Detailing the complex money laundering and fraud scheme that brought down the provincial Progressive Conservative Party in Saskatchewan during the 90s, Gerry Jones provides a deep look into both the legal and financial fallout of the crime.
Written as a piece of investigative journalism, the book begins with a description of the Tory government under Premier Grant Devine and the lead-up to the expenses scandal that saw 14 Members of the Legislative Assembly (ML As) involved. The scheme was perpetrated via the Communications Allowance, a tax=payer funded grant to ML As to pay for advertising and similar actions. The money was funneled into shell companies, then to the party Caucus office where it was funneled to ML As or safety deposit boxes due to a lack of auditing.
The scandal brought down not only over a dozen careers, but the entire Progressive Conservative Party, which never recovered.
Tropes Present In This Work:
- Attack of the Political Ad: Some of the funds involved were funneled into the "Dirty Tricks Squad", which ran negative ads against NDP Premier Roy Romanow after the Conservative government fell.
- Driven to Suicide: One unfortunate Conservative MLA took his life while waiting to be called to the witness stand.
- Elite Agents Above the Law: Those implicated in the scandal acted without oversight from proper auditing agencies (and possibly even without the Premier knowing).
- Forensic Accounting: The RCMP's "Project Fiddle" engaged in a massive investigation to track down the relevant documents and trace the scheme back to the source
- Hauled Before A Senate Subcommittee: While the Saskatchewan government lacks a Senate, several committees such as the Board of Internal Economy were involved during the initial stages of the investigation.
- Inherent in the System: Although later legislation closed this loophole, little oversight was given to the Communications Allowance and it largely operated via honour system
- New Old West: John Muirhead is described as a "cowboy" and spent his stolen funds on a saddle and related equipment.
- Guns are also given as retirement gifts a certain points.
- Operation: [Blank]: The RCMP investigation is named "Project Fiddle", after the F Division headquarters in Regina, Saskatchewan. All operations from F Division begin with the letter F.
- Scandal Gate: Surprisingly averted, although the book's Canadian setting might factor into this.
- Suspicious Spending: One MLA was exposed for buying a saddle and new clothes with taxpayer money, calling it "parade equipment" on his invoice.
- Swiss Bank Account: The small town of Martensville, Saskatchewan served as a nexus for stolen funds, although it has no ties or proximity whatsoever to Switzerland.
- Vast Bureaucracy: For anyone not well-versed in Saskatchewan's politics or civil service, this work can give the impression of a massive network of departments and agencies.
- White-Collar Crime: The central conflict of the book, involving a dual fraud/money laundering scheme.
