Darrell and tom4CWB,
These exerpts are from a Canadian Alliance newsletter titled PAUL MARTIN WATCH and dated March 6, 2003
QUOTE
Since 1993, Canadians have been led to believe that Paul Martin had severed his day-to-day ties to his vast shipping enterprise, Canada Steamship Lines. We were assured that there could be no conflicts between Mr. Martin’s public duties and his private interests because everything was in a blind trust.
Unknown to Canadians, however, Paul Martin received regular briefings on CSL business, and his so-called blind trust was actually a special “Supervisory Agreement” that allowed him some disclosure of information related to his assets, company operations and CSL transactions. Instead of a blind trust we got an ethics framework that blinded the public and not the minister. That’s wrong.
Paul Martin has to decide where his first loyalty will lie if he becomes prime minister – to his private financial interests or to the interests of the people of Canada. He cannot be the CEO of the country and a hands-on CEO of a half-a-billion dollar shipping empire at the same time.
This issue has nothing to do with Paul Martin’s money or the place of entrepreneurs in Canadian politics. It has everything to do with the possibility of conflicts of interest and the impossibility of separating oneself from such a large and far-reaching family business.
To put this in context, here are some facts about Paul Martin and Canada Steamship Lines:
Background
* Paul Martin and his wife Sheila are sole proprietors of a private, non-publicly-traded, family business called Canada Steamship Lines.
* This personal business empire is a conglomerate of 47 companies with a fleet of 37 ships. The fleet is larger than the entire Canadian navy, and CSL is the largest operator of self-unloading ships in the world.
* In March 2001, the CSL Group’s assets were valued at $693,388,000 with total annual sales of $283,181,000.
How CSL Intersects With Government
* CSL is so big, Paul Martin would have to withdraw from Cabinet deliberations on any matter relating to shipbuilding policy, marine transportation, VIA Rail, the St. Lawrence Seaway, corporate taxation, customs regulations and many, many more topics.
* They might as well install a revolving door on the Cabinet Room.
CSL’s Foreign Operations and Practices
* When Paul Martin purchased CSL in 1981, the company conducted its affairs in Canada, employed Canadian crews, and built ships in Canada. Over twenty years later, most of CSL’s affiliates are primarily located in Barbados, Bermuda, and Liberia.
* In Liberia, CSL pays a flat tax of $350 (US) a year. Bermuda has no tax on revenues. Barbados offers a decreasing tax rate from 2.5% to 1%.
* In 1989, CSL began to reflag its fleet. Foreign crews do not receive the same salaries or benefits as their Canadian counterparts and, when employing foreign crews, shipowners do not have to abide by the higher Canadian marine safety standards.
* Recently, CSL shipbuilding has taken place offshore, primarily at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China. This despite a Government of Canada report calling for a revitalization of our home-grown shipbuilding industry which has been battered by foreign subsidies and unfair trade practices.
UNQUOTE
The reason I posted this unforgiveably long information is because I want to ask the question, With all the grain that is shipped via CSL, can the the CWB's Goodale be truly working in the interest of farmers?
Parsley
These exerpts are from a Canadian Alliance newsletter titled PAUL MARTIN WATCH and dated March 6, 2003
QUOTE
Since 1993, Canadians have been led to believe that Paul Martin had severed his day-to-day ties to his vast shipping enterprise, Canada Steamship Lines. We were assured that there could be no conflicts between Mr. Martin’s public duties and his private interests because everything was in a blind trust.
Unknown to Canadians, however, Paul Martin received regular briefings on CSL business, and his so-called blind trust was actually a special “Supervisory Agreement” that allowed him some disclosure of information related to his assets, company operations and CSL transactions. Instead of a blind trust we got an ethics framework that blinded the public and not the minister. That’s wrong.
Paul Martin has to decide where his first loyalty will lie if he becomes prime minister – to his private financial interests or to the interests of the people of Canada. He cannot be the CEO of the country and a hands-on CEO of a half-a-billion dollar shipping empire at the same time.
This issue has nothing to do with Paul Martin’s money or the place of entrepreneurs in Canadian politics. It has everything to do with the possibility of conflicts of interest and the impossibility of separating oneself from such a large and far-reaching family business.
To put this in context, here are some facts about Paul Martin and Canada Steamship Lines:
Background
* Paul Martin and his wife Sheila are sole proprietors of a private, non-publicly-traded, family business called Canada Steamship Lines.
* This personal business empire is a conglomerate of 47 companies with a fleet of 37 ships. The fleet is larger than the entire Canadian navy, and CSL is the largest operator of self-unloading ships in the world.
* In March 2001, the CSL Group’s assets were valued at $693,388,000 with total annual sales of $283,181,000.
How CSL Intersects With Government
* CSL is so big, Paul Martin would have to withdraw from Cabinet deliberations on any matter relating to shipbuilding policy, marine transportation, VIA Rail, the St. Lawrence Seaway, corporate taxation, customs regulations and many, many more topics.
* They might as well install a revolving door on the Cabinet Room.
CSL’s Foreign Operations and Practices
* When Paul Martin purchased CSL in 1981, the company conducted its affairs in Canada, employed Canadian crews, and built ships in Canada. Over twenty years later, most of CSL’s affiliates are primarily located in Barbados, Bermuda, and Liberia.
* In Liberia, CSL pays a flat tax of $350 (US) a year. Bermuda has no tax on revenues. Barbados offers a decreasing tax rate from 2.5% to 1%.
* In 1989, CSL began to reflag its fleet. Foreign crews do not receive the same salaries or benefits as their Canadian counterparts and, when employing foreign crews, shipowners do not have to abide by the higher Canadian marine safety standards.
* Recently, CSL shipbuilding has taken place offshore, primarily at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China. This despite a Government of Canada report calling for a revitalization of our home-grown shipbuilding industry which has been battered by foreign subsidies and unfair trade practices.
UNQUOTE
The reason I posted this unforgiveably long information is because I want to ask the question, With all the grain that is shipped via CSL, can the the CWB's Goodale be truly working in the interest of farmers?
Parsley
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