John Crosbie's column in the new Independent is one part laughable and one part pathetic, but definitely readable just to see what the guy who used to talk like Ottawa's gauleiter in Newfoundland is thinking these days.
Crosbie is ever sanctimonious, saying that the way to get rid of "corruption" in Ottawa is by electing a "non-Liberal", i.e. Conservative government. JC is practicing a bit of dog-whistle messaging here, but it is a ham-fisted attempt since it is pretty easy to see that Crosbie is less analyst and commentator than relentless party hack.
I commend to anyone's reading any book by Stevie Cameron. While there are flaws in the books, Cameron documents, among other things, the corruption within the federal Conservative Party in Quebec during the 1980s. Oh heavens, Mr. Crosbie. Could it be true? [audible gasp of mock-horror]
In at least one book, there are even mentions of Crosbie and Craig Dobbin, who Cameron describes as one of Crosbie's big fund-raisers. The mentions are definitely not in the context of crime.
Nope. Crosbie and Dobbin get mentioned because of sweetheart deals and financial support related to Dobbin's business operations wherein government rules were bent just a tad to benefit Dobbin. Seems there's a family tradition of being a self-proclaimed free-enterpriser who sucks heavily on the public tit.
There are other sections of On the take describing funky advertising deals that sound reminiscent of...wait for it... Adscam.
So Crosbie's column is a joke, even if Crosbie didn't intend it to be laughable. By Crosbie's standard, the Mulroney government should have gone to the polls at the first sign of corruption within their ranks. That would have been shortly after 1984 when Mulroney was first elected prime minister.
Of course, a little sober thinking shows Crosbie's comments for what they are: partisan drivel. That's just about all Crosbie has been good for since he left politics in 1993. Then again, when wasn't Crosbie good primarily for partisan drivel?
So here it is: Adscam was wrong. The cops and Gomery will root it out, identify those responsible and lead to the punishment of the guilty.
Corruption inside federal political parties in Quebec or any one province is no cause for a general election when the public overwhelming rejects the idea of an election.
The next federal election, whenever it comes should be about which party is the best to run the country. It's a choice to be made by ordinary voters, not Crosbie-like elites.
What ordinary people want has seldom been a concept John Crosbie understood during his career in politics.
My, oh my how things haven't changed.
As for Cameron, she has been so harried for comment she is starting a new blog dealing with Canadian politics.
I look forward to it, if for no other reason than it will be a counterpoint to the stuff pumped out by outlets like the National Lampoon.
