The publication ban has been lifted.
Details to follow…
For now… go and give Captain’s Quarters a good read.
Some parts of the testimony are still under publication ban… but these parts are limited and have little to do with Liberal corruption.
Here comes the political earthquake
The publication ban on the testimony of Jean Brault may come to an end today and the full testimony will be posted here as soon as it is available (and as soon as I’m available to post it). Lawyers are currently arguing for and against the dissolution of the ban. When this information comes, Parliament could see the introduction of a non-confidence motion and we could see an election campaign very soon.
For now, let me bookend the testimony.
March 30th
GOMERY: Thank you very much. I think now that Mr. Brault is going to come into the room and in order to give the camera people an opportunity of taking a picture of him, which is going to be their last attempt to capture his image, I will withdraw for a minute or two and then we will proceed with his examination.
[CENSORED TESTIMONY]
April 4th
ROY : Alors, avant de reprendre le fil du témoignage de Monsieur Brault, vous avez devant vous ce matin une demande faite par le Parti libéral du Canada qui est représenté par Me Doug Mitchell aux fins de la présentation de la requête.
Cette requête a été transmise hier après-midi par le procureur du requérant qui mavait informé plus tôt vendredi et samedi quil était de son intention de faire une demande devant vous ce matin…
Prior to the media blackout we see Judge Gomery anticipating the arrival of Jean Brault. After the Brault testimony we see the Liberal party scrambling to contain the fallout by requesting full standing at the inquiry.
Two days ago I wrote about “Snap elections, government turnover and the bankruptcy of the Liberal brand” where I mused:
“Now that we’ve all been given morsels of gossip from the Gomery inquiry, parliamentarians are speaking of confidence motions and snap election calls. However, is this merely the beginning of a radical shift on the Canadian political landscape? … Is the Liberal brand itself on the verge of electable bankruptcy? … Will the Liberal party become the new pariah of Canadian politics?”
The CBC reported this morning (Hat tip: Kate)that the Alberta Liberals are considering a name change to shake the association with the federal Liberal Party of Canada:
“[Alberta Liberal] Party leader Kevin Taft, who has been elected twice in the riding of Edmonton-Riverview, said it’s difficult enough to run under the Liberal banner in Alberta.
But if rumours emerging from the Gomery commission are true, it could “forever change the political landscape” in Canada, Taft told the Edmonton Journal.”
And it begins…