Month: April 2005

So far this is shaping up to be my biggest day for traffic to this website. Blogging Tories is also having a record day. Everyone seems to be searching for one thing… the Jean Brault secret testimony at the Gomery Inquiry.

I’d like to give a special shout-out to my some of my visitors from the government of Canada!

firewall.scc-csc.gc.ca (Supreme Court Of Canada)
gate1.dfait-maeci.gc.ca (Dept. Foreign Affairs And International Trade)
parl203.parl.gc.ca (Canadian House Of Commons)
hrdcgate.nhq.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca (HRDC)
intout.cbc.ca (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
user.fin.gc.ca (Finance Canada And Treasury Board Secretariat)
csc-scc.gc.ca (Solicitor General of Canada)

You guys already know about the secret testimony by Jean Brault at the Gomery commission! Why look here? Use your Blackberrys, that’s what they’re for. There is certainly nothing here that’s illegal.

Adscam spokesman Francois Perreault has made a statement:

“Anyone who takes that information [from the American blog] and diffuses it is liable to be charged with contempt of court … Anybody who reproduces it is at risk”

I’ve been fairly careful not to ‘diffuse’ this information but to report on events outside of the secret testimony. I have read the secret testimony and perhaps it has influenced my opinion (as it should hopefully influence most voters) but I’ve never directly linked the American blog that shall not be named. Looks like our friend over at the Canadian version of the Drudge Report that also shall not be named will be charged with contempt-of-court today. I can’t even name this all-news Canadian website (although it seems to be down right now).

There are certain words of anger and of shock concerning this recent development that I will not attempt to convey at this time. This is a sad day for personal civil liberties in Canada.

I never understood this publication ban concerning its relevance to blogs. I doubt that it would be impossible to interview potential jurors and filter them based on their knowledge of even the existence of blogs.

Jane: “Hello Stephen? This is Jane Taber from the Globe and Mail”

Me: “uh, hello Jane”

Yes, Ms. Hot and Not herself gave me a call just a few minutes ago asking about Blogging Tories, the Sponsorship Scandal, CQ, the Gomery Inquiry and the publication ban.

I made sure to go “off the record” on a few things given the fine legal line that this blog currently treads concerning the secret testimony given last week by Jean Brault. I’m not sure that I’ll be mentioned directly; it felt more like a research call than an interview (no quotes required).

Me: “Is this going to be in tomorrow’s paper?”

Jane: “Yes, probably.”

Me: “I hope that the RCMP doesn’t knock on my door tomorrow.”

Jane: “[laughs] Give me a shout if they do. That would be a great story.”

UPDATE: Taber’s article is here. As I expected, the call was indeed for research. I’m not quoted but I have to say that it’s very gratifying to help move this whole process forward. It’s good to see that Peter MacKay agrees that this whole publication ban is pretty much now moot.