Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

FELDSTED: The back-room dealings, controversy, rumours scandal, and secrecy are an object lesson in why governments should not be involved with or support business enterprises of any kind


Defence lawyers receive heavily censored memo to Trudeau about Mark Norman's case.
Murray Brewster ~~ CBC News ~~ Mar 28, 2019

A 60-page memo about Vice-Admiral Mark Norman's breach of trust case — written by the country's top federal bureaucrat to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — has been delivered to Norman's lawyers with its contents almost completely blacked out.

Norman's defence team isn't happy with the redaction and plans to fight it in court.

The Department of Justice claims the document is subject to solicitor-client privilege and cannot be completely disclosed.

Marie Henein, Norman's lead counsel, has alleged political interference in the prosecution of the former head of the navy. Norman is accused of leaking cabinet secrets related to a $668 million shipbuilding deal

CLICK HERE to read the full story:


What the heck is going on?

Media reports last week alleged that Jody Wilson-Raybould had written a 60-page memo to Trudeau about appointment of Manitoba Judge Joyal to the Supreme Court. Now we discover a 60-page memo from Wernick to Trudeau on the Admiral Normand case.

It is unlikely that there are two separate 60 page documents we don’t know about, blanked out or not. It is too much of a coincidence to be credible. The PMO rumour mill is tripping over itself.


Claiming privilege, and the right to secrecy, is not appropriate in a criminal proceeding. Wernick is not separate from the PMO despite efforts to make it appear so. Wernick is also Secretary to the Cabinet which makes him part of the PMO, not apart from it.

There is a major battle on between Norman’s defence lawyers and the government:

In the background, Scott Brison, who was president of the Treasury Board during the alleged Norman misdeed resigned, and within a couple of weeks landed up with the Bank of Montreal. It turns out that the BMO has a significant stake in the Trans-Mountain purchase.

More on that later. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/briefing/article-bmo-warns-of-vicious-fallout-if-trans-mountain-pipeline-project-dies/

Then we have this: Morneau unveils principles for Indigenous ownership in Trans Mountain pipeline.

What is that all about?

We need to get Trans Mountain Pipeline back in private ownership, but I don’t see financing the purchase and expansion through indigenous bands. Building maintaining, and operating pipelines is a highly specialized field. We need to rebuild investor confidence in oil patch development and adding an indigenous factor will not be helpful. This looks more line a vote-buying ploy than a sound business plan.

All of the back-room dealings, controversy, rumours, scandal and secrecy are an object lesson in why governments should not be involved with or support business enterprises of any kind.

Governments need to develop a level playing field for all investors and business people -- and allow fair competition and market forces to work to our advantage. 

Entrepreneurs don’t gamble in Vegas and flee any nation where they suspect the dice are loaded in favour of local corporations or government favourites. We are getting some insight into just how bad it can get.

John Feldsted
Political Consultant & Strategist
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC Conservatives Point to Warning Signs in BC’s Economy

While Canada posted modest job gains in July, warning lights are still flashing in British Columbia. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, leaving too many first-time jobseekers shut out of the workforce. BC also lost 3,400 public administration jobs in July, likely as temporary Census positions ended. “BC's jobs divide remains stark. Unemployment is far higher in business-driven communities like Kelowna (9.3%) and Abbotsford-Mission (8.3%) than in Victoria (5.0%). Government should be focused on creating the conditions for private-sector investment and job growth,” said Gavin Dew, MLA for Kelowna-Mission and Shadow Minister for Economic Development. “We need an economy where young people can find work, businesses can hire, and every region has the opportunity to prosper.” This comes as BC faces five straight quarters where more businesses are closing than opening, an NDP cabinet rift over job-creating projects like Tilbury LNG, and fresh signs that even the province's to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Okanagan Farmers Face NDP-Created Water Crisis ~~ BC Conservatives

Okanagan farmers are facing a water crisis as government-imposed restrictions threaten to kill their crops and destroy one of B.C.’s most important agricultural industries. In perhaps the most water-rich province in the country, our farmers have been left high and dry by the NDP government. For nine weeks, Okanagan and Shuswap farmers have proposed solutions, only to be met with NDP foot-dragging. Now forest fires have come to these regions as they are simultaneously reckoning with a water crisis that has been made worse through years of government inaction. Vernon-area farms have lost 70 percent of their water, while Kelowna and Summerland growers face severe restrictions. This situation is unacceptable and cannot continue. Ian Paton, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, said the NDP is once again forcing farmers to pay for its own failure to plan. "Farmers and ranchers must be listened to when decisions affecting their livelihoods are made, and under the NDP, they aren’t," said...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH: Without a strong local presence, there is NO reason for anyone to tune in to local(?) radio

LOCAL HOMETOWN RADIO IS DYING … and without serious measures put in place, it will likely never see the light of day again. For well over four decades, the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) has presided over its’ demise, and for that I say, “Shame”. Without out a word to say enough was enough, the CRTC has allowed corporate Canada to buy up one radio station after the other, and then allowed them to slash staff to the point where some so-called local radio stations do nothing more than air programming that originates from communities well outside the region in which they are located. Case in point?   On CHNL* 610 in Kamloops, the morning show hosted by Vinnie and Randi, DOES NOT originate from Kamloops -- it doesn’t even originate here in BC. It’s a program that Stingray airs across multiple radio stations in Western Canada. It doesn’t end there. Not only are Vinnie and Rando doing mornings on CHNL, but they also show up on sister station Country 103 … and of course o...
5 comments
Read more

Labels

Show more