The RCMP and the Liberals: Looks like Gomery was the right thing to do
Warren Kinsella has been consistent and vociferous in his position that the Gomery Inquiry into the Sponsorship Scandal was a waste. The RCMP could have handled the file and should have handled it, he maintains.
Of course, Kinsella's criticisms are not just about the RCMP being frozen out, but also about Justice Gomery's qualifications and his impartiality, or lack thereof.
But putting aside the particulars about Gomery, it looks like somebody other than the RCMP should have been given the task of investigating the Liberals after all:
The retired civilian watchdog over the RCMP says the Martin government "didn't want any waves" and tried to "shut her up" by offering to continue her salary if she stepped down early.
Shirley Heafey, the lawyer who chaired the RCMP Public Complaints Commission for eight years until last October, said she had a "dreadful" time due to what she called "direct interference" by the Martin government with her independent role.
The interference included being audited "to death" -- a clear misuse of the office of the auditor as a tool for punishing an independent watchdog. That's two strikes against the Martin government, if these allegations are true.
Too bad Anne McLellan lost her seat. She certainly has some explaining to do:
Ms. Heafey singled out what she saw as a lack of co-operation and support by then-deputy prime minister Anne McLellan, who as minister of public safety was responsible for the RCMP.
"She was very, very supportive of the RCMP and she didn't want any waves while the government was in a minority position, and I made waves whenever I had to," commented Ms. Heafey, who during her tenure criticized the RCMP for car chases that injured innocent bystanders and warned of looming disaster if Parliament fails to implement civilian oversight of the Mounties' burgeoning role in national security.
Interestingly, McLellan still has a spokesperson:
[Hilary] Geller, a spokeswoman for Ms. McLellan [and her former chief of staff], denied all of Ms. Heafey's allegations.
"Neither McLellan, myself or anybody in our office tried in any way to tell Shirley what she should or shouldn't do. And I think for her to speculate that Treasury Board audits were somehow Anne McLellan trying to interfere is simply baseless speculation. That's absolutely 100 per cent false."
Ms. Geller stated there was "absolutely not" any desire or attempt by Ms. McLellan or anyone else in the government to avert a public hearing into Kingsclear.
Much of the pressure was applied concerning a probe into a cover up of sexual abuse by an RCMP staff sergeant at the now-defunct Kingsclear youth training centre in New Brunswick.
But imagine if the RCMP had the Sponsorship file. How would that have played out? Would the RCMP have been as diligent in investigating a government that had been so supportive in helping the RCMP cover up their problems?
Indeed, if the RCMP was so tight with Martin, maybe the outcome of their investigation would have focused even more blame on Jean Chretien. As a way of currying favour, perhaps, or paying back a debt. Bears thinking about, especially by those who think Justice Gomery had it in for Jean Chretien.
This also casts the Ralph Goodale announcement in a new light. Recall that right in the middle of the election, a bombshell exploded in the Liberal campaign when the RCMP announced they were conducting a criminal investigation into whether Finance Minister Ralph Goodale or his office had been responsible for leaking the income trust taxation decision ahead of the announcement, allowing key investors to make a tidy profit.
Many people wondered why the RCMP had pulled the pin on that grenade instead of waiting three weeks until after the election. In retrospect, most agree that the Liberals never recovered from that announcement.
Could it be that the RCMP had come to the conclusion that they were too closely tied to a dying Martin government? Could it be that the RCMP decided that unless they made a bold move to separate themselves from the Liberal Party and the Paul Martin government in particular, they ran the risk of being pulled down with them, even if the Liberals limped into a victory in that election? Did the RCMP decide that they needed to make a gesture to the Conservatives in case Stephen Harper won, and the Goodale announcement was the ideal gesture to make?
Ironically, that gesture might have guaranteed a loss for the Liberals. In any case, if Heafey's allegations are true, then there needs to be a serious shake up at the top of the RCMP organization, and that's just a start.
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Comments
Strong arm of the law?
God bless Shirley Heafey. How many more are there like her? Likely many, but do they have the courage to speak out?
Anne McLellan, her rat pack, and other Liberal aiders and abetters, such as Zaccardelli, should feel shame. Sadly they don't/can't, they feel justified because they were doing it for the good of the Country.
Who's paying for Anne's spokesperson? If we're paying for her, I hope she's cheaper than a defense attorney. Soon enough we'll be paying that tab too.
Desperate dogs.
Posted by: Cheri at May 30, 2006 10:14 AM
You know, it is indeed sad how far down Canada and the RCMP has sunk into the slough of Despondency.
The RCMP was a once proud bastion of truth/justice and fair handling of people, no matter what religion, race, or creed.
The RC's have a tarnished leader. Talking to the local's I really feel sorry for them. Hard to "Maintain the Right" when your bosses in Ottawa "Steal from the Right", or have their fingers in AdScam or become Cretien's private SS squad.
Don't know when this all started the downward slide, I would suspect back in the 70's with the political correct politicians dictating how the force was to be run.
Under the guise of "equal opportunity employment"
I applied to the RC's back in '76/77 and was told by a Staff Sargeant 'not to bother'. Not a degrogatory way, but in a matter of fact way because I was a WASP. A White Anglo-Saxion Protestant.
They were (and guess still are, ironically) looking for visible minorities, as in Native, Asian, or Female to shore up their ranks.
Nothing wrong in that idea, but when it becomes a mandate and excludes strong healthy white males, then something is wrong with the picture.
Like firefighters, I'm all for 5'2" females joining as long as they can carry me (6'0/250LBS) out of a flaming building...and in time.
Agreed, there needs a wholesale cleanout of the RCMP management in Ottawa as the corruption of the Liberals has rubbed off on them.
Akin to you become like the company you keep.
Posted by: tomax7 at May 30, 2006 10:30 AM
The RCMP have become politically hog tied. Zaccardelli has to go. Not only has he been compromised by the Liberals, he has dis-honored his rank and file members with the same perception. The force has been restrained by under-funding and under-staffing and to some degree they lack the motivation to act, due to the dysfunctional judiciary.
Our law and order, reform government has to fix this perception immediately. This sort of reform would have more significance than fixed election dates, ethics commissioners, lobbyist registries and whistle-blower protection combined.
Posted by: Cheri at May 30, 2006 01:05 PM
Personally I have high hopes for the Conservative government making some changes in law and order in this country. Despite what some people have to say, our Canadian police forces need support from the people not sour grapes (tomax7). Let them do their jobs and keep the politics out of it.
Posted by: Angry Canadian at May 30, 2006 01:54 PM
You are distorting reality.
Martin did not direct the auditor general to audit the RCMP. Sheila Fraser sets her own agenda. You rob her of credibility if you say she is directed by the PMO.
Heafey is independent of the government it is lame that she now complains. Where the hell was she a year ago. She should have done her job.
The RCMP did have the sponsorship file...that is why Guite and Brault have gone to jail.
Sheesh. You should get your facts straight. Can't you be honest in your criticism? Does it need to be distorted? If you need to distort the truth is it because you have nothing substantive to complain about?
Posted by: Gritpatriot at May 30, 2006 03:32 PM
We lived through almost 13 years of Liberal corruption, but it is only now that we are beginning to see the full extent of Liberal corruption and Liberals' total disregard for Canadians. I spit on them all. May they all burn in hell.
Posted by: Musings about This and That at May 30, 2006 04:03 PM
All Liberals should burn in hell? That's almost 300,000 Canadians. That's the same as condemning all Conservatives as alcoholics because Klein is a hopeless pisstank. Or that all Conservatives don't keep their deals because of the screwing that Peter Mckay agve to David Orchard. Man, no takes sucha silly comment seriously. You should give your stupid head a shake.
Posted by: Gritpatriot at May 30, 2006 04:12 PM
Here's another idea for you, maybe the RCMP dropped the bomb in the middle of the campaign to get rid of the Liberals. I will let you speculate why.
Posted by: Anonymous at May 30, 2006 05:05 PM
G.P. - While Klein is one 'drunk' that you point to in your lame analogy, I would highlight that nearly every high profile Liberal from the Chretien/Martin saga has been touched by allegations of corruption or wrongdoing. I'd say someone like 'musings' might have a little more leeway in his generalizations when, more and more, the problems with the Liberals are revealed to be systemic rather than isolated.
Posted by: Jeff at May 30, 2006 05:59 PM
By the way, whatever happened to the RCMP investigation of Mr. Goodale? Not that anyone in the Parliamentry Press Gallery seems to be curious.
Liberals investigating Liberals.
Posted by: john at May 30, 2006 06:53 PM
As someone who does not believe in co-incidences, does anyone else out there think it was an odd co-incidence that the RCMP waited until the Martin cabinet was out and the Harper cabinet not yet sworn in to lay charges in the 168 million HP computer fraud? You know, the scandal where Reg Alcock insisted that Paul Champagne acted alone and where there is still 81 million dollars unaccounted for according to the Ott Citizen... Just asking
Posted by: Joey at May 30, 2006 07:43 PM
I hate to burst someone's bubble, but there are plenty of "hopeless pisstanks" in the Liberal party....oh yes, oh yes, there are....:-)
Posted by: weastener at May 30, 2006 09:03 PM
Anne would have us believe that this is merely baseless speculation. Well, Anne, it is one thing to say that, and it is quite another thing for us to believe it. This is where Liberals such as this rotten cabal we just dismissed go off the rails: they believe in their heart of hearts that we are collectively so gullible as to render such denials worthy of the greenhouse gas emitted in their production.
Fortunately, we don't have to argue the point with her. Got the point now, Anne, standing over there on the sidelines?
Posted by: Shaken at May 30, 2006 11:03 PM
Angry Canadian: "not sour grapes (tomax7)"
Ha!
Take off your rose coloured glasses pal. That feel-good-noble-head-in-sand saying of "need support from the people" doesn't help the forces either. If one can't point out a problem, then you're part of it.
Fish start to rot from the head down, and if the RCMP's management in Ottawa is too cozy to the Liberals...
Canada = Animal Farm. Where everyone is equal, but some are more equal.
BTW: I support our local police, used to do volunteer work with them.
Posted by: tomax7 at May 31, 2006 10:52 AM
Anon: "maybe the RCMP dropped the bomb in the middle of the campaign"
A. Finally saw light at the end of the tunnel?
B. They wanted to cozy up to the new boss?
C. The Liberal chains were falling off?
D. There are honest cops in Ottawa?
E. All of the above?
Posted by: tomax7 at May 31, 2006 11:01 AM
Gritpatriot,
Please get your facts straight. Brault and COFFIN have been sentenced to jail. To the best of my knowledge Guite hasn't even been convicted or exonerated yet, mush less sentenced.
And yes, the RCMP did have the Adscam file. Perhaps this is why, after such diligent investigation and so many players involved, there were only 3 people charged. Just sacrificial lambs to deflect attention from the bigger fish I think.
Gerry
Posted by: gerry at May 31, 2006 10:05 PM
 
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