Licia Corbella, of the Calgary Sun, provides new details on some of the corruption scandals roiling Canada. Over C$ 160 million has been stolen over the past 10 years from National Defense, where nobody apparently noticed the middle manager living in mansion on Ottawa's 'billionaire's row,' complete with indoor swimming pool. Millions of government dollars have been squandered in Quebec on PR contracts involving little or no work.

As always, the search for a Yankee villain turned up a usual suspect: in the defense case, American high technology giant Hewlett—Packard, a company whose reputation for integrity is regarded by most observers as spotless. Corbella actually reads H—P's response to the Yankee—bashers:

 "At DND's request, HP engaged in sub—contracting activities with a variety of supplier companies," HP said in a statement this week.

"DND's instructions to HP were to process invoices for these suppliers, although the nature of the work being performed was, in many instances, never disclosed by DND. Despite repeated HP requests for particulars of the work to be provided, DND informed HP that the work was confidential and that, in the interest of national security, HP was not entitled to this information."

Corbella quite reasonably points out the consequences of this sort of behavior:

That the Paul Martin government is trying to cover its backside by besmirching HP is disgraceful. Indeed, just a couple of days ago it was revealed that aides to Martin have been linked to Groupe Everest.

If the feds don't watch it, reputable companies like HP will start refusing to do business with the government of Canada. We will be left only with the Lafleurs and become the Nigeria of the north.

It's clear the layers of corruption go deep and wide and we're just at the epidermis.

The American Thinker has deep sympathy and concern for Canada's overburdened taxpayers. Despite their betrayal at the hands of an arrogant, increasingly corrupt, and self—interested government, Canadians remain among the kindest, most thoughtful, and civilized people on earth. However, passivity in the face of corruption is poisonous, and will eventually erode even a stock of civic virtue as robust as Canada's.

Calgary is an apt home for we might term the Canadian Resistance movement. Alberta has long been exploited by eastern Canada, most specifically by Quebec. The net transfer of funds out of Alberta by the federation is well north of C$ 100 billion dollars, while the net transfer of funds into Quebec is a similar figure. We doubt very much that the average Albertan family wishes to continue to transfer thousands of their tax dollars annually to their conspicuously ungrateful French Canadian cousins.

We hope that Canada's judiciary and press will be vigilant in tracking down the corrupt officials, and their private sector allies, who have been looting the country, in order to keep the Liberal Party and its allies in power.

We wish Canada well, and would like it to thrive. However, if it is unable to correct its course, we would remind our friends in Alberta that Quebec is not the only province which could threaten to leave the federation. There would always be room for a 51st star on our flag, should matters come to that point.

Posted by Thomas  03 14 04