What will Stephane Dion do about Blair Wilson?
The allegations of financial mismanagement and electoral malfeasance being made against Liberal MP Blair Wilson are serious and apparently supported by documentation in addition to eyewitness accounts. Already people are speaking to the issue of whether Blair Wilson is even fit for office.
Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion was badly burned by the Jamie Carroll incident. How will Dion react to the emerging Blair Wilson controversy?
Blair Wilson is alleged to have misspent millions in family funds, as well as having run part of his 2006 election campaign with cash payments and no supporting receipts.
Questions have been raised about whether Blair Wilson is fit for public office.
So far those questions have been coming from outside of Ottawa, but we can speculate on what discussions are happening right now inside the Liberal Party leadership.
When Jamie Carroll was alleged to have insulted Quebec sensibilities in a closed door meeting, no one suggested that Carroll had done anything illegal. Indeed, there were conflicting reports about what Carroll had actually said. Stephane Dion stood by Carroll, and inside of a week, Carroll was out of a job, the Liberal Party looked to be in disarray, and Stephane Dion's already battered image as an effective and decisive leader had taken yet another massive blow.
That was only four weeks ago.
Blair Wilson is alleged to have broken the law. He is alleged to have misspent millions of dollars. His past as a businessman is marked with failed business ventures resulting in lawsuits from employees and partners who felt they had been misled by Wilson. Accouting records, emails, and eyewitness accounts seem to support the allegations.
Can Stephane Dion stand by Blair Wilson the way he did Jamie Carroll?
There are several competing pressures in play here. Jamie Carroll was a close confidante of Stephane Dion's, while Blair Wilson is not. Jamie Carroll was targetted by a Quebec faction of the Liberal Party eager to hurt Stephane Dion, whereas we don't know how the pieces of the Liberal Party are coalescing around the Blair Wilson story. Blair Wilson is an MP and a member of the shadow cabinet and so questions will be raised about what Stephane Dion knew and how well he is able to judge the character of his appointees. The riding of West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast--Sea to Sky Country was a close win for the Liberals, and could easily go to the Conservatives if the Liberals are forced to run a neophyte candidate in place of the incumbent. Removing an MP from a position of responsibility will look very bad, and is not a decision that ought to be made lightly. Even worse, Blair Wilson's position in caucus is in jeopardy. Maybe even his seat in the House? The Conservatives, the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois will make an issue of this for as long as Blair Wilson remains where he is. The Conservatives, the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois will make an issue of this the moment the Liberal Party moves against Blair Wilson.
So it could either way.
But here's a prediction. Stephane Dion will move quickly on this. He's been burned before and burned badly in part because of delays that have been cast as examples of indecsion or of poor judgment. Not this time, and not for Blair Wilson. He'll be out of the shadow cabinet, and quite possibly out of caucus, in very short order, "pending the resolution of these baseless accusations", or something along these lines.
So what makes me think this will break this way?
Blair Wilson endorsed Michael Ignatieff during the Liberal leadership campaign.
[Follow the story at The Province blog.]
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Comments
Let's just see if it makes it to CTV's QP today with Giggles and Ollie.
Posted by: Libby at October 28, 2007 10:10 AM
What can Dion do except eject him from the Liberal party, and this will mean where there's smoke there's fire.
Blair Wilson will sit as an independent and vote for whom ?? .. I hope not the Conservative government .. LOL
Posted by: Observer at October 28, 2007 10:42 AM
It probably depends on how big a news story it becomes: if it takes off, Dion cuts his losses and Wilson is out. There's no point having a distracting fight over this.
Posted by: GDW at October 28, 2007 11:14 AM
In the story, Mark Marissen is mentioned (albeit briefly). It seems that everytime Mark Marissen has something to do with a candidate, some allegations of wrong-doing surface (the BC Liberals Legislature scandal and now this, the federal Liberals membership drives in Surrey). He is Dion's main campaign man, certainly in BC. I think it is worth checking that guy out a little more. In any case, this story trumps the Liberals' allegations of Conservatives wrong doing. At least the Conservatives declared the money.
Posted by: Louise at October 28, 2007 11:25 AM
Last month, Liberals released the names and along with financial details concerning 129 former Conservative candidates and official agents who are named as participants in this apparent scheme to violate spending limits and pad candidate rebates.
Not quite the same thing is it?
Posted by: ting at October 28, 2007 11:57 AM
Ting, not exactly sure what your point is.
The immediate problem for Dion is that the Conservatives will essentially use Blair Wilson for an answer every time the Liberals want to ask about Con alleged violations.
So, Dion needs to figure out how to deal with Wilson and neutralize it as much as possible — if at all possible.
Suspending him from caucus pending further review and resolution MIGHT do that, at least when it comes to questions of ethical issues in the House.
Posted by: Dennis (Second Thots) at October 28, 2007 12:10 PM
"Not quite the same thing is it?"
No it isn't, not at all. All Conservative money was accounted for in audits and declarations to Elections Canada, and was money made from legitimate donations to the party. The Conservatives have sought an opinion by the courts and think they will win that argument.
The case of Blair Wilson is similar to adscam. Monies spent were paid or received under the table illegally, and in violation of Elections Canada.
Try doing this. Go back and look at the results for the 1997 election, where the Liberal's won the bare minimum for a majority. This election featured millions in adscam money used to win Quebec ridings. Then come back and try and explain how the spending by the Conservatives is anywhere close to that SCANDAL.
Posted by: paulsstuff at October 28, 2007 12:16 PM
Today I got an sealed envelop letter from Stephane Dion with a small insert message addressing the "Manufacturing Sector in Crisis" in southwestern Ontario with a Liberal response from Dion of "Real Leadership to Meet the Challenge".
The content of the pamphlet was the usual fearmongering rubbish and the Liberal promise to take "concrete steps to protect and create jobs in Canada's manufacturing sector."
The interesting thing about this bit of Liberal propaganda was that printed into the margin of the pamphlet was this innocuous line:
"A message from Blair Wilson, MP"
Does this mean the cost of the pamphlet was charged to Blair Wilson, MP ... just like MP Garth Turner's western tour was financed through other Liberal MPs accounts so the tour was at "no charge to the Canadian taxpayer"???
Oh this is getting too good .. LOL
Posted by: Observer at October 28, 2007 12:27 PM
Doesn't matter how fast Dion acts or does not act. Fact is; this is the guy Dion had enough confidence in to make him a finance critic. You know, the guy who is supposed to watch and make sure Conservatives are 'ethical'. What a laugher! Especially in view of the fact that liberals were trying to point fingers over some electoral problems they 'think' the Conservatives had. First we had the Liberal MP who is/was taking corporate donations (illegal) and now this sudden huge gift to the Conservative party that I'm sure will keep on giving. One question; does Dion have a clue at to what he's doing? Oh well, doesn't matter. I think Dion is the perfect choice for the LPOC and I hope he is their leader for years to come. Leasa
Posted by: Leasa at October 28, 2007 12:41 PM
Perhaps the question shouldn't be what will Dion do now, but why didn't he do something about Blair Wilson sooner?
Instead, someone with a questionable financial background was given a financial portfolio to work with for the official opposition. Fascinating.
Not a leader?
Posted by: Dennis (Second Thots) at October 28, 2007 09:36 PM
This might just be the leader they are looking for .
Posted by: Bill D. Cat at October 28, 2007 11:35 PM
That didn't take long .
Posted by: Bill D. Cat at October 28, 2007 11:49 PM
According to Jason Cherniak, Wilson has resigned from caucus, and has asked elections canada to investigate etc. Dion also has a letter on his site.
Posted by: Mary T at October 29, 2007 12:03 AM
Dions response .
Posted by: Bill D. Cat at October 29, 2007 12:11 AM
You have to ask why would a father-in-law worth millions, would want his son-in-law in the news.....The loss of his wife and his greed ( ask his 4 children why they previoulsy took their father to court). Except for the campaign allegations (which should be investigated to exonerated Wilson or villifile him) the rest is family business. I am sorry the glue to your family passed away Mr. Lougheed, but Norma did not let you in on things for a reason. Please take a long look in the mirror. Look how you have decided to destroy your family, over money!!!!
Posted by: Moonkwean at October 29, 2007 03:00 PM
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