Angry in the Great White North

The Globe and Mail has reported that Perley Edmund Holmes is in some serious trouble with regards to drug trafficking:

A trail of footprints in freshly fallen snow led U.S. border police to a major cocaine-smuggling bust in the back roads of Washington State, ending in the arrest of a B.C. union official.

According to an affidavit, 136 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $4.3-million (U.S.) was found in two backpacks on Jan. 18. According to the affidavit, Perley Edmund Holmes, of Bridesville, B.C., faces drug charges.

Interestingly, a fellow by the name of Perley Holmes had a lot to say about Stephane Dion, as this endorsement reads from the Liberal leader's campaign website:

Perley Holmes

"Stephane Dion's ability to gain the confidence of both previous Prime Ministers despite the serious rift in the party, bespeaks his ability to pull the party together. Ontario has some excellent leadership candidates but we will never run this country without the support of Quebec. Ontario has always been fairly evenly split between the Conservative party and the Liberal party. A strong leader will sway it one way or the other so it is fairly market neutral but the weight of a Francophone Liberal from Quebec would possibly be the demise of the Bloc Quebecois party, 'and good riddance', this certainly would tip the balance in our favour in the next federal election. I also feel Stephane's commitment to environmental and social causes will pull support from the NDP out West. His combination of strengths have him way ahead of any of his contenders. Therefore, if we are to have a realistic chance of forming the next Government it only makes common sense to support Stephane Dion."

You have to ask youself whether this is the same Perley Holmes. Well, first, the name is pretty distinctive. But then consider that this endorsement page has disappeared:

Access denied

You are not authorized to access this page.

Yeah, I bet I'm not authorized. Now it might seem unfair to try to sling some mud on Stephane Dion because someone who endorsed him has got into some serious trouble. It's not like Stephane Dion hired him to work in his office. But this man had over $4 million in cocaine in a knapsack. That's an uncommon amount of money for someone who claims that "it only makes common sense to support Stephane Dion".

You see, the question arises whether Perley Holmes and his associates supported Stephane Dion with donations and loans and other resources that cost money. Drug money? That would be very unfortunate for Stephane Dion. I would bet the leadership candidates who lost to the Dion campaign would like to know if Dion was able to tap into this bottomless source of cash.

On paper, Perley Holmes donated a total of $100 to Stephane Dion. But then we know there are ways to move money around so that it doesn't have to be declared.

At the very least, the fact that Stephane Dion is trying to cover his tracks is, well, unsettling.

Addendum: It should be noted, of course, the Perley Holmes has not been convicted of anything. All the more curious that Stephane Dion and his people were so quick to expunge his name from the website.