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March 15, 2004

According to the report, Jackpine Forest Products of Williams Lake received a $2 million loan as part of a new federal softwood initiative.  What makes this loan so very suspect is that 1) the company owes nearly $22 million to creditors and is using the federal loan approval to leverage new financing of $11 million 2) the company is owned in part by Prem Vinning, one of the most well known and influential Liberals in British Columbia over the past decade and 3) the company was used as a base for pro-Paul Martin supporters to sign up new members in the riding for the Liberal leadership race.

Stephen Owen, the beleaguered current Minister of Public Works and at the time Minister of Western Economic Diversification, has denied any knowledge of Prem Vinning's involvement in the company before approving the loan.  This is absolutely false, however, as Herb Dhaliwal had advised Mr. Vinning to inquire with WED regarding the program that was under Owen's purview. 

Stephen Owen's "know nothing" attitude in this story has been on regular display with  his weak performances defending the government during the sponsorship scandal over the past month.  Never answering questions, Owen continues to use vague generalities in his responses, most often hiding behind the multiple investigations that are currently in progress.

Through three Vancouver Sun front page stories in the past month, Owen has been shown to have absolutely no regard for Treasury Board rules and guidelines.  In light of these reports, it is baffling how Paul Martin is able to continue to put forth Owen as the spokesperson for the government's conduct following the release of the Auditor General's report.

Ministers and government officials that are not drawn down by this scandal, however, are becoming harder to find these days.  With this in mind, logic dictates that Owen might be the king with one eye in the land of the blind.

Comments? jonathan@tdhstrategies.com