates published in the Toronto Star. 60 per cent of respondents believe Canada needs a new ruling party in Ottawa. [. . . . ]
Polling Data

Please rate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement: "After so many years of Liberal government, I really think the country needs a new ruling party in Ottawa."

Agree 60%


Disagree 14%

Neither 25%

Not sure 1%

Source: Ekos Research Associates / Toronto Star
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,212 Canadian adults, conducted from Apr. 26 to Apr. 28, 2005. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.



New Media Source: Newsbeat1 on the Fourth Estate -- & -- "Update on scientists who disagree with Kyoto-video via LGF"

Newsbeat1: "Since there no checks and balances in a one Party state, the more watchdogs the better"

The Fourth estate in Canada seem to have evolved into a government filter rather than acting as a devil's advocate for the public who don't have their resources. [. . . . ]


Search: Andrew McIntosh , patronage plum




Newsbeat1: "Update on scientists who disagree with Kyoto-video via LGF"

Since there is heavy demand for this, you may have to bookmark and come back to it later. According to the Canada Free Press, Canadian media weren't interested in broadcasting it for some strange reason.


Climate Catastrophe Cancelled: What you're not being told about the science of climate change

At a news conference held in Ottawa, some of North America’s foremost climate experts provided evidence demonstrating that the science underlying the Kyoto Protocol is seriously flawed; a problem that continues to be ignored by the Canadian government. [. . . . ]


This is worth reading. At the bottom of this post, do not miss the list of scientists -- sources for information.

Also, there is a Hansard May 6, 05 entry, which should enlighten you on your government -- or read the whole thing here:
Hansard May 6, 05



Update 2:

See an update entry on this above on Frost Hits the Rhubarb: look for "GG & Order of Canada-Aga Khan & Paul Desmarais, Jr., Tax $$$ to Khan's 'centre for pluralism', Maurice Strong, Zenon, China, Kyoto, Coal, Info Control" and scroll down for the last part of this post, "Kyoto: triggering government funding & "broadcast quality" -- Government information control is insidious." and check this section in it, Kyoto Protocol--Propaganda or Censorship?, by Garth Pritchard, Canadafreepress.com, Saturday, May 7, 2005 -- or or go to the source.


Jack's Newswatch

Jack of Jack's Newswatch is considering quitting -- just when Canadians need another source for his views and links to news items that often our Liberal Propaganda Organs do not report -- or play down. Why does the mainstream media do this? In the interest of . . . . . what? Not the public!

People like Jack are needed news sources. He checks all over the world for items; we hope he doesn't quit.

Why not check out his personal views in Jack's Notes ( on his website, see menu at left or copy and paste this: http://jacks-notes.blogspot.com/ ), his blog Jack's Newswatch and Jack's Newswatch Archives -- if he has not already deleted the whole thing. Send him a note if you like what he has done; an email address should be on his site somewhere.
[Update--email: ottertek@execulink.com]

Come on, Jack, don't give up now. Your work is too good and has taken too much time -- for you to delete it now. Also, it takes time for Canadians interested in the news to find good bloggers.


Paul Martin and Claque: buying votes in Ontario with your taxpayer $$$ -- $5.7-BILLION of them

Ottawa, Ontario make a $5.75-billion deal CTV.ca News Staff, May 7, 05

Ontario will be getting an extra $5.75 billion in federal financial support over the next five years -- money that will mainly go into immigration, skills training and post-secondary education.

[. . . . ] McGuinty claims Ontarians send $23 billion more to Ottawa than they get back -- the "fiscal gap."

The feds have previously dismissed McGuinty's argument. Prominent pundits like the Toronto Star's Thomas Walkom have also questioned it.

But the political math is simple for Martin: His party currently holds 74 seats of 106 in Ontario. He'll need every one of those if he hopes to stay in power after the next federal election.



The government silences whistleblowers while beavering away--squandering public money -- &-- The Whistleblowers

They also have allowed the major crooks to operate quite freely with no consequences.

From a reader


If westerners want the Conservatives to become the government, they should work hard at the constituency level to make sure their MP's get back into the House of Commons, while relieving some of the better known MP's to campaign in Ontario.

Harper should be pounding the roads in Ontario especially in the last few days of the campaign. He disappeared too early in the last election and a couple of free spirits made matters worse with some outlandish remarks that were exploited a few days before the election.

Jason Kenny, Stockwell Day, Rona Ambrose, Diane Ablonczy and a few others who have safe seats should be beating the bushes in Ontario during the campaign. There are plenty of citizens in Ontario who are ticked with the corruption.

The media pick and choose who they will put on air in order to support their agenda of aiding the Liberals, to make it appear that most people are against the Conservatives and are "afraid " of Harper's hidden agenda. The Liberals' hidden agenda has been to steal taxpayers' hard earned money to remain in perpetual power. Kyoto is the Liberals' hidden agenda--the costs, that is. Kyoto will make the costs of the gun registry look like child's play.

There are 30+ seats available to the Conservatives in Ontario if they get their act together and act as if they know how to run a government instead of sniping at each other. The Liberals will take advantage of the sniping. They have daggers in the back for their own.

The money that's been falling off the government Brinks truck across the country consists mostly of back ended, future promises, such as the $10 billion for security ( which is complete hogwash -- How many were hired in security services with that $10 billion?) and $13 billion for the military ( where about 80% will come in years 4 and 5) It's mass communication with most of the media siding with the Liberals. The Conservatives just have to get over it. There are ways of bypassing them -- door to door literature, talk shows,blogging.

Many in Ontario have been anaesthetized by the Liberal-friendly press. They'll be doing all in their power to demonize the the Conservatives. Here's the bottom line. With gas prices so high, government services ( healthcare ) down and taxes up, many people don't have time to spend on politics. They are doing everything to keep their heads above water -- which is the way the Liberals like it. Knowing that the Liberals poured their hard earned money down the toilet, while they have had to go without for some things, a new car, a vacation, child's university education, et cetera, is going to make them furious. If the Conservatives can get this message out, they'll be the next government. Forget the hard core Liberal supporters; there are about 40 % of Canadians who don't bother voting. Maybe some of them will make it to the polls this time when they see their money evaporating through corruption.

To sum up, the Liberals tossed out billions before the last election ( just after the Auditor- General's report on ADSCAM -- (which the government stalled with some slick manoeuvering). They ended up with only a minority. This time, people know much more about how their money was squandered and they are not going to be too happy, no matter how the media spin it.

Remember, the government is pulling billions of $$$ out of thin air. -- Where did this money come from? -- Overtaxation. By the way, those involved in Adscam seemed to have been living pretty high off the hog with taxpayers' money. Let's not forget that the sponsorship was only 1% of the Public Works budget. The deals with their friends would make the sponsorship would look puny if some media types got off their butts and bothered to look at the rest of the Public Works Dept.

Just look at what happened to Jon Grant from Canada Lands when he objected to the shenanigans. What happened with the sponsorship wasn't an aberration, it was systemic. Just look at what happened to whistleblowers in the government who were trying to protect Canadians? Then understand why the government hasn't passed any effective whistleblower protection in 13 years.

They prefer the public be kept in the dark when it comes to the way their money is handled.

Those in the West should be volunteering to get their candidates elected and free up the MP's so they can be making the rounds in Ontario. There are 30 seats+ just waiting for a competent, honest government. Those 30+ seats, plus a few more additons across the country, will make the Conservatives the next government. The campaign is underway so don't wait for the official notice.

It is time to roll up the sleeves and throw a government that's long in the tooth and corrupt out of office.

Before casting a vote, every Canadian should be aware of the testimony of these whistleblowers if they want to go beyond the media spinning and see how their government really operates. Let's not forget what happened to Beaudoin at the Business Development Bank when he tried to protect taxpayers' money. The bottom line in all of the sponsorship testimony -- the Liberals taught Canadian children that it's OK for people to steal. There is nothing more reprehensible than that.







Thanks to the reader for that. Now, to remind everyone of some of the whistleblowers . . . . .

I wrote about some whistleblowers here: Robert Read ex-RCMP: "Triads had infested Canada's immigration system" -- "a political silver bullet" -- NATIONAL SECURITY February 15, 2005 in Frost Hits the Rhubarb, week of Feb. 13-19, 05

Search the page for the headings below:

The Report: 38th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION -- Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates -- EVIDENCE: ex-RCMP Corporal Robert Read, ex-foreign service officer, the blunt ex-foreign service officer Brian Adams, Joanna Gualtieri, Canada's expert on whistle-blowing, civil servant Allan Cutler, et cetera, February 3, 2005 -- you may download it. -- or copy and paste this into your browser -- ( http://www.parl.gc.ca/committee/CommitteePublication.aspx?SourceId=100732 ).

* Bill C-11 Whistleblowers and Quotations: Cutler, Selwyn, Read (RCMP), McAdam (Foreign Service Officer)

* Bill C-11 Whistleblowers, Introduction: Mr. Leon Benoit CPC -- EVIDENCE-Quotes from Mr. Allan Cutler, Mr. Selwyn Pieters, ex-foreign service officer in Hong Kong, Brian McAdam and ex-RCMP Corporal Read
[. . . . ]


You may
read the parliamentary record here: EVIDENCE Thursday, February 3, 2005

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]
via Prime Time Crime Whistleblowers

Try to read the whole thing. It is lengthy but you will know more about whistleblowing and what happens to whistleblowers when you have finished. Four people gave evidence:

Mr. Allan Cutler: . . . .

[. . . . ] In the mid-1990s, I became aware of persistent irregularities in the procurement of advertising and related services
within Mr. Guité's group at PWGSC
. At first I didn't think of myself as a whistle-blower. I simply thought there was a serious abuse of the contracting rules that needed to be rectified.

What I observed going on was totally outside my experience as
a long-time procurement officer at PWGSC. [. . . . ]

In my case, it was clear that my immediate supervisors did not appreciate my raising concerns. In April 1996 I was told I would suffer the consequences and pay the price if I continued to refuse to sign the documents that were improper.

Because there was no established procedure for reporting wrongdoing within the department, I approached my union, the Professional Institute of the Public Service, for advice. The union wrote to my ADM outlining my concerns about contracting irregularities. I was asked to go to the internal audit branch within PWGSC.

When I reported the situation to internal audit, I was promised protection from retaliation.
I knew I would quickly be identified as the source of the disclosure; that went without saying. For that reason, I considered the promised protection from retaliation to be essential. Unfortunately, the promised protection wasn't there when I needed it. Shortly after I went to internal audit, Mr. Guité called me in and told me I would be declared surplus.

When the Auditor General made her initial report public in 2002, she stressed that any public servant who had relevant information should come forward. In May 2002, I sent an e-mail to PWGSC requesting permission to go to the Auditor General and asking for confirmation that there would be no reprisals for doing so. The next day I was told that I would have to meet with the manager of internal disclosure at PWGSC. I was informed this authorization would not be granted for me to provide information to the Auditor General until managers in the department had an opportunity to vet the information. Nothing at all was said about protection from reprisals. [. . . . ]



Mr. Selwyn Pieters, . . . .

Mr. Chairman, I am employed as a refugee protection officer at the Immigration and Refugee Board
, and I'm currently on a leave of absence for a year without pay. This leave of absence directly relates to my coming forward with allegations of wrongdoing in the reasons-writing and decision-making process at the Immigration and Refugee Board. [. . . . ]

Where should a person go when they have to make a complaint of wrongdoing? My view is that an employee should be able to go directly to a neutral third-party entity to make that disclosure. There should be no requirement of internal disclosure as a prerequisite for external or public disclosure. [. . . . ]




Here is the type of thing that happens to a whistleblower.

Mr. Brian McAdam (As Individual): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to present my views regarding Bill C-11.

When I was appointed a foreign service officer, I never thought as myself as a whistle-blower, I thought I was simply doing my job. I now know that telling the truth about something someone else does not want others to know about is called whistle-blowing.

My 30-year foreign service career ended, taking a huge toll on my health, reputation, and credibility. I wrote and spoke about the negligence and corruption at the Canadian consulate in Hong Kong and the threat that Chinese organized crime groups, known as triads, and the Chinese government posed to Canada. This was actually part of my job description, but I apparently was not supposed to do it. Telling the truth in the Canadian bureaucracy can be career suicide and dangerous.[. . . . ]


Hong Kong was the world centre for heroin trafficking. . . . Only a few minor players were ever prosecuted, and everything else was quickly covered over again. At that time, one in six people in Hong Kong was a triad member. The Canadian mission was warned in the early sixties and seventies that many in the Royal Hong Kong Police were triad members. Those warnings were ignored, and Canada accepted many Hong Kong police, some joining the RCMP. However, in 1977 a scandal dubbed The Quiet Dragons was aired on the CBC. It revealed that at least 40 corrupt policemen who were also triad members were living comfortably in Canada, with tens of millions of dollars gained from bribery and drug trafficking. Requests for a royal commission were dismissed.


In 1986 an intelligence report prepared by the immigration department said there were no triads in Canada. Quite soon afterwards the Commissioner of the RCMP also said there were no triads in Canada. However, from 1991 to 1993 I reported, in a series of more than 30 extensively detailed reports, that triads had infested Canada's immigration system. Leaders of the largest organized crime groups in the world had established themselves as entrepreneurs in Canada. This really wasn't anything new, but the bureaucrats panicked. [. . . . ]

An Asian organized crime expert wrote that “Canada is rapidly becoming one of the world centres for Chinese organized crime and espionage”. So the problem of Chinese triads, heroin and people smuggling, and corruption that has been going on for over a hundred years has never been resolved. It has only grown larger, causing far greater damage to the country. The typical attitude of bureaucracies to bad news is that we do shoot the messenger: if it happened in my ministry or division, then it's a negative reflection on me, and no news is good news. A disclosure protection act should counter the above mindset.


The problem of corruption at Canadian missions abroad is systemic. Canada's foreign affairs department learned there were 197 cases of corruption by locally engaged staff from 1996 to 1999 at its missions abroad, and many more were discovered later. The Canadian government itself admits that 1.5% of its immigration employees are corrupt, or thieves, or taking bribes, or have other illegal problems.

[. . . . ] The exclusion of the RCMP and over 100 divisions and branches is most curious. One has to wonder why this bill [C-11 termed whistleblower "protection" by the government NJC] excludes RCMP, CSIS, CSE, the military, etc., and, under clause 6, a total of about 63 divisions or branches of government and 49 corporations.


Bill C-11 [designed to protect the government NJC] imposes a 60-day statute of limitations from the date on which the complainant knew, or in the board's opinion ought to have known, that reprisals had taken place. U.S. legislation and other legislation does not have any limitations, because it knows that whistle-blowing activities are not usually a single event happening in a nice, neat timeframe.

This bill does not encourage whistle-blowers in any way, and neither does it value their contributions. In the U.S., whistle-blowers are rewarded and recognized, as it should be . . . .

Most whistle-blowers are 40 years of age and over and are forced to retire early. Most will never be able to be employed again. There has to be not only some restitution for what is lost but also substantial rewards for the persons with the courage to speak truth to power.


Instead, those who do not want the truth to come out use various departments at their disposal to harass those who might reveal the truth. NJC



Corporal Robert Read (As Individual): Good day, sir. Thank you for inviting me here.

My name is Robert Read. I'm now retired, but I was a corporal in the RCMP. In 1996 I was assigned to Mr. McAdam's case and appointed to meet with him, listen to his complaint, and try to find what was actually happening with his complaint, what were the facts of the matter.
Many parts of Mr. McAdam's complaint are detailed, and many were found to be true. I worked on Mr. McAdam's case until 1996, when I was ordered to desist, in September, I guess it was, 1997.


What I discovered was that when Mr. McAdam made his complaint in 1991 and it was investigated by the RCMP in 1992, the RCMP discovered that the computer in Hong Kong was entirely vulnerable, that the safeguards were not put into effect. Anyone and everyone who had access to the system could issue visas in Hong Kong, that is, anyone in the high commission in Hong Kong who had access to the computer, with a little bit of knowledge, could issue visas. It appeared that this had been happening for years, probably from 1986 until 1991. I compare Mr. McAdam to the sheriff in town, because various people in the high commission brought their suspicious pieces of evidence to him, and he gathered them and presented them to the RCMP when the RCMP arrived in 1992.

So after listening to various pieces of the story, I went to the RCMP central file room, got the 1992 files, and sat down and started to read them. After I had been reading them for several weeks, I came across a report called the Balser report, which, in obtuse language, said the computer is vulnerable and showed how it was possible to misuse it. [. . . . ]


There is much more if you go to the source. I included these excerpts for those who have little time.






Excellent Whistleblower Information on Prime Time Crime

Whistleblowers -- Canada is not a good place to be for whistleblowers.

This webpage has so much information: the names of several whistleblowers with excerpts and links to their stories. Do not miss this webpage! Scroll down to the bottom and you will find all these links.

How to blow the whistle? Very carefully

Truth Telling Project

CBC Indepth: Whistleblower

Democracy Watch

BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association -- FIPA-BC

US Government Accountability Project

FIPA's Whistleblower Profiles 2004 .pdf

Whistleblower Canada

World Wide Whistleblowers

Whistleblowers support links

Canadian Law: Whistleblowers

Whistleblowers.org

Background: Shawinigan via Prime Time Crime
Russell Mills, was fired from his job as the publisher of CanWest's Ottawa Citizen when he called for the resignation of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien who had lied repeatedly in the case that has become known as Shawinigate. [. . . . ]







Canadian Whistleblower Laws
New Brunswick is the only Canadian Jurisdiction Providing Specific Protection for Whistleblowers


Before trusting anything like this, I would read the fine print. It is so easy to malign the work of a whistleblower. For just one example, with so much work on computers, it is so simple to select one word and change the spelling of it throughout -- omit lines, sentences or paragraphs -- remove accents -- and claim incompetence. Then of course, there are short term contracts for anyone but the favoured and they may be terminated prematurely with claims that "the work is done". You should be able to figure out several other ways to thwart and eliminate whistleblowers.

In provinces where government is the source of much employment, and where businesses tied to government take the hint about not hiring "troublesome" people, that is, people who have whistleblown--or tried to--the result is that whistleblowers are virtually unemployable in any good job, even outside government.



Another trip down memory lane -- Je me souviens.

CBC won't remind you in an election season, but some of us will.


INDEPTH: SHAWINIGAN -- L'Affair Grand-Mere Lisa Khoo and Owen Wood, CBC News Online, Updated September 15, 2004

The controversy surrounding Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's involvement in two properties in his riding is rooted in events that are more than a decade old.

But the details were only made public after a series of media reports, a lawsuit and a barrage of questions raised by a united opposition in the House of Commons.

[. . . . ] Auberge Grand-Mère

Four years after opposition members first cried 'foul,' the owner of the Auberge Grand-Mère faces bankruptcy and the former president of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is suing his old workplace for wrongful dismissal.

[. . . . ] Here's a timeline of the events: [. . . . ]

François Beaudoin
April 1996
Chrétien phones François Beaudoin, president of the federal Business Development Bank of Canada, about a $2 million loan sought by Yvon Duhaime, who bought the Auberge Grand-Mère. Duhaime wants the money to expand the hotel. Chrétien meets with the BDC president again in May to talk about the loan.

September 1996
The Business Development Bank rejects Duhaime's loan application, saying it is too risky.
Also in September, a company owned by Claude Gauthier, a businessman and Liberal supporter, buys some land beside the golf course for $525,000.

February 1997
Chrétien phones Beaudoin about a scaled-down version of the Auberge expansion plan. The bank later approves a loan of $615,000 to Duhaime. Duhaime also gets a $164,000 grant from the Human Resources Department. [. . . . ]

Feb. 6, 2004
Beaudoin wins his lawsuit against the BDC. The judge orders his $200,000 annual pension and $245,000 severance package reinstated.

Sept. 14, 2004:
The Business Development Bank of Canada reaches a settlement to end its dispute with Beaudoin. The details of the settlement are not released.


Search: Howard Wilson , Chrétien threatens to sue Reform Leader Preston Manning and MP Jason Kenney for alleging , The ethics counsellor rules , The RCMP say there is no basis for , Jean Carle, a former aide of Chrétien, The wrongful dismissal suit of François Beaudoin, former president of the federal Business Development Bank of Canada



Whistle-blowers told complaints stay in-house -- Nova Scotia CBC

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia government employees who want to blow the whistle on wrongdoing or corruption now have new rules to follow. Cabinet ministers have approved a new set of regulations, which require workers to take their complaints up the bureaucratic chain of command. The whistle-blower is not allowed to make the complaint public or enlist help outside the bureaucracy. [. . . . ]




Government fires BDC president Michel Vennat Mar. 13, 04, CTV.ca News Staff

The federal government has fired Michel Vennat from his position as president and CEO of the Business Development Bank of Canada.
[. . . . ] Andre Bourdeau, who has been with the bank for more than 30 years, has been named as acting president and CEO.

Industry Minister Lucienne Robillard met with Vennat, 63, on Monday and said he provided an oral and written defence of his role in the firing of ex-bank president Francois Beaudoin.

[. . . . ] In that case, a Quebec Superior Court judge criticized Vennat -- a longtime friend of former prime minister Jean Chretien -- in upholding Beaudoin's claim that he was pushed out of his job for not approving a $615,000 loan to the Auberge Grand-Mere, an inn located just north of Chretien's hometown of Shawinigan, Que.

That hotel is in Chretien's old riding.

The bank suspended Beaudoin's pension and severance a few months after he left. The judge ordered it to be reinstated.


While the government has been swinging the axe over the sponsorship scandal, Vennat was fired over the Beaudoin affair.



Search: Marc LeFrancois, president of Via Rail , Andre Ouellet, president of Canada Post , Jean Pelletier, former chairman of Via Rail , Myriam Bedard , allegations about irregularities in billing by Montreal company Groupaction Marketing Inc. , close ties to the federal Liberal Party and to Chretien.