Goodale Refuses to Resign

[Colpy]

So, we've all heard of the latest trouble for the Liberal Party.

The RCMP is conducting a criminal investigation into the possibility that insider trading took place on Investment Trusts just before Goodale made an announcement about them not being taxed.

The allegation is that there was a leak from Goodale's finance department which led to large trading volumes. There is no proof.

Goodale has refused to step aside, saying he personally has been accused of nothing, and has done nothing wrong.

I believe him. I mean, how stupid would you have to be? I almost feel sorry for the guy.

BUT the scandal has become his refusal to step aside. Have these people never heard of ministerial responsibility? If there is a criminal investigation into possible wrong doing at the highest level in your department, YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY RESPONSIBLE. You should step aside.

Goodale's refusal to do so will only keep this on the headlines and will damage the party.

Typical Liberal arrogance.

Damn I hope Harper wins a majority. This might just help him.

 

[Roy]

RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

The scandal and problems never end do they....... lesson #1, dont sh*t where you eat. Personally I don't mind Ralph Goodale, he seems honest and able, but hes on the sinking ship.

 

[no1important]

RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

He should step aside, but I doubt he will or that this will effect the lean mean Liberal election machine in anyways. Hell id Gomery never hurt the Liberals i doubt this will, unfortunatly.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

I read some analysis last night that the worst of the damage from this had already been done. I don't know if that's correct or not.

I don't understand what Goodale is doing. All he has to do is say that as Minister of Finance he is stepping aside until the investigation is done and, since he did nothing wrong, will resume his duties when the investigation is done.

 

[MMMike]

Typical Liberal corruption and arrogance! :twisted:
Looks like these guys are going back to the Chretien playbook - deny, ignore, and it will blow over.

 

[Colpy]

Re: RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

He should step aside, but I doubt he will or that this will effect the lean mean Liberal election machine in anyways. Hell id Gomery never hurt the Liberals i doubt this will, unfortunatly.

I'm not so sure the Liberals aren't hurt. I don't trust polls for a number of reasons, including the fact they can't predict who will stay home on election day.

I think Conservatives/NDPers will get out to vote. A lot of Liberal voters may find something else to do.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

Actually, we don't if there's corruption or not, Mikey. It could be nothing or could have been an inadvertent leak. The investigation will reveal that. I do remember Mulroney's cabinet minister having to step down too, so saying that it's specific to the Liberals is more than a little disingenuous too.

Simply screaming about corruption isn't really discussion.

 

[athabaska]

Re: RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

He should step aside, but I doubt he will or that this will effect the lean mean Liberal election machine in anyways. Hell id Gomery never hurt the Liberals i doubt this will, unfortunatly.

I'm not so sure the Liberals aren't hurt. I don't trust polls for a number of reasons, including the fact they can't predict who will stay home on election day.

I think Conservatives/NDPers will get out to vote. A lot of Liberal voters may find something else to do.

I agree 100%. You've raised the million dollar variable.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

I don't think the Liberals will stay home anymore than the other voters. The base is always at the polls. The variable is is those people who don't decide who they're voting for until just before the election. They show up in polls as undecided or they often don't show up because they are less likely to answer a poll.

 

[Roy]

He should step aside, but I doubt he will or that this will effect the lean mean Liberal election machine in anyways. Hell id Gomery never hurt the Liberals i doubt this will, unfortunatly.

I would have to disagree that this will not affect the Liberals. This just gives the CPC and NDP ammo to point at the Liberals and say look at this party and its endless scandals. If you open up your paper today, its will be front page news, and yesterday it was on the National. I say this will probably be talked about for at least a week...maybe two. Again these are just alligations, but they are going to help the other parties counter the powerful Liberal Party message that they are the only part that can govern Canada.

I think Conservatives/NDPers will get out to vote. A lot of Liberal voters may find something else to do.

yup, I belive that CPC and NDP voters will crawl over oil & nails to get to the polls. The Liberal party will still have its main hardcore supporters, but I think the Sponsorship Scandal and others like the alleged Goodale leak are going to keep some of the previous supporters either away from the polls, or find them in support of other parties.

....THAT IS UNLESS THE LIBERAL SPIN MACHINE IS ABLE TO SCARE ONTARIANS ENOUGH ABOUT THE "BOGEY MAN" TO GET THEM TO THE POLLS.

 

[FiveParadox]

Even though I am a strong supporter of the Liberal Party, and I believe the Hon. Ralph Goodale in his assertion that he is not responsible for any leak of information, inadvertant or otherwise, I do believe that the responsible thing to do would be to step aside for an "interim" Minister of Finance until any pending investigations into the matter are complete.

On a related note, though, I just want to say that I believe that Mr. Goodale has been one of the best Ministers of Finance that this country has seen. His budget implementation legislation and his economic update legislation have been drafted quite nicely, and even the Conservative Party didn't oppose "the budget," but rather the party implementing the budget. Whether or not the Liberals are returned to power with a fifth mandate, I say that Mr. Goodale deserves congratulations for his conduct thus far, notwithstanding this minor setback.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

I agree that Goodale is a decent man, FiveParadox. I doubt he was personally involved in or aware of whatever happened. He still needs to step aside until the investigation is done though. He should have called for the investigation himself, too. There are certain expectations of ministers.

 

[bluealberta]

Re: RE: Goodale Refuses to Re

I agree that Goodale is a decent man, FiveParadox. I doubt he was personally involved in or aware of whatever happened. He still needs to step aside until the investigation is done though. He should have called for the investigation himself, too. There are certain expectations of ministers.

AT least Mulroneys ministers had the decency to step aside pending the investigations, which in most cases, exonerated the Tory ministers.

Scandal after scandal with the Liberals. Some things never change. I find it way too much of a coincidence that the spike in trading in trust accounts took place mere hours before the official announcement. Somebody let somebody else know, of that I have no doubt.

 

[the caracal kid]

i would wait for the conclusion of the investigation before making conlcusions, bluealberta.

Just the fact that goodale moved up his announcement to just before a confidence vote and that negative news was not likely before an election call would be enough to cause speculation and increase trading.

 

[Roy]

Scandal after scandal with the Liberals. Some things never change. I find it way too much of a coincidence that the spike in trading in trust accounts took place mere hours before the official announcement. Somebody let somebody else know, of that I have no doubt

yep, whether it was an intention leak to powerful friends or simply unintentional this is going to be bad new for the Liberals. I think Goodale would of made better of the lose/lose situation by simply stepping down. I too think Goodale is a decent man, hes just with a tired old corrupt party..... but w/e Monte Solberg should make an excellent successor.

 

[bluealberta]

Re: RE: Goodale Refuses to Resign

i would wait for the conclusion of the investigation before making conlcusions, bluealberta.

Just the fact that goodale moved up his announcement to just before a confidence vote and that negative news was not likely before an election call would be enough to cause speculation and increase trading.

But not in that specific area only. I have a problem with coincidental coincidences. 8)

 

[the caracal kid]

well, considering there wasn't another long awaited announcement planned that could have been moved up, speculators could pretty much figure out what the announcement was about.

perhaps the question should then be one of should there have been an announcement of the rescheduled announcement?

 

[bluealberta]

Re: RE: Goodale Refuses to Resign

well, considering there wasn't another long awaited announcement planned that could have been moved up, speculators could pretty much figure out what the announcement was about.

perhaps the question should then be one of should there have been an announcement of the rescheduled announcement?

.............uh, lets not go there............getting a headache

 

[FiveParadox]

With all due respect, with the Hon. Ralph Goodale as Minister of Finance, we haven't really had any "negative" economic updates, have we? It wouldn't have taken a rocket scientist to figure out that the update, so soon before a possible election, would be "good news." The Liberals aren't retarded. They wouldn't have gone into a possible election period running on "The economy is broken," would they?

 

[bluealberta]

Re: RE: Goodale Refuses to Resign

With all due respect, with the Hon. Ralph Goodale as Minister of Finance, we haven't really had any "negative" economic updates, have we? It wouldn't have taken a rocket scientist to figure out that the update, so soon before a possible election, would be "good news." The Liberals aren't retarded. They wouldn't have gone into a possible election period running on "The economy is broken," would they?

Tha attitude, quite frankly, is somewhat disturbing. Are you suggesting that an "economic update", which was nothing more than a non-dabated budget, planned for an upcoming election, is something that should be shared PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF THE DETAILS? I certainly hope not. The update should have been presented as a budget measure, subject to full debate, instead of being declared and imposed on Canadians, even though it was simply nothing more than pre-election posturing.