[Mike F]

Originally posted by CaptainCrunch+May 21 2005, 08:32 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (CaptainCrunch @ May 21 2005, 08:32 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I'm not buying the argument that it was a few individuals, its too wide spread for it to be anything but the Liberal Party, and way to well planned. [/b]

How have you come to that conclusion so decisively?

Which individuals are you convinced were involved that make it too wide spread for it to be anything but the Liberal Party?

And how was it too well planned? So long as you're in control of a legitimate pile of money and get to call the shots on where it goes, it doesn't take much planning to demand a kickback under the table from those who are seeking contracts.

Originally posted by CaptainCrunch@May 21 2005, 08:32 AM
... the fact that our current prime minister is setting a great example by reflagging his ships to avoid taxation.

That's a legitimate corporate strategy that Parliament has chosen to leave in the books. Criticizing a businessman for taking advantage of it is like criticizing someone who takes advantage of the ability to deduct charitable contributions.

Originally posted by CaptainCrunch@May 21 2005, 08:32 AM
The fact that he called an early election last year to avoid having Gomery taint his party during the vote.

Yes, the Liberals called the election when it was most politically advantageous. The Conservatives just tried to do the same thing. If you want to decide that the Liberals were shady for what they did the fine, but don't delude yourself into believing any other party would act differently.

Originally posted by CaptainCrunch@May 21 2005, 08:32 AM
The fact that Gomery really has no teeth, and nothing is going to come up at the end to effect changes.

Here's a link to a discussion I had with Shawnski, outlining the teeth Gomery has, including the fact that Gomery is "entitled to draw conclusions as to whether there has been misconduct and who may be responsible for it".

I then followed that up with an argument on how holding individuals responsible will effect changes.

<!--QuoteBegin-CaptainCrunch@May 21 2005, 08:32 AM
I also look at the wastage as corruption, the HR scandal, the gun registry and the office building issues, etc etc etc.

The Liberals are either corrupt, or incompetant, and to me that means that shouldn't be anywhere near the check book, until they totally come clean and clean house.[/quote]

Is the party corrupt? Well that goes back to the first quote, so I'll leave it there.

Is the party incompetent? They've certainly made some huge mistakes, but even with those mistakes the took over a country which, under the PCs, had doubled the national debt from $250 billion to $500 billon and was constantly in deficits and turned it into one which has one of the strongest economies among the G8 and was able to weather a global slowdown that knocked the US into the largest deficits in world history, is constantly running surpluses and paying down that massive debt.

Hard to call them incompetent.