The Shameless Faces of Bernard Shapiro
March 30, 2006 · By kaqchikel
Bernard Shapiro, the Ethics Commissioner, continues to be an embarrassment to his office and to himself.
Last year Shapiro refused to investigate Tim Murphy, Paul Martin’s Chief of Staff, after Murphy was caught on tape hinting at a job in the future for Gurmant Grewal, if Grewal and his wife crossed the floor before a crucial vote. Unclear on the notion of Ministerial Responsibility, Shapiro argued that his authority only extended to Members of Parliament. Previously, he had investigated members of the staff in Judi Sgro’s office. Later, he changed his mind, and started an investigation on Murphy, only to clear him in spite of robust evidence.
Now, after deciding that he needed to investigate Prime Minister Harper and David Emerson, Shapiro has refused to investigate Belinda Stronach for the exact same type of issue. The request comes again from the NDP, but Shapiro will not apply his atrophied judgement to Stronach in the same way that he applied it to the Emerson case.
The only decent thing left for this man to do would be to resign. But his lack of shame has placed self-respect as far away from him as incompetence has placed his judgement.
Shameless is right. Shapiro investigated Ujjal Dosanjh and Gurmant Grewal, but not Tim Murphy, Paul Martin’s Chief of Staff, because he said Murphy is outside the scope of his office.
Then he does and determines the Tory MP was not, I repeat not, offered a reward to vote with the Liberal party?
In a strict technical sense, Shapiro is right. He cannot investigate Murphy, any more than he had the power to investigate Judy Sgro’s aide which he did. But he has the authority to investigate Sgro and her office. Tim Murphy was acting in the name of his boss, who happens to be a Member of Parliament. Ujjal Dosanjh himself said to Grewal that Murphy spoke for the Prime Minister. So he should have investigated the PM. The man has no shame!!
[...] The Politic |Â? The Shameless Faces of Bernard Shapiro [...]
Shapiro may not investigate Murphy or anyone like him alone, Shmoo. But he can include them in an investigation of their bosses. Murphy is not a civil servant, neither was Sgro’s aide. Ministerial responsibility compels Shapiro to investigate someone who acts directly on behalf of a cabinet member. Otherwise, all MPs would hide behind their staff and be ethically accountable for nothing –which defeats the purpose of having an Ethics Commissioner around.
Once he figured this out, Shapiro did eventually include Murphy but found no evidence of wrongdoing. None!