What an eventful day for Prime Minister Paul Martin, he no sooner had removed the stone in his shoe in the form of Carolyn Parrish. Than the news machine was getting ratcheted up over a report in the New York Daily News.
The Big Apple paper best known for its grizzly photo’s of dead mobsters and comprehensive reporting on the comings and goings of the Goodfellow set have set the Canadian political scene on its ear. In today’s Daily News an FBI informant (known in some circles as a stoolie) has suggested that Alfonso Gagliano is a made man in the Bonanano crime family.
According to the informant Gagliano was introduced to him as a member of the Northern branch of the "family" while attending a function in Montreal. The function apparently limited to only “made” members of the organization, featured the former cabinet minister and ambassador as a participant.
While the article is tittilating in detail, it seems rather short on fact and long on supposition! As for a smoking gun, there doesn’t seem to be anything that would concretely tie the Alf man with the Bonanano’s. One wonders just how much stock to put in the story. Surely even the RCMP (please things can’t be this bad with the horsemen eh?) would have gotten wind of such a situation and alerted the proper members of then PM Jean Chretien’s crew!
It seems beyond belief that if one was a “made member” of the Mob, he would also be able to sit for long as a Member of Parliament. Even the Liberals who have at times shown a rather loose concept of ethics, would draw the line with allowing organized crime a front door entry to the national treasury, well one would hope anyways.
However, if proven true the current sponsorship scandal would pale in comparison to the investigation that would be launched into activities by the entire Chretien cabinet of the day. Suddenly padding expense accounts and siphoning ad dollars to nickel and dime ad agencies won’t seem like such a crime. Not when the Big Leagues of malfeasance may have had a foothold on the Hill!
The Conservatives who apparently can read quite well, have taken the latest developments to Question Period and are demanding some answers. This minority government was off to a rather quiet start, but in the space of 24 hours there’s lots of intrigue, backroom dealing and shocking revelations. Worthy of a major motion picture, only question is will it be Goodfella’s or Gladiator! Absolute Power or Animal Farm!
Update to the story: Late in the day Mr. Gagliano announced that there was no truth to the story what so ever. As they say in the legal progession, lawyers prepare your lawsuits!
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