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To amplify what Mongeau says above in #26: the publication ban specifically covers the testimony of Jean Brault, a person directly involved in the federal sponsorship/advertising funds scandal. His testimony is TEMPORARILY banned from publication only because he is scheduled shortly to be tried on a criminal charge before a jury for his role in the transactions being investigated.

The federal inquiry into the scandal has sensibly decided to forbid media reporting of his revelations in advance of the selection of a jury - for the obvious reason that to do so could appear to prejudice the fairness of his trial and the trials of others who are charged with him.

Brault's lawyers have just asked for the trial to be deferred for several months because of the volume of evidence they are faced with. If the trial is deferred, the publication ban may stay in place, or, more likely, will probably be lifted as Brault's current testimony will not coincide with jury selection.

Dozens of people, including former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, have testified publically before Judge Gomery (Gomery is no friend of Chretien or the Liberal Party, by the way - far from it). The proceedings are televised and freely commented on in the Canadian media.

Canadians very much want to get to the bottom of this stinking mess. I, for one, think the publication ban on Brault's testimony is sensible, if it prevents claims of bias by him, his lawyers or the other alleged fraudsters in this case.

There's way too much hysteria and uninformed Canada-bashing on this thread. Some of the posters here need to chill out and educate themselves a bit about their Northern neighbor. Americans in general know little to nothing about Canada, and it certainly shows here.

The current testimony which is under a publications ban in Canada is all pointing at the current Prime Minister Paul Martin. He not only had knowledge of the hundreds of millions of taxpayers dollars going to Liberal buddies and back to the Liberal party but helped to administer it and then to cover up it ever happened.

The Liberals were reduced to a minority government last fall and and election can happen at any time the opposition does not support a Liberal bill so that it fails.

The Conservatives have the second largest number of seats currently.

Now would American Conservatives like a Conservative Government in Canada?

"There's way too much hysteria and uninformed Canada-bashing on this thread. Some of the posters here need to chill out and educate themselves a bit about their Northern neighbor. Americans in general know little to nothing about Canada, and it certainly shows here."

No doubt about it... but im used to the fact that a large chunk of the postings regarding Canada on FR involve uninformed people just wanting to hear themselves speak.