As I have written in the past on this blog, I have long suspected that Canada is soft on white-collar crime, including money laundering. The fact that the Panama Papers has yielded almost no recovery by the CRA of hidden tax money speaks volumes.
It would appear that laissez-faire attitude is now working its way through other federal bodies. Marco Chown Oved writes:
Despite multiple recent reports that identified Toronto’s vulnerability to money laundering, the RCMP has decided to disband its Ontario financial crimes unit, the Star has learned.The many people currently working in the division will be redeployed to others dealing with terrorism, drugs and organized crime - a very bad idea:
Announced internally on December 10 in a series of meetings held in detachments across the province, the decision will see 129 officers and eight civilian staff re-assigned to other units, including organized crime, anti-terrorism and drugs, according to an internal email obtained by the Star.
Breaking up a stand-alone unit devoted to investigating complex and difficult cases has financial crime experts worrying that fraud and money laundering activity will increase.
“It just won’t work,” said Garry Clement, former director of the RCMP proceeds of crime unit. “The RCMP, in my view, has sort of lost sight of the fact that taking on financial crime requires a very high degree of expertise.”Says former deputy commissioner of the RCMP, Peter German,
A similar reorganization happened in B.C. several years ago, said Clement, where there has since been an explosion of money laundering in casinos, real estate and luxury cars.
“It amazes me that they tried this approach of dissolving the (financial crime) units and putting them together with other units and we know the results,” he said.
“Eliminating economic crime as a national priority for the RCMP is a mistake. It was recognized years ago that protection of our economy is a critical issue for the national police. Furthermore, following the money trail is accepted around the world as likely the most effective way to attack organized crime where it hurts most,” German said.It is difficult to draw any positive inferences from this egregiously bone-headed move, a reminder once more that when one scratches beneath the surface, all sorts of unpleasant implications are exposed.
Lorne, our power brokers do not want investigations or charges against white collar criminals because they are part of the same cabal. The last decent attempt at investigating white collar crime was snuffed out after Rod Stamler's time with the RCMP (see Paul Palango's "Above the Law"). The RCMP's strength has always been to apprehend those at the lower end of the pecking order, including indigenous folks. Weibo Ludvig knew he would not get a fair investigation. RG
ReplyDeleteI agree, RG. They are either part of the cabal or they identify with them. Their allegiance is almost tribal in nature.
Delete.. the 'legal lines' have become blurred, even distorted..
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Litigious New World of North America. There's an old police term for an arrest or police shooting. It was called a 'righteous arrest' or a righteous shooting. In other words it was legally justifiable and there would be a conviction or in the case of the shooting.. legally justifiable.. and the officer(s) who fired could not expect any recrimination.
My point is.. if the legal aspects become clouded, complicated or risky.. or will require far too much human resource - time & money and budget.. the system bogs down.
Look at big business, wealth, high society & the mingling of those or entwining with political parties and its a stewpot for constant system abuse.. a superhighway so to speak. Keep in mind how Stephen Harper 'seeded' different layers of the judiciary.. Look at Trump's desperate intent to get Kavanagh into the Supreme Court.
There is also the double standard. Money buys legal protection. Power buys legal protection. The most audacious legal takedowns recently were of course via Robert Mueller and his crack team of investigators. Oddly they managed to get the perps into prison. They didnsome adroit 'seeding' of their own. Wisely distributing many cases to the appropriate jurisdictions in different states & to be fully developed at their discretion. We still have yet to see the full fruits of Mueller et al.. but in my view, their investigations were exemplary, despite all the highest level obstruction, deceit, constant media distortions and whining.
Canada became the 'Liberia' of mining company registration under Stephen Harper. The sheer levels of corruption in North and South American 'mining interests' is stunning. Indigenous tribes were simply ejected from their home and habitat, the land stripped, the resource extraction underway, the pollution and toxification simply astonishing.
Nobody can convince me the wealthy who hide money offshore, the politicos who nudge nudge wink wink re money laundering or insider trading are not aware of just how hard it is for authorities to get a complete picture of crimes where so many are involved, participating, corrupting due process. Hell, Doug Ford's government is asking the courts to retroactively quash legal convictions already established in court of law.. via a law he has adapted ! Riddle me that !!
As so many dispossessed groups have said for so long, Sal, the system is rigged. When our politicians strut their stuff on Main St., it is often only to get re-elected to better serve Bay Street. Participation and influence in democracy is far too frequently an illusion for those not near the top of the pyramid.
DeleteUnfortunately, this is simply more evidence that, with enough money, you can purchase the law you want.
ReplyDeleteThe ways of the world appear increasingly ugly today, Owen, though some could argue it has always been thus.
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