So why didn't McGuinty fire Colle then instead of stonewalling demands for his minister's head for three weeks in the Legislature and suggesting his critics were racists?
McGuinty ducked that question in a press conference yesterday, but it is likely there are three answers to it.
Urquhart lists those possible reasons as (a) stubborness (b) unsuccessful attempt to dismiss the allegations as "mere caterwauling by the opposition and the media", and (c) with an upcoming election, McGuinty is in "survival mode".
The Star piece continues:
"Auditor general finds no ties between grants and politics," trumpeted a press release from the premier's office.
That's true, to a certain extent. The auditor general did report that "a few" of the recipient groups had Liberal ties but added: "We found no evidence that the organization received the grant as a result of this."
However, another allegation was beyond the purview of the auditor general to investigate: that the Liberals dispensed the money to curry favour with various ethno-cultural groups.
After all, the citizenship grants weren't handled like a normal government program, with bureaucrats involved. Rather, it was run out of Colle's own office.
But Colle was not a rogue minister, and he didn't find the money for the grants in the men's room of his ministry. It was given to him to distribute by the minister of finance, and McGuinty himself participated in at least one of the ceremonies in which the cheque was presented.
The court will now take a brief recess.
8 comments:
Sure!
OT -note : McGuinty posturing on crime by hiring 200 new OPPs??
Judging by how effectively the existing resources have been used and the complete refusal to enforce the law when it comes to political hot potatos ..... I'd say this is just more very expensive gesturing!
PGP, it's called 'changing the channel'.
I hope the people of Ontario remember this Ontario fiberal corruption. It is the middle of summer. Mcliar ended the session before the auditor could have tabled all this in the legislature. The 26 million for cops announced today is a blatant attempt to cover up his corruption. The new cops should start investigating mc liar.
And if it hadn't been for John Tory et al hammering away at this day after day it would have been buried along with all of their other transgressions.
And let's not forget, the fact that A.G. found no 'evidence' of wrong doing doesn't mean that there wasn't wrong doing - just that there was no evidence. These guys didn't even have to hustle it out the back door!
Mcliar ended the session before the auditor could have tabled all this in the legislature. The 26 million for cops announced today is a blatant attempt to cover up his corruption.
Yep. He's desperate to get away from this story.
And if it hadn't been for John Tory et al hammering away at this day after day it would have been buried along with all of their other transgressions.
Very good point. The opposition performed their jobs very well; unlike the government.
And let's not forget, the fact that A.G. found no 'evidence' of wrong doing doesn't mean that there wasn't wrong doing - just that there was no evidence.
Exactly. His purview was limited, as stated in one of the articles today.
Let's ban handguns again!
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