I'm sure you've read by now that both Jean Chretien and Jean Pelletier have won their challenge re' Gomery's findings.Justice Teitelbaum set aside the portion of Justice Gomery's Nov. 1, 2005, report that said Mr. Chrétien and Mr. Pelletier were to blame for “omissions” in their direction of the sponsorship program that led to wrongdoing.
Justice Gomery, however, also ruled there was no evidence Mr. Chrétien and Mr. Pelletier were “in any way” involved in a kickback scheme that a senior Liberal in the province supervised and which resulted in $1.1-million of government sponsorship money being diverted to the Quebec wing of the Liberal party.
While this does not make the scandal go away, it does bring some perspective to the issue. Some have claimed that it discredits all of Gomery's findings, which I do not think is correct. It does however raise questions.
Will this decision be meaningful in this hourly news environment that we live in? It's hard to know but my sense is it should have an impact overall. The decision reaches above all the rhetoric that usually surrounds this topic and arrives at a sensible conclusion.
“The nature of the comments made to the media are such that no reasonable person looking realistically and practically at the issue, and thinking the matter through, could possibly conclude that the commissioner would decide the issues fairly,” Justice Teitelbaum said.
I guess the next question is, will this guy decide to appeal?
He continues to bring up Sponsorship on a pretty regular basis.
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The Question that should also be asked will Mr.Paul Martin apologize to Mr.Pelletier?
In which I'm sorry to hear that he is suffering from cancer.
As to what the Minister of justice will do who knows! I guess he will take the time necessary to digest the ruling and consult with his legal team if they should go forward or end it.
You're right about Martin.
I have no idea what his response will be, or Gomery's for that matter.
KNB are we in agreement here? Maybe I should break out the champaign;)
Good grief, a guy from Montréal who can't even spell champagne correctly. Sheesh.
I doubt whether this will be meaningful in any significant way. It will make Liberal partisans happy as they cheer the fact Chrétien and Pelletier were totally vindicated, but you can bet Conservative partisans won't be impressed or mollified by it. Expect them to fire back with demands to know where the "missing $40 million" is. You can bet on it.
Just as Dion begins a meager breaststroke away from his being barely able to tread water we have Chretien and his band of Merry Men making an ill timed appearance. Hopefully this tired story dies a quiet death. Eddie Goldenberg getting almost teary-eyed at the press conference yesterday was about as comfortable to watch as a beating.
but you can bet Conservative partisans won't be impressed or mollified by it. Expect them to fire back with demands to know where the "missing $40 million" is. You can bet on it.
Oh, I know you're right, but I'm not sure the bleeting will amount to much and they may want to tread lightly as more inquiries come forward and the Ethics committee hears from Elections Canada re' in/out.
That said, I'd really prefer policy to dominate the news.
Omar, I think Dion has sufficient distance from this.
Chretien and friends will celebrate, Martin has a decision to make and he's bloody well better make it soon and Gomery is already whining.
Gomery is the one to watch in terms of it staying in the news I think.
By the way, I just checked over at BT-Central... not a single post about this. Nothing, zip, zero, nadda.
LOL. They're so predictable.
RT, I just posted at Jame's place that there were a couple earlier.
Dr. Roy, (man that is one odd guy), Crux and halls were the one's I saw.
I think they will start their rant before understanding the implications of same.
btw, according to Kady, Elections Canada is up before committee next month.
They are probably waiting for the talking points ; ).
Good point Joseph, :).
I heard on the news (can't remember which channel) that the Conservatives are considering appealing this judgment.
What is the matter with Harper - is he so full of hatred he can't think straight?
Unbelievable.
We need to know where the money went and recover what can be recovered.
The culprits who did criminal wrongdoing need to be brought to justice.
In other words, we need to get to the bottom of this because it doesn't look like Gomery accomplished that.
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