- 注册
- 2002-10-07
- 消息
- 402,190
- 荣誉分数
- 76
- 声望点数
- 0
Gerry Lougheed says he will be “vigorously defending” himself against charges laid against him Thursday in connection with the Sudbury by-election. He will have his chance to prove his innocence, and the people of Ontario will have a chance to consider what the case reveals about the ethical standards of the governing Liberal party.
Andrew Olivier was running for the Liberal nomination in Sudbury. He says he was pressured to step down to clear the way for erstwhile NDP MP Glenn Thibeault. Olivier recorded his conversations with Lougheed, a Liberal insider, and with Pat Sorbara, the premier’s deputy chief of staff. Both spoke about what Premier Kathleen Wynne wanted Olivier to do, and what Olivier’s future might look like if he did as he was asked.
In the recording, Lougheed can be heard saying, “If you say fine, Premier, I get it, you know what, this is certainly a shift of the Liberal-NDP universes and I respect that, then you need to say, so why would Andrew Olivier be motivated to do this? What’s in it for me? Politically what’s in it for me, long term, short term, is there an appointment, are you going to let me head up a commission, what are you giving for me to step down that is worthwhile?”
The Liberal interpretation of what happened is that they were merely breaking the news of a fait accompli to Olivier, and softening the blow by suggesting there would be meaningful roles for him to play afterwards. They argue that governments dole out patronage to reward loyalty all the time. Of course, usually that happens – or appears to – after the fact. The question in this case is whether Lougheed’s advice amounted to an illegal offer.
Ontario’s Chief Elections Officer said back in February: “Having reviewed the evidence and findings from this regulatory investigation, I am of the opinion that the actions of Gerry Lougheed Jr. and Patricia Sorbara amount to apparent contraventions of subsection 96.1(e) of the Election Act.”
Now the OPP has laid charges against Lougheed under the Criminal Code: one count of counselling an offence not committed and one count of unlawfully influencing or negotiating appointments. He has stepped down from as chair of the Sudbury regional police services board and as chancellor of Huntington University.
Pat Sorbara has not been charged.
“This has been a very uncommon investigation,” says the OPP in its news release. It has certainly been a long one.
Many of the scandals this premier wears are cast-offs from the McGuinty era; not this one. This happened on her watch, and whatever the courts decide, she needs to account for the ethics of it.
查看原文...
Andrew Olivier was running for the Liberal nomination in Sudbury. He says he was pressured to step down to clear the way for erstwhile NDP MP Glenn Thibeault. Olivier recorded his conversations with Lougheed, a Liberal insider, and with Pat Sorbara, the premier’s deputy chief of staff. Both spoke about what Premier Kathleen Wynne wanted Olivier to do, and what Olivier’s future might look like if he did as he was asked.
In the recording, Lougheed can be heard saying, “If you say fine, Premier, I get it, you know what, this is certainly a shift of the Liberal-NDP universes and I respect that, then you need to say, so why would Andrew Olivier be motivated to do this? What’s in it for me? Politically what’s in it for me, long term, short term, is there an appointment, are you going to let me head up a commission, what are you giving for me to step down that is worthwhile?”
The Liberal interpretation of what happened is that they were merely breaking the news of a fait accompli to Olivier, and softening the blow by suggesting there would be meaningful roles for him to play afterwards. They argue that governments dole out patronage to reward loyalty all the time. Of course, usually that happens – or appears to – after the fact. The question in this case is whether Lougheed’s advice amounted to an illegal offer.
Ontario’s Chief Elections Officer said back in February: “Having reviewed the evidence and findings from this regulatory investigation, I am of the opinion that the actions of Gerry Lougheed Jr. and Patricia Sorbara amount to apparent contraventions of subsection 96.1(e) of the Election Act.”
Now the OPP has laid charges against Lougheed under the Criminal Code: one count of counselling an offence not committed and one count of unlawfully influencing or negotiating appointments. He has stepped down from as chair of the Sudbury regional police services board and as chancellor of Huntington University.
Pat Sorbara has not been charged.
“This has been a very uncommon investigation,” says the OPP in its news release. It has certainly been a long one.
Many of the scandals this premier wears are cast-offs from the McGuinty era; not this one. This happened on her watch, and whatever the courts decide, she needs to account for the ethics of it.
查看原文...
