The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 4

A4 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011 BREAKING NEWS AT OTTAVVACITIZEN.COM THE OTTAWA CITIZEN i T- i 000 award to Ghreti PI em rankles oil Federal Court decision to cover cost of Gomery challenge ture of considerably more time in legal resources than the appeal before the Federal Court of Appeal did." Chretien's counsel stressed the result of the judicial review application was significant and restored the damage to his reputation. The amount of legal work required was "extraordinary," the ruling said, amounting to more than 1,700 hours of lawyers' time and the reiew of "factually complex" material adding up to 280,000 pages. The issues were important to Mr. Chretien since his legacy was at stake," counsel said in the written ruling. nstechyson postmedia.com Twitter.comnatstechyson ity in the sponsorship incident, in which millions of dollars were handed out to Liberal-friendly advertising firms in what some perceived to be an attempt to boost the federal government's profile in Quebec.

In a ruling last February, Federal Court Judge Robert Mainville awarded Chretien $25,000 to cover some of the bills he incurred in fighting the federal appeal of the 2008 decision. Chretien had asked for $70,000. The $200,000 lump sum is meant to cover the original Federal Court judicial review. In the ruling, Lemieux said he appreciated that the costs of preparing for the judicial review "required the expendi PMO spokesman Carl Vallee told Postmedia News in an email. The ruling shows Federal Court Judge Francois Le-mieux awarded Chretien the lump sum, which covers close to half of his total legal bills.

Chretien had sought $300,000, while federal lawyers argued he should receive $36,205. "It is appropriate in this case that the lump sum award represent a significant contribution to the costs incurred by Mr. Chretien while remaining within acceptable standards for party-party costs representing a com NATALIE STECHYSON The Prime Minister's Office reacted with disappointment Thursday following the release of a Federal Court decision to award former prime minister Jean Chretien $200,000 to cover some of the legal costs from his challenge of the Gomery inquiry into the sponsorship scandal "It is our belief that the Liberal party must pay back the millions of dollars stolen from taxpayers through the sponsorship scandal. We call on Jean Chretien to give this $200,000 to taxpayers on behalf of the Liberal parry," A WJO MOVOR. 1HI OT I A 1 tOH The Prime Minister's Office said Thursday that former prime minister Jean Chretien should give the money to taxpayers 'on behalf of the Liberal Bare-knuckle FLASH MOB AT RIDEAU CENTRE promise between compensating the successful party while not unduly burdening the unsuccessful party," Lemieux said in his ruling.

Chretien's legal counsel did not immediately respond to an interview request from Postmedia News. Chretien secured a legal victory in 2008 when the Federal Court ruled the 2005 inquiry on the sponsorship scandal, conducted by Judge John Gomery, showed a "reasonable apprehension of bias" toward the former prime minister. Gomery had charged that Chretien shared responsibil 1 1 LA. i politics new for We enjoy discourse with a bit of vitriol ('-. MICHAEL DEN TANDT It was Bob Rae who said, last June, that he was from Missouri where decorum was concerned.

He was all for more courtesy in the I louse of Commons, but he'd wait and see what the other guys did, thank you very much. Prescient, that Just a few months later NDP fire breather Pat Martin was profanely cussing his Conservative opponents on Twitter. Days later Liberal Justin Tru-deau did him one better, bellowing across the Commons to Environment Minister Peter Kent: "Oil, you piece of sh-l" I low had it come to this? A better question might be: Why, given the nasty, corrosive tone of public discourse today, would anyone expect it to be any different? Because, let's face it: Canadians enjoy their politics with a generous splash of vitriol. Indeed, we seem to demand that Each time a federal election rolls around the most recent included -there's a chorus of affirmation negative politics must net be introduced into pristine, virginal Canada. i Ns ades' old body.

The group presented 106 recommendations to Commonwealth leaders at their October summit in Australia but some of the more contentious recommendations, including the appointment of a new commissioner on the rule of law, democracy and human rights, were sent for further study' after objections from several African countries, India and others. Segal's job will be to persuade those countries to sign Il't OT'AWA UTItt To the bewilderment of many Christmas shoppers, a flash mob suddenly appeared at the Rideau Centre Thursday afternoon, and portrayed the actions of the Syrian army toward anti-government protesters. To read about the Arab League's effort to stop violence in Syria, see page A6. Tory senator Hugh Segal named special envoy to Commonwealth nothing Canada April, Prime Minister Stephen Harper went very negative, indeed. Day after dreary day, he insisted that if he were held to a minority, Canada would be run into the ground by a "coalition of losers" socialists and separatists run amok.

Some observers, me included, suspected this would backfire, if only because of its stark dishonesty (in Westminster-style government, opposition parties can always take power if they can forge a coalition that controls a majority of seats). We were wrong. Harper, of course, won 166 seats, pulling off the greatest political feat in modern Canadian history. What is the source of negativity? Harper haters in the blogosphere, and his political foes in the Commons, would have us believe its wellspring is entirely Conservative. History says different Jean Chretien's third term, and Paul Martin's only term, were marked by bare-knuckle politics every bit as harsh as anything today.

Indeed liberals were often mercilessly cruel to each other, as well as to their opponents. As for the New Democrats, I remember their time in power in Ontario. For three months after their surprise accession to power in 1990 they remained sunny idealists. Then, battered by experience and a few painful drubbings in the media, they hunkered down for the fight The same will happen, inevitably, to the 103 mainly fresh-faced New Democrats now in the House of Commons, should they ever win the country. Power or, more precisely, the responsibility and constraints imposed by the wielding of power makes all Canadian politicians essentially similar, after allowing for small shadings of personal temperament and political hue Honesty? Pollster Allan Gregg maintains this is the new Holy Grail.

He says that, if only politicians spoke more frankly, the system would be transformed and faith in it restored. Balderdash. Many politicians have tried to be honest, and been guillotined for it Remember the time, in 2008, when Stephen Harper said, "I enjoy running government" It was as though he'd admitted to a secret desire to impose martial law. The truth about our system, it seems to me, is that it reflects us, collectively no more, no less. If Canadian politics feels a bit nastier today than it did 20 years ago, it's because we seem collectively nastier, on our public face.

Effortless communication, without niters, eases and amplifies the negative. At root though, little has changed. And there, at last, is the silver lining: If you live in Canada in 2011-12, that's not such a terrible burden. Indeed, wiien we examine the world around us, particularly as regards finance and economics (as the IMF confirmed again Thursday), it seems the country is more or less competently managed, as it has been for 25 years under Conservatives and Liberals both. How about that? Merry Christmas.

mderrtancft 5 postmedia.com If 3 i i on to all the recommendations. The criminalization of homosexuality, a divisive issue among Commonwealth countries, will lie one focus of Segal's mandate, said Foreign Minister John Baird. "Human rights, including the rights of women and religious minorities, as well as the de-criminalization of homosexuality in certain Commonwealth countries, will be a focus of our government, and Senator Segal will I Shelly Glover, the Conservative MP for Winnipeg's Saint Boniface riding and currently parliamentary secretary to the finance minister; I Lisa Raitt. who served as natural resources minister from October 2003 to January 2010 and is now the labour minister; I Axelle Pellerirt. former chief of staff to Guergis before becoming Raitt's senior policy adviser; I The Conservative Party of Canada.

I Casseis Brock and Blackwell, Hamilton's la firm. RCMF on Harper's be-half regarding "numerous" allegations about Guergis, including fraud, extortion and Involvement in prostitution." The prime minister's aide acknowledged in the letter that Harper's office did not have any firsthand knowledge1" of these allegations. Guergis was booted from CHRIS COBB In a move signalling heightened Canadian involvement in the Commonwealth, the federal government has appointed Conservative Senator Hugh Segal as special envoy to the 54-nation body. Segal was a member of the international Eminent Persons Group brought together last year by Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma to draw up a modernization plan for the six dec Lawsuit: Ran as independent, Named in Helena Guergis's lawsuit are: continue to be a strong voice for Canada in this regard," he said. Segal says his appointment is part of government policy to regenerate Canada's involvement in the Commonwealth and improve a dormant relationship.

"The Commonwealth is a constructive network for good," he said, "but is in need of some renewal and strengthening so it can broaden its reach and impact the day-to-day lives of its two billion people. So my job is about gentle prodding and listening to move that ir-wanl." AH but two Commonwealth countries Mozambique and Rwanda were formerly part of the British Empire. and lost cabinet and the Tory caucus, and the party removed her as its candidate for the next election in the southern Ontario riding of Simeoe-Grey. Guergis ran as an independent against Conservative candidate Leitch. but lost In the statement of claim, Guergis is the court for general damages of as well as 250.000 in aggravated damages and $230,000 in pumtive damages, plus associated court costs.

ir a total of more than $1.3 million. "The defendants engaged in arbitrary, reckless, capricious, malicious, high-handed and arrogant conduct," says the statement of claim. As a result it says Guergis is entitled to an award of punitive or exemplary damages against the defendants to ensure they are "appropriately punished for their conduct and deterred from such conduct in the future." files from Neco Cockburn rr.emecy 5 postnedia.com itter o-nark ennedy 6 Twitter.com It was in 1993 that it became received wisdom that Canadians dislike negative politics. In the final week of a federal campaign that pitted Progressive Conservative prime minister Kim Campbell against Liberal Jean Chretien, the PC campaign aired a commercial that appeared to highlight the lat-ter's partial facial paralysis. 1 Iungry wolf that he was, Chretien pounced hi a scene reminiscent of A Christmas Carol (with Chretien in the role of Tiny Tim) he spoke with heartbreaking sincerity about how, as a small boy, he'd been taunted about his looks.

Canadians felt bad, goes the story, and voted overwhelmingly to punish the Conservatives. A nice tale, and perhaps there's a bit of truth to it It ignores, though, that Canadians were already overwhelmingly disposed to trounce Campbells Conservatives. It was residual seething resentment, and not Gar-ence Oddbody, Angel Second Class, that propelled Chretien to power. Each time a federal election rolls around the most recent included there's a chorus of afSrmation that negative politics must not be introduced into pristine, virginal Canada. How precious of us.

During the campaign last Continued from page Al Among those sued along with Harper are two of his senior aides, a Conservative party lawyer, a private investigator who came forward with an allegation about the conduct of Guergis, and two Tory MPs. Several of those named by Guergis said they had not seen the statement of claim and could not comment The statement of claim alleges those being sued conspired to present various allegations about her behaviour including fraudulent activity, extortion, association with prostitutes, and cocaine use (including "snorting" the drug off a prostitute's breast). All the allegations are false and defamatory and have "resulted in damage to the plaintiff's reputation," as well as her "political career, health, and well-being," says the statement of claim. Guergis was in Harper's cabinet as minister of state for the status of women. That ended suddenly in April 2010 when Harper announced that his office had become aware of "serious allegations" regarding I Stephen Harper: I Raymond Novak, the prime minister's principal secretary, largely regarded as the second-most powerful man in Ottawa; I Guy Giorno, the former lawyer who served as Harper's chief of staff from July 2008 to January 2011; I Arthur Hamilton, a Toronto lawyer who has served as counsel for the Conservative party numerous times over the years; I Derrick Snowdy, the Toronto private investigator who shot into the national spotlight following his allegations against Guergis: her conduct that he was forwarding to the RCMP and to the ethics commissioner.

Harper did not publicly identify the nature of the allegations, and Guergis says she was not told by the prime minister. But she sa-s a letter that eventually came to light showed that an aide to the prime minister wrote to the.