Conservative MP Jason Kenney

Opposition furious as ad scandal inquiry ended

CTV.ca News Staff
May 12, 2004 11:26 PM ET

Opposition members are incensed that the federal government has chosen to shut down a Commons committee investigating the federal sponsorship scandal, saying the decision suggests a cover-up.

Conservative, NDP, Bloc MPs voiced their anger at a news conference Wednesday morning, complaining that the Liberals used their majority on the committee to suspend the hearings.

"Our committee has been muzzled," accused NDP MP Pat Martin. "The Liberals have put a stop to Canadians getting answers."

The MPs say the committee hasn't reached any conclusions, and needs to continue hearing from as many as another 90 witnesses. In particular, they want to hear from those at the top of the chain of command.

"I don't believe that senior bureaucrats break every rule in the book unless somebody directs them to do so,'' said Martin.

The decision to shut down the committee and move it into secret hearings "drove a stake through the heart of the only inquiry to get to the bottom of the liberal sponsorship scandal," said Conservative MP Jason Kenney.

Michel Guimond of the Bloc Quebecois suggested the judicial inquiry under Justice John Gomery may have better luck in probing the scandal, but he said his party won't wait for that report in silence.

"We'll have a chance to talk about it during the campaign,'' said Guimond.

The suspension means the committee is now asked to draw up conclusions and make recommendations by the end of the week.

On Tuesday, opposition MPs delayed the attempt to move the inquiry into a closed-door session. After three hours of debate and filibuster, the inquiry met for only 30 minutes.

If meetings are delayed for the rest of this week, it is unlikely a report will be ready before next week's expected election call.

Some MPs suggested Tuesday the decision to wrap up the committee's work was orchestrated to come one day after the arrest of retired public servant Chuck Guite, who administered the sponsorship program, and Groupaction president Jean Brault.

They were each charged Monday with five counts of fraud and one count of conspiracy. They are accused of misspending $2 million of the government's money.

"Canadians aren't buying Chuck Guite as the 'lone gunman,' because they know there's a grassy knoll full of Liberals they want to hide until after Canadians get a chance to vote," said NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis on Tuesday in Parliament's question period.

"Aren't these charges just the tip of the iceberg of corruption that's been the hallmark of this government for more than a decade?" asked Conservative leader Stephen Harper.

With an election call expected later this month, Parliament will soon be shut down, which will mean the end of the hearings, in any event.

A judicial inquiry headed by Justice John Gomery of the Quebec Superior Court is expected to begin hearings in the fall, but it isn't expected to issue a final report until late 2005.