Whats behind Canadian Prime Minister Chretiens business scandal?
Since last November’s federal election, debate in Canada’s parliament has been dominated by a whirl of charges concerning the prime minister’s business dealings. The Official Opposition Canadian Alliance, the Tories, the Bloc Québécois and, to a lesser degree, the social-democratic New Democratic Party have made common cause in questioning and castigating the honesty and integrity of Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Specifically, the parliamentary opposition accuses him of having been in a conflict-of-interest when, in three meetings in 1996-97, he pressed the head of a Crown Corporation to lend money to the Auberge de Grand-Mère, a hotel in his Shawinigan parliamentary constituency. The Auberge is adjacent to a golf course in which Chretien was once a part-owner. Shortly before he was sworn in as prime minister in 1993, Chretien sold his 25 percent share of the golf course to Toronto businessman Jonas Prince, but the deal subsequently went sour. Only in 1999 did Chretien receive payment
