Wanted: APEC scapegoais

THE RCMP Public Complaints Commission hearings into the APEC matters have taken another body blow with new allegations of prejudg- ing the facts.

Commission chairman Gerald Morin, a Metis lawer in northern Saskatchewan, has predictably denied the com- ments attributed to him by Constable Russell Black, a Prince Albert Mountie. But when examining the actual comments alleged, there isa certain ring of truth pealing in our ears,

Black approached his supe- dors on Oct. 14 saving he'd overheard Morin in a casino saying, among other things, “the RCMP used too much Pepper spray.”

Other comments attrib- uted to Morin indicate he has made up his mind on the issue before hearing one sylla- ble of evidence.

Conspiracy theorists were quick to call Black's intorma- tion “convenient™ and assort- ed other adjectives attacking his credibility.

Bur Black has subjected himself to an immense amount of media scrutiny and political criticism by coming forward with his information. It’s hard to imagine why a native officer, who by just being a member of the - RCMP overcame a consider- able amount of adversity to get to where he is now, would

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subject himself ta the career damaging potential of this action were it not true.

Clearly there is no benetit to him whatsoever in all of this, save, perhaps, saving the reputation of some members of the force who seem to have been targeted for scapegoat- ing.

If, tor example, the intor- mation came from a long- time pal of Staff Sergeant Haugh Stewart, | might look upon it with a more skeptical eve. But it didn’t. Ir came from a junior member a cou- ple of thousand miles and nvo or three political light years awav from APEC and the ministrations of the prime Minister and his minions.

There is certainly no indi- cation of any such connection or other possible motivation but that of a member of the RCMP who overheard a con- versation about events so far removed from him he thought nothing of the state- ments until the news broke about similar things said by the solicitor general and the consequent media maelstrom.

Whar gives the comments more credence is the parallel

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between the comments atiib- uted to Solicitor General Andy Scott and Morin.

Both men’s statements, if ultimately truc, clearly show the “tix is inv at least it was until their best laid plans began to unravel.

Scott was caught with his metaphorical pants down on a commuter airplane whispering secrets toa Liberal hack by NDP backbencher Dick Proctor.

So far he has denied all, but despite the proddings and challenges by Proctor and Reform justice critic John Reynolds, he hasn't reacted in any way co being called a liar. In faet, Proctor has done evervthing he possibly could to see if Score will legally try to salvage his ministerial cred- ibility.

The tact chat Scort has not taken any form of legal action is very telling.

On that basis we must take Proctor’s statements as true and Scott's as not.

Thar said, and it cannot be minimized in any way, the solicitor general of Canada was saving the outcome of the commission hearings was already pre-determined and it would be a handful of Mounties at ground zero who would be forced to fall on their swords.

To take one for the team, so to speak.

Now we have similar com- ments attributed to the chair- man of the commission a mere two or three weeks

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betore Scott's verbal indiscre- tion.

There's no way Seott could have said the things atinbuted to him without having already canvaysed the opinions of the commission chairman.

Clearly he'd have a) know Morit’s position betore he could say any such thing to his backroom cehort on that airplane.

One has to consider the souree of the information, Gerald Morin, in trying to determine the veracity of the attributed statements.

Morin has strong and powerful Liberal connections through his law practice.

My government source in Ottawa says Morin’s law firm has benefited from legal work provided by the federal gov- ernment.

“We gor exactly what I'd thoughe we'd get,” said the souree, Who, for obvious rea- sons of survival, requires anonvinity,

With that knowledge in hand, Marin would seem ta he the perteet individual to chair the commission hearings if the government needs to ensure the “correct” finding is achieved.

Given this appearance of conflict, Constable Black’s version of events do sound more than reasonable.

The essential question then becomes whether Morin was voicing his opinion while

See Anti-NDP page 9

Wednesday, October 28, 1998 — North Shore News — 7

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