She's like a gnat that just won't go away, our Sheila. The former flag waving Heritage Minister, now columnist for the Toronto Sun and author of a tell-all, behind-the-scenes look at Ottawa.......the former Liberal Deputy PM who now supports the NDP candidate in her old riding, is most likely on the latest RCMP questioning list. Now that the Mounties are investigating the 4.8 million dollar dish out to an organization called Option Canada, how long will it take before Ms. Copps' role is clarified for all?
Option Canada, an offshoot of the Canadian Unity Council, appears to have been created in September 1995, in order to receive the money from the Department of Heritage just 17 days before the envelope of cash was distributed. According to various articles in francophone newspapers, circa 1997, many questions were asked about the organization, the money transaction and what it was spent on then.
It turns out, Option Canada had an executive that never met, had no financial statements filed, and no official record kept. It turns out that the money, sent in three transactions over a couple of months was set up as a subsidy so that it fell under the accounting and tendering radar. It turns out that Option Canada was merely an address with a mail slot. This story, like how many others, was published and buried while we moved onto other news stories. It was brought up in Question Period too, but it didn't lead to any investigations. Now, more than 10 years after the fact, the RCMP have decided to investigate AND announce it in the middle of the election.
When asked about the 4.8 million dollar transaction to a mail slot, the amount of which was 5 times more than legitimate organizations supporting Francophone and Acadian communities received, Ms. Copps donned one of the millions of flags that her department had distributed and stated:
"I never make excuses when I fight for my country."
Thank God we had Sheila fighting for our country during that whole referendum debacle.
Ever since the Sponsorship scandal was revealed, I have been wondering aloud how and why Chretien's "Deputy Captain Canada" hadn't been involved in the ongoing inquiry. How could the Heritage Minister who was basically given carte blanche to squander millions of dollars on flags that can't even fly, dodge the Gomery bullet? It's not like she's a quiet-as-a-mouse wallflower type. She had to have been in there like a dirty shirt.
Has her time come to be in the scandal spotlight? Will the scrum that she has recently joined turn on her? Will the NDP Candidate in Hamilton drop her support? Is there a crusty old geezer named John Crosbie having a good chuckle this morning?
Time to break out the tequilla, Sheila. You may need a swig.
Option Canada, an offshoot of the Canadian Unity Council, appears to have been created in September 1995, in order to receive the money from the Department of Heritage just 17 days before the envelope of cash was distributed. According to various articles in francophone newspapers, circa 1997, many questions were asked about the organization, the money transaction and what it was spent on then.
It turns out, Option Canada had an executive that never met, had no financial statements filed, and no official record kept. It turns out that the money, sent in three transactions over a couple of months was set up as a subsidy so that it fell under the accounting and tendering radar. It turns out that Option Canada was merely an address with a mail slot. This story, like how many others, was published and buried while we moved onto other news stories. It was brought up in Question Period too, but it didn't lead to any investigations. Now, more than 10 years after the fact, the RCMP have decided to investigate AND announce it in the middle of the election.
When asked about the 4.8 million dollar transaction to a mail slot, the amount of which was 5 times more than legitimate organizations supporting Francophone and Acadian communities received, Ms. Copps donned one of the millions of flags that her department had distributed and stated:
"I never make excuses when I fight for my country."
Thank God we had Sheila fighting for our country during that whole referendum debacle.
Ever since the Sponsorship scandal was revealed, I have been wondering aloud how and why Chretien's "Deputy Captain Canada" hadn't been involved in the ongoing inquiry. How could the Heritage Minister who was basically given carte blanche to squander millions of dollars on flags that can't even fly, dodge the Gomery bullet? It's not like she's a quiet-as-a-mouse wallflower type. She had to have been in there like a dirty shirt.
Has her time come to be in the scandal spotlight? Will the scrum that she has recently joined turn on her? Will the NDP Candidate in Hamilton drop her support? Is there a crusty old geezer named John Crosbie having a good chuckle this morning?
Time to break out the tequilla, Sheila. You may need a swig.
1 comment:
I'm speechless, or in awe.......
Good comments...
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