From: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Cdn-Firearms Digest) To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Cdn-Firearms Digest V8 #849 Reply-To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Sender: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Errors-To: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Precedence: normal Cdn-Firearms Digest Friday, December 30 2005 Volume 08 : Number 849 In this issue: CPAC-SES: LIB 35 % CON 34 % `This is like a live grenade' for Liberal party PMO officials likely to be questioned in trusts probe [BLOG] 33 RCMP Investigations into Liberal Government Activities Leak alleged day after move ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:43:16 -0600 (CST) From: "Bruce Mills" Subject: CPAC-SES: LIB 35 % CON 34 % From Bourque Newswatch: http://www.bourque.org/ CPAC-SES: LIB 35 % CON 34 % Call it Paul Martin's "Unlucky 13". Bourque has learned that the consistent bombshell reports about negative Liberal Party doings (the dog doo-doo's, the popcorn, the RCMP criminal investigations, etc), most of which are consistenly first reported to the nation on this website, is having a devastating impact on the Liberal Party, both in terms of insider morale and in current polling standings. Senior Paul Martin Liberals, the usual suspects, are now second-guessing their overall election campaign tactics and are also second-guessing each other, a tragic and stunning turn of events for a majestic party that has held government for most of the past 13 years. According to insiders well-placed to understand the nuances within Martin's braintrust, Bourque has also learned that key campaign personnel are at risk of being replaced in an increasingly desperate attempt to maintain control of the public agenda, and more importantly, the key messaging that is driving this election, something that has eluded Team Martin since Day One of this election. Now, according to SES, "The announcement of a RCMP criminal investigation of a possible tax leak from Finance Minister Ralph Goodale's office has initially had an impact on the political environment. CPAC-SES tracking has the Liberals and the Conservatives statistically tied for the first time in the campaign. Nationally, the Liberals have 35%, the Conservatives 34%, the NDP 14%, the BQ 13% and the Green Party 5%. Overnight, the CPAC-SES one day measure on trust and vision for Canada has realised a noticeable drop for Paul Martin." ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:43:25 -0600 (CST) From: "Bruce Mills" Subject: `This is like a live grenade' for Liberal party http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Arti cle_Type1&c=Article&cid=1135896622064&call_pageid=970599119419 `This is like a live grenade' for Liberal party Struggle to hang on to power badly hurt by RCMP probe Announcement has feel of a tipping point in election battle LES WHITTINGTON OTTAWA BUREAU Dec. 30, 2005. 01:00 AM OTTAWA-The Liberals' struggle to hang on to power has been badly, perhaps fatally, damaged by the RCMP's blockbuster confirmation halfway through the campaign that it has launched a criminal investigation of a possible tax leak from Finance Minister Ralph Goodale's office. Coming on the heels of a series of Liberal gaffes and miscues, the announcement from the Mounties this week has the feel of a tipping point in an election battle that had previously been almost impossible to handicap. The probe will provide a useful club for Prime Minister Paul Martin's opponents when he faces off against the Conservative, New Democrat and Bloc Québécois leaders in the second round of debates on Jan. 9 and 10 in Montreal. But above all, the Mounties' announcement will act as a glaring reminder to voters of the Liberal record of questionable ethical practices - particularly the sponsorship scandal - that led the opposition parties to topple the Liberal minority and send Canadians to the polls. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper would like to define the election as a referendum on Liberal misdeeds and his contention that Martin's party has lost the "moral authority" to govern. The Liberals have worked hard to focus voters' attention instead on their party's management of the economy and Martin's vision of a socially generous, inclusive country. And in recent weeks, the Liberals had begun to hope they had - outside of Quebec - been fairly successful in putting the ethical issue behind them. But news of the RCMP probe may alter the whole equation. "This is like a live grenade has just been thrown down Paul Martin's pants," remarked Frank Graves, president of EKOS Research Associates. "I think the potential fallout from this is quite significant - as in, you know, might lose election rather than win." He said the Liberals have in the past been hurt in the polls by revelations of unethical behaviour. Liberal popularity dropped sharply last spring when former ad executive Jean Brault revealed that taxpayers' money had gone to the Liberals during election campaigns and again when Justice John Gomery confirmed in November that there had been a kickback scheme involving Liberals under the sponsorship program. Graves said the backlash in the polls was short-lived in both instances and it remains to be seen how much lasting impact the RCMP probe will have on voters. But Liberal strategists should be worried, he said. In the first half of the campaign, the Liberals were pleased that they were maintaining their lead in the polls despite Harper's barrage of daily policy announcements. Martin's strategists have for the most part kept their new campaign promises under wraps on the assumption that the public wasn't paying close attention yet. "We think people are only going to begin tuning in next week," said a senior Liberal. As a result, the Martin team plans to unveil a series of fresh social policies when the campaign heats up again after New Year's. The Liberals will need something to energize a campaign that sometimes lacks gusto and has been plagued by campaign-killing foul-ups. First, there was former prime minister Jean Chrétien's controversial announcement that he was going to court in an attempt to have Gomery's findings on the sponsorship mess quashed. Then came Martin spokesman Scott Reid's quip that parents would just spend the $25 a week they would get from a Harper government for daycare expenses on "beer and popcorn." But that paled in comparison to Liberal organizer Mike Klander's Internet posting, in which he compared NDP candidate Olivia Chow, wife of NDP Leader Jack Layton, to a chow chow dog. Klander resigned his post with the Ontario wing of the federal Liberals but the condemnations continue to reverberate. And then the RCMP stepped in. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:43:36 -0600 (CST) From: "Bruce Mills" Subject: PMO officials likely to be questioned in trusts probe http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051230.wxgoodale1230/B NStory/National/ PMO officials likely to be questioned in trusts probe Top PMO officials will likely face questions as Mounties delve into possible leak. By SIMON TUCK AND CAMPBELL CLARK Friday, December 30, 2005 Posted at 4:54 AM EST From Friday's Globe and Mail OTTAWA - The RCMP criminal investigation into the possibility that Ottawa's plans for income trusts were leaked could reach the Prime Minister's Office, and police warn the probe could last months beyond the Jan. 23 election. Paul Martin rushed to defend Finance Minister Ralph Goodale as a man of "the greatest integrity," and said yesterday that he should not step down as a result of the probe. Aides to the Prime Minister were told about a taxation change for income trusts "some time immediately before" Mr. Goodale made the announcement after markets had closed on Nov. 23, Pat Breton, a spokesman for Mr. Goodale, said yesterday. While it is not unusual for the PMO to be informed of high-profile policy announcements, this indicates that the list of officials who had advance knowledge of the pending change went beyond the Finance Department and Mr. Goodale's office. The RCMP announced Wednesday that it was investigating whether there was a leak of Ottawa's plans to enact a politically popular cut in corporate dividend taxes to reduce an advantage that trusts have had in the market, or whether there was insider trading. The government had been expected to impose a tax on the investment vehicle. The RCMP emphasized that "there is no evidence of wrongdoing or illegal activity" by Mr. Goodale or anybody else. Opposition parties have said a jump in trading in income-trust units prior to the announcement is evidence of a leak and of insider trading and that the Liberal government is to blame. Mr. Goodale said he has done nothing wrong and that he won't resign. Speaking in Montreal, Mr. Martin said he maintains full confidence in Mr. Goodale. "He is a good man and he is an honest man. He is a person of the greatest integrity and he will not be stepping down." Mr. Martin was not slated to speak to reporters yesterday, but took one question before giving a brief statement. Liberal handlers then shooed the press out of the room. The RCMP said yesterday the investigation would extend to any part of government -- including the PMO -- that could help uncover criminal activity. "We would go wherever the leads bring us," said RCMP spokeswoman Nathalie Deschênes. She said the investigation could take a few months or even more. The investigation, which followed a one-month review that was prompted by allegations from NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis, could pose a major political threat to Mr. Goodale and his party. The Liberals have been in power for more than a dozen years and hold a slight lead in opinion polls over the Tories. "It's all part of the pattern," Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said during a campaign stop in Vancouver. "A few privileged people benefiting and ordinary people not benefiting." The RCMP's announcement about the investigation is unusual in that it was done during a federal election. Police don't usually make any moves or statements that could potentially influence voters. Ms. Deschênes also said the RCMP wouldn't usually issue a news release to announce a criminal investigation but that they wanted to clarify the situation after Ms. Wasylycia-Leis had distributed her own release Wednesday. The MP had been given an update about the situation because it was her allegations that prompted the review. Mr. Breton said police did not talk to anybody in Mr. Goodale's office during the review that preceded the investigation. The timing of the investigation, in the middle of a national election, isn't good, Mr. Breton said, but at least it will help clear the air. The Liberals said they could find no precedent of finance ministers in Canada stepping down over allegations against them. They pointed to Walter Gordon in 1963, Marc Lalonde in 1983 and Michael Wilson in 1989 as examples of federal finance ministers who stayed in their posts despite facing allegations of various kinds. The Conservatives pointed to former federal immigration minister Judy Sgro, and Ontario's Greg Sorbara and Rob Samson and British Columbia's John van Dongen as provincial ministers who stepped aside during investigations involving either themselves or their departments. With reports by Tu Thanh Ha in Montreal and Petti Fong in Vancouver ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:43:49 -0600 (CST) From: "Bruce Mills" Subject: [BLOG] 33 RCMP Investigations into Liberal Government Activities http://www.officiallyscrewed.com/blog/archives/00000074.html 33 RCMP Investigations into Liberal Government Activities TrustOnlyMulder at 11:01 pm on December 29, 2005 Sent to me via email. RCMP investigations into Liberal government activities OTTAWA - Yesterday's announcement that the RCMP are conducting a criminal investigation into the Income Trust Scandal is just another chapter in an ongoing saga. Here are some media reports of RCMP investigations over the past three years: DND: . The RCMP is probing a $76.5 million DND contract with Compaq Canada. (National Post, September 30, 2003). Public Works: . Paul Coffin, president of a Montreal-based advertising company with Liberal links, was charged by the RCMP with 18 counts of fraud, involving $2-million. (Globe and Mail, September 29, 2003). . Chuck Guite and Jean Brault, the former head of the Groupaction firm, are facing charges in the sponsorship scandal. . A third advertising executive with Liberal connections was charged with fraud.as part of the RCMP's investigation into the sponsorship program. Jacques Paradis, the former president of Publicite Martin in Montreal, allegedly submitted fake invoices worth $98,250 as part of a $1.2-million sponsorship of the Montreal Expos in 1998. (Globe and Mail, October 22, 2004). . The RCMP continues to probe the sponsorship contracts and says more charges are pending. (Globe and Mail, September 29, 2003). Minister Ralph Goodale has referred a dozen files from five companies to the RCMP for investigation, including GroupAction. (Fredericton Daily Gleaner, September 15, 2003). . The RCMP has raided the offices of Communications Coffin and GroupAction as well as "many other raids". (Globe and Mail, September 10, 2003). . Reports also suggest that the RCMP are also investigating the federal Liberal Party's Quebec wing as a part of the investigation into the sponsorship scandal. (Calgary Sun, September 26, 2003). . A report revealed that the Public Works Department has refused to release information under access to information on a $750,000 sponsorship contract for the 1999 Corner Brook Canada Games, citing an ongoing investigation. (St. John's Telegram, December 1, 2004) . In July, a Public Works payroll specialist working at RCMP headquarters was charged with 10 counts each of fraud and theft for allegedly paying himself $250,000 illegally. (Calgary Sun, September 26, 2003). . The Liberal Party has requested that the RCMP investigate whether it was a victim of fraud in the sponsorship scandal (Statement by Liberal Party Lawyer, April 4, 2005) . Martin referred the Gomery report to the RCMP (Martin Statement, November 1, 2005) Industry Canada: . The RCMP is investigating possible fraud and bribery within Industry Canada, involving possible "overpayments" to recipients of federal business grants. (Globe and Mail, September 29, 2003). . A former Ontario director of a federal agency is facing fraud charges after allegedly using government credit cards to buy hockey memorabilia. (National Post, January 7, 2005) . David Emerson told the House of Commons that several Technology Partnerships Canada files had been referred to the RCMP (Hansard, October 3, 2005) . Lobbyist Registrar Michael Nelson said that he has referred a case involving a lobbyist to the RCMP (Ottawa Citizen, November 7, 2005) HRDC: . More than half a dozen bureaucrats have been "removed" from their jobs at a Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) in Toronto following a police investigation into projects funded under one of the department's grants and contributions programs (St. John's Telegram, September 15, 2003). Radwanski: . The auditor general called on the RCMP and Revenue Canada to investigate George Radwanski's spending habits. (CTV.ca, September 30, 2003). . The Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Hon. Sharon Carstairs, responding to a question from Senator Stratton, acknowledged that there are as many as 12 ongoing RCMP investigations into the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. (Hansard, October 1, 2003). CCRA: . Revenue Minister Elinor Caplan has called in the RCMP and ordered a sweeping security review after four tax department computers were stolen containing confidential personal information on more than 120,000 Canadians. (Windsor Star, September 30, 2003). . Following a six month investigation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Greater Toronto Area Commercial Crime Section has laid a charge of Breach of Trust by Public Officer against a former employee of the Canada Customs & Revenue Agency (CCRA), alleging that she disclosed confidential tax payer information to an unauthorized person. (release via Canada News Wire, October 7, 2003). Aboriginal Affairs: . The investigations into the Virginia Fontaine Addictions Foundation. Although some charges have been laid already the Edmonton Journal reported October 2 that."the RCMP say they expect to lay more charges within the next three weeks." (Edmonton Journal, October 2, 2003). . Health Canada has called in the RCMP's fraud unit and terminated a $6.8-million funding deal with a Winnipeg-based native health organization. (Winnipeg Free Press, February 22, 2005) . Andy Scott revealed that when financial irregularities were found at Keeseekoose First Nation, the RCMP was called in and charges laid. (Globe and Mail, November 16, 2005) Citizenship and Immigration: . A prime suspect in the sweeping RCMP probe into alleged bribery of federal immigration judges twice bought his way out of jails in India before paying a human smuggler $8,000 to bring him to Canada. Last month, RCMP detectives alleged in sworn affidavits that Singh and members of his criminal organization pressured immigrants in Ottawa and Montreal to pay bribes of $10,000 to $15,000 that were shared with two Immigration and Refugee Board judges in exchange for favourable rulings. (National Post, July 5, 2003) . In one of Canada's most serious cases of passport theft, the RCMP foiled a scheme to sell 246 stolen blank Canadian passports -- but not before some of them found their way into the hands of international people-smuggling rings. (Globe and Mail, October 26, 2004). . The RCMP are probing allegations about immigration officer at Pearson Airport in relation to reports that a Romanian diplomat pulled strings in Canada so his exotic dancer daughter could get a work visa from immigration officials in 24 hours. (Toronto Sun, November 26, 2004). . Media reports revealed that a former staff member in Immigration Minister Judy Sgro's office is being probed for allegations relating to national security. (Toronto Sun, December 9, 2004). . A senior Citizenship and Immigration Canada official has been charged along with four others in an alleged cash-for-permanent-residency scheme involving tens of thousands of dollars. (Ottawa Sun, December 17, 2004). . According to media reports, the RCMP actually investigated allegations that Paul Martin supporter Gurbax Singh Malhi was using to granting of ministerial permits as a way to arrange political and financial support for Martin's leadership campaign. The RCMP reportedly looked into the matter but closed it when witnesses refused to cooperate (Globe and Mail, March 10, 2005) Transport: . Transport Canada officials reveal that following a six-month internal government review of security clearances granted to airport workers, 73 cases have been deemed suspicious or incomplete enough to forward to the RCMP for further investigation of possible criminal ties (Times-Colonist, December 12, 2004) . Liberal MP Robert Thibault has asked the RCMP to look into the privatization of the Digby wharf: "I've asked the solicitor general and advised the minister of transport that I have asked for an RCMP review of the matter," he said (Chronicle-Herald, February 10, 2005). The RCMP have no plans to reopen an investigation into privatization of the Digby wharf however (Chronicle-Herald, April 1, 2005). Tim Murphy and Ujjal Dosanjh: . The RCMP investigates allegations of Tim Murphy and Ujjal Dosanjh making offers to Conservative MPs to try and get them to cross the floor. Finance: . RCMP reviewing complaints of possible leak of income trust announcement: Staff Sgt. Paul Marsh told Bloomberg News. (CTV.ca, November 30, 2005) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:44:09 -0600 (CST) From: "Bruce Mills" Subject: Leak alleged day after move http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Arti cle_Type1&c=Article&cid=1135896621620&call_pageid=970599119419 Leak alleged day after move Money manager wrote to OSC `Pretty clear somebody leaked' RICK WESTHEAD STEVEN THEOBALD AND STUART LAIDLAW BUSINESS REPORTERS Dec. 30, 2005. 06:40 AM Sandy McIntyre was about to head for a noon meeting at the King Edward Hotel on Nov. 23 when a phone call alerted the Bay Street stock picker that Finance Minister Ralph Goodale, whose government was days away from calling an election, was poised to make a major announcement. When the senior portfolio manager at Sentry Select Capital returned to his office about an hour later at 12:30 p.m., McIntyre says, he fielded another call. This time, a trading floor contact "who was clearly excited" boasted his bank's investment adviser had been told by a government source that Goodale would reveal how the Liberals planned to handle dividend taxes. "It's pretty clear somebody leaked this thing and they should be held responsible," McIntyre says now. "We had a 5 to 7 per cent move in heavily traded securities in the last three to four hours before the close ... (which) indicates there was information available to the buyer that wasn't available to the seller. "You had large investors enjoying a substantial windfall in profits and once again the small investor got screwed," McIntyre says, adding he wrote a letter of complaint to the Ontario Securities Commission on Nov. 24 about the income trust imbroglio. The securities regulator's response advised him to file a formal complaint, McIntyre says. The S&P/TSX capped income trust index rose 1.5 per cent on Nov. 23 and the Yellow Pages Income Fund, among Canada's largest income trusts, rose 3.4 per cent - all before Goodale said at a 6 p.m. press conference in Ottawa that the government doesn't plan to tax income trusts, high-yield securities worth $170 billion. Underscoring the importance of the announcement, the S&P/TSX capped income trust index the following day soared 4.4 per cent, its biggest gain in at least eight years. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which announced on Wednesday it was launching a criminal investigation into the matter, will have a tough time tracing any leaks back to their sources, predicted Patricia Croft, chief economist at Phillips Hager & North Investment Management Ltd. "Markets are full of rumours and speculation. It's a way of life," she said. Croft, like much of the rest of Bay Street, heard rumours that morning that Goodale was going to make some sort of announcement later in the day. But she had initially thought it was "a bit far-fetched" to link those rumours to a decision on income trusts. "It seemed surprising at the time because they had made it very clear that they were going to take submissions until the end of December and then do something in January." However, speculators bet correctly that Goodale wanted to clear his plate of the issue before the election campaign heated up, and the news was going to be good for investors, Croft added. It turns out that financial markets were bang on, said Andrew Pyle, senior financial markets economist at the Bank of Nova Scotia. "Everyone in the market was saying it has to be something about income trusts. That's how high the level of speculation was." That said, it's not clear that any laws were broken or if any exact details were actually leaked ahead of time, Pyle stressed. "You can't stop the market from speculating." As the afternoon progressed, the investment community's expectations began to coalesce. At 4:10 that afternoon, about 20 minutes before the markets closed, TD Newcrest bank analyst Steve Cawley speculated during a TD Bank conference call about Goodale's coming announcement. "Let's just make an assumption that at 5 p.m., and this could be the wrong assumption, but let's make an assumption that he lowers the dividend tax rate," Montreal-based Cawley said in the conference call. In fact, Goodale did announce a dividend tax cut, as Cawley had predicted. Cawley could not be reached for comment yesterday. "At that point, word was getting around," says one Bay Street executive, who did not want to be named. The executive said that the high volume of trading on Nov. 23, following days of growing volume, suggest that rumours, not a leak, were feeding the increased trading. A leak would have led to a few people making big trades, whereas rumours tend to create a widespread jump in trades. With Goodale expected to make a move on trusts before an election, and an election call just days away, a simple press release about an after-markets announcement by the finance minister would have been enough to spur speculation, the executive said. "You would have to be pretty stupid not to figure out what's happening." David Baskin, president of Baskin Financial Services in Toronto, said evidence suggests that traders had more than a gut feeling Goodale would back off plans to tax the fast-growing income trust sector. Baskin said he believes there was likely a leak at the "clerical level" of government. It might not have been "malicious or insider trading, but of course, once the news gets out, it's out." ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V8 #849 ********************************** Submissions: mailto:cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Mailing List Commands: mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Moderator's e-mail address: mailto:akimoya@cogeco.ca List owner: mailto:owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca FAQ list: http://www.magma.ca/~asd/cfd-faq1.html and http://teapot.usask.ca/cdn-firearms/Faq/cfd-faq1.html Web Site: http://teapot.usask.ca/cdn-firearms/homepage.html FTP Site: ftp://teapot.usask.ca/pub/cdn-firearms/ CFDigest Archives: http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab133/ or put the next command in an e-mail message and mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca get cdn-firearms-digest v04.n192 end (192 is the digest issue number and 04 is the volume) To unsubscribe from _all_ the lists, put the next five lines in a message and mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca unsubscribe cdn-firearms-digest unsubscribe cdn-firearms-alert unsubscribe cdn-firearms-chat unsubscribe cdn-firearms end (To subscribe, use "subscribe" instead of "unsubscribe".) 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