From Bourque Newswatch:

BREAKING: GOODALE MAY QUIT Bourque has learned that embattled Finance Minister Ralph Goodale is being pressured to give up his Cabinet seat for an indeterminate period of time, this in light of devastating news first revealed to the nation here yesterday that the RCMP has launched a criminal investigation into leaks from his department regarding rulings relating to the growing income trust scandal. According to senior sources inside the Paul Martin Liberal Party who spoke on condition of anonymity, "the official party posture is that Ralph didn't know anything and therefore shouldn't have to resign, but the public perception is devastating, it's killing us, and we need to move firmly to squelch the stink." Incredibly, Prime Minister Paul Martin has refused to comment directly on news of the RCMP criminal probe, except to offer support for Goodale, blustering that "The RCMP has said there is no evidence of wrongdoing on Mr. Goodale's behalf, his office or his department", a comment that would seem to contradict RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli in his letter of December 23, where he states categorically that "based on information during the review, the RCMP will be commencing a criminal investigation". All of which begs the question: if Martin is so sure the RCMP is not investigating Goodale and his Department, who does he think the RCMP is investigating, the PMO ? Meanwhile, Goodale is said to be reeling from the latest developments in this scandal. "A little rattled", as blogger "Kate" put it at Small Dead Animals, noting that "Ralph is on local radio right now, repeating his assertions that he investigated himself to his own satisfaction." His campaign team, according to one lifer who emailed Bourque, is said to be "dismayed and disillusioned" by the stunning turn of events. Further, fully 82% of those polled in a Bourque Barometer overnight say Goodale has no choice but to step aside. Developing.

The question is, will he jump, be pushed, or hang in there? A true team man would jump, but there is little of the "what's good for the team" spirit in the latest Liberal incarnation. Will he be pushed. Maybe, but Martin can be stupidly loyal, and at very strange times. As a loyal Martinite, he may hang on, good for us Conservatives if he does. My guess, Martin will be convinced to let him go, lest the stink find it's way to the PMO. Think it can't, re read this line:

if Martin is so sure the RCMP is not investigating Goodale and his Department, who does he think the RCMP is investigating, the PMO ?

I for one will miss Mr. Goodale, if for no other reason than because ever since I started political writing in the spring, I have had fun with the name, calling him Skunkybeer, Waterylager &tc. I hate to see a dependable joke just up and resigning.

Find out more at:

angry in the great white north, Bourque, Political Staples and CTV's David Akin's.

Cross Posted to Cannuckistan Chronicles

From Bourque Newswatch:

RCMP CRIMINAL PROBE INTO LIB GVT BREAKING: Bourque has learned that RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli has confirmed that the Paul Martin Liberal Government is under a criminal investigation over potential leaks stemming from decisions in Finance Minister Ralph Goodale's department relating to the multi-hundred million dollar Income Trust debable [sic]. This, stemming from an official complaint received by the RCMP from an NDP MP. Late today, the NDP indicated that Zaccardelli confirmed that the RCMP has "launched a criminal investigation "regarding a possible breach of security or illegal transfer of information in advance of the federal government's announcement of changes to the taxation of Canadian corporate dividends and income trusts November 23, 2005." The NDP MP who filed the complaint, Judy Wasylycia-Leis, today called on Liberal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale to step aside from his Cabinet role, until the criminal investigation is complete. According to the MP, "Goodale is personally responsible to ensure his office and his department protect average Canadians from the consequences of improper disclosure. "Goodale has stonewalled this issue for a month now, insisting without any qualification that there is nothing to this issue." Developing.


Watch this story, it could be explosive!

More at Angry in the Great White North CTV and of course, Warren Kinsella

Update: Ralph Watery-Lager says no to resigning while under investigation proving that Greg Sorbora is not the least ethical finance minister of 2005.

Love this line in the CTV article ..Veterans Affairs Minister Albina Guarnieri said, "Ralph Goodale has impeccable integrity and I attribute all this to very nasty noise from the opposition."

Who knew the RCMP was the opposition. These guys are starting to sound like two bit hoods. Which Liberal do you think will be the first to say "You'll never take my career alive, Copper!"?

Just toodling around and I discovered Andrew Coyne has been updating his blog recently. That's good news, he is one of the best and his blog was one of the best. Find it here:

andrewcoyne.com

The story is self explanatory, but here it is:

Canada new destination
of choice for pedophiles?
High court ruling legalized
group-sex clubs with 14-year-olds

Lines like this make me so happy:

A former consultant to three U.S. administrations, Reisman, who is also a WND columnist, says the court's decision sends a clear message to pedophiles: "You don't have to go to Asia anymore. Pedophiles can have the blond, blue-eyed kids in Canada, too."

Isn't that special? So is this:

Judith Reisman, a world-renowned scholar and author of four books, including "Kinsey: Crimes and Consequences," said that since under Canadian law 14-year-olds are legally considered "consenting adults," the court's controversial decision "will now make Canada a sex traffic playground for pedophiles."

The column really speaks for itself, which is good because I found it so distasteful it's hard to comment on. I can only say I hope to god Mr. Lambert got it wrong.

Cross Posted to The Cannuckistan Chronicles

How badly skewed is the ethics radar in this country where theft of hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money reduces a government to mere minority status? So skewed, that this is news:

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Federal NDP candidate Peg Norman received an offer she had to refuse from former TV chat show host Rosie O'Donnell.

Norman, who is running for the second time in the Newfoundland riding of St. John's South-Mount Pearl, had to say no thanks to O'Donnell's "generous" offer of a donation in the Jan. 23 election campaign because the actress isn't a Canadian citizen.

Here's the more salient facts:

The two women have known each other for several years. ...
"We've kept in touch since then, so when she heard that I was running again in federal politics, she sent a donation," says Norman.

There is literally no story here. O'Donnell wanted to donate to a woman she knows and admires but couldn't due to Canadian law. Thus, donation returned. So why is it in every newspaper today?

Partly, of course, because O'Donnell is a celebrity. But lets face it, this is a story because a candidate did the right thing without consulting the lawyers, the ethics commissioner, the party leader, &tc. Just "Sorry, can't take it." I bet she could use it though.

Now, hands up everybody who thinks that if Ms. Norman was a Liberal, the party brass would have found a Canadian friend to filter the donation through? Yea, me too. And that's why this is a story.

This one's from the Ottawa Sun. First the headline.

NDP 'underdog' nips at top Tory

Now the meat of the story:

...But make no mistake -- if Canadian political history is anything to go by, giants will be slain on election night. After all, in the June 2004 vote, five Liberal cabinet ministers lost their seats.

UNFLAGGING OPTIMISM

That's the kind of history NDP candidate Holly Heffernan points to when she's asked about her chances of beating Conservative Leader Stephen Harper in his Calgary Southwest riding. In 2004, the previous NDP candidate trailed Harper by more than 32,000 votes...

So to get this straight, Ms. Heffernan has no hope of slaying Stephen Harper, and later in the story admits as much. So why is the stories headline NDP 'underdog' nips at Top Tory? Surely the story states the exact opposite.

Not really a case of bias, in my opinion, so much as bad headline writing: I even get the pun they're after. But the headline leaves a very different impression than the story.