Angry in the Great White North
The Income Trust Scandal: Who had December 31 in the pool?
Sunday, January 01, 2006 at 04:28 PM

Read other posts by Steve Janke published by the National Post
Leader

From CTV:

As he prepares to answer to RCMP investigators in a matter of days, Ralph Goodale remains defiant in the face of unyielding calls by Tories and New Democrats to step aside from his post as finance minister.

Mid-campaign allegations of insider trading have rocked the Liberal Party, threatening to derail Paul Martin's quest for victory in the Jan. 23 election.

But Martin has unequivocally backed his minister of finance. And Goodale repeated Sunday on CTV's Question Period that he's "absolutely confident" he and his staff will be absolved of any wrongdoing in a criminal investigation into allegations that his Nov. 23 plan for income trusts was leaked in advance.

"I am determined to stand my ground, based on over 30 years of ethical conduct that I'm very proud of," said Goodale in an interview with Question Period co-host Craig Oliver.

A number of observers thought December 31, 2005 would see Ralph Goodale step aside. Well, we are now well into January 1, 2006, and there is no hint of a resignation. Anyone who had December 31 in the resignation pool has lost out. Indeed the rhetoric has become more defiant, more strident.

My guess is that the Liberals have decided to ride out the RCMP investigation. If nothing changes between now and January 23, they've decided that the investigation will fade as the campaign focuses on attacks on the Conservatives.

What will it take to change things? The RCMP could announce, or leak, some preliminary findings that establish that a leak happened in November. Alternatively, the opening of a second investigation, by the OSC (which I know to be in progress, though I can't prove it), or by the SEC in the US, could make the situation untenable.

Three weeks to go. We might have have to put up with Ralph Goodale's protestations for the duration.

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