Life in a banana republic May 13, 2005 When did Canada become a Third World banana republic? Consider just a few of the events of recent days: * At the Gomery inquiry, the former director-general of the Liberal party's Quebec wing, Daniel Dezainde, testified Wednesday he felt his "safety was directly threatened" when he ran afoul of a rogue group of party operatives whom, he said, had secretly seized control of the party's fundraising operations. * That was just the latest startling revelation as the public hearings into AdScam also heard testimony alleging witness tampering, kickbacks, influence peddling...