Today's hydra-headed scandal involving money for nothing, jobs for Liberals, contracts in Quebec and Alfonso Gagliano

In the Montreal Gazette, Andy Riga reminds us of the Other Scandal, or rather scandals, during Alfonso the Gag's reign at Public Works: the Canada Lands affair, and assorted other stories of misdeeds at the agencies Alfonso fondly referred to as "my crowns."

The sponsorship scandal and allegations involving crown corporations are not directly linked, but some of the same characters have come up in both. "The common denominator was Mr. Gagliano," Jon Grant, the Canada Lands whistle-blower whose complaints about political interference and cronyism led to Gagliano's cabinet ouster, said this week. "That's why it's kind of interesting to listen to what's going on now at the Gomery Commission." Grant was appointed Canada Lands Co. chairperson in 1995, after retiring from Quaker Oats Co. of Canada after 18 years as chief executive. In 2002, two months after his term at Canada Lands expired, he went public, accusing Gagliano and his staff of pressuring him to hire Gagliano's friends and trying to meddle in commercial dealings at the agency. Jean-Marc Bard, Gagliano's chief of staff at the time, insisted on playing a role in all Canada Lands transactions in Quebec, Grant said, adding Bard told him: "Canada is yours, Quebec is ours." Bard has denied making the statement. Among Grant's claims is that Gagliano urged him to hire his friend Tony Mignacca for $6,000 a month, but Mignacca "didn't do any work" in his 12 months at Canada Lands and was forced to leave. Mignacca then was hired by Gagliano's riding office. Grant said Gagliano's office also asked Canada Lands to hire Michele Tremblay, a Gagliano friend and supporter, as a speechwriter and consultant, for $5,000 a month. She was hired, but Grant later let her go.

Peter Goldring, a Conservative MP from Alberta who was public-works opposition critic during the Gagliano era, sees parallels between the sponsorship scandal and some of the activities at crown corporations. "In light of what we know now, it seems like this was systemic - anything and everything that was an opportunity to scrape some coins out was taken and it really should all be looked into again," Goldring said in an interview. "This Gomery inquiry into sponsorship is only scratching the surface."

Some examples:

A 1998 internal Canada Lands memo, which only became public after Gagliano left office, made a series of accusations. The memo came to light in the criminal trial of Michel Couillard, a former Canada Lands vice-president facing a breach-of-trust charge. In the memo, he told his boss that Gagliano repeatedly tried to get people hired and have contracts extended. Couillard, eventually convicted of using $5,000 in Canada Lands money to pay stable fees for his daughter's horse, said in the memo that Gagliano tried to get all of Canada Lands' legal business moved to Tom Nanci, a Montreal lawyer and former Gagliano organizer. Couillard said Gagliano also intervened on behalf of Emmanuel Triassi, touting him to manage the Benny Farm real-estate project in Notre Dame de Grace. Canada Lands passed on hiring Triassi, a Montreal construction executive. Gagliano later appointed Triassi chairperson of the Royal Canadian Mint, a job he still holds. In addition, Couillard said Gagliano tried to grant part of the Benny Farm project to an engineering firm because "the minister's son-in-law worked" there. In a confidential 1999 forensic audit for Canada Lands, obtained in 2002 by the National Post, Samson Belair/Deloitte & Touche concluded that while businessman Robert Charest - brother of Jean Charest - was paid $187,000 for two years' work, he did not provide two years' worth of service as a real-estate consultant and broker. Canada Lands workers told the auditors Charest only showed up to pick up his paycheque. In Couillard's 1998 memo, he alleged that Gagliano ordered him to keep Charest on contract at Canada Lands for an extra three months because Jean Charest was jumping from the federal Progressive Conservatives to become leader of the Quebec Liberals "and the federal Liberals wanted to help him." The RCMP investigated but did not lay charges. Robert Charest denied any wrongdoing.

Michele Tremblay, the speechwriter who Grant said Gagliano wanted hired at Canada Lands, and her company were awarded millions in contracts by crown corporations during the years Gagliano was responsible for them. Her firm got contracts from Canada Post, the Royal Canadian Mint, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. and the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges of Montreal. Among other things, Tremblay was hired by the Canadian Mint for a $170,000 plan to send mobile gazebos across the country to mark the year 2000 and to increase awareness of the mint. The plan was ultimately shelved.

You have to read the whole thing.