I missed it. Apparently the gathered throng returned to the glare of cameras just before 1630 hours (4:30pm).
As I understand it a rather harried looking Peter Engelmann (lead commission counsel) announced that Garry Guzzo has been ordered off to his cottage in Westport Ontario to retrieve his un-redacted files. Tomorrow they’ll all be back at it behind closed doors, presumably long enough to scrutinize the names and apply monikers.
Seems there may also have been talk about Guzzo testifying all this week and possibly into next week. If that’s the case it makes eminent sense. Why anyone thought that Guzzo could possibly be thrown on the stand and be over and done with in a day-and-a-half is beyond me.
I must say I have deep concerns here for the well-being and safety of those Guzzo contacts who might have blown the whistle a little or a lot in this institution, that institution or the other one. I truly believe that anyone who is identified as a whistle blower will pay – one way or the other they will pay.
The question of course is this: , if Guzzo refuses to divulge those identities then what? Pack him off to Divisional Court on contempt charges? That’s the name of the game these days, isn’t it? In this presumably huggy-bear-kissy-face no-one-will-forced-to-testify-against-their-will “inquiry” that’s the way it’s starting to go.
On the other hand, if Guzzo buckles, then what? Just think about. In as much as the disclosure deed may be done behind closed doors thems that needs to know and wants to know are right there behind closed doors with him – waiting! In other words, in this case closed doors and in camera means diddly squat. And now we’re back to the whole business of impartiality and independence.
This whole charade is absolutely the height of insanity. That a witness should seriously be expected to disclose the identities of whistleblowers within various institutions to a rabble that comprises of those very institutions and their sympathizing peers says it all. And that Justice Glaude is beholden to the office of the AG for his pay cheque on top of it! the same office which in an act of perfect charity hankered a back room deal to force Ontario taxpayers to foot a goodly portion of the Cornwall police service legal bill!!
Keep Garry Guzzo in your prayers. I think he’s going to need a lot of them over the next few days. Even from afar I could sense the mood in the coliseum. They’re out for more blood. They’re insatiable.
God help us. God help Garry Guzzo.
Anyway, hearings, such as they are, resume I assume at 0930 hours (9:30 am) tomorrow (Wednesday, 14 November 2007)
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And more prayers…
Steve Parisien is in court tomorrow morning (Cornwall courthouse). This time he is the plaintiff. His second “alleged” molester stands trial.
It’s been an extremly rough year for Steve – thanks to Justice Normand Glaude and the inquiry, an emotional roller-coaster in every sense of the word. True enough the charges were finally dismissed, but the months took their toll on Steve, emotionally and financially.
I hope and pray all goes well for him tomorrow.
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Enough for now,
Sylvia
It does seem that they focus on tracking down the whistle blowers in their search for information. Gary Guzzo expressed confidence in Justice Glaude in the radio clip you posted. It seems to me this confidence is misplaced. If the inquiry cannot touch the perpetrators at least it could put as much heat on the people in various agencies who played along with the cover up as they put on the whistleblowers.