"Provincial Matter" - TranceAddict Forums

TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Political Discussion / Debate
-- "Provincial Matter"

Posted by squirrelly on Dec-31-2003 20:34:

"Provincial Matter"

http://www.canada.com/national/nati...ab-0b13e54668c9

quote:
OTTAWA - Paul Martin will not suspend senior election campaign aides and other key supporters who have been caught up in a criminal investigation of a British Columbia drug trafficking and money-laundering scheme.

The Prime Minister's Office said yesterday it has not been contacted by the RCMP about police raids involving prominent Liberal supporters of Mr. Martin's leadership campaign and suggested the investigation centres on "provincial matters" unrelated to federal politics.

Scott Reid, the Prime Minister's senior advisor, said Mr. Martin has no knowledge of the criminal probe and does not believe it involves any activities involving his leadership campaign in B.C.

"This entire matter is very puzzling," Mr Reid said. "Mr. Martin's office has not been contacted by the RCMP. We have not had any requests to help them in terms of the provision of any kind of information and we don't know what the nature of the police inquiry is. Obviously, it is related to provincial matters."

The RCMP have been tight-lipped about raids on the offices of aides to two provincial Cabinet ministers. The aides were important players in Mr. Martin's leadership campaign. A search warrant was also executed at the office of a lobbying firm connected to Mr. Martin's chief B.C. leadership organizer, Erik Bornman.

The RCMP also questioned Mark Marissen, a key Martin ally and chairman of the B.C. federal Liberal election campaign. He is the husband of B.C.'s Deputy Premier, Christy Clark.

None of the men has been charged with any crime.

Chuck Strahl, a Canadian Alliance MP from B.C., accused Mr. Martin of failing the test of leadership, saying he should be "burning up the phone lines" to determine whether his trusted supporters are implicated in criminal matters.

"I can't believe he would say there are police raids on several of my key folks in B.C., but it doesn't really matter and saying, 'You know, this is just a provincial concern,'" Mr. Strahl said.

"I mean there is a criminal investigation here and, at the very least, he should be making sure that there is nothing to it or nothing that compromises his position as Prime Minister or his campaign people."

Mr. Strahl said Mr. Martin should ask any of the B.C. campaign workers who were questioned by the RCMP to step aside until their names have been cleared.

David Basi was fired as a senior aide to B.C. Finance Minister Gary Collins on Monday. Bob Virk, who worked for B.C. Transport Minister Judith Reid, was suspended. Both men helped Mr. Martin in the recent leadership race.

Bill Cunningham, the president of the federal wing of the B.C. party, said there is no reason for anyone to step aside until the criminal investigation is complete.

Posted by Trancer-X on Jan-02-2004 17:57:

Interesting.

Posted by MarkT on Jan-03-2004 03:07:

I'm not sure what the problem is here...no one has been charged...and the RCMP made it clear that the two cabinet ministers themselves are in no way involved.

The only thing I'd do in Martin's place is to call those two cabinet ministers and say "look, you had better co-operate with the RCMP and have this sorted out asap...if any of that makes me look bad, guess who's paying the price". Then let the cabinet ministers sort it out or risk losing their jobs.

It would be pretty hard for Martin to be directly affected if aides or office staff of his party members are implicated in something.

It's far different that the pathetic Alliance party who's leadership, if it's not at the centre of debate themselves (re: Stockwell Day when he was leader) seem to have to fire or apologize for some redneck MP who's made anti-gay or racist comments (which seems to happen several times per year...how anyone could vote for that disgrace of a party is beyond me).

Chuck Strahl is either an idiot or is just saying what the opposition is expected to say. So Martin should be investigating? Um, how about we let the RCMP handle the investigation...you know, since that's their job and all