Monday, March 05, 2007

Air India Families Dealt 'Serious and damaging blow'

Kim Bolan has an exclusive interview with RCMP Deputy Commissioner Gary Bass in today's National Post. Bass states that last week's Opposition decision to vote down the extension of the two controversial parts of the Anti-Terrorism Act represented a "serious and damaging blow to the interests of the (Air India) families". Specifically, the RCMP had been preparing for the last three years to use the investigative hearings aspect of the provisions.


Bass said in an exclusive interview that he was disappointed with "the apparent lack of understanding of the importance of this legislation with respect to the Air India Investigation," especially given that investigative hearings were upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada.

(. . . )

Bass said the hearings would have allowed those reluctant to come forward the protection they needed to tell the truth about the biggest mass murder in Canadian history.

"The investigative hearing process offered the potential for individuals inclined to cooperate, but afraid of retribution, a vehicle to explain their cooperation within their community, by being able to explain that they had no choice but to testify truthfully," Bass said.



The Liberal party appears to be fairly successful so far in pulling off their little charade of outraged indignation and sanctimonious demands for apologies in order to divert attention.

The big question is - from what?



* * * *


Tuesday Update: Grit MP Marlene Jennings rips into Gary Bass (H/T to National Newswatch).

Greg Weston (RCMP Blame Game) - Perhaps the RCMP has something to hide?

11 comments:

Red Tory said...

...the RCMP had been preparing for the last three years to use the investigative hearings aspect of the provisions.

Three years? Why all the foot-dragging?

Anonymous said...

"Three years? Why all the foot-dragging? "

They were too busy investigating Liberal scandals.

Gee RT, your usually a little more careful about stepping in it than that:)

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Anon - LMAO

Anonymous said...

RT shows up at the mention of air india
why?
Florence

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Florence, it's a mystery to me too. I haven't changed my 'comment deletion' policy at all.

Very puzzling indeed.

Joe Calgary said...

"Why all the foot-draggin?"

You tell us Red, the Liberals held the RCMP leash up until a year ago... what the heck were you guys doing to help out prior to the "Steve" showing up?

Red Tory said...

Anon -- Nice to see the RCMP had their priorities in order. The lives of hundreds of Canadians vs. a grubby little scandal (or as Chantal Hebert called it a "mouse" of a scandal). Too bad most of those Canadians were of Indian decent... Maybe the conservatives would have moved a bit faster during the first critically important 8 years had they been white folks going to Disneyworld.

---------------------------------

Why ask why Florence?

---------------------------------

Joe -- Another bright spark that conveniently overlooks the 8 years when Mulroney was in power during which time the ball was really dropped on the investigation of this disaster.

What's the RCMP been doing for the last year except getting all jiggy with their felt pens to cover up their bungling?

Anonymous said...

Sorry RT, you wanna hang a curveball over the plate like that i'm gonna jump on it. I thought you understood sarcasm.

"Maybe the conservatives would have moved a bit faster during the first critically important 8 years had they been white folks going to Disneyworld."

Oh yeah. The first 8 years were critical. The next 13 not so much. Hmmmm, the one who rants about smears appears to have just thrown out one of his own. So the Conservatives never acted because their racist?

Perhaps the Liberal's would have acted faster if they could have figure out how to warrant spending millions on advertising in Quebec into an inquiry.

Red Tory said...

Anon -- Oh yeah. The first 8 years were critical.”

Gee, is that more of your “sarcasm”?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Red, I've come to the conclusion that you always come back here because you get bored at your own place.

Have you noticed that very few Blogging Tories bother to drop by there anymore? Did you ever happen to ask yourself why?

Or was that your plan in the first place?

Anonymous said...

"Red, I've come to the conclusion that you always come back here because you get bored at your own place"

Hee Hee - Good one, Joanne!