SNC-Lavalin is more than just a company, it is a symbol of Quebec's emergence from a backward farm and natural resource economy to a modern mixed economy.
But SNC-Lavalin, which helped engineer a modern Quebec, did so with the business ethics of ENRON, bribing individuals with millions of dollars of payola as a matter of course, both here in Canada and abroad.
How depraved was SNC-Lavalin is revealed in another exposé of the company and its business practices
"New details have emerged about Quebec engineering giant SNC-Lavalin’s cozy relationship with the son of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, including the company allegedly hiring prostitutes for him during a visit to Canada a decade ago.Let us not single out SNC as the only Quebec bad corporate citizen, an anomaly which had a temporary lapse of executive oversight. The company only demonstrated the prevailing dubious business practices of the time that
The sordid tale, revealed by Quebec newspaper La Presse...
Receipts gathered during an investigation of a former SNC-Lavalin executive show $30,000 in payments to Saadi Gadhafi for sexual services in Canada in 2008, La Presse reported."
"For a Québécois, the SNC-Lavalin-Trudeau-government debacle is especially painful to watch. I can’t help but wonder whether English Canada’s punditocracy would be as indignant if the prime minister’s office had seemingly been trying to save a Toronto- or Calgary-based multinational corporation instead of a Quebec one." Lise Ravary Montreal gazetteThis opinion is repeated in the nationalist Quebec French media ad naseum, where the legal prosecution of misdeeds of SNC-Lavalin is seen as nothing more than Quebec-bashing.
For once I am of the concurring opinion that Canadians are not particularly unhappy to see Quebec get its comeuppance. The deafening roar of protest from Quebec over potential job losses is clearly falling on deaf ears in the rest of Canada.
What does surprise me is the interminable chutzpah of Lise Ravary et al in believing that Canadians owe Quebec a fair hearing and consideration. They are surprised and miffed that Canadians are unsympathetic, this after decades of Canada-bashing (a term unheard of in Quebec) and contempt shown by Quebec politicians and media.
According to Quebec, Canada should be concerned about the effect of an SNC-Lavalin prosecution and to the potential job losses.
Really???
How concerned was Quebec when it put the kibosh of the Energy-East pipeline without much thought or concern for the economic impact or the job losses in Alberta.
Come to think of it, where were Justin Trudeau and his minion of crooked henchman in working the backrooms to secure said pipeline in an effort to secure Alberta oil-industry jobs and economic prosperity.
Could it be that electoral considerations and the political reality made expending political capital on saving jobs in Alberta just not worth the effort, considering the few seats held by the Liberals in that province?
Could you imagine that if during the pipeline debate a Quebec politician getting up and saying that in considering approval of the Energy-East pipeline, Quebec should consider the economic interest of Alberta and the attached jobs
HA! HA! HA!.
For Quebec politicians and pundits, lobbing political and economic bombs at Canada is just par for the course, business as usual.
Quebec's righteous indignation is almost laughable.
I am reminded of Shakespeare's Shylock, a Jew who has suffered discrimination and now turns the tables on his tormentors.
"The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction"
That's how Shakespeare termed it.
Today we say....
"Payback's a bitch!
You say, "The company only demonstrated the prevailing dubious business practices of the time that was the hallmark of Quebec business society." Judging by the number of Quebecois pundits who think it was no big deal, I'd say there's a good chance it's still entrenched in Quebec business society.
ReplyDeleteLet's be serious: the only things Justin is concerned with saving are the asses of Quebec Liberal MPs in the next election.
Since I'm cracking the first egg on this day's commentary, I think I'll lump this one and the previous two together since it's like the Continuing Story of Peyton Place, only ice Québec we're talking about...well...writing.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, everybody seems to be ignoring the pink elephant in the room: SNC Lavalin is threatening to move its HQ to London (England, I imagine) if it doesn't get its dirty toilet flushed with the current cascade of felonies and those treading in that mire with such a vomitous stench! Just imagine...one of the proudest Quebec-founded companies going from nationalist French Quebec to Her Majesty's English capital...as if relocating to its Ontario namesake wouldn't be embarrassing enough! Next thing Hydro Quebec will have to relocate its HQ--LOL,L,L!
Actually, I decided quickly to change the Justice Chairman's name to Horseface! Looking at him on TV hemming and hawing with his ummms, and stuttering and stammering and that long, long narrow face...like Northern Dancer!
How are Trudope and (Gerald) the Putz going to try and spin things round round baby right round like a record baby? They've already cornered themselves with Trudope yapping about how Jody Wilson-Raybould would still be the Solicitor General had Scott Bryson not quit his post. Why would Raybould be demoted more than a dozen levels simply because Bryson left the small job in cabinet? Trudope could have put some other flunky in caucus in that small job, maybe even Horseface!
He already put in a wheelchair cripple who was not only paralysed from the waist down, but between the ears as well. That Hehr guy--dead from the neck up! I guess this morning he found new sludge at the bottom of the barrel to become the new laughingstock in Veterans' Affairs.
As for me, I'm a Quebec expatriate whose on Alberta's side all the way. It's bad enough Trudope and the Putz (likely at the latter's advice) pissed away $4½ billion of our hard-earned tax money on a pipeline that has shown to date negative return to the tune of $80 million per day.
I think it's high time Canada shows French Quebec the door. Bombardier is another boob of an organization that endlessly needs bailouts, bailouts and more bailouts for its incompetence. Maybe they too should move their HQ to London...the big one or the small one! Toronto is still waiting for the lion's share of modern streetcars that are being endlessly delayed while Ontario has to pay millions upon millions of dollars to keep those old broken-down streetcars on the roads at all costs.
How about forking some of that sweetheart Quebec money over to Toronto, Calgary and just about anywhere else in the real Canada, not to mention those equalization payments, instead of throwing OUR good money to Quebec's inept actors? I think it's high time Quebec's decades of pork barrel politics and Trudope and the Putz lining their pockets comes to an abrupt end!!! QUEBEC IS A LOSER STATE! THEY'RE NOT WORTH OUR TIME AND RESOURCES ANYMORE! A LOSER STATE FULL OF F**KHEADS!!!
OK, I stand corrected. Diogenes, I was still writing when you entered first. Gosh darn shucks, ya bested me! That's OK, being first is not essential, but you come across as far too benevolent. Isn't anyone but me steaming over all this nonsense created by Trudope and the Putz?
DeleteFor nearly ten years now, the separatist war cry has been "corruption!"
ReplyDeleteNow our current separatist government (let's not kid ourselves about their ultimate goals) is saying that SNC Lavalin will still be able to bid on Quebec government contracts even if they're found guilty?
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-quebecoise/201902/28/01-5216592-snc-lavalin-pourrait-continuer-a-obtenir-des-contrats-de-quebec.php
The sad thing is that the ROC is far too soft on Quebec..this has been going on for 50 years or more. If anyone criticizes Quebec than its Quebec bashing..quite similar to anyone criticizing Israel then you are labelled an anti semite..but I digress.
ReplyDeleteSo even though its blatantly clear that Trudeau did something totally unethical and totally contrary to his self righteous and sunny ways image it still feels like the ROC and Quebec will likely still give him the PM job in October.
That tells me we are in a society with degrading moral values..I have seen it bit by bit diminish over the past 45 years..to the point that people dont even mind that SNC bribed people as its almost become normal to do this type of thing. Its almost normal now to lie and cheat and be dishonest..people dont have any real integirty anymore..and its worse here in Quebec..no doubt about that..but the whole moral compasss of the nation has slid. History shows when societies lose their moral structure they are in downward trend..we are clearly on this path.
We have no problem electing a PM because of his famous last name..because he smiles..because he is cute and fluffy and says the right things. And its ok if he put pressure on his AG as he is tring to save jobs..so essentually it all about money now and about two classes of groups. There are large corporations and then everyone else. Large corporations can pretty well do anything now and at worst they will have to pay a fine which barely dents their bottom line. Hence they are even more emboldened to cheat and be dishonest as they always get away with it. Think back to wall street banks..they should have all gone bankrupt..short term pain..but other banks that are moral and well run would have stepped in and filled their shoes..thats how capitalism is supposed to work. But the western world believes in crony capitalism..hence certain large entities are protected and everyone else is not. This will not end well..we will have another big financial crisis because the banks were not punished..
SNC Lavalin, Bombardier, even many construction companiesi n Quebec are continuing to defy the law because there are no consequences..because they employ a lot of people here with nice jobs. Sorry but that is not enough reason to allow them to break the law.
complicated: First of all, what exactly is your beef with Israel? Can't stand they turned part of a desert full of sand dunes into a civilization with a proper infrastructure? Can't stand they have more post-secondary grads and professionals per capita than any other country on the face of this Earth? Can't stand they have a better military person-per-person than any other country on the planet (by necessity more than any other reason)? Can't stand they come up with more innovations per capita than any other country on Earth (without having to try and steal secrets)? OUT WITH IT BOY!
DeleteWell you have pretty well proven my point with your very defensive paragraph based on a tiny part of my text above. You can criticize Quebec day and night but heaven forbid anyone dare crticize Israel. I don't really think this is the place to get into my views on Israel..but I have made it clear in earlier posts that I think western nations are far too accomodating to Israels wants and desires, particularily the USA.
DeleteYo comp: You think the Clintons liked Israel that much? Barach Obummer said Israel should go back to its pre-'67 borders (so Syria could march unseed down the Golan Heights again to attack Israel in the lower lands), and John Kerry made his disdain for Israel quite clear, too...not to the degree Ilhan Omar did, but close enough.
DeleteIsrael is an important strategic region in the Middle East for the Americans because it's the only stable democracy in the region. All others are unstable dictatorships, and unlike many of those countries that dogmatically abide by and bind their people to Islamic law, Israel is still ruled by progressive, secular law despite being a predominantly Jewish state. One particular drawback I was against, just to be consistent with language law was a proposal to make Hebrew the only language of Israel à la loi cent-un. Didn't come to pass, did it?
Too, like it or not, there are many innovations Israelis came up with you don't even know about. Israel every year has bond drives that are attended mostly by non-Jews and the majority of its bondholders aren't Jewish.
In the meantime, Arafat and his descendents cried over and over for money. You think it was to help their people? You should live so long! Arafat died a billionaire and those nearest and dearest tho him died, or still are multimillionaires. His people are still dirt poor because he and those in charge of the Palestinian Authority are busy fighting each other and skimming for themselves. Do you see other countries in the region helping ease the woes of the Palestinians? The others don't give a tinker's damn about the Palestinians, mostly because they have domestic fires to constantly put out! Israel doesn't persecute the Palestinians, the elites in the Authority and Hamas do!
As for Quebec, it's a loser state! OK, they nationalized Hydro Quebec thinking they'd create all these LG projects, sell the power outside Quebec and then use that wealth to separate. Where's the wealth? Where's the separation? Think the Quebec of today has the resources to financially support itself at the level it enjoys now no less thanks to the largesse granted by the rest of Canada? Too, the use of the French language is not imperiled. The closest threat happened in 1839 with the machinations of Lord Durham. It didn't succeed at a time when there was virtually NO social media, so with the instantaneousness of today's social media, any plans to persecute the French language and its speakers would be foiled in minutes, not months, weeks, days or even hours!
comp, you're right, i.e., Palestinians are second or third class citizens in their own country, because their two prongs of leadership (i.e., Abbas's faction and Hamas's faction) suppress their own people that way. They take the best care of those nearest and dearest to them and screw the commonfolk. The commonfolk get the leftovers, if any.
DeleteOf course Israel "violated" 32 UN resolutions because the UN is stacked with an imbalance of Arabic nations who would simply like Israel to go away. Bad news comp: Israel isn't going to go away that easily for reasons disclosed above.
"[Israel] attacked the USS Liberty back in the 1960s..." Really? According to whom? Name your source. Substantiate or exculpate. Oh, and WOW! You had to go back to an example of 50-60 years ago? I too can go back to the 50s, 60s and 70s when the Palestinians attacked Israeli school buses and targeted killing little children. They only stopped those heinous acts because the horrendous publicity finally was backfiring on them!
If I understand your point on Israel attacking a U.S. ship, you're stating the Americans are too stupid to realize their ally attacked their ship when America itself had enough fire power to drive every last Israeli into the sea for doing so.
Q: If Israel is being so unjustified in building settlements on ISRAELI land, why aren't their Arab brothers coming in to fight Israel and stop the building?
A: As stated in my previous comment directed at you, THEIR NEIGHBOURS DON'T GIVE A DAMN!
Thank you, comp, for demonstrating that you were not merely stating that criticizing Israel doesn't mean you're anti-Israel. Comp, there are two classic definitions of what a moron is:
(i) Performing the same task(s) repeatedly and expecting a different outcome each time;
and
(ii) An old platitude states it is better to think like a moron than to open your mouth and prove it.
You met definition #ii. Thank you for confirming you hate Israel by dipping your ladle and coming up with the antique sludge at the bottom of the barrel.
UPDATE: Talk about telepathy! My stepson sent me an interesting lecture by a speaker named Dennis Prager. Sadly, I don't remember how to incorporate links, but you can copy and paste the following link. Actually, it's for 98 minutes, but I only suggest anyone, like complicated, who has unequivocally demonstrated hatred for the Jews and/or Israel, simply watch the first ten minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s85fHq1bCnc
DeleteQ: If Israel is being so unjustified in building settlements on ISRAELI land, why aren't their Arab brothers coming in to fight Israel and stop the building?
DeleteOh boy..isnt it obvious. Because they have the good ole USA backing them all the time because of the powerful Jewish lobby..I still dont quite understand why the US government and Canada for that matter are such puppers to this lobby. But everyone knows the USA has their back. What do you think woudl happen if any of those arab countries tried to invade Israel..USA would step in very quickly direcrly or indirectly to make sure the Arab country is defeated. These countries arent dumb..they dont want a direct conflict with the USA.
"[Israel] attacked the USS Liberty back in the 1960s..." Really? According to whom?
https://www.realclearhistory.com/historiat/2018/06/06/why_did_israel_attack_uss_liberty_319.html
Many historians believe..including me..that this was Isreals attempt..again..at drawing the USA into the conflict..by making it appear that the Arabs were attacking the USS Liberty.
Easy to talk tough Mr.Sauga when you have the most powerful military int he world at your disposal..
comp: Don't the Syrians and other rogue dictatorships have the Russians on their side? If America, as you say, muscles in, why can't the Arabic states get the Russians on their side. There is no love loss for Israel by the Russians.
DeleteOh, and as for that link above, to complete your half-truth that while "Some veterans of the USS Liberty and other investigators...believe that the Liberty was deliberately attacked and that both the U.S. and Israel covered it up in a hasty investigation," the conclusion was: "It is quite possible that what happened to the USS Liberty on June 6, 1967 was just what the Israeli and U.S. governments say it was, an accident. It wouldn’t be the first time human error led to tragedy. Sadly, it won’t be the last." Israel paid reparations to the U.S. and "[the] target had been incorrectly identified. The commander of the torpedo boat division claimed that he never received the order, although the deputy commander testified to having relayed the halt order to him."
Indubitably it was an error, and there was no evidence in your link story that the Americans neither attacked the Arabs for that error nor did they even retaliate against Israel. Your response is half-baked and false. Where does that story even imply Israel tried to falsely blame the Arabs? As I wrote earlier, SUBSTANTIATE OR EXCULPATE! You didn't substantiate, therefore I exculpate!
comp: Again, you've unequivocally declared you're an anti-Semite! Quit while you're behind!!!
I really get annoyed when people like you throw that term around..anti-semite. To me its a trick used to deflect any criticism towards Israel. Its exactly like the Quebec bashing term thrown around anytime anyone criticizes Quebec. Russia is not the USA..even the Russians don't want to get into a big conflict with the USA. The USA clearly is the dominant military force in the world. I am happy to see the Russians supporting Syria against these ridiculous claims that Assad gassed his own people when all evidence suggests the rebels did it..bu the way..rebels supported by the USA who behead christians and so on.
DeleteThe ship was hit repeatedly, first by planes dropping thousand-pound bombs and napalm, and then by torpedo boats. Israeli forces also jammed the Liberty’s antennas and communication channels, took out the four .50-caliber machine guns on board, and reportedly shot at life rafts and crew members as they attempted to evacuate the vessel. “It was an attack in broad daylight,” said Bamford. “They were flying a large U.S. flag. [The ship] said USS Liberty on the back. … I mean, what do you need?”
Kind of hard to believe the official story..if the Israeli military is so advanced as you claim Mr.Sauga and I believe they are good then its hard to believe they could make such a colossal mistake.
[Place a moan and a groan here!] comp: I didn't read anything of the kind in that link you sent previously, thus, ergo and therefore, these are unsubstantiated statements you're making. Too, I did not state they're superhuman and immune to human error, but when Israel is forced to constantly defend itself against detractors and others who have declared they want to exterminate their country, they MUST take their military more seriously than anywhere else. Of over 220 countries on Planet Earth, no other is being threatened with total extinction like Israel is, has been since its inception and the future shows no relief in sight.
DeleteAs for what you wrote, again, SUBSTANTIATE OR EXCULPATE!
C'est incroyable. SNC Lavalin est un fleuron Québécois, une excellente entreprise qui représente les valeurs et le savoir faire du Québec entier, et qui nous appartient à nous, les vrai Québécois.
ReplyDeleteC'est pas vrai que Justin Trudeau le corrompu (un grand chum à John-James Charest) va venir nous voler SNC Lavalin pour déménager les emplois en Ontario. Déjà qu'ils vont nous prendre l'ABI, grâce au fédéraliste Lucien Butcher.
Le Québec paye des centaines de milliards de dollars au fédéral à chaque année, avec absolument rien en retour, et on essaie encore de nous voler nos jobs. Incroyable.
Moi j'ai acheté un plus gros forfait internet chez Videotron pour faire ma part et supporter mon parti, notre parti.
Le pays en 2020!
Door, way out, hit.
DeleteLOL!
DeleteWho voted for Trudeau anyway? Seriously!! Like the evidence existed well before he was elected that he is a retard..
ReplyDeleteAs I have said over and over WE get the government WE deserve. The mass suppot of a fluff ball like Trudeau is just a sad reflection on much of Canadian society which frankly puts more emphasis on image and glitz rather than substance and integirty. Canadians would rather have a nice looking smiling celebrity like PM than someone who is qualified to do the job but may look a bit gruffy. I think Canadians wasted a huge opportunity in the last election to elect someone who does have substancs..Thomas Mulcair. Now the NDP has self destructed by electing Singh as leader and the Concervatives have done much the same by electing a guy nobody knows..Scheer. So unless Trudeau is videotaped committing a serious crime it will be difficult for him to lose.
ReplyDeleteFor your info Philip..I was staying at a hotel near Tremblant this week and when I tried to access your blog I received a message saying it was blocked by the network provider because it promoted hate and racism. Wow..I was kind of shocked..not allowed to criticize Quebec I guess in parts of Quebec. That is cencorship at its worst..I have heard worse commentary in mainstream Quebec media against the rest of Canada and yet no ban for hate or racism.
ReplyDeletecomp: The only intelligent thing you said was "WE get the government WE deserve." Actually, I heard Patrick Watson, a former CBC and History Channel personality hosted a ten-part documentary circa 1989 entitled The Struggle for Democracy.
DeleteI heard Watson on the radio, while promoting his documentary, state with the voter indifference taking place a full 30 years ago, if left unchecked, we will end up with the democracy we deserve. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Québécois, esp. outside of Montreal and area, are empty-headed, utterly ignorant country bumpkins.
I learned decades ago that these people see what they want to see, hear what they want to hear, and believe what they want to believe. They have small, closed minds, and a closed mind is an empty mind. I've stated it before and I'll do so again: QUEBEC IS A LOSER STATE!
You don't remember prior postings in this blog where Philip linked to Mario Dumont's TV show where Gilles Proulx came on blatantly spewing vitriol against immigrants and Anglophones with his «tête carré» this and «tête carré» that all the while foaming at the mouth? Ignorant numpty! Ignorant population! QUEBEC IS A LOSER STATE! There, I wrote it again. The truth hurts, but it is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Boy Mr.Sauga..I know we both get annoyed with the Quebec government and so on but your last statement is just pure racism. I have met some really nice people living in these small towns..its Montreal that to me is the most corrupt part of Quebec..the small town people are often the ones disgusted with all the shennanigans going on in the big city. And its not always the Quebecois behind the scandals either.
ReplyDeleteIf someone came on day after day saying Israel is a loser state I am pretty sure you would flip out. Its funny how you can spew such hate and intolerance towards Quebec but cant handle any criticism towards Israel.
I find it personally kind of pathetic that after all these decades away from your home that you still bear so much hatred towards Quebec. Yes there is corruption..yes they get too much money from Canada..but the venom coming out of your mouth suggest something deeper..something really bad must have happened to you when you lived here to still be this angry. Arent you doing well in Ontario..I assume you have lots of money..a nice lifsetyle..why so mad?
Oh, good grief, comp...OK, let's get a couple of things straight. When it comes to those country bumpkins in the far reaches, I speak of the majority there, not necessarily each and every individual, so consider this clarification.
DeleteThat being said, did you ever get into conversations with these people on the subject of the minorities? Did you talk about federal government largesse paid to Quebec? I have a feeling the answer to both questions is a resounding "hell, no"! Had you opened that can of worms, I'm sure you would have regretted having gotten at least some of these people started.
Too, I have also mentioned my problems with Quebec in the past on this very blog that I'm sick and tired of Quebec getting far more than its due. I'm now paying for it and yes, I don't like it. Neither does a lot of the population outside Quebec.
Because we have (another) Quebec-based P.M., companies like Lavalin and Bombardier have benefitted from billions upon billions upon billions of dollars in federal government largess while the oil industry in Alberta is hung out to dry. That Trudope bought Trans Mountain was not really done to do favours for Alberta...he did it to save face in that fiasco. Like father, like son.