POLITICS: Canadian Immigration Minister Resigns Over "Pizzagate"

Embattled Canadian Immigration Minister Judy Sgro has tendered her resignation. While still embroiled in a scandal over alleged favors to a Romanian Stripper, Sgro was also accused of blackmailing a pizza shop owner for free food. Harjit Singh, owner of a pizza shop in Ottawa, has filed an affidavit accusing the minister of promising to help him stay in the country in exchange for free pizza and campaign work. Sgro denies the charges and her resignation is said to be given so that she'll have a free hand in her defense.



I'm all for getting rid of crooks, but strippers and pizza? It seems extremely petty (and hard to prove). You may as well tell me that Ted Turner stole your bicycle. Don't you think that this person could have aimed a little higher if they were really so crooked? If the charges bear out then so be it, but if it comes to light that this was an extortion attempt or a character assassination then somehow deportation just wouldn't cut it. I'd recommend having him -swim- out of Canada if this turned out to be false.

I also find it more than a tad funny that while a female cabinet officer was not shamed out of office by a scandal involving a stripper, a couple of pizza's managed to be the straw which broke the camel's back. What exactly is the message being sent here? It's OK to pay favors to vulnerable people in the adult industry, but you can't get fat while doing it?


[edit on 17-1-2005 by Banshee]

Your last paragraph had me laughing, point well made.

Just for accuracy, Harjit Singh is a pizza shop owner in Brampton, Ontario.

She should have resigned over the stripper incident as far as I'm concerned because that was ridiculous. Singh, at least, has his family, including kids, and a business which pays taxes.

Sgro has been in the news because of stupidity and misuse of her office way too much. I'm pretty sure she's guilty. Makes the importance of the office look laughable. Just because she won her riding, doesn't mean she deserves to be Minister of Immigration.



[edit on 17/1/05 by AlwaysLearning]

Yeah she isn't fit to represent her riding let alone hold the office for Immigration. She way worse then Carolyn Parrish IMHO. She should be barred from office for life if the allegations fully pan out. Why is it always the Liberals get into trouble like this, PETTY BS crap too. It's really stupidity on her part but she still has to pay if she is guilty as charged. Glad she gone, whos gonna take her place? Has there ever been a precedent for appointing a non-liberal to that post? Or has it always been filled by the current party in power?

For now its Joe Volpe.

Regardless of the outcome I don't see her coming back. It would be like taking three steps backward. Its a difficult portfolio to manage, lots of pressure and stress. I don't think she's suited to it.

Apparently she took off to Florida the day after stepping down. Talk about flying the coup!

Article about Harjit Singh from today's Globe:

www.theglobeandmail.com...

He's no asset to Canada...I say give him the boot.

Judy Sgro should stay gone regardless of the outcome of the investigation.
She was in over her head.