The same old song, the same old song and dance!

One has to admit that Adscam II (the judicial sequel), just doesn’t seem to have the nation in as much of an uproar as the Original version of: To tell the truth (or your version of it anyways) did. The talking heads from the networks aren’t hanging on every word here; the background pieces don’t have that same smell of attack as those heady early days did. There’s no sense of outrage in the land, the talk show hosts aren’t screaming for blood, the callers aren’t expressing shock and disgust, in fact most aren’t even discussing the hearings in any form.

All in all, the entire thing so far is rather boring, bland and bloody tedious. And perhaps that more than anything was the purpose of this second wave of Adscam remembrances, under the watchful eye of Quebec Justice Mr. Gomery. Keep it low profile, keep it on the low burner. And for God’s sake don’t wake up the well rested Canadian public, fresh from their summer siestas.

Admittedly the players are somewhat different this time around as is the tone of this debate. There are no partisan parliamentarians jockeying for television time, in a pre election orgy of self importance. The first go round in the parliamentary committee meetings resembled an episode of Jerry Springer or Maury Povich, there was banging on tables, suggestions of cover up and political shenanigans and threats to shut things down in disgust, all of which the media gleefully recounted day in and day out.

Instead, this time the media seem to be treating the hearings like some ways and means accounting review, a bunch of bookish accountants settling in for the day to go over the books, chew the fat and run up some expenses on the Government tab. In other words: its business as usual in the capital.

The original outrages are still there, those little accommodations that the various ad agencies made to siphon off hundreds of thousands of dollars for work (if we can call it that) which was hardly transparent let alone accountable. The funny little deals spun through a labyrinth of advertising firms, most of which seemed mainly to be interested only in making it to the bank quickly to cash some cheques.

The star of the first show Auditor General Sheila Fraser is back, reprising her role of the sheriff of the town trying to clean up this mess. Ms Fraser spent part of Tuesday and all of Wednesday basically re delivering her now famous report of the damned, where she opened the eyes of a normally dis-interested public to the shadowy world of Governmental contracts. Back then she was hailed as a hero, talk show hosts had flowers sent to her in honour of her stand, Canadians read daily dispatches of the fall out from her report. Fraser became a Canadian icon for a period of time, the last person in Ottawa willing to take a stand and say something here is wrong.

Of course a lot of water has run through the lake since that heady time of public outrage, we had an election that put the same gang basically back into office, all be it in greatly reduced numbers. The country then promptly purged politics from its system, so as to get on with the real challenge of Canadian life; that being the fine art of fitting as much of summer as one can into a very short window of time before the fall frost.

With vacations, barbeques, fishing trips and such to tend to, not many Canadians probably felt the need to aggravate their ulcers over the cavalier ways of spending in Ottawa.

With Labour Day come and gone and with it our summer, perhaps the venom has been leeched out of our system. Maybe we think that the folks in Ottawa have learned a lesson, or perhaps there are just more pressing matters on our plate these days. At any rate, it all bodes well for Justice Gomery, who said he was going to take his time to explore the controversy. And take his time he will, Gomery will have over 70 witnesses drop in on the proceedings in phase one. The Ottawa sessions will deal with all matters governmental. There is some talk that former Prime Minister Jean Chretien may make an appearance if he's asked, which should stir the media to attention. Not to mention the sessions where the likes of Alfonso Gagliano and Andre Ouellette may get to tell their side of these many tales.

The Justice then takes the show on to Montreal where the folks that received the Sponsorship monies will be providing the entertainment. The only folks taking copious notes at the moment, are lawyers for Chuck Guite and Jean Brault, preparing to recount the smallest detail when they get their chance. And if you think this is going to be some quick examination of events, think again. Slow and steady is apparently the byword at the hearings, the Justice does not have to provide an interim report until the fall of 2005. His final report is not due until December of 2005.

The length of these hearings may be the key for the Government, if we’ve already lost interest by September of 2004, will we even remember why the hearings were held by 2005. Fifteen months seems an awful long time to try and get to the bottom of what would appear to be a rather cut and dried case. The hearing will however provide one little sub drama, a just under the surface reminder for all of the excess of a government, that has no check or balance.

It will make for nice theme to follow, as we watch our Minority government work its way through the minefield of governmental duties. Fifteen months, hmm, one wonders if the government of the day will last as long as the hearings.

The above post first appeared in my Boondoggle blog, for more items examining the government check it out.