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
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
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