Thursday, December 29, 2005

Red Ring Around the White Collar

Just when the Christmas wrapping paper, bows and glittery bags have been put away for another year, a nicely wrapped parcel with a bright red bow appears on the doorstep of the Harper household. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm what could it be?

Open the lid.............Oh! Another white collar scandal nicely displayed on a turkey platter.

The latest RCMP investigation into the stock market activity on income trusts preceding the last budget has once again opened the door onto a ballroom of Liberal scandal. If Martin and crew had hoped that the Gomery talk would be tucked away with the Christmas decorations, and that Canadians would slip back into the Liberal fold............well................it doesn't look like it's going to happen!

The fact that the RCMP has released their intent to investigate this potential crime during the middle of an election instead of waiting until January 24th, speaks loudly of the seriousness of it. CTV News has been poking and probing at this issue since the day of the budget announcement. They have been digging up e-mail transcripts, interviewing trading experts to verify that the wording in the e-mails seem to be lifted right out of Goodale's budget announcement speech. But the timing on their journalistic investigation was poor. People were too busy with Christmas preparations to fully pay attention.

Not anymore!


Whether the activity was criminal or just an accidental slip amidst the rush to start the election is moot. For some who were privy to the leak, they were able to make stock trading deals that made them more wealthy. Scandal! Will it be one too many? Will this latest scandal be the one that will take the hypnotic spell off the voter?

There will be no time for hibernation this winter.

Canadian voters better get ready for some slick back spins on one side of the fence, and loud finger pointing accusations on the other. We are about to be inundated with negative ads, accusatory debates, backspin announcements, and pleas of innocence........a cornucopia of campaign diatribe. We're in for an interesting finish to this winter election.

Harper, Duceppe and Layton may have felt the fullness of their turkey dinner a couple of days ago. Now, they're licking their chops, hungry to take on the new item on the Liberal menu...........lame duck.

Please pass the gravy train.



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