WILL THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT FALL? There’s a scandal, kept quiet by a publication ban. But some people, Kate McMillan reports, are publishing anyway.
More here:
The possible collapse of the Liberal minority government is once again a hot topic on Parliament Hill, fuelled by reports of explosive new testimony at the sponsorship inquiry.
Although exact details of the testimony cannot be revealed due to a publication ban, there are reports its disclosure would prove so devastating that Paul Martin’s Liberal minority could fall if it became public.
Watching developments in Ottawa Friday night, CTV’s Mike Duffy says the capital is buzzing with speculation the opposition will confront the Liberals with some of that testimony next week.
“It’s probably going to be raised here on Monday by the opposition,” Duffy told CTV News.
“Because MPs have privilege on the floor of the House of Commons it is conceivable that the Bloc Quebecois could get up and run some information from behind the closed doors” at the Gomery inquiry, he said.
A publication ban. How . . . Canadian.
UPDATE: Canadian reader Patrick Brown emails:
I think you may have the wrong impression about the publication ban on evidence at the Gomery inquiry in Canada – the one where apparently Liberal-damning evidence may be given next week. The inquiry is generally open, and televised, and one of the most-watched programs in Quebec, where the corrupt practices were concentrated. 3 men facing multiple criminal counts of fraud and conspiracy asked the Judge running the inquiry (Judge Gomery) for a publication ban on their upcoming testimony and the testimony of other witnesses that may bear on their conduct until after their criminal trials which begin the week of May 2nd and will last about 4-6 weeks.
In a ruling that has been hailed by a National Post editorial, Judge Gomery agreed to a partial publication ban, on the testimony of the 3 men, but not of any other witness, until the moment their juries are sequestered. Television
images of the testimony will be captured and sent to the media room as usual, but not published until the ban is lifted. The decision is available here:I am no fan of the Liberal government and it looks like there is plenty of corruption to be found, but Judge Gomery is doing a good job with this inquiry and I am confident that the delay in publication will be short and is justified. This is not a case of a pet judge being given the job of whitewashing the government. It probably doesn’t even matter what his final report says – the proceedings are televised and the banned material will be also at some point. People are making up their own minds in Quebec, and the polls show it’s costing the Liberals bigtime.
Okay, I stand corrected if I gave the wrong impression. But the notion of a publication ban that’s good against the world — which is how the order reads — seems quite consistent with Canada’s reputation as a “pleasantly authoritarian country.”
ANOTHER UPDATE: “Time for a ‘Maple Leaf Revolution,’ eh?”