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THE PM'S AWARDS FOR SERVICES RENDERED

We can be assured that the Prime Minister is now busy making a list and "checking it twice" regarding those who rendered him service during his ten years as Prime Minister. Awards he plans to give will be doled out during his remaining few months in office. Some names will be unfamiliar, some not.

Justice Minister, Martin Cauchon

High on the list as a recipient of an award is Minister of Justice, Martin Cauchon. He served as Chrétien's Quebec lieutenant, as well as a relentless enabler for Mr. Chrétien's social policy legacy: decriminalizing marijuana, instituting same-sex marriage, and giving sex orientation protection in the hate propaganda provision in the Criminal Code. These policies were ALL sprung on us by Mr. Cauchon who never would have done so without the full knowledge and approval of the Prime Minister. Mr. Cauchon is expected to be awarded with an appointment to the Bench. His award will be an appointment to either the Federal Court or one of the Quebec courts.

Justice Committee Chairman, MP Andy Scott (Fredericton)

Justice Committee Chairman, Andy Scott, will be another prominent name on the patronage list. His position on the Justice Committee was pivotal, working in tandem with Minister of Justice Cauchon, in carrying out Prime Minister Chrétien's agenda. Examples of Mr. Scott's assistance in this regard include the following:

  • In April 2003, Mr. Scott circulated widely an outline of a proposed law on same-sex marriage. This proposal was nearly identical to the draft legislation that Mr. Cauchon released to the public three months later on July 17, 2003. Mr. Scott insisted that his proposal for the same-sex marriage law was his idea only, and did not represent the official views of the government. No one believed him, as we knew that Mr. Scott was floating a trial balloon on behalf of the government to bring in a same-sex marriage law.

  • At the May 15, 2003 meeting of the Justice Committee, Mr. Scott allowed MP Svend Robinson to filibuster the proceedings so that Alliance Justice Critic, Victor Toews' motion not to proceed with Bill C-250 could not be voted on. At a further meeting of the Committee on May 27, 2003, on a motion by Mr.Toews that would have circumvented Mr. Robinson's filibuster, Mr. Scott ruled Mr. Toews' motion out of order. Consequently, under the House of Commons' Standing Order, Bill C-250 was returned to the House of Commons for third and final vote. (See article, "Manipulation and Deceit Gives Bill C-250 - Amendment to Hate Propaganda Provision - New Life.")
  • At a meeting of the Justice Committee held on June 12, 2003, Mr. Scott permitted Mr. Robinson to introduce a bizarre motion that effectively overrode the many months of work, expense and travel carried out by that Committee to consult Canadians on the marriage issue. Mr. Robinson's motion was as follows:
    That this committee support the recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision which redefines the common-law definition of 'marriage' as 'the voluntary union for life of two persons, to the exclusion of all others, while fully respecting freedom of religion, as guaranteed under the Charter of Rights.'
  • This motion ended in a tie vote, despite the removal from the Committee of two Liberal MPs by Mr. Cauchon, those MPs opposed to sex-marriage, who were replaced by two Liberal MPs who supported it. Mr. Scott, as Chairman, broke the tie, voting in favour of Mr. Robinson's motion.

  • This motion was then successfully used by Mr. Cauchon and Mr. Chrétien as one of the reasons why the government could not appeal the Ontario Court of Appeal decision on same-sex marriage.
    Mr. Scott is not a lawyer, so he cannot be given a judicial appointment. However, we can be assured that his reward will be a secure position with a lucrative salary.

Liberal MP Derek Lee (Scarborough - Rouge River)

It is expected that Liberal MP Derek Lee, a lawyer, will be awarded with a judicial appointment for his support of Mr. Cauchon's manipulations.

Mr. Lee's service to the government's agenda was a particularly tricky one, however. As a member of the Justice Committee, Mr. Lee seemed genuinely opposed to same-sex marriage. Mr. Lee submitted an affidavit in support of the Faith Coalition's application for Leave to Appeal the Ontario court decision on same-sex marriage, and voted with the Alliance on its motion on September 16 in support of the definition of marriage as the union of opposite-sex couples only.

However, Mr. Lee undertook some extremely questionable actions while sitting on the Justice Committee. For example, at the Justice Committee meeting on June 12, 2003, at which NDP MP, Svend Robinson, suddenly brought forward a motion (which Mr. Cauchon and Chairman Andy Scott obviously had arranged) to undo the Committee's many months of work, to support the Ontario Court of Appeal decision on same-sex marriage. Mr. Lee, who rarely, if ever, missed a session of the Committee hearings, was "temporarily" out of the room at the time of the crucial vote. He managed to turn up literally seconds after Mr. Scott had broken the tie in favour of Mr. Robinson's motion. It was obvious that he had been instructed not to appear for the vote. Mr. Lee claimed he had been detained at another meeting, which is highly doubtful. If he had wanted to be there, he would have been there. If Mr. Lee had been, the vote would have been 9 - 7 against Mr. Robinson's motion.

Committee Member, Alliance MP, Kevin Sorenson (Crowfoot), summed up the whole debate on June 12 when he stated:

It's disappointing to lose the last vote, disappointing some coming in late for the vote, others who we'd never seen before here, voting the way obviously that the government has instructed them to vote. Disappointing to look around the table and see full chairs, except again the Progressive Conservative chair, when we get to these controversial issues they tend to stay away from them and I think that's a sad commentary on Parliament and on their responsibilities here.

Mr. Lee, however, had further duties to perform for Mr. Cauchon - this time on Bill C-250.. He moved a meaningless amendment on Bill C-250 at the request of Mr. Cauchon, to protect so-called religious texts, an amendment which the Liberals and Mr. Cauchon used to encourage Liberal MPs to vote for the bill. (See article "Manipulation and Deceit gives Bill C-250 - Amendment to Hate Propaganda Provision - New Life." ) Mr. Lee also personally voted for Bill C-250. It is expected that for his services to the Chrétien government on same-sex marriage and Bill C-250, Mr. Lee will receive a judicial appointment. If he does not receive this much sought-after appointment to the Bench, he should at least receive a special award for tightrope walking and timing.

Many others will be given their award for loyalty, a.k.a. for performing tricks and practising duplicity on behalf of Mr. Chétien. The individuals listed above are only the most obvious ones.

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