Cabinet Confusion

As for the different treatment meted out to the two Ministers – firing in one case, mere demotion in the other – several factors played a role. For one thing, the Federal Ethics Commissioner ruled that Eggleton had violated conflict of interest guidelines. There is also Chrétien’s long association with Boudria. In addition, the Prime Minister may have had concerns about Eggleton’s competency in the Defence post. Eggleton got into trouble earlier this year when he flip-flopped on precisely when he informed the Prime Minister that Canadian troops were handing over Tahliban soldiers to the Americans. This was a controversial issue as the Americans refused to treat the soldiers as prisoners of war and thus subject to the Geneva Convention.

And what is the possibility that things will calm down now that Chrétien has removed two MPs from Cabinet and introduced Conflict of Interest Guidelines? As I write this, Solicitor General Lawrence MacAulay is on the hot seat for trying to help a PEI college president obtain a grant from the RCMP to develop law enforcement distance learning courses. The problem? The college official in question just happens to be the Solicitor General’s brother. And so it goes…..

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