ASLEY SMITH CORONER'S INQUEST IS FINALLY UNDERWAY

More than five years after her death in custody and solely responsible due to her treatment by Corrections Canada; the coroner's inquest is proceeding again. It currently is being streamed live over the Internet and what I heard a few minutes ago was a fairly dry recitation of her institutional charges being read out by a witness. Apparently in this third world country called Canada, one's compliance and cooperation with institutional authorities is a greater determinant of one's total time in custody than what the original conviction and sentence was for.

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys the following story "Ashley Smith legal tab a $3.6-million secret". That's correct, you and I and the taxpayers to date have paid $3.6 million essentially for the purpose of assisting our authorities to continue delaying and covering up. This is and always has been the essential elephant in the room regarding politics at all levels. The very same dishonest, immoral and undemocratic decisions made by our politicians are routinely covered up at the direct expense of the public. We not only pay for their salaries, benefits and perks but we pay to defend them when they screw up including intentionaly, with or without malice involved.

Today's article points the finger at Corrections Canada, federal Public Safety and the RCMP in regards to the legal funds spent to limit, delay and distract this inquest. Make no mistake this is our federal government exercising their muscle and influence to ensure that the negligent death of a nineteen year old girl does not impact on any of the guilty parties. Especially they wouldn't want it to impact upon themselves, their policy , their credibility or their future ability to get votes. For politicians of a certain ilk, Ashley Smith is no more than collateral damage in their ongoing power games. Shame on the lot of them. Best wishes to the family although I expect they will never see justice done towards their child.