Liberals Launch ‘Operation Damage Control’ Over Secret Testimony

April 6, 2005

Never has so much been said about what can’t be said. Such is the irony of the publication ban placed upon the Gomery Inquiry this past week since Quebec advertising executive Jean Brault began his testimony at the public inquiry investigating the sponsorship scandal.

It’s been rather interesting to watch the media and political pundits turn themselves inside out analyzing Mr. Brault’s comments without actually disclosing what he said. Still, they were able to make it very clear to Canadians they thought his statements are explosive and shocking.

But what ultimately prompted the most fuss and cause for speculation was the reaction of the Paul Martin Liberals to the secret testimony. Following Mr. Brault’s initial testimony, the Liberals immediately launched into a frenzied flurry of damage control. Even if you aren’t one of the thousands of Canadians who logged onto American-based websites that did not adhere to the Canadian publication ban to read Mr. Brault’s testimony, you need only have watched the Liberal Party of Canada to figure it out.

The Liberal Party immediately sought to have their lawyers obtain standing at the Gomery inquiry (at taxpayers expense) so they could defend themselves against whatever is being said. They’re also trying to ‘spin’ themselves now as victims in the sponsorship scandal – a program that the Liberals themselves created. The Liberal government, essentially the RCMP’s boss, has now called the RCMP to investigate whether the Liberal Party was defrauded.

The only victims in this twisted and sordid spectacle are Canadian taxpayers! While the Prime Minister and his entire party are consumed and ‘running scared’ over Mr. Brault’s statements, there is a country to run.

Throughout this week, the Official Opposition has been steadfastly attempting to get the federal agenda back on track by advocating in the House of Commons our longstanding demands that compensation be extended to Hepatitis C tainted blood victims infected prior to 1986.

We also called for immediate action to address this week’s Auditor General’s report that found our passport system is a mess and that Canada’s security and anti-terrorism readiness is failing. We tabled a motion calling for an inquiry into the Air India trial. We also salvaged – for now – the budget implementation bill into which the Liberals had surreptitiously slipped other unrelated and controversial Kyoto legislation.

And we demanded justice for Zahra Kazemi, the Canadian citizen who was brutally beaten and murdered by Iranian authorities. Yet the federal Liberals seem content with the fact that they have re-established normal diplomatic relations with Iran.

In other words, despite heated media speculation about an eminent election we’ve been trying to get some work done in Ottawa on behalf of Canadians! When the publication ban at the Gomery Inquiry is lifted – and there have been indications that might happen even before this column is printed – we, in the Official Opposition, will assess the impact upon our nation.

At that time we will take the necessary steps to remove the Liberals from power, when, and if, the majority of Canadians decide they have lost the moral authority to govern.

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