Zaccardelli directed income-trust announcement

[daleo]

TORONTO AND OTTAWA — Former RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli orchestrated the release of information about a criminal probe into the income-trust leak in the middle of a federal election and directed that a press release include the name of Liberal finance minister Ralph Goodale, an RCMP watchdog said Monday.
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“This release was amended upon Commissioner Zaccardelli's direction to include the name of Mr. Goodale,” which was a departure from past practice, he said. The amendment stated: “There is no evidence of wrongdoing or illegal activity on the part of anyone associated to this investigation including the Minister of Finance Ralph Goodale.”
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Mr. Zaccardelli could not immediately be reached for comment. Mr. Kennedy said several senior RCMP members also refused to co-operate with his probe.
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Mr. Kennedy said he did not believe the RCMP's move shifted the outcome of the election, but he added that there clearly was a shift, and the opinion in many people's minds was that the RCMP's move was “part of the mix” of factors that caused that shift.
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080331.wrcmp_income0331/BNStory/National/home
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No surprises here. It is interesting that Zaccardelli is no longer commissioner. Like Gomery, he served a purpose, but that purpose has come and gone (in my opinion).