Oy Dalton...

The federal sponsorship scandal left in its wake a Liberal reputation for corruption and cronyism. I can't imagine that Dalton isn't aware of this, so I can only guess that he doesn't intend to seek re-election in 2007. Because his Takhar decision has given the opposition more than enough fodder to drag him through the mud of the Liberal's soiled reputation.

Harinder Takhar is Ontario's Transportation Minister. Back in the summer Takhar was photographed at Chalmers Group, his family-owned transportation company. As Minister, Takhar was obligated to put his company shares in a blind trust so as to avoid a major conflict of interest. Turns out that not only was he at the building, but the trustee that was assigned to manage the blind trust was not only the chief financial officer of Chalmers Group, but the chief financial officer of Takhar's campaign as well. After a lengthy investigation by the province's Integrity Commissioner, it was determined that Takhar's actions had violated the Members' Integrity Act. In other words, what Takhar did was illegal.

Here's where Dalton comes in. Instead of giving Takhar the boot, Dalton has decided that a public reprimand from the Integrity Commissioner is punishment enough. This sends a very clear message to the public: standing behind a member of his cabinet is more important than upholding the law. In a post-Gomery world, Liberals just can't be making decisions that favour each other over their electorate. Dalton's given John Tory all he needs to take the piss out of the provincial Liberals in the next election.