The Libby Indictments

Witnessing the independence of the legal system is always heartening, even if the charges brought against the Vice President's Chief of Staff ultimately turn out to be exxagerated or false.

Here in Canada, we seem to have a great system of figuring out when people do stupid things in government - cabinet ministers resign all the time, the Gomery inquiry made it absolutely clear to all reasonable individuals that there was political direction in ensuring that the Liberal Party received government money, and there's so many other examples as well.

However, and this is crucial, no one ever seems to go to jail. No one ever seems to get charged with any crimes. During the Nixon and Reagan administrations, numerous individuals faced legal consequences for various crimes. Bill Clinton himself, while in office had to negotiate certain punishments with an independent counsel for commiting perjury infront of a Grand Jury.

Maybe the situation in Canada will change with the Gomery Report on Tuesday, but I seriously doubt it.

Is the legal system not as independent in Canada? Maybe...

I even remember Stephen Harper saying something so seemingly stupid a few months ago when he was complaining about the light sentence for one of the Adscam advertising executives and he blamed the Liberals for it. It seemed as if he was suggesting that the Liberals should have interfered in the independent legal process to ensure harsher punishments - how silly.

Now... the Liberals are exactly the opposite. If they did actually interfere, I could only imagine it in order to ensure lighter sentences.