A TIME OF SCANDAL
Posted on Saturday, April 23 at 12:00 by FootPrints
The players involved in the Hydro One affair were key insiders during the 8-year Tory reign at Queen's Park: Tom Long (former Harris advisor), Paul Rhodes (Tory campaign communications director), Leslie Noble (co-chair of the Tory election campaign), and Michael Gourley (a reported advisor and confidant of Eves).
The difference with the sponsorship scandal in Ottawa is that at least the Martin Liberals are taking action. Earlier this year auditor-general Sheila Fraser's report found $100 million of sponsorship money was paid to Liberal-connected communications firms in fees and commissions for which little was done. The firms received these fees through government contracts Fraser described as, "highly complicated and questionable methods."
Among other things, Prime Minister Martin announced an independent commission of public inquiry; hired an outside lawyer to pursue firms and individuals who improperly received money (threatening to possible sue them); promised new "whistle-blower" protection for public servants; initiated a review of the way cabinet is responsible for the actions of public servants; and promised reforms in the way Crown corporations are operated.
But the McGuinty Liberals haven't taken any concrete steps to ensure this kind of plundering of public resources doesn't occur again in Ontario.
continued here:
http://www.thesocialedge.com/archives/gerrymccarthy/2commentary-mar2004.htm
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Wow why isn't Harper on this one! No corruption in Canada, no place for Liberal corruption in Canada, right! Oh ya, of course, no connection between the provincial Tories and the federal Reform/Cons, and all the provincial Liberals have no connection to the federal ones, and boy with all these no connections we should feel our money is safe! But wait Mr. Klein as leader of the Alberta Tories, supports Harper's federal Ref/Con in the future of healthcare, but neither wants to tell us what that is to be. I am getting that warm safe feeling, for sure, or wait no... that's just me peeing my pants??
Here is a suggestion, go find a dozen or more auditors(like Sheila Fraser) from various provinces, put them into our gov finance departments not their own province, give them a few assistants to help process the b.s., open the books, let them review where our money has been going and then give us a report. Then turf out all the people who have not managed our money properly, reward the ones who have,and send any and all crooks to jail, repossess all assets, bank accounts etc and return the money to the Canadian people. Any money paid to corporations as hand outs, make them provide goods for the money. Bombardier,as an example, has recieved mega hand outs, let them make us jets for our military, etc.
If we handled these scandals the way we handle other corporate corruption, or theft over $5,000.00 we wouldn't have this going on. (IMO) I don't know how often we have a complete outside audit, but I think it should be done annually. If every province switched auditors there'd be no need to compensate each province for the service, we'd be working like a country, sharing resources and everyone benefiting, mostly the people.
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If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?