Angry in the Great White North
The Income Trust Scandal: A question for Anne McLellan
Sunday, January 01, 2006 at 11:50 PM

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

Anne McLellan, Liberal MP for the riding of Edmonton Centre, is Deputy Prime Miniser and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

That's relevant because the Minister of Public Safety is responsible for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

As such, it would be interesting to ask Minister McLellan whether she believes that Commissioner Zaccardelli is on a wild goose chase now that the RCMP has decided to initiate a formal criminal investigation to determine if the decision not to tax income trusts was leaked to select traders prior to the formal announcement on November 23.

Would Anne McLellan support her Mounties?

"I support the Commissioner's conclusion that a criminal investigation in the matter of a potential leak from either the Finance Minister's Office or the Prime Minister's Office is justified. The professionalism of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is beyond question, and I know they will serve Canadians by following the investigation wherever it leads."

Or would she undermine the federal police in favour of her fellow Liberal cabinet ministers?

"I am certain that there is no evidence of wrongdoing to justify the allegation of a leak from within the government. An investigation will certainly show that the market was responding to speculation, and not leaked information. This is an exercise in response to an opposition ploy to use the RCMP to embarrass the finance minister, a man above reproach, the prime minister, and the Liberal Party, during an election campaign."

Prime Minister Paul Martin has already decided that the Mounties are wasting their time and has said so publicly:

Martin said Friday the investigation is taking place solely because NDP Finance Critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis requested it.

"The statement by the RCMP said there's absolutely no evidence to demonstrate that there is, in fact, any wrongdoing here at all," Martin said while campaigning south of Montreal. "And we're dealing with opposition allegations in the middle of an election campaign."

I wait for a reporter to ask the question of Anne McLellan.

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