Striving Against Opposition

Judgy Sgro Emmigrates from the Immigration Portfolio

CTV News

Embattled Judy Sgro has resigned her cabinet post, forcing Prime Minister Paul Martin to appoint a new Immigration Minister in a cabinet mini-shuffle.

Sgro offered her resignation during a meeting with Martin on Friday morning. As Martin told reporters after swearing in her replacement, he reluctantly accepted.

Martin explained that he would have supported Sgro if she decided to stay in cabinet until after the federal ethics commissioner had ruled on her conduct, but relented because this was what she wanted.

Paul Martin seems to be comming out and saying they would have stood behind their minister until the ethics commissioner made it convient to do away with her. This is most likely a fairly true statement, Martin and a few other Liberal cabinet minister would likely have continued their half hearted defense of Sgro claiming that everyone should just wait and see what the ethics commissioner had to say for himself.

In all likelihood the ethics commisioner would have said "she's a witch, burn her!" or in some otherway stated the rather obvious nature of Judy Sgro's guilt. The saying "where there is smoke, there is fire" seems rather appropriate. It would strike me as one hell of a conincidence if people who needed help with their immigration problems just happened to volunteer on Sgro's campaign, and just happened to have their problems ameliorated.

The real reason for Sgro's resignation is that further indications of a pattern of conduct seem to be bubbling to the surface and none of them are terribly flattering for her. Indeed them seem to be a throwback to the political corruption of Boss Tweed. The Star was evidently priming up to run an affidavid from Harjit Singh, the owner of a Toronto area pizza shop owner, whom was promised his immigration problems would go away if he helped on Sgro's campaign. Evidently previous allegations had arose at this point so she reneged on her part of the deal. Sgro and Martin may wish to spin this as simply having been Sgro wishing to be able to more fully defend herself by not being a minister. However, the fact of the matter is that the foot was about to drop on Sgro and she preferred to pre-emptively resign than be fired.

Joe Volpe is the new Immigration minister, moving over from Human Resources.

posted by Chris @ 1/14/2005 01:54:00 p.m.