I don't know much about this inquiry thing. I've carefully preserved the purity of my mind by avoiding clicking on any questionable links, doing Google searches, or reading the full text of newspaper articles looking for revealing hints. Nor do I have much respect for the Slashdot-style "information deserves to be free" mentality that seems to motivate US violators of Canadian publication bans. Canada ought to be allowed to decide that the public's prurient interest does not outweigh the accused's right to a fair trial and the public's interest in getting the accused into jail. Other countries do similarly: Germany, for historical reasons, is concerned about Nazi memoriabilia, in France, champagne better be from Champagne, in Quebec, margarine must be the traditional white, etc.

Still, I was pretty shocked to see, on page 3 of the major city newspaper, a highlighted sidebar with an apparently complete, fully functional URL at which the illicit information could be obtained. There's no question that linking to the information in an online publication is in violation, and I find it difficult to imagine a judge finding that simply because a URL was printed on paper, rather than on a screen, it's somehow okay. I assume that management made a business decision that any illegality would serve to sell far more papers than it would cost. To avoid legal issues, I won't name the city or the paper (but it rhymes with "urinal", smirk smirk).

A strange corollary of the publication ban is that although the Gomery Commission is pursuing contempt-of-court charges against a Canadian news site for linking to Captain's Quarters, publishing the name of the news site being charged could violate the ban. So they're not naming it in mainstream media or on the sites of careful bloggers.

These people want to give Dalton the old Gray Davis heave-ho. And I have to admit they picked a photo of Dalton that's quite Gray-like. Their manifesto:

Dalton McGuinty must be recalled for breaking his promises and governing with contempt.

Dalton McGuinty promised not raise our taxes. In his first budget he raised our taxes and fees 50 times!

Dalton McGuinty promised not to bring back the healthcare premium. He did so less than a year after getting elected!

Dalton McGuinty promised not to cut from our healthcare system. He did so earlier this month!

Not to mention he's an evil reptilian kitten-eater from another planet.

Since I don't rely on my website to make a living, here's an actual hyperlink to the Captain's Quarters blog entry discussing the publication ban.

Even if the current government were to fall, I think the Liberals have a good chance of forming the next government. Yes, again. Canadians enjoy their reputation for liberalilty and I don't see them electing the Conservative party to power anytime soon. And what would the Conservatives do but be mildly authoritarian, just like the liberals.

Y'know what I'd like to see? I'd like to see one party here in Canada that was committed to establishing a rule of law, a separation of powers, and maybe some individual rights (let's start with free speech) which were actually honored by the government.

I'm not holding my breath.