# Gagliano stoops to a new low



## the patriot (23 Feb 2001)

Gagliano under attack for helping wife of Mafia figure with immigration file

JIM BROWN
Canadian Press

Public Works Minister Alfonso Gagliano responds to questions during Question Period in the House of Commons in Ottawa last year.(CP/Tom Hanson)


OTTAWA (CP) - Public Works Minister Alfonso Gagliano faced calls to relinquish his post and submit to a public inquiry Friday after it was disclosed his office contacted the Immigration Department on behalf of the wife of a reputed Mafia kingpin. Gagliano should be "relieved of his duties" pending an investigation, Bloc Quebecois MP Real Menard told the Commons. 

"It‘s a question of honesty and integrity." 

Gagliano, who was not in the House, issued a statement saying he was not personally involved and "never signed any letter or document whatsoever." 

The minister said staff in his Montreal-area riding office were approached by Maria Sicurella di Amodeo, who asked for help with her immigration file. 

Staff members wrote to the department as part of a "normal administrative followup that in no way constitutes an intervention in the file," said the statement. 

Sicurella is the wife of Gaetano Amodeo, who was arrested in Montreal on Tuesday and is facing deportation proceedings. 

He‘s wanted on murder charges in Germany and murder and attempted murder charges in his native Italy. His name appears on Interpol‘s list of 500 most dangerous fugitives. 

Once his wife had successfully obtained landed immigrant status, she attempted to sponsor Amodeo for permanent residency as well - an effort likely to be cut short by his arrest. 

Canadian Alliance MP Diane Ablonczy was skeptical of Gagliano‘s claim of personal non-involvement in the case. 

"I find it odd that something that comes out of your own office is somehow divorced from the member of Parliament," she said. "I don‘t think that‘s a very credible explanation." 

She stopped short, however, of joining the call for Gagliano to step down, saying more evidence is needed of exactly what transpired. 

The Bloc said they weren‘t demanding that the minister resign outright - only step aside pending an investigation. He could resume his post if cleared. 

"It could be (any of) several kinds of inquiry," said MP Caroline St-Hilaire. "It could be a commissioner named by the House to look into the question and shed light on the facts." 

This is not the first time Gagliano, a cabinet heavyweight and chief Liberal organizer in Quebec, has been in hot water over alleged dealings with organized crime figures. 

In 1994, the RCMP reported to Prime Minister Jean Chretien that Gagliano‘s accounting firm had done work for companies owned by Agostino ****rera, who had served time in prison for conspiracy in the slaying of another mob boss. 

The accounting firm dropped ****rera as a client, but the controversy kept Chretien from naming Gagliano to cabinet for several months. 

After a second report from the RCMP cleared him, Gagliano became a minister in late 1994 and has held several portfolios. 

© The Canadian Press, 2001
**********************************************************************

It boggles one‘s mind when incidents such as this are casually dismissed and our serving members have sworn to die for morons such as Gagliano.  Pretty soon all of Sicilly and its penal colony population will want asylum here (Sicilly is where most of the Mafioso come from).  Is Gagliano a traitor messing around with national security?!  Can we hang him?! Probably not...

-the patriot-


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## Pikache (10 Feb 2004)

http://www.thestar.ca/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1076411361261&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154 

Move comes an hour before auditor‘s report tabled


FROM CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA (CP) - Alfonso Gagliano‘s fall from political grace ended with a long-distance thud today. 
Prime Minister Paul Martin recalled the ambassador to Denmark just before the release of a scathing auditor general‘s report that revealed how taxpayers were cheated out of millions of dollars under Gagliano‘s watch as a former cabinet minister. 

But the attempt by the Prime Minister‘s Office to distance itself from a spreading political scandal by cracking down on the ex-public works minister - widely seen as the principal actor in the drama now unfolding - was immediately attacked by the opposition as too little, too late. 

*Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham defended the move, and said it couldn‘t have been done any sooner because "we didn‘t have the information we have today." That despite the fact the government has had the report in its hands for two months. *

But Graham appeared at odds with Martin and other cabinet ministers when he also defended former prime minister Jean Chrétien‘s appointments - which included Gagliano. 

*"The former prime minister, when he made appointments, always was careful to make sure that they were in the interests of the integrity of the diplomatic service," he said. *

Martin and his inner circle have taken pains to distance themselves from the Chrétien regime in which Martin served as finance minister. One Liberal insider said today that nobody knows exactly how many Liberals will be touched by a public inquiry into the matter which will span at least five government departments and agencies including Canada Post, Via Rail and the RCMP. 

Opposition MPs lambasted the 11th-hour recall as a symbol of all that was wrong with Martin‘s response. 

"Gagliano‘s bags should have been packed a long time ago," said Conservative MP Peter MacKay. 

"His toothbrush, his underwear should have been in the baggage and he should be on a plane right now. 

"They‘ve waited so long because they‘ve been so successful in the past by delaying, by denying, by distracting, by doing anything they possibly could to avoid accountability." 

Waiting until Fraser‘s report was tabled before recalling the minister responsible was "cowardly," said New Democrat MP Pat Martin. 

"(Gagliano) is going to take the fall for this one. It shouldn‘t stop there. We‘re going to insist the investigation goes on to the (Prime Minister‘s Office)," he said. 

"It‘s shameful, it‘s cowardly, the prime minister should prostrate himself before the Canadian public like Jimmy Swaggart, the televangelist that got caught with a hooker. That‘s the stage of disarray these guys are in." 

Graham would not confirm whether Gagliano remains on the payroll; he said it is up to the department to determine details such as a severance package or pension. 

Gagliano will get his affairs in order and return to Canada, Graham said, adding that it will be up to the inquiry and the courts to decide his ultimate fate. 

"We have a situation in this country where people are innocent (until proven guilty) and Mr. Gagliano will be speaking to clear his own name," he said. 

"(The recall) in no way touches on whether he personally will bear any consequences - that is a matter for the inquiry, that is a matter for the court to determine." 

Conservative MP John Williams said he‘d like Gagliano to testify before the public accounts committee, which Martin has also asked to look into the affair and make recommendations. 

The prime minister has already cancelled the sponsorship program, which existed from 1997 to 2003. 
***
Graham, I think you‘re a bag of ****.


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## RCD (13 Feb 2004)

You can‘t trust any of them. No matter what party their from.


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## Jungle (6 Mar 2004)

Gagliano blames the bureaucrats for the fraud,  see article here 


> But Gagliano repeated statements by Martin that a "small group" of federal bureaucrats in the ministry are to blame for the questionable funnelling of contracts.
> 
> "She (Fraser) was clear, it‘s the public servants," said Gagliano.


What happened to:  *"you can delegate authority, but you cannot delegate responsibility" *  ??? The words "government" and "Leadership" should not be used in the same sentence, it degrades the latter...


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## Slim (6 Mar 2004)

God in Heaven, those people amaze me.

They actually think that is some kind of defense or explanation...

Why are our politicians so screwed up!? I mean, do they never feel shame??!!     :skull:    

Andrew


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## Fishbone Jones (6 Mar 2004)

> Why are our politicians so screwed up!? I mean, do they never feel shame??!!


Slim,
In order to feel shame, you need a concience. Something that is lacking in lower forms of life, like pond scum and politicians.


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## Slim (6 Mar 2004)

Geez Dave...No kidding! 

The way that they carry on...It‘s embarrassing.

Andrew


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## Brad Sallows (8 Mar 2004)

As the saying goes, "politicians", from the roots:

1/ poli - many
2/ tics - bloodsucking insects who leech off passersby


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## bossi (29 Oct 2004)

In my opinion, Alphonse is an ill-principled stooge of "Da Liddle Thug From Shawinigan", a scumbag, and maybe even a criminal.
After reading this story, I think he's feeling the heat and getting desperate ... to the point of absurdity and fear-mongering as he attempts to obfuscate.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2004/10/29/691425.html

*Gagliano: PM dividing nation*
SAYS MARTIN'S HELPING, NOT FIGHTING SEPARATISTS
By Stephanie Rubec, Ottawa Bureau - Fri, October 29, 2004
   

CANADA'S FORMER public works minister is blaming Prime Minister Paul Martin for breathing new life in Quebec's separatist movement. Alfonso Gagliano lashed out at the PM during an interview with Sun Media, accusing Martin of taking Canada back to pre-1995 conditions and laying the foundation for a new sovereignty referendum. 

"I think the Martin government will bear the responsibility," said Gagliano, the Liberal at the centre of the sponsorship scandal. 

Gagliano said Martin's failure to defend the unity plan that spawned the controversial sponsorship program, as well as the PM's handling of AdScam, has driven Quebec back into the hands of separatists. 

"They're laughing at us here in Quebec," he said, adding Martin whipped up the sovereignty movement by using "excessive language" to condemn sponsorships. 

"We're giving them fuel for their cause." 

Gagliano said the PM has given the auditor general's report on sponsorship too much clout, pointing out that Public Works had conducted internal audits on the program and measures were taken to fix the situation. 

The AG revealed earlier this year that the sponsorship program was grossly mismanaged by public servants and was used to give hefty commissions to Liberal-friendly ad firms for little or no work. 

Justice John Gomery is conducting a public inquiry into the mismanagement of the $250-million sponsorship program. 

Gagliano is expected to testify early next year. Testimony from Public Works bureaucrats say Gagliano handpicked the sponsorships and directed them to Liberal friendly ad firms. 

Gagliano said he won't condone any wrongdoing if Gomery finds some, but can't stomach Liberal ministers who deny the success of their post-referendum strategy and the sponsorship program. 

Gagliano said Martin's government has developed amnesia on the run-up to the 1995 sovereignty referendum which federalists won by a slim margin. 

"Whatever was done after '95 was thrown into the drains," he said. 

Gagliano pointed to the whopping Bloc Quebecois victory in the June election and the rising popularity of the separatist Parti Quebecois as proof that Martin is failing Canada. 

"They're already talking that if the PQ takes power in the next election there will be another referendum within three years of their mandate," he said. "We're going to be back to square one." 

Gagliano called on the PM to bring unity back to the country and fight the separatist forces. 

"I definitely will continue in my own way to fight to keep the country together," he said.


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## pbi (29 Oct 2004)

> I definitely will continue in my own way to fight to keep the country together," he said.



Ummmm......no-don't bother, please. We'll take it from here, Alphonse.

Cheers.


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## HollywoodHitman (15 Nov 2004)

Kind of difficult to know what to say to something like that isn't it? The seperatist thing is REALLY old......... :threat:


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## I_am_John_Galt (18 Nov 2004)

This is interesting ... 



> Stoolie: Canada pol in mob
> 
> BY GREG B. SMITH
> DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
> ...



http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/story/253857p-217343c.html


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## teltech (18 Nov 2004)

Sheesh... I knew the Lieberal Party was full of crooks, but this is ridiculous! :rage:


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## Bograt (18 Nov 2004)

I am surprisingly not outraged. We all know that he is a liar, thief, scoundrel, extortionist, and thug. So what if he also cohorts with murderers, drug pushers and pimps?

If the allegation is true, what are the ramifications. Don't we as Canadians have the _right_ to associate with whom ever we want? (tongue in cheek).

If this is true, I would think that the FBI would forward this information to RCMP or CSIS? The scandal would be if there was political interference in their investigation and * that* was the reason he was shipped off to Denmark.


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## Dreadnought (18 Nov 2004)

This is a time for us Canadians to rise up against the government and replace them by electing the opposition party.  Obviously there is a power circle in Ottawa that we need to get rid of.


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## Shec (18 Nov 2004)

Well it does stand to reason:  Public Works is the department responsible for cement and boot contracts ;D


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## Long in the tooth (19 Nov 2004)

Piper - it doesn't surprise you because politicians and mobsters gain political power the same way - connections, money, coercien, nepotism (they're not called families for nothing), bribery and intimidation.  I'm sure most (politicians) started out with principles, but by the time they're elected they owe to much to those who got them there.


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## ramy (20 Nov 2004)

wouldnt surprise me either......


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## bubba (20 Nov 2004)

gotta love it troops the canadian version of the sopranos. 8)


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## RorerQuaalude (20 Nov 2004)

Hmm, well his position in the government, mainly the Public Works Minister isn't that surprising, considering, as stated, the job involves awarding contracts. Think of it this way, if he was to give a construction contract to a company, who would he choose a legit company charging top dollar, or a wiseguy-owned company giving a cut rate (an extremely cut rate if he were a made man)? We all know how having to spend less is always a top consideration for the government, so a politician with wiseguy connections would be the perfect way to save money on contracts.


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## Bruce Monkhouse (26 Apr 2005)

Has there ever been a bigger scum-bag in the Canadian political scene?

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/04/25/1012666-cp.html
  
April 25, 2005  
MONTREAL (CP) - Former public works minister Alfonso Gagliano said Monday that Prime Minister Paul Martin has taken Canada and the federal Liberal party down the road to ruin. 
"He's going to destroy the party and break up the country," Gagliano said during an interview. He said Quebec sovereignty is inevitable after the revelations at Justice John Gomery's inquiry into the sponsorship program once headed by Gagliano - and if the Conservatives replace the minority Liberal government. 
"It's a question of time," said Gagliano, who was prime minister Jean Chretien's Quebec lieutenant. 

"Of course, if (Quebec Liberal Premier Jean) Charest makes a miracle and forms a second government, it could possibly be put off. But I think that at this stage, the separation of Quebec from Canada is not stoppable. It's a question of time. It's going to happen." 
The Gomery inquiry was ordered by Martin last year after a report by federal auditor general Sheila Fraser found irregularities in the sponsorship program set up under Chretien to promote national unity. 

The inquiry has heard that sponsorship money was funnelled to Liberal-friendly ad firms in Quebec in exchange for contributions to the bankrupt Quebec wing of the party. 
Gagliano, who was recalled as ambassador to Denmark by Martin, made no apologies for the revelations at the inquiry but denied allegations by former Quebec Liberal organizer Benoit Corbeil that volunteers were paid by the Groupaction Marketing firm.  
Gagliano said it was his understanding that the party paid the volunteers. 

He also wondered why the sponsorship inquiry did not investigate how Martin financed his own run for the Liberal leadership. 
"Certain communications firms that were close to Mr. Martin, Earnscliffe to be exact, took in ... millions of dollars," Gagliano said. 
He said there was nothing scandalous in the sponsorship program to his knowledge.


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## 2 Cdo (26 Apr 2005)

One comes to mind Bruce, Jean Cretin (misspelled intentionally)


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## Bruce Monkhouse (26 Apr 2005)

Much as Chretien was a power grabbing little control freak, I think GAGliano stoops to previously unheard of lows in scum-bagness on the Canadian political arena.
I do believe deep down inside Chretien was motivated by a deep love of the country..as long as it was his way, of course.
This guy, well........


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## Edward Campbell (26 Apr 2005)

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> Much as Chretien was a power grabbing little control freak, I think GAGliano stoops to previously unheard of lows in scum-bagness on the Canadian political arena.
> I do believe deep down inside Chretien was motivated by a deep love of the country..as long as it was his way, of course.
> This guy, well........



I don't agree.

I think Jean Chrétien was a small time, cheap crook.  _Small town cheap_, to be sure, but a crook all the same.

I believe that the sale of the golf course by the _Auberge Grande Mere_ was faked so that Jean Chrétien would be 'clean' before he returned to electoral politics; but, I believe, he promised to _fix_ things for the new owners â â€œ his friends â â€œ when he had his hands on all the levers of power.  He did.  I believe that's bribery and I believe Jean Chrétien ought to be investigated, fully, charged, tried and *sent to prison for a couple of years, less a day.*


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## Infanteer (26 Apr 2005)

March the guilty bastard in....


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## Edward Campbell (26 Apr 2005)

If my memory is OK:

"¢	This Liberal government assigned a team of four or five RCMP officers, headed by a Detective Inspector, to investigate a muck-raking, so called journalist's allegations about Brian Mulroney and the _Air Bus_ 'affair' that wasn't; but

"¢	This, same, Liberal government, assigned one, lonely constable (not an accountant) to investigate _Shawinigate_.

I hope a new government says, _"As with the investigation of former PM Mulroney, when serious allegations are made then a serious investigation is warranted.  We trust this investigation will be quick, competent and confidential and that it will not unnecessarily embarrass M. Chrétien.â ?_

Watch yer fingers, Jean!  ;D


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## Kat Stevens (26 Apr 2005)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> March the guilty ******* in....



Watch yer arcs, Infanteer.... ;D.  I set off a huge shitbomb in here by saying that a while back....

CHIMO, Kat


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## Infanteer (26 Apr 2005)

I guess I should, Kat.  JC hasn't been charged yet, so I'm jumping the gun by using that statement.

However, the Gomery Commission is giving me good reason to believe I was right in using it.... :rage:


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## I_am_John_Galt (26 Apr 2005)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> I guess I should, Kat.  JC hasn't been charged yet, so I'm jumping the gun by using that statement.
> 
> However, the Gomery Commission is giving me good reason to believe I was right in using it.... :rage:



"Wait for it ...."


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## Slim (26 Apr 2005)

How do you know when the Liberals are lying...Their lips move.

How do you know when they're stealing...?



THEY GET ELECTED!


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## Kat Stevens (26 Apr 2005)

ummm... their eyes are open? ???

Kat


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## I_am_John_Galt (4 May 2005)

Guite's testimony now public:



> *Guite points finger in newly-released testimony*
> 
> CTV.ca News Staff
> 
> ...



http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1115232583853_110641783/?hub=TopStories


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